Local Author Provides Inspiration, Advice

Aaron Voeks

avoek774@uwsp.edu

Rachel Allord, an author and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point alumna, was at the Portage County Library this week to talk about her new novel, “The Mother of my Son.”

Allord’s book is about a college girl who gives birth to a baby and abandons him out of fear and desperation.  Many years later she meets a woman and builds a friendship with her, only to discover that her new friend has raised the child she had abandoned.

Photo by Morgan Schwantz. Rachel Allord at her book signing on Monday.

Photo by Morgan Schwantz.
Rachel Allord at her book signing on Monday.

The book signing audience was small, but very keen to ask Allord questions regarding both her book and the writing process.  Those who attended wanted to know many things about her book and what it was like to make it.

Allord described the writing process that she began in 2001 and completed in2013 when the book was published.

“It started on a whim, I just wanted to get the story that was in my head out,” Allord said.

She claims that her goal is not to preach to people, but that the book does have a message rooted in religion.

“I would say the message is that God’s grace is sufficient, meaning that God loves us,” Allord said.

She went on to talk about how much the story meant to her. She said it was inspired by an actual event she saw a news story about that made her upset.

Allord told audience members it is important to write about things that make them passionate, which is what she did for her own novel.

Allord also talked at length about the publishing process, describing how she made it through the process with her first novel.  She talked about what it was like going through a small publishing house and how doing so differed from self publishing.

She said she was amazed at how extensive the editing process was, claiming that she would often have pages covered in notes from her editor, and that having that input was a major help for creating a good final product.

Allord is proud to have a finished product that she can see and hold in her hand, but is more proud that she told her story well.

“Honestly, if I hadn’t written the book I would have still really liked the story.  That’s what I’m happy about, the satisfaction of having told a story well,” Allord said.

Beyond “The Mother of my Son,” Allord has also contributed to “Chicken Soup for the Soul” a number of times and is currently working on her second novel.  More information can be found at her website: rachelallord.com.

 

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