Isn’t it funny how people are always eager to let you know when you do something wrong, however they rarely let you know when you do something right? Well Linda Holeman did something right when she wrote The Linnet Bird and I wanted to make sure she knew how much we enjoyed her book. I was excited to receive her note and to learn that she is in the process of writing another novel.
Dear Susan,
How delightful to find this email from you! Thank you so much for letting me know that the Friday Morning Bookclub enjoyed The Linnet Bird. It means so much to think that the work we send out into the world is appreciated. It’s also motivational in the struggle to keep producing. I’m currently at work on a novel set in 19th century Russia, during the serf emancipation. So much research, but I do love to discover. The old adage of “writing what you know” doesn’t apply to me – at least not any more. I love sinking my teeth into a subject I know nothing about, and trying to make it come alive – for myself and then for future readers. When I started The Linnet Bird I knew little or nothing of Liverpool, India, the Raj, Afghans…. It’s always a challenge to create realistic historic fiction, and since it must be 100% accurate and true to the time, it’s definitely a tricky job. And considering most authors of historic fiction use about 50% of what they uncover, lest the book begin to sound like a history lesson, that, too (the choice of what to use and what to leave out) becomes a huge part of the writing.
Please pass on my thanks to the rest of the club, and all best to all of you for 2011.
Linda
