Not In This World by Jane Scott Stuart and Elaine Flowers
This brave, untold story, rooted in true events, transports you to a 1930s small town in Kentucky, where Paul Carew, a tender, artistic young Black man, searches for his place within that racist world.
Employed by a tobacco-growing family with deep white pockets, he becomes both mother and father to their newborn baby girl. Paul’s adventures with his Babe will sweep you along from Horse Cave, Kentucky, to the harrowing battlegrounds of the Second World War and the heart-pounding Battle of Britain, where Paul’s medal-winning courage is on full display.
NOT IN THIS WORLD is out of this world.
Praise for Not In This World
“The book haunts you and stays with you and breaks your heart. I’m a screenwriter and after reading it I couldn’t stop thinking: this beautiful book has to be made into a movie. My second thought was: I have to write the script.”
—Becky Johnston, Screenwriter, The Prince of Tides and Seven Years in Tibet and The House of Gucci
“Not in This World is a poignant exploration of love and ties between people that defy every one of society’s boundaries. With vivid prose and dialogue… so gripping, this novel lingered with me long after I read the last page.”
– Victoria Christopher Murray, author of USA Today bestseller Harlem Rhapsody and the Instant New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian
“Closely-observed, beautifully rendered and deeply affecting, Paul’s story is told with elegance, economy and empathy. Readers, know this: Not in this World is out of this world.”
—Andrew Cohen, Journalist and author of Two Days in June: John F. Kennedy and the 48 Hours That Made History
Soignée Sisterhood Conversation with Jane Scott Stuart
Jane Scott Stuart and Elaine Flowers come from two very different worlds, yet fate—or something greater—brought them together to tell a story that had been waiting to be written. Jane, a lifelong traveler with roots in Kentucky, has lived and studied across Europe, North America, and the South Pacific, always with a book in hand and a story in mind.
Elaine, a Texas-based novelist and editor, turned her passion for storytelling into a career that helps others bring their words to life. Their collaboration on Not in This World bridges their distinct experiences and literary styles, creating a compelling narrative based on true events. Through modern technology and a shared commitment to truth, they have brought to light the powerful journey of a young Black man whose story deserves to be told.
SLM: Jane, how did you become involved with the subject of your book?
Jane Scott Stuart: The day after I was born, I became involved with Paul, the subject of my book. I was a White baby, handed to Paul, a young Black man, who was asked to care for me. I was involved with him from the beginning and remained so until he left this Earth.
SLM: Share with us something about the book that isn’t in the synopsis.
Jane Scott Stuart: We use food and style to set the scene. It helps evoke the feel of the period, and we hope our readers will enjoy that aspect of the book.
SLM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
Jane Scott Stuart: Oh yes. I learned that I am a writer. I learned that I have wells of untapped energy. I learned that age is a self-imposed restriction. I eat a plant-based diet, am a certified yoga teacher, have a personal trainer, and lift 20 kilos twice a week. I plan to be around for my third book.
There is nothing you can’t do if YOU WANT TO. I’m 87, soon 88. My cardiologist recently told me, “MON DIEU, YOU HAVE THE HEART OF A 20-YEAR-OLD.” I wasn’t always healthy, but I got healthy. Anyone can do it.
SLM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
Jane Scott Stuart: We’ll see when the book is widely read. We’ve just released it. The book speaks to the fluid nature of identity and doing away with coloring between the lines. Those were secondary goals after Elaine and I both wanted to share Paul’s amazing story.
Soignée Sisterhood Conversation with Elaine Flowers
SLM: Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
Elaine Flowers: I am number six out of seven children, and my eldest sister has always championed me as a writer. She’s one of the reasons I truly believe in myself as a writer.
SLM: How did you become involved with the subject of your book?
Elaine Flowers: In our Authors’ Notes, Jane and I share how she initially engaged me several years ago to ensure the racial sensitivities in the story. She had received a lot of warnings as a White woman telling a Black man’s story. She didn’t want to write anything that could be construed as her taking liberties with Black culture or anything that could be viewed as racist. When I received an early draft of a chapter, I saw the diamond in the rough and fell in love with what she had written up to that point. The rest is historical fiction.
SLM: Introduce us to Not In This World from your perspective.
Elaine Flowers: Not in This World follows Paul Carew, a young man living in a Kentucky town where Blacks live on one side of the tracks and Whites live on the other. When he is caught trying on his mother’s best church dress by his father, the Baptist preacher, Paul’s world changes forever. Ultimately, he becomes the caretaker for Baby Jane, which turns out to be his ticket to a new life.
SLM: Introduce us to the main characters and bring them to life!
Elaine Flowers: In Paul’s world, there is his sweet, lovely mother, Lily; his fire-and-brimstone father, Elijah; his best friend, Moses; his cousin Lorene, who works for the Jacksons, the White family across the tracks; and of course, Baby Jane, who won’t let anyone care for her except Paul.
SLM: What are the most important elements of good writing?
Elaine Flowers: Knowing how to take the reader on an adventure into the characters’ world. The reader should smell the cake baking in the oven, feel wet when the raindrops fall, and enjoy the tenderness of each kiss that lovers share.
SLM: Have you been able to incorporate your previous experiences in your writing?
Elaine Flowers: Using your own experiences is the only way to effectively reach a reader, whether fiction or nonfiction. The readers can tell when you’re faking it.
SLM: Can you share some ways that readers can support you?
Elaine Flowers: Readers can look for other works by Elaine Flowers, but ultimately, nothing beats a good review or a social media post about how much they enjoyed something I worked on.
SLM: What other projects are you working on at present?
Elaine Flowers: It’s been five years since I released a book, and it, too, was with a coauthor. I’m always working on something, but I do some ghostwriting, and I edit and publish books for other authors, which I enjoy immensely.
SLM: Which authors do you enjoy or find inspiration from?
Elaine Flowers: Too many to name! Some are gone, others still here. I’m a fiction girl, so Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson are my favorite romance authors, along with Tayari Jones, James McBride, Kennedy Ryan, and of course (the hardest-working author alive), Victoria Christopher Murray.
When VCM agreed to write a blurb for Not in This World, we were over the moon. She’s no stranger to historical fiction, so it meant everything to Jane and me when we read her words describing how she felt about our book.
Connect with the Authors
https://www.notinthisworldbook.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221836015-not-in-this-world