INTERVIEW
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Tell us about The Orphans of Berlin? What inspired its creation and provide a brief overview.
A pair of shoes. Mary Janes, to be exact.
I wore them when my mom dropped me off at convent school. Years later I realized how painful that was for her… how a parent suffers such anguish when they send their child away. Then I saw a film about the Kindertransport and Jewish parents sending their children to England or France to save their lives. I wanted to explore that further through the eyes of an American heiress with a haunting secret of her own. Kay Alexander risks it all to save three Jewish sisters she meets in Berlin.
The Orphans of Berlin is based around the Kindertransport history of rescuing Jewish children from the Nazis. How have you used this information in your story?
I write about the French Kindertransport and the additional challenges Jewish children faced when the Nazis occupied Paris in 1940.
Do you feel a personal connection or identify with any one character of The Orphans of Berlin and if so, who and why?
Like Kay Alexander, I spent part of my childhood in Philadelphia going to John Wanamaker’s and Gimbels department stores. I remember the amazing candy counters in each store. (Kay is a candy heiress). Also, like Kay I spent a lot of time in Paris and during my student days, I stayed at the same hotel she did on the Left Bank.
Kay and I also share a personal bond… which I detail in the Acknowledgements.
Characters Kay and Rachel are the story tellers. Why have you chosen a dual perspective and how does it help with the delivery and end result?
My goal in The Orphans of Berlin is to bring what was happening to Jewish children under the Nazi regime to the forefront by showing it through the eyes of Rachel, a young Jewish girl, and Kay, an American woman. How each character experiences the horrors of the time in their own unique way and how they unite to save Rachel’s sisters. Think of it like a film where we intercut between characters with the audience holding their breath to see how it all comes together.
Provide three words each to describe Kay and Rachel.
Kay – bookworm, curious, daring
Rachel – resourceful, spunky, loyal
Who is your favourite male character in The Orphans of Berlin and why?
Max, my hero. A daring pilot from a tough, English upbringing, he’s an avant-garde artist who sees into the soul of his models with his pen… he’s sexy, witty, and protective of Kay and the Landau sisters. I love that.
Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book?
I wouldn’t say any particular scene changed; it’s more a matter of ‘digging deeper’ into the scenes to bring out the emotional depth I wanted the reader to feel.
What are the main themes of The Orphans of Berlin?
Themes: family and hope.
They both can try your soul, but make life worth living.
Why did you choose Kay to be a debutante? Can you provide a bit of the history behind the debutante life and its purpose?
I wanted to create an American heroine who faced no financial hurdle in rescuing Jewish children from Nazi Germany – but instead found herself up against the overwhelming amount of red tape prohibiting German Jewish children from emigrating to America.
Kay is rich, very rich. Which also means she would ‘come out’ at eighteen.
Kay, however, is a reluctant debutante, which adds to the fun and establishes her rocky relationship with her blueblood, society matron mother. Unlike nine out of ten wealthy girls in her time who spent their entire year after high school as debutantes, Kay wants to go to college. (The first ‘debutante’ ball in Philadelphia was held in 1748 and called the Philadelphia Assemblies Ball.)
There was no Tinder or Match.com back in the day… wealthy daughters from high society families needed a way to be ‘introduced’ to young men of prestige and pedigree for marriage. The debutante season provided a proper place and setting for these matches. Debutantes were the social media darlings of the day and featured on all the society pages. Their every ‘coming and going’, hairstyle, gowns, where they shopped, what they ate… was reported in the newspapers and magazines.
Did you go on any literary pilgrimages for the writing of The Orphans of Berlin or any other novels you have written? If so, what was your favourite destination and experience?
I haven’t travelled specifically for my books, but instead I draw upon my ‘life experiences’. My favorite city is Paris… over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of staying in various places in and outside the city. A favorite moment? I hooked up with a guy from Princeton and we raced around Paris all summer on his motorcycle. I also visited Berlin before the wall came down and crossed over into East Berlin – I was detained on the way back when my passport photo had a different hairstyle and I defended myself in German too well (I was a language major in college). I spent four hours in detention before they believed my ‘Ich bin studentin’ (I am a student) story and let me go.
If a film or mini-series were made of The Orphans of Berlin, who would you cast for the leading roles?
I haven’t been to the cinema in a while and I’m not up on the popular actors/actresses, so I’m at a loss here. Having said that, I’d love to hear who your readers would cast!
