Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Potter
Hi Nancy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey as a writer began in childhood, with moments that foreshadowed a lifelong passion for storytelling. One of my earliest memories of writing is a four-line poem I penned at the age of six. By fifth grade, living in Holland due to my father’s job in the oil industry, I wrote my first short story inspired by seeing the Queen—a moment that sparked my imagination. The following year, my English teacher had us keeping daily journals, (a practice I continued for decades) some of which I still have. I was fortunate to have English teachers all through my life that encouraged my writing.
Throughout my school years, I continued to write, and even as a college student in New Orleans in the late 1970s, I penned three-quarters of a book longhand. Though my early work feels rudimentary now, it laid the foundation for my future as a novelist. I’ll have to finish that book one day!
After a lifetime of writing, my passion culminated in the publication of my first novel, “Barbours Cut; Beyond the River’s Reach,” in September 2023. This novel, based on the extraordinary life of my great-grandfather, Capt. Clyde Barbour, was a story I always knew I would write. The process began in 1985, with interviews of my grandparents that I recorded on cassette tapes; my grandmother was Capt. Barbour’s daughter. I gathered all the family lore I heard growing up, the interviews I had recorded over the decades, and years of meticulous research to bring my family’s rich history to life. Every detail, every story, was worth the effort, despite the unexpected physical toll from spending hours reading microfiche and going over old papers and photos trying not to destroy them.
It took 38 years from my first interview to the publishing of “Barbours Cut”. Now, I continue to channel my energy into sharing my great-grandfather’s story with the world, writing the sequel which covers the life of my grandmother, and looking into a TV series. The journey continues, and I’m excited for what lies ahead.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think that anything that takes 38 years to complete can be considered a smooth road. How do I crystallize 38 years? There were two marriages and a son born with a rare disease that was expected to be his demise but wasn’t. It did leave him with many special needs and unable to live alone. Ten years later I had another son who suffered with Sensory Integration Disorder which made most everything about him complicated.
I had been raised very southern, the last of five daughters, which meant I was groomed to be a wife and a mother. What a wonderful foundation to build upon, but the world that surrounded me as a young woman wanted other things from me; it wanted me to be a businesswoman with a career. I had grown up wanting to be an architect so going to architecture school was an easy fit, until it wasn’t. Women weren’t accepted readily into that school making the difficult path to becoming an architect that much harder. Three years later, I changed my mind. It was life-altering. I ended up with a degree in Communications and landed a job in Washington, D.C. right after graduating.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I hold a day job that offers me the flexibility to focus on my writing during my ample spare time; it also pays the bills! This support—both in terms of time and resources—has been instrumental in bringing my book to life. Throughout the publishing journey, I dedicated every evening and weekend to editing, rewriting, and coordinating all aspects of my book’s production. This intense focus, while demanding, was essential to achieving my goal.
Even after publication, my life remains deeply intertwined with my book. Between marketing efforts, attending book club meetings, and traveling for signings, my ‘free time’ has become almost entirely devoted to sharing my work with the world.
I am particularly known for my vivid descriptive narrative and meticulous research. My ability to weave together historical details with engaging storytelling is what truly sets my work apart. What distinguishes me as an author is my unwavering determination and personal connection to the story. This book could only have been written by someone who lived and breathed the history it recounts. Growing up I absorbed the stories of my great-grandparents and was taught to honor and admire them.
Living in what is essentially a museum to my great-grandparents and grandparents, I am constantly surrounded by artifacts of their lives—photos, letters, business papers, passports, even their clothing and furniture. This environment allows me to immerse myself fully in the past, making the history I write about feel incredibly vivid and real.
Each day, as I work and rest, I feel the presence of my ancestors, whose lives and stories I have brought to life. I like to think that my great-grandparents, whose smiles I see in the photos across from my bed, are proud of the work I’ve done to honor their legacy.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One of the most crucial steps when starting out is to truly understand what day-to-day life in your chosen field looks like. For most of my life before college, I believed that a career in architecture was my calling. However, after interning at a firm for a year and a half following my sophomore year, I quickly realized that the day-to-day realities of the job didn’t align with my expectations, and it made me question whether it was the right path for me.
The daily tasks of an architect, particularly in the late 1970s, before the advent of computer-aided design, felt monotonous and unfulfilling. This early discovery saved me from years of pursuing a career that wasn’t right for me. After two years of college and a year and a half of working in that field, I made the tough decision to change my career path completely. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary for my long-term happiness and fulfillment,
My advice to those just starting out is to take the time to deeply explore the reality of the field you’re considering. Shadow professionals, seek internships, and ask questions. Doing so can save you from years of pursuing a path that might not align with your true interests and passions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nancypotterauthor.com
- Instagram: nancypotterauthor
- Facebook: nancypotterauthor
