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Archive 08-19 GR Discussions
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**Answers** from Carol Rifka Brunt
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That was my curiosity as well. I wanted to ask about that and then how long it took to write the book?
Mod
It might be fun to know how her idea and creative processes come about and together.
I'd love to know who/what inspired the amazing characters Finn and Toby. They're so unique and intriguing, each time a new skill or quirk is mentioned, I want to try it instantly! (ie origami, buying Russian teapots, etc.). =)
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From Sheila
My question is a bit personal, but I am wondering why the author decided to write her first novel about AIDS in the 80's? I have always heard the statement "write about what you know", so I wonder if the author had a relative with AIDS, as she covered this topic so well and with such real emotion.
Thank you very much!
I always feel like I’m being a bit of a disappointment when I admit that a lot of the elements of the book didn’t come about through conscious decision-making. I didn’t decide to write about AIDS in the 80s, rather, it somehow chose me. I started with the idea of a dying uncle painting a final portrait of his niece. I had the idea that he was childless and that this painting was somehow his attempt to forge a final connection, not just a painting, but maybe a final connection with another person who would outlive him. I didn’t know he was dying of AIDS when I started. For me, writing is very much a process of uncovering rather than inventing. That Finn had AIDS felt like a discovered fact when it came to me. Everything fit around it—he was gay, childless, lived in New York etc.—so I knew it was right.
When I was about June’s age my English class was taught by an exchange teacher who was over in the States from London for a year. After he left us, we heard back that he’d died. He was quite young, so this was pretty shocking to us. Soon after, word got out that he’d had AIDS. This was my (and probably most of our) first brushes with AIDS and so it had a huge impact. Here was a person we’d liked and had spent hours and hours with. Although I wouldn’t say this event was the inspiration for the story, I suspect that my subconscious had held onto that memory for all these years. I only realized very late n in the writing process that my description of Toby is uncannily like that teacher.
From Rebekka
How long it took to write the book?
The first draft took a year and was about half the length of the published version. It took me two more years to deepen the story and give it some weight and gravity.
And
It might be fun to know how her idea and creative processes come about and together?
My answer to the first question is probably a good indication of how I work. I wish I could outline and then proceed in an orderly fashion to write the book, but that’s never how it works for me. I seem to have to wilfully stop myself from knowing too much about how the story will play out. If I don’t do that the writing comes out stale and uninspired. Staying playful and not overthinking in the early stages is the biggest struggle for me. Once I have a voice for a project, I really let that guide me through the first draft. Then I go back and shape it and make decisions about theme and structure.
Shannon
I'd love to know who/what inspired the amazing characters Finn and Toby. They're so unique and intriguing, each time a new skill or quirk is mentioned, I want to try it instantly! (ie origami, buying Russian teapots, etc.). =)
Again, I think I might disappoint with my answer. I never do character outlines or anything like that. They really do seem to come to me somewhat fully formed. The mysteries of the subconscious are vast! The same applies to things like the teapot. The initial description of that just turned up on the page one day. I’ve never seen a teapot like that in my life and have no idea why or how I came up with that image. The flea circus, on the other hand, came from seeing a flea circus at a small fair. When you’re writing a novel the mind becomes super attuned to everything it encounters. When you’re really ‘in’ a project the whole world starts to be viewed in the context of the novel. I saw the flea circus and thought that it would be something Toby might have. Likewise with origami. My kids have lots of origami books and so it was an element that was around. You become like a magpie when you’re writing a novel. You pick up anything that shines.
Tera
Can you tell us more about the title? Why did you pick that for the title and did you have other ideas for the title or did that always fit?
For a long time the working title of the novel was Uncle Finn because I just had no better ideas. I didn’t want anything too pretentious or sweeping and I really didn’t want anything generic. Titles are hard. The phrase ‘Tell the Wolves I’m Home’ came to me out of the blue when I was walking in the woods. Like a line of poetry. I knew right away that this was the title, but even I didn’t know what it would mean or how it would fit. The only wolves in the book at that time were the ones June thinks she hears in the woods. Later I gave the painting that name and put the wolf in the negative space. It was only quite late on that I gave it its more metaphorical meaning. Towards the end of the book June says:
‘Maybe that’s what it meant. Tell the Wolves I’m Home. Maybe Finn understood everything, as usual. You may as well tell them where you live because they’ll find you anyway. They always do.’
So, for me, the wolves are everything you feel ashamed of. All those feelings you keep secret and buried deep in your heart. Love, jealousy, envy… If you don’t own them in some way then they’ll own you. They’ll track you down and cause all kinds of trouble.
Mod
All the best to you.
Thank you Carol for taking the time to answer.
Oh wow, SO cool to have my question answered by the author of my favorite book! I really love her description of what the wolves meant to her. I want sure what that meant when I read it, but I really like that explanation. Thank you so much!
Thanks,
Tera