M.L.’s Comments (group member since May 03, 2013)

M.L.’s comments from the Ask M.L. Stedman - Friday, May 10th! group.

It's getting late in London now, so I'll say goodbye. Thanks to everyone who posted questions, and also to the people who just wanted to say they liked the book - much appreciated. I'm sorry if I didn't get to answer every question individually - hopefully all the subjects have been covered one way or another, though.

It's been great to hear your thoughts about the book, and I hope you'll go on discussing it amongst yourselves - there are so many points of view expressed in this thread...

Thanks too, to Margo at Goodreads for hosting the session, and to the wider Goodreads community for all your support for THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. Have a great weekend,
Best wishes,
M

Mimi wrote: "Having read the synopsis of your book, I had many doubts as to whether I, as an adoptive mother, wanted to read this book or not. In the end, I read it and felt myself torn apart by the intense feelings of both Hannah, the “birth mother”, and Isobel, the “adoptive mother”. I was dreading the custody battle that was inevitable from the moment that Isobel decided to keep Lucy. I felt that your portrayal of Tom, Isobel, and Hannah and their emotional states throughout the entire process was very acute and intensely accurate. I felt like I was on an emotional roller-coaster throughout my reading of the story. I have recommended this book highly to my friends. ..."


Mimi, I'm so glad you decided to read the book, and that it rang true to you. Thanks for recommending it too!

Linda wrote: "You are too kind...and btw, it took me 27 years to be published. Thanks for your generous replies to all of us!"

So you had plenty of time to really hone your craft - I'll bet your writing when you did get published had moved on from where it started, because, amongst other things, you'd acquired decades of wisdom about life. Keep enjoying the writing life.

Heidi wrote: "I live near Albany and love your descriptions of the countryside around here. I am wondering if you have been to any of the lighthouses in the area and spent a bit of time there, eg Breaksea Island - or talked to / read accounts of past lighthousekeepers in the area.
Loved your novel and its moral dilemmas really moved me. Looking forward to your next book! ..."



Hello Heidi,
Gosh – you’re virtually on the doorstep of Tom & Isabel. (For readers who don’t know the area, Albany - unlike Point Partageuse - is a real place, and is very beautiful.)
I read a lot about Breaksea and Eclipse lighthouses, and went through the Australian National Archives, reading the old log books and the correspondence files of the keepers. These gave me a real sense of the type of man who worked ‘on the Lights’ and the difficulties they faced. I also read a lot of newspapers of the period, which had reports from time to time of tragedies which befell them. I spent time in Augusta, and visited the Cape Naturaliste and Leeuwin lighthouses, which were fascinating.

Overthemoon wrote: "In my GR review of your wonderful debut novel, I wrote:

"It will test your ability to empathize when a moral bridge has been crossed. In the end, this novel reminds us not to judge too harshly, unless you have truly walked in another persons shoes. And finally, that forgiveness is easier than revenge or anger".

Can you comment on whether you were writing your story with a message, and if so, what you most hoped to communicate. ..."


I love the review, Overthemoon. I like to leave it up to readers to decide what to take away from the book, so I didn’t have a ‘message’ as such. Someone described it as ‘a meditation on forgiveness’, and I think there’s something in that. Above all, I wanted readers to feel, and to think for themselves.

Yvonne wrote: "My book club is reading your amazing book right now. Who do you see as playing Tom in the movie?"



I honestly have no idea, Yvonne. It’s actually a lot of fun hearing readers’ ‘fantasy cast lists’ for the movie (my family and friends also tell me very authoritatively who should play whom), so I’d be delighted to hear your views (not that I have anything to do with the casting process!)

I hope your book club enjoys the book.

Libby wrote: "Another question:
I loved the metaphore of the two oceans symbolizing the two mothers both trying to reach Lucy Grace (the lighthouse).
What is your favourite metaphore in the book?"


Hi Libby,
I think the lighthouse itself is probably the richest metaphor in the book. Themes of light and shadow, safety and danger, journey and stasis all reflect aspects of the story.

Doreen wrote: "Question: Do you have feelings toward your characters or do you write as more of an observer?

I ask this because at different spots in the story, I felt quite hateful toward Isabel. While I certainly felt compassion for the inability for her children to survive, I had a hard time looking past her deep selfishness. My alliance was with Hannah.

It was very sad that Isabel never again saw the child, but to me, that was her penance for her selfishness and for all the angst and emptiness felt by Hannah, believing she had lost both her husband and daughter. Both women's situations did make me cry, however. ..."


Isabel seems to divide readers, Doreen. You’re not the first ‘Pro-Hannah’ reader I’ve come across (but there again, I’ve also met hundreds of ‘Pro-Isabel readers too).
I definitely have feelings toward my characters – or maybe, more accurately, I feel what the characters are feeling. So writing the story was incredibly emotional some days. And of course I have my favourites – Tom above all. I think he’s a good man, who deeply cares about doing what’s right, in an almost impossible situation.

