Blog roll - my work and process
Thanks so much to Sonja Yoerg for including me in this blog roll answering questions on my work. (http://www.sonjayoerg.com) Sonja’s amazing novel, HOUSE BROKEN, will be out in January 2015. Now to the questions:
1. WHAT AM I WORKING ON?
I’m finishing up revisions to THE LAST SUMMER AT CHELSEA BEACH. It is the story of Adelia Montforte, a sixteen year old Jewish girl who flees Italy to live with her aunt and uncle in Philadelphia. At the shore, she meets the Irish Connally family with their four sons, and falls hard for the eldest, Charlie. He finally notices her, but war breaks out and their lives are shattered by tragedy. She flees to London, which is under siege in a futile attempt to outrun her pain, only to discover that the way home may be a path she never suspected.
2. HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?
I don’t really subscribe to genre, because my work has been called many different things: historical fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, women’s fiction, romance. And I would not say I’m different, because I’m proud to be among a cadre of women historical fiction writers whose work focuses on the first half of the 20th century. But probably the hallmark of my work is the real-life experience that underscores it – namely my work at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department in Europe working on issues related to the Second World War.
3. WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?
I always wanted to be a writer. But it was the epiphany of 9/11, the realization that I did not have forever to get started, that made me begin in earnest. My work is inspired by my years in Europe working on Holocaust issues for the State Department and becoming very close to the survivors, some of whom were like grandparents to me. I try to illuminate the time and era with a great deal of respect. I call my books “love songs to Jewish Europe.”
4. HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?
I start with an idea and open my lap top and throw down about 150 pages of whatever comes out in any order. “Vomiting on the page,” someone once called it, though it is inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s approach from WRITING DOWN THE BONES. After several months and about 60,000 words, the document starts to get unwieldy and that’s when I start organizing into chapters and making charts. The editing on this approach is a total mess and takes forever – I don’t recommend it to anyone!
I am thrilled to pass the torch to two terrific writer friends. First, the gifted M.J. Rose (www.mjrose.com) hardly needs an introduction. She is the author of numerous, stunning novels of historical intrigue, including THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS (which was amazing) and the forthcoming THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS (cannot wait to read in February!).
I am also delighted to share the amazing Alyson Richman. (www.alysonrichman.com) Many of you will have read and adored Alyson’s novel, THE LOST WIFE. Her latest, THE GARDEN OF LETTERS, is equally amazing. Alsyon and I were published together in the anthology, GRAND CENTRAL: ORIGINAL STORIES OF POSTWAR LOVE AND REUNION. We’ve been on book tour together this year, laughing lots and having a great time.
I’m so curious to read their answers to these questions.
1. WHAT AM I WORKING ON?
I’m finishing up revisions to THE LAST SUMMER AT CHELSEA BEACH. It is the story of Adelia Montforte, a sixteen year old Jewish girl who flees Italy to live with her aunt and uncle in Philadelphia. At the shore, she meets the Irish Connally family with their four sons, and falls hard for the eldest, Charlie. He finally notices her, but war breaks out and their lives are shattered by tragedy. She flees to London, which is under siege in a futile attempt to outrun her pain, only to discover that the way home may be a path she never suspected.
2. HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?
I don’t really subscribe to genre, because my work has been called many different things: historical fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, women’s fiction, romance. And I would not say I’m different, because I’m proud to be among a cadre of women historical fiction writers whose work focuses on the first half of the 20th century. But probably the hallmark of my work is the real-life experience that underscores it – namely my work at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department in Europe working on issues related to the Second World War.
3. WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?
I always wanted to be a writer. But it was the epiphany of 9/11, the realization that I did not have forever to get started, that made me begin in earnest. My work is inspired by my years in Europe working on Holocaust issues for the State Department and becoming very close to the survivors, some of whom were like grandparents to me. I try to illuminate the time and era with a great deal of respect. I call my books “love songs to Jewish Europe.”
4. HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?
I start with an idea and open my lap top and throw down about 150 pages of whatever comes out in any order. “Vomiting on the page,” someone once called it, though it is inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s approach from WRITING DOWN THE BONES. After several months and about 60,000 words, the document starts to get unwieldy and that’s when I start organizing into chapters and making charts. The editing on this approach is a total mess and takes forever – I don’t recommend it to anyone!
I am thrilled to pass the torch to two terrific writer friends. First, the gifted M.J. Rose (www.mjrose.com) hardly needs an introduction. She is the author of numerous, stunning novels of historical intrigue, including THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS (which was amazing) and the forthcoming THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS (cannot wait to read in February!).
I am also delighted to share the amazing Alyson Richman. (www.alysonrichman.com) Many of you will have read and adored Alyson’s novel, THE LOST WIFE. Her latest, THE GARDEN OF LETTERS, is equally amazing. Alsyon and I were published together in the anthology, GRAND CENTRAL: ORIGINAL STORIES OF POSTWAR LOVE AND REUNION. We’ve been on book tour together this year, laughing lots and having a great time.
I’m so curious to read their answers to these questions.
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