Ask the Author: Gina Wilkinson

“Welcome, Goodreaders! If you have a question about my writing, my journey to find and agent and publisher, or would just like to touch base, please send a message and I'll get back to you as soon.” Gina Wilkinson

Answered Questions (3)

Sort By:
Loading big
An error occurred while sorting questions for author Gina Wilkinson.
Are you going to write any more novels? Your style of writing is very inspired, and beautiful to read, so I do hope you plan another novel whether about Iraq, or Australia or anywhere. Joan in Canada
Gina Wilkinson Thanks for your question, Joan, and for your kind feedback! Yes, I would love to write another novel, and hopefully soon I'll start putting some ideas down on paper. Homeschooling my two kids due to COVID-19 (and managing a house renovation!) made it hard to find time to write - or to get into a creative headspace. But the kids are back at school now and my mental gears are starting to turn. BTW, my husband is Canadian - from Saskatoon :) All the best, Gina
flag
Do you often use events from your own life in your books? And what a life you've led! You'll have material for books forever. Can't wait to read the Apricot book.
Gina Wilkinson Hi Shirley! Thanks very much for your question. This is my first novel, but in 2007 I wrote 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sky' which was 100 percent taken from my real life (it was published in my home country of Australia). In comparison, the plot of When the Apricots Bloom is fiction, but it's inspired by my experiences living in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein, and particularly my complicated relationship with a local woman who was an informant for the secret police. One thing I discovered as I moved from being a journalist to a novelist is that truth really is stranger than fiction. When under great stress, people can perform unexpected acts of bravery or make uncharacteristic mistakes that even they would never have thought possible. But in a novel, readers expect to understand every action a character makes, and the author has to lay clues beforehand. I actually had to edit out a few real life incidents from When the Apricots Bloom because I was pretty sure readers would find them unbelievable! All the best! Gina
flag
Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Gina Wilkinson This story is inspired by my own experiences living in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein. At the time, my closest Iraqi friend was working as an informant for the mukhabarat secret police and reporting on my every move. I don't hold it against her - after all, very few people could say no to the secret police. But I always wondered, was it just a job for her, or were we friends, in our own strange way? That was the starting point, and it evolved from there. The plot is fiction, but many of the incidents that occur come from real life.
flag
Gina Wilkinson
464 followers
To ask Gina Wilkinson a question, please sign up.

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more