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BIO
Anita
Shreve is the author of the novels FORTUNE'S ROCKS, THE PILOT'S
WIFE, THE WEIGHT OF WATER, EDEN CLOSE, STRANGE FITS OF PASSION,
WHERE OR WHEN, and RESISTANCE. She teaches writing at Amherst College
and divides her time between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Anita Shreve began writing fiction while working as a high school
teacher. Although one of her first published stories, "Past the
Island, Drifting," was awarded an O. Henry Prize in 1975, Shreve
felt she couldn't make a living as a fiction writer so she became
a journalist. She traveled to Africa, and spent three years in Kenya,
writing articles that appeared in magazines such as Quest, US, and
Newsweek. Back in the United States, she turned to raising her children
and writing freelance articles for magazines. Shreve later expanded
two of these articles --- both published in the New York Times Magazine
--- into the nonfiction books REMAKING MOTHERHOOD and WOMEN TOGETHER,
WOMEN ALONE. At the same time Shreve also began working on her first
novel, EDEN CLOSE. With its publication in 1989, she gave up journalism
for writing fiction full time, thrilled, as she says, with "the
rush of freedom that I could make it up."
INTERVIEW
January
21, 2000
In FORTUNE'S ROCKS, Anita Shreve presents us with yet another poignant
and sympathetic tale taking place at the turn of the twentieth century.
Her novel focuses on the awakening of young Olympia Biddeford as
she turns from child to woman one fateful summer and follows what
happens to her afterwards. TBR Senior Writer Jana Sicilano asks
the talented Ms. Shreve what inspired her to write her latest novel,
her thoughts on teenage pregnancy in the 20th and 21st centuries,
how her life changed since Oprah selected her novel THE PILOT'S
WIFE for her book club, and much more in this interview.
TBR: What were your inspirations for FORTUNE'S ROCKS?
AS: The inspiration for the story came out of the same "house"
as THE PILOT'S WIFE. Any house with age has a great many stories
to it. While writing FORTUNE'S ROCKS, I was watching my daughter
go through the tender ages of fourteen through sixteen, and I was
struck with that passage of girlhood to womanhood.
TBR: Is Olympia modeled after anyone you know? How do you come
up with characters --- do you often, or ever, borrow from reality?
AS: No, she's not, but she and I share a similar sensibility.
We have certain thoughts in common and make similar judgments, but
basically Olympia is a figment of my imagination. As far as other
characters go, mostly they come from my imagination but often there
are threads of reality. A novel is made up of different bits and
pieces that come at you from all directions, including bits of people
you may have known. A character may have similar characteristics
of someone I once knew, but is really quite different.
TBR: How does being an only child affect Olympia's character
--- or does it?
AS: I think being an only child definitely does affect Olympia.
She has been the focus of her father's intense attention --- in
a perfectly good way --- for her entire life. In a sense, she is
his "experiment," since he has homeschooled and educated her. If
Olympia had a brother, it's most likely that she would have been
relegated to second tier position and all her father's attention
would have gone to his son.
TBR: Another book published this year, AMY AND ISABELLE by Elizabeth
Strout, also tackles the theme of an older man/teenage girl affair.
What interests you about this kind of relationship?
AS: It's a very risky relationship and by all standards, inappropriate
--- ironically less inappropriate a hundred years ago than now.
Back then it was more likely that a 16-year-old would be involved
and possibly marry a much older man. The point I was making in the
story is that I wanted to show that the moment of reconfiguration
has nothing to do with age, class, or position --- it can happen
anytime, anywhere, and the real question is whether the principals
act upon it.
TBR: Did you consider including the suffragist movement as a
possible background for Olympia's story? Or is this movement not
mentioned in the story because her world is so closed-in?
AS: I didn't include the suffragist movement in the story because
I didn't want politics to factor in. I'm not interested in political
movements in fiction. I feel it's always risky for fiction writers
to have a political agenda, my goal was to create and show a rather
strong female character.
TBR: Olympia is a pregnant teenager during the turn of the century,
1899. What would Olympia do if it was 1999 --- similar results ---
or different novel? How has the stigma of teenage pregnancy changed
--- or has it?
