Ask the Author: Hillary Adrienne Stern
Answered Questions (7)
Hillary Adrienne Stern
It's hard to pick a favorite, but one of my favorite fictional couples is from the great novel Shogun by James Clavell. John Blackthorne is an English captain of a merchant ship who must navigate the treacherous political landscape of medieval Japan. He falls in love with Lady Mariko, the wife of a high-ranking Japanese official. Forced to hide their budding romance, they avoid detection by speaking to each other in a formal manner that, somehow, only heightens the romance factor. Clavell allows their love for each other to develop in a slow and incredibly satisfying way so that, by the extremely dramatic end of the novel, the intensity of their feelings is both believable and deeply felt by the reader. Blackthorne and Mariko's attempt to conquer their cultural differences adds to the rich texture of their relationship. All readers, but lovers of historical fiction in particular, will be well-rewarded for diving into the story of this incredibly romantic couple.
Hillary Adrienne Stern
Even if I don't have an idea for a short story or novel, I can always write about something: a character sketch of a real or fictional person, how I felt when such and such happened, a memory of something that happened or someone I knew growing up. When I force myself to write every day, even just short, sketchy pieces, the practice seems to open the door to new ideas . . . eventually!
Hillary Adrienne Stern
The best thing about being a writer is being able to invent a character and then live insider that character's mind while you're writing. When I was writing The Garment Maker's Daughter, there were times I got so caught up in my character's minds that the book almost seemed to write itself. I would find myself thinking: Wow! Look what my character just did!! It was as if the character had made the decision and I was just along for the ride.
The best feeling is when someone tells me that they loved my book!
The best feeling is when someone tells me that they loved my book!
Hillary Adrienne Stern
I think the best advice I can give is to write every day - even if it's only for a few minutes. Like almost everything, writing gets better with practice. With daily writing, ideas start to flow. Try not to edit yourself as you go, though I know that's really difficult.
I recently participated in National Novel Writers Month. It's an annual event that takes place during the month of November. Participants attempt to write 50,000 words over the course of the month. Since I work full-time, I had to squeeze the writing in at night and on the weekends. To meet the quota, I had no time to edit as I went or re-read what I had written the day before. It really got my writing juices flowing!
I recently participated in National Novel Writers Month. It's an annual event that takes place during the month of November. Participants attempt to write 50,000 words over the course of the month. Since I work full-time, I had to squeeze the writing in at night and on the weekends. To meet the quota, I had no time to edit as I went or re-read what I had written the day before. It really got my writing juices flowing!
Hillary Adrienne Stern
I'm currently working on a novel loosely based on the Kent State Shootings that took place in 1970. It happened when some students protesting the Vietnam War were shot by the Ohio National Guard. The country was very polarized over the war and it reminds me of how polarized the country seems to be right now. I want to explore both sides of that political divide sympathetically by letting my readers see it through the eyes of fictional characters living through it.
Hillary Adrienne Stern
I get most inspired when I'm reading something amazing that someone else has written. Getting caught up in a truly compelling story, a fascinating character, or an entire world created by someone else's imagination is one of the most wonderful experiences I know. When that happens to me, I find myself wanting to be the one creating that magical experience for someone else.
Hillary Adrienne Stern
When I was growing up, my parents sent me to an after-school program run by a Jewish organization called Workman's Circle. As the name suggests, it was an organization devoted to working men and women and we kids were taught about the history of working conditions in New York City and the rise of the labor unions - not the most typical curriculum for children!
I remember being shocked out how I was when I learned how young some of the immigrant workers in the sweatshops were. I tried to imagine how I would feel if I left the only home I'd ever known to come to a new country where I didn't know the language and had to work 12 hours a day in a cramped sweatshop to help support my family. I really wanted to explore what that whole experience must have been like in my first novel.
I remember being shocked out how I was when I learned how young some of the immigrant workers in the sweatshops were. I tried to imagine how I would feel if I left the only home I'd ever known to come to a new country where I didn't know the language and had to work 12 hours a day in a cramped sweatshop to help support my family. I really wanted to explore what that whole experience must have been like in my first novel.
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