Midge Raymond's new novel is My Last Continent. From her Q&A with John Wilkens for The San Diego Union-Tribune:Q: What is it about Antarctica that makes it a good setting for a love story?Visit Midge Raymond's website.
A: The character of Deb is a loner, and she’s been unlucky in love. She’s very passionate about animals and the environment, and she feels quite at home there. It’s a place that’s unlike anywhere else on Earth. And I think for people like Deb who don’t feel as if they fit in, it’s the perfect spot. It’s very isolated. But it’s also hard to have a relationship when you are going off to Antarctica all the time.
But when she meets a person there who has discovered Antarctica for similar reasons — Keller’s had a tragedy in his past that left him a little lost and unmoored — they bond. Antarctica is very much a third person in the relationship because it’s such a huge part of who they are.
Q: Penguins are characters in the book, too. Did you have an experience with penguins on your own trip, or was there something about the way they bond that spoke to you?
A: A little of both. I loved watching the penguins when I was in Antarctica. It’s a...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: My Last Continent.
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--Marshal Zeringue