Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 #AuthorInterview with Robin McMillion

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Lily Andrews is talking with Robin McMillion, author of The Children of the Children.

FQ: You've penned an exceptional book that captivates readers from the start and keeps them engaged. What inspired you to focus on character development over plot?

MCMILLION: Of all types of extremism, I think religious extremism is the most oppressive, because religion gets to the core of who we are as human beings. Religion offers answers to where we come from, how to live our lives, and where we go after we die. But religion can be used against you. Not everyone who joins a cult is “messed up,” had a bad childhood, or is on drugs. Some are just going through a bad time and get sucked in. I focused on character development so that the reader could see himself or herself in Danny, Deborah, Martha, and the others, so the reader might understand what drives a person to make the choices they make in life.

FQ: How did you manage to incorporate the historical and religious aspects that are central to your novel?

MCMILLION: The United States is infused with extremism, both religious and political, so incorporating that into my novel was fairly easy. In fact, Father Joseph’s Letters to his followers were the easiest part of the novel to write. There really is a Bible verse for everything! As for the historical aspects: The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 thrilled me. I wanted to set the coming of age of the second generation in my novel against that backdrop. East Europeans’ freedom is now very much in doubt, especially in Ukraine, but perhaps we can be inspired again, anew, by the yearning for freedom in all of us.

FQ: In what ways has your background influenced your writing perspective? 

MCMILLION: My parents were journalists, so conversations about politics and current events were common when I was growing up. I came to believe that national and even international events can shape decisions that people make about their personal lives, in ways we may not realize. Danny drops out of U.S. society at the height of the Vietnam War; years later, his son tries to escape a cult as East Europeans are escaping communism. Both The Children of the Children and my other novel, The Catchings Press, are set against a backdrop of world events. This was deliberate.

FQ: Do you think you would get along with your main character, Danny? What would your first words be if you encountered him in real life?

MCMILLION: One of the things I struggled with in this novel was to not get angry with my characters. I had compassion for Danny: Those last few weeks before he met the Fishermen were awful. But he also frustrated me: He had chances to leave the group and didn’t take them. If I were to meet Danny, I would say to him what his father, Sam, said to him in Munich: Don’t let the man you’ve chosen to follow lead you over a cliff.

FQ: Danny Calvert is a well-developed character that you skillfully use to advance the narrative and delve into the themes you wanted to express. Should readers anticipate seeing more of him in a potential sequel? 

MCMILLION: Danny is a prominent character in my second novel, The Catchings Press, which, as readers may recall, is the name of the newspaper that Danny’s parents own. The main character is his sister, Annette, who readers briefly met in The Children of the Children. Though not a sequel, The Catchings Press, like this novel, explores issues of agency and autonomy. If Children asks “Who owns your mind?” then Press asks “Who owns your body?”

FQ: You've tackled intricate themes like cultism, which some authors shy away from, offering deep insights into faith and the nature of existence. Did you find this challenging to write about, and if so, how did you approach it? 

MCMILLION: I found it very challenging to write this novel, especially the sexual abuse. In fact, I almost didn’t put it into the story. But sexual abuse in extremist religion isn’t just possible, it’s practically inevitable. If a religious leader’s followers believe, as many Americans do, that the Bible is infallible, then that leader can use nearly anything from the Bible to justify his actions. The first step to stopping this kind of abuse is to shine a light on it. I’ve tried to do that.

FQ: Which character in this book resonated with you the most, and why? 

MCMILLION: The characters who really resonated with me were Deborah and Japheth. Both were vulnerable, but Deborah recognized she was vulnerable, whereas Japheth didn’t recognize his own vulnerability until he was nearly abandoned on a snowy street. Both were clever and resourceful. But they differed: Deborah believed in the religion, whereas Japheth never believed. I think what resonated with me the most was that they were tougher than they realized, and, when push came to shove, they stood up for the people they loved.

FQ: How extensive was your research on the Cold War era? 

MCMILLION: Very. I’ve been paying attention to world events since I was a child and I remember, or have read about, most of the historical events depicted in the novel. Also, I lived in Europe during some of the years when this story takes place. As for specific books about the Cold War, I highly recommend former Newsweek reporter Michael R. Meyer’s The Year That Changed the World: The Untold Story Behind the Fall of the Berlin Wall. 

FQ: I noticed the thoughtful design of your book cover, which enhances its authenticity and appeal. Could you share your experience with the design process? 

MCMILLION: I found my cover designer, Peter O’Connor of Bespoke Author in the UK, through a simple Google search. Peter and I had a Zoom call to discuss the story and exchanged numerous emails. I immediately liked his idea of a silhouette. A silhouette effectively erases a person. Extremist groups erase who people are and a silhouette conveys that. This particular silhouette could represent either a parent and their child, or a child and the adult that the child grows into. Finally, whereas the silhouette and title are stark – black, white, and red – the background is layered and has texture. All in all, I think it works.

FQ: Your book raises many compelling ideas. What is the most important message you hope readers will take away after finishing it?

MCMILLION: The message I hope readers take away is that anyone can become susceptible to cults or to cult-like thinking. That includes you, dear reader. And me. And everybody we love. We have to keep our minds open. We have to think for ourselves. It’s damned hard to do, but is the only way to live free.