First Novel Chosen as SACOTA Book Club Selection
A love of books paired with a desire to share the small town experience with a larger audience is the driving force behind hometown author, Jodi Culliney’s recent endeavor in authoring novels.
“Books have the ability to send you anywhere,” said Culliney, daughter of Joe and JoAnn Hettinger and a Class of 1991 Wessington Springs High School alumni. “Most people have no idea about small town life, and I wanted to help them feel that experience.”
Although Culliney grew up in Wessington Springs, she has lived the past 20 years in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Pete.
“I have always loved to read but never imagined myself as a writer. My husband has been saying for decades, ‘you’re so creative.’ He finally got to me and I decided, gosh, I should try it,” she recalls. “Once I started, I kept writing and kept writing and couldn’t stop. The setting of my books takes place all over, but always have a South Dakota tie.”
Love of books runs deep
After graduating from WSHS in 1991, Culliney earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD. She then worked as a book clerk at Waldenbooks in Rapid City, SD and transferred to Borders Books, also in Rapid City.
“When I met Pete online, I ended up moving to New York and transferred to the new Borders store on Wall Street. Working there, I saw lots of publishers come in,” she explained. “I thought those contacts I made would allow an author to be published through the big names, but I quickly discovered you need an agent.”
As Culliney began to write, her husband began researching the publishing process. She also honed her writing process and discovered she had the most success when she wrote about what she loves to read about: romance.
“I love romance. When I was younger, early on, I was a lover of romance. I like mysteries but the romance novels were what I gravitated to,” shared Culliney. “As I started writing, I knew I wanted a happy ending so I try to envision what I want to read about. I’ve found that dialogue is a really fun thing to write and to try and get the voices correct for the character.”
As she explores her characters’ dialogue, Culliney said that her own voice and personality tend to emerge in the characters.
“There is a lot of me in many of the characters,” laughed Culliney. “ My sisters Laci (Guy) and Candi (Briley) told me, ‘I’m reading this line and hearing you saying it.’”
Book 1: Excess Baggage
Culliney’s first novel takes place on a cross-country train and features two main characters, Tess and Sam, who unexpectedly meet during the journey, and “sparks fly.”
“I created a train trip from New York to San Francisco, and the novel stems from two strangers meeting on a train. I like the idea of two people meeting like this — it can be anonymous,” explained Culliney. “Tess is engaged to be married but what if she were traveling, met someone else and suddenly, the life she had planned wasn’t something she really wanted?”
Culliney said her novels are more about character development than plot and include many back stories that aren’t told in linear, chronological order.
“I write everyday, during the day and would describe my style as organic. Even when I start a new chapter, I don’t know exactly what will happen,” she said.
Excess Baggage Chosen For SACOTA’s Book Club
Springs Area Council of the Arts (SACOTA) recently announced that Excess Baggage has been selected as the art organization’s spring book club choice. SACOTA encourages community members to read the first novel in the Love, South Dakota Style” series during the month of March, then attend the Book Club Meetup in April with Culliney herself leading the discussion. The event will be held April 7, 6 p.m. at the Springs Inn Cafe.
Hard copy books are available for purchase at the Springs Inn and Amazon and the book is also available anywhere e-books can be purchased.
Book 2: Cutting Losses
Culliney’s second book, Cutting Losses, explores two shattered souls in search of healing and the possibility of love.
“I didn’t realize I was going to write a series but it was almost as if I left some loose ends in the first book so I could explore a second if I wanted to,” Culliney said. “I wanted to make them accessible but have a depth you would care about. The novels are easy reading but not simple reading.”
Her second novel hits even closer to home and takes place in a small South Dakota town.
“The town is loosely based on Huron and Mitchell but there is mention of a very small town, based on none other than Wessington Springs,” she revealed. “In fact, the name of the town is an homage to Wessington Springs.”
Currently working on her third book in the series, Culliney said that although much of it takes place in New York, the South Dakota tie remains prominent throughout the novel. “It’s what connects them, that tie to the prairie,” Culliney shared.
“Wherever I take readers in this series, we will still get back to South Dakota.”