Interview with Suzanne Kelman, author of ‘Garden of Secrets’
Interview with Suzanne Kelman
Author of ‘Garden of Secrets’
Garden of Secrets - Out now!
Available at Amazon
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Welcome, Suzanne!
Please provide an overview of the Garden of Secrets and the inspiration behind it.
My book, Garden of Secrets, is a dual timeline historical novel set in the 1940s and present-day that binds two love stories together by the magic of a walled garden. It is a story I always wanted to write because I so loved the story of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and the magic of rebirth that her story portrays. I have also been fascinated by how love through nature seems to come alive in a garden. I have always felt that environment just lends itself to a love story. In Garden of Secrets, we follow the story in the 1940s of two spies who end up working in a stately home and fall in love. And one leaves a set of clues for the other to follow. And in the contemporary story, we have a woman who is getting over a broken heart and uncovers the first of a series of those clues that ultimately unearths a wartime secret that stretches across Europe. It is also a love story about two people making mistakes and sacrifices, which will change the present-day protagonist's life forever.
If you could be a character in the Garden of Secrets, who would you want to be? And why is she or he your favorite in the novel? If not, who is?
If I could be a character in the novel, I think I would definitely be Laura. Because I had such a crush on Jamie, the protagonist's love interest while writing it. I don't know why Jamie caught my heart in this story, but I really enjoyed being up late at night writing the scenes they were in together because I just wanted to hang out with him. And that's unusual for me. I sometimes fall in love with my protagonist's love interests but not always, and the last one I was smitten with I had to kill in another book, which was heartbreaking. And the funny thing is, as I write this, I'm already working on another book and struggling a little with the new love interest. Because Jamie still has a piece of my heart. So I would love to be Laura because she brought the garden to life and spent time with Jamie.
How would you describe the main characters of Anya and Laura in Garden of Secrets? How are they the same, or are they different?
There are many similarities between the characters, and I like to do that when I write a time slip novel. I aim to give them similar conflicts. Because then one story, feeds into the other. So, in this case, Anya found herself in a situation she had very little control over, and she just followed her heart to do what she thought was right. And I feel Laura in the contemporary story does the same thing. Both of them are desperately looking for something more in their life. And both of them are living with a complicated past. Because of that, one character's experience can set the other free. This is what I love most about writing and reading duel timelines. To me, a duel time-slip novel is pointless if one story doesn't speak to the other's story in some way.
What was the hardest scene to write in Garden of Secrets and why?
This is another excellent question. And it typically is very similar for me; the last few chapters of a book are always the hardest to write. Because as you start to bring the story together, you're always dealing with loss, sacrifice, and tying that story up for the reader, and I feel the same emotional journey the reader does. And so, by the time I get to the end of that book, I am totally invested in those characters. And I'm cheering for them, and I want them to do well, and sometimes because of where the story needs to go, they don't, and that's hard. This book has many twists and turns without giving away the plot, but the last three chapters are very emotional. I cried through all of them. I felt they were exactly where I wanted them to go. I hope people feel what I felt, along with the characters.
What themes or message do you hope the reader sees in the Garden of Secrets?
Oh, this is all about forgiveness; it's about resilience, how love can last a lifetime, even if that love isn't in your life anymore. It is also about how we view our past mistakes, which can really determine how we live now and how we can be trapped within our present by past mistakes. And so, I'm hoping if a reader is struggling with any of these themes, maybe in a small way, my book will help them see past their humanness and find some redemption. So yes, there are definite themes in all of my stories, and this one is of no exception.
What are the essential characteristics of a hero in your opinion? And who is your favorite from your own historical fiction novels?
I think the essential characteristic of a hero is somebody who's flawed. But, also, I believe it is vital to give your character an outside pressure and an internal conflict. And if you can get those two conflicts to work against each other, that is perfect. So, IE, somebody who has claustrophobia is buried alive. Also, sometimes, particularly in World War Two novels, you'll meet a character that seems to be superhuman. And what I constantly remind myself is that these are just ordinary, everyday people living under extraordinary circumstances.
