interview with ForeWord

Author of Daughter of War

(Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside )

When did you start reading?

I didn’t start reading until I was nine years old. It’s not that I couldn’t read, but that

there didn’t seem to be much point to it. I was an elementary student in the 1960s and at that time, students were taught to read with leveled readers like See Spot Run. There wasn’t much story to them and the books just seemed a waste of time. I decided that if that’s what reading was all about, I’d opt out.

I failed grade 4 and then decided I’d better learn to read. I was labeled “the product of a broken home” and not given extra help, so I decided to teach myself.

I took out the fattest book I could find at the public library — Oliver Twist. It took me a year to read, but it changed my life. I realized that reading was meant for pleasure, not deciphering words. I hate to think of how many kids were turned off reading like I was because of those darned leveled readers. And they’re popular even now. Scary.

What did you like to read as a kid?

Once I cracked Oliver Twist, there was no looking back. I decided to read every fat novel in the kids’ section of my public library. I concentrated on authors whose last names began with A, B, C, and D. That’s about all I read til the end of grade 8. Louisa May Alcott, Walter Brooks, Taylor Caldwell, Daphne DuMaurier, and of course Dickens. Once I hit high school, I branched out to the rest of the alphabet.

When you were growing up did you have books in your home?

Yes. Tons. My parents are book-a-holics and so is my sister. There was a book case filled with historical novels in the hallway between my sister’s bedroom and mine. In addition to the ABCD authors from the library, I would raid that book case at night and read til the wee hours of the morning with a flashlight. We also had a huge collection of children’s book club books and children’s encyclopedias, science books, etc. We had far more than any other kids in our neighbourhood. In fact, my sister and I put library pockets in the backs of our books and started what we called The Bees’ Club Lending Library. We also had the Bees’ Club newspaper and we had a savings and loan bank. My sister and I ran them all.

In case you’re wondering, my mother was quite aware of my non-reading in my early elementary years but she never criticized me for it. A favourite saying of hers is that a hot house flower shrivels early. What she meant by that was that I’d learn to read in my own good time and others could just be quiet about it. I also vividly remember her bragging about all of my report cards, even the awful ones. She would always find something good about each one and praise me to the hilt. This wasn’t fake praise — kids can spot that. She gave me the encouragement to do whatever I wanted to do in life.

When did you think about becoming a writer?

I knew that I wanted to write books after reading Oliver Twist.

What got you interested in writing?

I wanted to write the books that I would have loved to read when I was a kid. Children are sophisticated readers even if they can’t read that many words. A children’s writer has the responsibility to write engaging and interesting and fresh stories, but in a way that plunges the reader into the words. An adult might give a book 50 or so pages before deciding that it’s boring. A teen or child will ditch a book after a sentence or two. I love writing for a young audience because it forces me to write tight.

Do you have a daily routine?

I do most of my writing on evenings and weekends. Another favourite place for me is if my husband has a convention, I’ll go along with him for the quiet hotel room. We were in Chicago not long ago and I got 6,000 words written in 4 days.

What’s good about being a writer?

Did you know that cases of books that you’ve written actually have your name on the side of the box? I think that is awesome. Just imagine: rows and rows of cardboard boxes with your name on it!

The other thing that’s good about being a writer is that you get to find out all this interesting stuff when you’re doing the research.

What do you hate about it?

My hands get sore.

Any particular story to tell concerning the writing of this book?

The story of Kevork and Marta has been in my head now for nearly 20 years. When I started creating this story, the Armenian genocide was not part of the public consciousness. It was difficult to find books on the subject. It took me 10 years to do my initial research for my first Armenian genocide novel. Since then, I’ve written four more and I have a couple more in my head. My Armenian novels are: The Hunger, Nobody’s Child, and Daughter of War. My Armenian chapter books are: Aram’s Choice, and Call Me Aram.

Daughter of War is particularly poignant because it deals with an aspect of the Armenian genocide that even many Armenians are not aware of. It’s partly about the loss of identity — Armenians surviving the genocide by being taken in by Turks and Arabs — and not being able to resume their former life. But the other part of the book is about the rescuers. There was a whole network of missionaries, disguised Armenians — and also Arabs and Turks — who helped rescue deportees. Many of these rescuers died in saving others. I like to write about heroes rather than victims.

What some good advice that you’ve received concerning writing?

Be thorough with your research and edit relentlessly. And only write about stories you’re passionate about.

What’s some advice that you could offer young writers?

Read voraciously. That’s the best training to become a writer. If you want to write historical fiction, read at least 1000 historical novels.

How did you find the publisher for this book?

My first book with Fitzhenry & Whiteside was published in 1998. Six of my ten books have been published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside. I adore my publisher and my editor. And the book designers at F&W are phenomenal.

What are you working on at the moment?

I tend to write two books at the same time. Right now, I’m working on one set just after WWII and another set in the 16th century.

What are you reading?

Pulpy & Midge by Jessica Westhead — a hilarious novel!