Ask the Author: Ralph Webster
Answered Questions (3)
Ralph Webster
A Smile in One Eye: a Tear in the Other is the first book I have ever written. Writing never came easily to me. My aptitude has always been numbers - not words.
Whenever I have thought about writing something, I have always been stumped what to write about and have had a hard time finding a beginning and end to a story. That makes writing a book pretty difficult!
Suddenly, that all changed last year when my wife and I spent 8 weeks in Europe. This was a pleasure trip. We were doing lots of hiking and biking. Our trip took us from Croatia to Sweden and all parts in-between. We often traveled by train. This was at the time the international news was flooded with images of the refugee crisis.
Thousands upon thousands were fleeing - primarily from Syria. Most were headed to Germany in search of employment and opportunity. Countries in the EU were struggling with border issues. We saw this firsthand on trains and at train stations. We watched the police board our trains and remove people. People were profiled because of the way they looked. We saw no danger. All the interactions were civil. We saw no disturbance - just a silent procession of people trying to find a new life. We watched people trying to communicate through the medium of different languages. We saw mothers, fathers, children, and groups of young men. All of this was right before our eyes.
I have always had a great compassion for those forced to leave their homelands. It makes me angry that this is a story history keeps repeating. The world continues to be confronted with issues of ethnic cleansing, immigration and how to cope with the influx of refugees. How can it be, in this day and age, that people are forced to leave the homes of their mothers and fathers through no fault of their own? Imagine what it would be like if you or your children were in this situation. It seems impossible. Yet, it happens.
My father’s family lived that story - only in a different era - during the years preceding World War II and during the Holocaust. That’s what my book is about.
I wanted to convey that sense of helplessness - what it is like to be hated - what it is like to have to run for your life – what it is like to leave the country where your family has always lived - what it is like to leave family behind – what it is like to be totally disconnected and not know who has survived and who has not - what it is like to try to survive in a place with a different language and culture. And, I wanted to convey that sense of determination, of going forward with one’s life, and of keeping one’s perspective and outlook.
In today’s era of terror and violence, I believe we too often forget that the refugees of the world are not the enemy. These are the victims. They are the innocent. They are the bystanders. These are people like you and me – and they are leaving with only the clothes on their backs - and often, with their loved ones left behind.
My father’s journey took place 75 years ago. Yet, the parallels with today’s world are clear. There are contemporary overtones. We need to learn from this story. That is what inspired me.
Whenever I have thought about writing something, I have always been stumped what to write about and have had a hard time finding a beginning and end to a story. That makes writing a book pretty difficult!
Suddenly, that all changed last year when my wife and I spent 8 weeks in Europe. This was a pleasure trip. We were doing lots of hiking and biking. Our trip took us from Croatia to Sweden and all parts in-between. We often traveled by train. This was at the time the international news was flooded with images of the refugee crisis.
Thousands upon thousands were fleeing - primarily from Syria. Most were headed to Germany in search of employment and opportunity. Countries in the EU were struggling with border issues. We saw this firsthand on trains and at train stations. We watched the police board our trains and remove people. People were profiled because of the way they looked. We saw no danger. All the interactions were civil. We saw no disturbance - just a silent procession of people trying to find a new life. We watched people trying to communicate through the medium of different languages. We saw mothers, fathers, children, and groups of young men. All of this was right before our eyes.
I have always had a great compassion for those forced to leave their homelands. It makes me angry that this is a story history keeps repeating. The world continues to be confronted with issues of ethnic cleansing, immigration and how to cope with the influx of refugees. How can it be, in this day and age, that people are forced to leave the homes of their mothers and fathers through no fault of their own? Imagine what it would be like if you or your children were in this situation. It seems impossible. Yet, it happens.
My father’s family lived that story - only in a different era - during the years preceding World War II and during the Holocaust. That’s what my book is about.
I wanted to convey that sense of helplessness - what it is like to be hated - what it is like to have to run for your life – what it is like to leave the country where your family has always lived - what it is like to leave family behind – what it is like to be totally disconnected and not know who has survived and who has not - what it is like to try to survive in a place with a different language and culture. And, I wanted to convey that sense of determination, of going forward with one’s life, and of keeping one’s perspective and outlook.
In today’s era of terror and violence, I believe we too often forget that the refugees of the world are not the enemy. These are the victims. They are the innocent. They are the bystanders. These are people like you and me – and they are leaving with only the clothes on their backs - and often, with their loved ones left behind.
My father’s journey took place 75 years ago. Yet, the parallels with today’s world are clear. There are contemporary overtones. We need to learn from this story. That is what inspired me.
Ralph Webster
The devil is in the details. Don't skimp on the details. Know what you are writing about inside and out. That is how to make a story genuine, passionate, and emotional. The reader will know if you have put your heart into your work.
Ralph Webster
Traveling in Europe last fall I saw the plight of the refugee crisis firsthand. Our 2 month hiking trip took to 7 countries - from Croatia to Sweden. Whether at train stations, on the trail, or dining out, everyone we visited with was talking about this issue and each had their own perspective.
I am the son of a refugee family - just one from a different era. I was struck by the similarities. That is why I wanted to tell this story.
I am the son of a refugee family - just one from a different era. I was struck by the similarities. That is why I wanted to tell this story.
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