Amanda Sthers's new novel is Holy Lands.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for the Rosenmerck family, and why did you decide to write their story as an epistolary novel?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I read an article in a very serious French newspaper explaining how to raise pigs in Israel. For once, Muslims and Jews were agreeing on something or more precisely against the same thing. I found the paradox hilarious; it was the starting point.
Then, I wanted a metaphor on what is happening between Israelis and Palestinians. At the end it’s a big family affair. How can you fix a broken family?
I felt that letters will give a sense of immediate promiscuity and help us enter in a very personal story. Also, in a dysfunctional family like the one I am describing, silences are as important as words and only letters could give this feeling. I think we all instinctively hear what is...[read on]