Laurie wrote: "I have recommended this magnificent book to many people. I was torn by the emotions of the people who lost the baby as well as the people who found her, including the grandparents, whose hearts would also have been wrenched apart. Did you need long breaks while you were writing it? I read and re-read many of the lovely passages, but I also took long breaks from it because it was such an emotionally draining story...."


Hi Laurie,
Thanks so much for your kind words. Yes, it was emotionally draining to write some of it, but I never wanted to take a break from it – it’s that intensity that makes its way onto the page and into the mind of the reader, perhaps. I think one has to be entirely undefended from the inner life of the story – that’s where the really interesting stuff comes up.

Debbie wrote: "As a reader who has met people who grew up on lighthouse islands, I wondered if you talked to anyone like that in order to capture the isolation and freedom so well."

Hi Debbie,
Since the book was published I’ve met lots of people with lightkeepers ‘in the family’, but while I was writing it, I relied on documents, including their correspondence, and one or two old sound recordings and films in archives.

Emily wrote: "As a mother, this book held so many emotions for me. I can completely relate to Isabel's feelings after losing her children because my first baby was stillborn. I felt that you captured the broken heart of a mother, both of them, so well in your writing.

My question: Were you satisfied with Lucy-Grace being with Hannah or did you feel that she really should have been with Isabel? ..."

Emily, as a writer it’s heartening to hear that you felt the story captured something you could relate through such difficult personal experience. As you’ll see in my responses elsewhere, I’d rather leave it up to each reader to answer the question you ask. I’m interested in exploring those areas in life where there’s not just a simple, easy answer, and I think this was one of them.

That said, occasionally readers tell me that the whole thing is very black and white, and that very clearly [Tom/Isabel/Hannah – delete as applicable depending on which reader I’m talking to] is clearly in the [wrong/right – ditto]. I often think that the book is rather like an inkblot test in that respect.

Thanks so much,Tonya. I hope she enjoys it!

Allie wrote: "Dear M.L.,

Thank you for the wonderful read. I don't remember the last time a book made me cry/moved me so much and it was a pleasure reading your fantastic writing. I was curious to know where you started your research/acquired your knowledge regarding lighthouse keeper procedures and lifestyles?..."


Thanks, Allie. I researched gradually, initially just gleaning information from lighthouse enthusiast sites on the web (of which there are many excellent ones), then I researched in the British library, reading up on the technical manuals of Chance Brothers, or the life of Augustin Fresnel. As well as reading many books about lighthouses, I visited them, trawled the Australian National Archives, and just generally became geekily obsessed with them.

+ Dragonfly+ wrote: "All the while I was reading this book I could see it as a movie, any chance it may become one?"

Yup – fingers crossed Dragonfly…

Kate wrote: "This book was absolutely amazing.. I read it then I read again right after! I couldn't get enough of it. Can't wait for you to write more!!"

So glad you enjoyed it, Kate!

Angela wrote: "Aloha from Hawaii!

I also loved your book. I generally read for enjoyment yet your book entertained me while still encouraging deep thought on the issues. That is NOT something I would say for most other thought provoking books. Was that the intent when you wrote the book, to encourage readers to really think through the issues? Or was your main goal in writing the story to work out these issues for yourself?

Thank you for your time in answering our questions. ..."

Thanks for the question, Angela. I think to begin I was simply finding out what these people were doing. Then as the story developed I really enjoyed looking at the dilemma from different angles - I had no idea how it would be resolved. Any thought of readers other than my self came a very long way down the track. I'm really pleased to hear that it both kept you reading and got you thinking.

Beth wrote: "I read the book as we traveled California's Pacific Coast Highway. We had a 3 hour tour of a once remote lighthouse on a huge mountain like rock (just north of Big Sur and south of Carmel). It was supplied every 3~4 months, had chickens blow off and many many similarities. It was a fabulous experience. Thank you for this gift...."

What a perfect place to read the book, Beth. The lighthouse tour sounds fabulous: lightkeepers all over the world led pretty tough lives, didn't they? I've been amazed how many people have come up to me at readings to tell me stories of a grandparent or a great uncle who worked 'on the Lights'. Often it was passed down through the generations, it seems. Now I have to find an excuse to visit the Big Sur lighthouse...

Jean wrote: "Also meant to say, I found the story extremely traumatic.
Jean"

If it’s any consolation, Jean, so did I!

Marcia wrote: "What can you tell us about the film adaptation? Has it been green-lighted (green-lit?)? At what stage is its development? Ideally, who would you like to see cast in the major roles? Where would you like for it to be shot? ..."

Hi Marcia,
I can’t say much about the film, other than that the project is in good hands. Of course, I’d love to see it shot in Western Australia, but I'm biased!

Christy wrote: "I was so excited to read something so original. The words were melodic and the theme left me thinking about choices, morals and desire. I am 39 and cannot have children. Obviously, I spent a lot of time thinking on this plot. I'm curious: I have decided what I would have done. What would you have done?
..."

Hi Christy,
Thanks so much for joining in the discussion. From your mention of your own circumstances, I imagine you would have much to bring to the reading of the story. As you’ll have seen from answers above, I leave it up to each reader to decide what they would have done, and I think if I were to answer your question, I might influence that decision. Thanks for the encouragement to keep writing!