Thanks to the Australian YA Bloggers and Readers group and the lovely people at Simon and Schuster Australia, a group of us bloggers have been able to ask Gayle Forman a question to put into an interview. Here's mine and her answer, and don't forget to check out the other stops as well!
Q. 'You've written such moving stories about grief and the effect is has on people - did that affect you personally in the creative process for I Was Here?’ Gayle's answer: I’m not sure why I’m drawn to writing about grief. I suppose it’s in part because these very painful moments in life also happen to be clarifying moments, when you see the world in a new light and those moments are transformative. I also think there’s something about living through grief—you think you can't, and then you do—that is actually very hopeful and empowering. With I Was Here, I was writing about grief and guilt, of course, but more than that, I was writing about resilience. Cody is a young woman who has really written herself off, who gives way her power, first to her best friend Meg (she thinks Meg is the sun, she only basks in her reflected glory) and then to the people she meets online. It’s only when she takes the power back, or realizes that maybe she had it all along, that she she begins to heal.
OTHER STOPS:
Monday 2nd: Eugenia @ Genie in a Book
Tuesday 3rd: Joy @ Thoughts By J
Thursday 5th: Jeann @ Happy Indulgence
Friday 6th: Kelly @ Diva Booknerd
Saturday 7th: Kiah @ Forever Kiah
The full interview will be posted here on the 7th March.
Great question, Eugenia. I think the reason people are drawn to WRITING grief is the same reason we're drawn to reading it. But then again, I wouldn't say no to a happily ever after occasionally :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily :) It's definitely a subject that can inspire a lot of emotion, that we as readers feel too. It's nice to read something happier in between though like you said.
DeleteI absolutely love Gayle Forman's answers, she answered so eloquently about Cody's grieving process. I loved how she described taking the power back too. Wonderful Q&A Genie!
ReplyDeleteShe does - it's always interesting to see how she perceived the book :)
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