My favorite character from all my books has to be Professor Held from my Historical Fiction book, A View Across the Rooftops. Because he was so flawed and still managed to do something extraordinary. And because of that, he always has a special place in my heart.
Did Garden of Secrets require much research? If so, what was your greatest resource? What new things did you learn from your studies?
Yes, I have to do research for all my historical novels. In this book, I learned a lot about Russia's part in the war and how that affected people on the ground. Obviously, the internet is my primary source of information, but we also read many books. My husband does most of the research for me because he's very good at it and loves that time period. But there wasn't much about Russian spies in Britain for this particular story because most of them were caught. Though we closely followed the story of agent Sonya, who was a successful part of the spy network in England during the war. I always learn something new every time, and what's really interesting is that I'm often provoked through research by an idea for the next book, and this was of no exception.
Could you please tell us about the title? Did you or your publisher choose it? Do you have a fascination with gardens, and why?
I chose this title. But typically, my editor picks the titles because she is brilliant at it. But with this book, we both liked the play on the words Garden of Secrets because of the book The Secret Garden, which was my inspiration for the book.
I do have a fascination with nature and rebirth. In fact, I'm writing this in the garden right now. In the most trying times in my life, the even keel of nature has been my healer. There's nothing that can soothe my soul, like birdsong in the morning, going for a walk in the forest, or sitting by the side of the water. It is something free we can really take for granted, but it is how I find myself again. So, with that spirit in mind, I think there's nothing more magical to me than writing about a world contained safely within the walls of a beautiful garden.
For those who are historical fiction writers, what pitfalls do you believe we need to watch out for and avoid?
If you decide to become a historical fiction writer, you need to know that 80 to 90% of your time will be restricted by research. If you're a fantasy writer, you build a world as you go along. You can work against the law, of nature, in any way you want to. When you're a historical fiction writer, you must fit your story within a real-life timeframe. So getting your timeline nailed down within the framework of actual historical events is vital. Also, research, vocabulary, clothing, and food of the time are all essential. For example, having a character make a phone call can be a day of research for me. What kind of a telephone would they be picking up? How often would a phone be used in that time period? Would somebody of this age and background have access to a telephone? You have to answer many questions just with that one small action. In my opinion, this is the most challenging thing about writing historical fiction.
Are you working on a new book project? Can you share with us a few hints of what it's about to wet your readers' appetite?
Yes, I am in the midst of editing a book that will be released later this year. This was such a thrilling ride with a setting in direct opposition to Garden of Secrets. Instead of an idyllic garden, I have spent my days in the air with a group of WW2 female fighter pilots. I have always been fascinated by the story of the Night Witches, who were a squadron of women who fought against all the odds alongside the allies to defeat Hitler. And they did three times as many sorties as their male counterparts. And after the war, they were barely even acknowledged for their contribution. They flew in tiny crop sprayer biplanes, during the night, with no radios, no navigation equipment, no guns to defend themselves, and no parachutes to save themselves. Yet they went up night after night bombing the German lines. Because of their tenacity, I wanted to tell this story, but wow, was this a ride? I was so exhausted when I finished it because I felt like I had been in battle after battle, up in the air with these women—living through all their loves and losses. This story really pushed me out of my writing comfort zone. But it was a story that I felt needed to be told. And I have tried humbly to rise to meet these courageous women in the air, many in their early 20s, who came from simple lives on farms and villages and did such incredible things. I hope my readers will take the time to read it because it's a fascinating story, and I ended up falling in love with all of these women, and I hope my readers will too.
I want to thank you so much, Cindy, for taking the time to ask me some excellent and thoughtful questions, and I hope we get to connect in the future, maybe through another book. Thank you, Suzanne Kelman.
Thanks so much Suzanne for taking the time from your busy schedule to answer these questions! It has been wonderful having you as a guest.
For those who want to learn more about Suzanne and her inspiring novels, drop by her website. And pick up a copy of her newest release!
