Ask the Author: Sharon Guskin
Answered Questions (14)
Sharon Guskin
1. Stay off the Internet. Shut the phone.
2. If I can't write, I probably haven't done enough thinking. So I try to figure out more, find an opening. This usually involves lots of pacing.
3. Put some words on the page; don't worry if they aren't any good. See if there is a moment, a detail, that has some resonance, and work from that.
4. More coffee.
2. If I can't write, I probably haven't done enough thinking. So I try to figure out more, find an opening. This usually involves lots of pacing.
3. Put some words on the page; don't worry if they aren't any good. See if there is a moment, a detail, that has some resonance, and work from that.
4. More coffee.
Sharon Guskin
Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester...I read that novel in high school, and fell under its spell. I loved how the power shifted between them. Later on, I came across the brilliant Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, which takes Bertha's point of view (the "mad wife from the Islands"), and it inspired me in many ways and changed my sense of Mr. Rochester and the novel itself. But I can't deny that the original pair will always be close to my heart.
Sharon Guskin
Thanks for your question, Birgitt! The man isn't specifically the reincarnation of anyone in the book...it's more that he might have been a relative of Janie (or anyone!) in a previous lifetime. There's a Buddhist belief that we have been born and reborn so many times (from beginningless time!) that EVERYONE was once our mother (and other relatives). I love that idea and it inspired that scene...I was in Thailand as a young woman, but haven't been back in a while. That experience informed the book, though. So glad you enjoyed it! Best, Sharon
Sharon Guskin
Wow, what an honor! That's amazing. I'm working on the next novel....I can't talk too much about the plot at present as it is still very much in progress. I hope to finish it this year....and I'm working on some smaller pieces as well, which I'll post via my website, sharonguskin.com. Thanks so much for the support, it means a great deal to me!
Sharon Guskin
Ah, see it now. It's wonderful! Thanks so much!
Sharon Guskin
The cases that are from Dr. Tucker's book, Life Before Life, are real cases documented by Dr. Stevenson and/or Dr. Tucker. The cases embedded in the story (Noah's, the case in India of the little girl who killed herself) are made up cases.
Sharon Guskin
I visited Trinidad for my sister's wedding (she's married to a Trinidadian) and found it a beautiful and inspiring place.
Sharon Guskin
So glad you enjoyed it! I am working on another novel...you can join my newsletter on sharonguskin.com and you'll get an email when it comes out (will be a while, though!)
Sharon Guskin
Music & empathy have always worked for me...and coffee helps, too.
Sharon Guskin
A new novel! Can't talk about it yet, but it DOES include a character from THE FORGETTING TIME, though the subject is quite different.
Sharon Guskin
Keep going! Read good books-- books you love. Don't try to impress anyone, just tell a story that matters to you. Watch your mind carefully and try not to be too distracted by online activities. This is my debut, but I've been writing for over twenty years, so I can't say it often enough: keep going!
Sharon Guskin
Well, I do like going to work with a cat in my lap! And being able to imagine for a living and (sometimes; with luck) making that imaginary world meaningful to others. Some people here have indicated that the book has touched them and/or made them think, and that's deeply gratifying. As E.M. Forster wrote: "Only connect."
Sharon Guskin
That's fantastic. Thanks so much, Allen!
Sharon Guskin
Not long after my children were born, a relative told me about OLD SOULS, a book about Dr. Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia and his many cases of very young children who seemed to remember specific details from previous lifetimes. They often had strong emotional attachments to these people they'd never met. These cases blew my mind, and I started to think, why are our children the way they are -- with their very particular fears and desires? What if one of my sons longed for a different mother? All of this percolated in my mind for a while, and eventually this story came to me of a skeptical single mom whose son longed for his "other" mother, and the journey she undertakes in order to help him. So that's how THE FORGETTING TIME began....I hope you enjoy it!
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