My New Author Interview
What a great opportunity when Lori A. Moore invited me to do an online interview for her blog. She covered a lot of good ground. Here is the interview:
LORI'S NOVEL NEWS
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
http://loriamoore.wix.com/lorisnovelnews#!An-Interview-With-Author-Leah-Rae-Lambert/cu6k/565f1a7c0cf25333685b431a
We asked Leah some questions about her writing:
1. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Keeping the focus on Rachel’s search for answers about her husband’s death without getting too immersed in the historical details of the MKUltra Program and its mind-control activities.
2. While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?
Yes, because the main character, Rachel, was inspired by some of my own experiences. However, the story was not a memoir so I was free to take her on a different journey than I went on personally. That is the joy of writing fiction.
3. Have you ever hated something you wrote?
No.
4. What are your expectations for the book?
Mostly, I hope people will find the book a good read. In addition, I hope it will lead to greater understanding and discussion about the dangers of any kind of research being done on people without their consent and full acceptance of the risks. Ultimately, I hope this understanding will help reduce the likelihood of such programs being conducted in the future.
5. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes, when I was doing the research on the CIA’s MKUltra Program, I was shocked to learn details about how it got started at the end of World War II using Nazi scientists secretly brought into the United States. Details about the recklessness of the administrators and researchers who conducted the program were eye-opening. I was impressed by the painstaking work done by those who sought to uncover details of the program when so much effort went into keeping the facts secret. And the main thing I learned was the suffering the program caused so many people and their families.
6. Do you see writing as a career?
Writing is my second career. I began writing after early retirement from a career in public service. I’m glad I’ve been lucky enough to have a successful career as a director of research and planning in the criminal justice system, and can now devote myself to writing without expecting to make a living from it. I admire and respect writers who devote themselves to writing at an earlier stage in their lives. From what I have learned, it is very difficult for writing to bring financial success.
7. What inspired you to write your first book?
For my first book, The Unveiling, I got my inspiration from my mother and grandmother and the stories they told me as I was growing up. These were stories about their struggles to survive in Eastern Europe and their harrowing escape to the United States. There they faced new struggles as immigrants trying to fit into a new society. The focus of the book is on the burden of family secrets and how the truth can be liberating. I always knew I would write this story and did extensive interviews with family members before writing it.
8. What are your favorite books to give — and get — as gifts?
I love to give my own books as gifts to people who I think will enjoy them.
I also like to give books about subjects I know are important to the recipients. For instance, for people who love theater, I try to find new books about the theater and the people who have made contributions to it. If someone is a sports fan, I enjoy finding a book about sports for that person.
Books I enjoy receiving as gifts are usually books about real people who have accomplished something significant or who have overcome challenges. These might be historical fiction, memoirs or biographies. I also enjoy receiving books about the theater.
9. Give us three "Good to Know" facts about you.
My first job was as a sixth grade teacher in an inner city school in Pittsburgh, PA. During my first week, a parent came to the door and when I went to speak with him, he asked me if I would please find the teacher for him to talk with. I stayed in that setting for two years and found it the most difficult and also most rewarding job I ever had, even though my career later involved research and planning in the criminal justice system. I taught for another 2 years in the suburbs of Washington, D.C . and experienced a different set of challenges. I found my move to Toronto, Ontario an exciting experience, and I have enjoyed making Toronto my home. I enjoy the diversity of the city and the lively cultural scene. For years my family had a cottage on a lake north of Toronto where it was fun to swim, boat, and hike. The drives back and forth became stressful, but I loved being near the water. I now live in a condo on Toronto’s waterfront and enjoy the peacefulness of my view onto Lake Ontario. My daughter decided on a career in the theater and won a Tony award for the best original score for a Broadway musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, that she co-wrote with a writing partner. Sitting beside her in the Radio City Musical Hall the night she won the award was thrilling for both of us. Both she and my son have always been fun to be around and keep me laughing.
For the past several years I have enjoyed spending winters on the beach in Florida.
