Adriana Delgado

Adriana Delgado asked Helen Simonson:

Now for the real question: I could see Jane Austen's influence in The Last Days of Summer. The descriptions of the country setting and much of the dialogue made me think of Persuasion. Did you have a particular Austen novel influence your work for The Last Days of Summer?

Helen Simonson Oh, here is the question. Yes, you are very insightful. Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen. Somehow its theme of duty, and love delayed, resonates with me in a world where romance is too often about wildly breaking all the rules for a dash into the sunset. I think love is above all about a deep and abiding friendship and that takes endurance. Well spotted among the many literary influences at work in The Summer Before The War.

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Christine F.

Christine F. asked Helen Simonson:

I must tell you, I am still processing your beautifully touching story. I read your first novel but this one is so special! I felt as though I was sitting in the garden with Hugh and his family at the lovely cottage. The descriptions of the war were chilling. I too am a writer. You might enjoy my novel - AN EVEN EXCHANGE. It is told in twovoices and is set inthe US and England. How did you research WW 1 info?

Judy

Judy asked Helen Simonson:

I'm a huge fan of your books, and I think I saw an email where you were recommending a new novel about to come out. . . but now I cannot recall where I saw it, or who sent it out. If you have recommended a new book, please tell us what it is? And I hope you are working on a third novel!

Anne

Anne asked Helen Simonson:

I was interested to see that you do not list E. F. Benson as one of your influences, as he is one of my favorite authors. I love the Lucia series. I was a bit concerned when I started reading "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" for fear that your book would come up short, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I found it to be sort of like an updated E. F. Benson novel. Do you feel that is an apt comparison?

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