Jenny Belk
asked
Ellen Marie Wiseman:
Hi Ellen: What inspires you to pick the topics of your historical fiction books?
Ellen Marie Wiseman
Hi Jenny, Thanks for the question! What inspires me to pick the topics for my novels is when I unearth those parts of history we weren't taught in school. And I love writing about normal everyday people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. THE PLUM TREE is loosely based on my mother's childhood and tells the story of a working-class German family during WWII. I was inspired to write WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND after reading about 425 suitcases that were discovered in the attic of a shuttered asylum, left there by patients who checked into the institution but never checked out. For COAL RIVER, when I learned about the young boys who worked in the coal mines under extremely dangerous conditions, I knew it was a story that needed to be told.
More Answered Questions
Shari
asked
Ellen Marie Wiseman:
I read What She left behind. Wow! Since I am familiar with Willard I really loved the book. It has a horrible history. Then I discovered I had The Plum Tree in my stash of books to read and that was 2 hankie worthy. I have the rest of your books on my wishlist for my birthday. Keep writing, you have a fan here in Rochester?
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