AS: The stigma of teenage pregnancy has changed radically since
1899. In that day and age, the pregnant teen and her entire family
were "ruined." You had to be hidden away, isolated, and you rarely
got to raise the child. You had no support of any party --- no government
or charitable party. Today, while it's still considered a tragedy
because it does close off a lot of options, there is more support
for pregnant teens among teachers and family (once they get over
the initial shock). It would be very rare that the girl today would
have to go into hiding.
TBR: Was Olympia's option the only one available to women in
her situation? Or were there other options?
AS: If other options mean abortions, then yes, I think there
have always been abortions, even in 1899. They must have been awfully
risky, but even so, Olympia did not have access to finding out about
them. She wouldn't have had anyone to ask because essentially she
was a prisoner in her father's house right after the affair was
discovered, BEFORE they realized she was pregnant. She was not in
a position to find someone who could help her. But it is an interesting
question --- would she have looked into having an abortion if she
could have? Somehow I doubt it.
TBR: How does the idea of Olympia being homeschooled change her
character? Did you use it in order to make her more intelligent
and seemingly worldly when she was really so young?
AS: I wanted Olympia to be homeschooled because it was important
to her character and to the story for her to be learned and educated.
Her father encouraged her to speak for herself, and by educating
her he has exposed her to all kinds of situations in the world.
So even though she's been sheltered, she does have a bookish mentality.
TBR: How do you see your book regarding class prejudices and
women's sexuality?
AS: In my book, the sympathies are clearly with the people victims
of class prejudice and the book is in praise of women's sexuality.
TBR: Were you surprised to find the religious zealotry and fear
prevalent at the turn of the century similar to what's going on
now in the dawning of the millennium?
AS: Yes, I think that's always true, at the turn of every century
there is that primitive fear that the world is going to end. But
it's the specific date we pay attention to --- no one is nervous
on January 3rd, the fear lasts only until December 31st. It's a
fleeting fear, when it's over, it's over.
TBR: How has your writing life --- and your life in general ---
changed since your book, THE PILOT'S WIFE, was chosen as an Oprah
book club selection?
AS: My writing has changed not at all since Oprah, however,
it has put a dent in my writing schedule. There has been more of
everything --- events, signings, etc. But the flip side is I have
many more readers which is wonderful.
TBR: So many books are being turned into movies --- what novel
of yours would you most like to see on the big screen?
AS: My novel, THE WEIGHT OF WATER actually will be on the big
screen later on in 2000 --- it's already been filmed and stars Sean
Penn and Elizabeth Hurley. I am in the process of writing the screenplay
for THE PILOT'S WIFE which is slated to be a CBS made for TV movie.
The book I would love to see as a film is FORTUNE'S ROCKS. I can
see it in my mind. The locale is gorgeous, I think it would make
an exquisite Merchant Ivory film.
TBR: You used to teach at Amherst College, what is the one thing
you wanted them to learn before leaving your class?
AS: I wanted them metaphorically to learn how to make a very
good chair, as in learn the craft of writing. I'm not interested
in the "artiste" aspect of writing. They should be able to write
and shape a story even if it's only four pages long.
TBR: Do you miss teaching?
AS: Yes, I really loved it and I would certainly go back to
it. At the moment, however I don't miss anything --- it's all I
can do to do everything I have to do.
TBR: Do you always have a story running through your head? If
so, can you give us a quick insight into what you are writing next?
AS: I'm always working on something, but unfortunately I can't
give a preview --- I'm too superstitious. I never talk about what
I'm writing while I'm writing it. I can tell you that my next novel
will most likely come out a year from this spring.
TBR: What are you reading now?
AS: I'm reading the new Caroline Preston novel, LUCY CROCKER
2.0, and THE MUSIC LESSON by Katharine Weber. Another book that
I really love is Elinor Lipman's THE LADIES MAN.
TBR: As a child, what was the one book that most made you want
to be a writer yourself? Do you have favorite authors from the past
that inspire you still today?
AS: ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton is that one book, but I also
was and am still inspired by Eugene O'Neill, Nathaniel Hawthorn,
and Edith Wharton.
TBR: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
AS: Don't quit --- ever.
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