In Which a Librarian asks a Talented Author a Small Number of Questions:
If you haven't read any novels by Tosca Lee or nonfiction by Marcus Brotherton, you are missing out! If novels aren't your thing or nonfiction hits too hard and you're torn which author to read first--no worries! Lee and Brotherton have joined together to write a novel that has all the historical aspects of a nonfiction book and the drama and storyline that drive novels. The Long March Home comes out on May 2nd and you won't be disappointed. We asked both authors several (and more) questions in this next edition of 3 to 5 Questions for Authors. Let's get to know them better! Even better, join us via Zoom and talk to them yourself on May 3 as we delve deeper into their writing process and excitement of a new book collaboration. If you missed the event, you can view it on our YouTube channel HERE.
If you were a dewey number, which one would you be and why?
Lee: What a great question! I spent a lot of time in 793.3 (dance) at the library growing up—I wanted to be a professional ballerina. But these days, I’d have to say 641.5. I have a husband an four (mostly grown) kids and food is my love language.
Brotherton: I love this question. I am "641.815," Waffles, the world's most delicious food.
What was the process of writing this book together? Did you assign each other certain aspects of the book? One the history, the other the relationships for example?
Lee: Marcus worked on this book for several years before calling me up and seeing if I was interested in coming into the project. I couldn’t imagine a more trusting and generous co-author when it comes to sending over the story and letting me dive in and add to it, etc. All told, between the time Marcus put into the project (7 years) and the time I had it and we collaborated (5 years) this is a project over a decade in the making.
Brotherton: This book was a long road. I began the manuscript and worked on it, off and on, for seven years. I had the male characters and setting down cold, as well as much of the plot involving the Philippines, but I knew the manuscript would be more powerful with the insight and eye of a female author too. We needed to create strong, authentic female characters with this novel, which isn't easy to do in story about the Bataan Death March. Plus, the setting was so gritty, we needed a separate through-line in Alabama that corresponded with the overseas plot to lift the weight of the story. That's when Tosca came on board. She worked on the manuscript, on and off, for the next five years. She could see the forest through the trees when I couldn't. She's also an excellent researcher and leapt into the historicity of the era just as much as I did. Toward the end, we worked together for several drafts, back and forth, to bring everything into one consistent voice. Tosca was indispensable. She took everything from good to great. In the end, the book just received an extremely rare "Starred Review" from Publisher's Weekly, which felt confirming.
Mr. Brotherton, you primarily write non-fiction books, did you find it hard to switch to fiction? And Ms. Lee, after writing and working with Mr. Brotherton, did it pique your curiosity in writing non-fiction?
Brotherton: Writing fiction is harder than writing nonfiction, at least for me, although I love writing fiction. With nonfiction, you know where you're going. You're locked into facts. With fiction, a huge blank canvas sits in front of you. You create everything from nothing.
Lee: More than anything, it piqued the idea of bringing another WWII story to fictionalized life, I would say. That’s not to say I wouldn’t write non-fiction, but my primary interest still remains in writing novels.
If either of you could live anywhere in the world with people you love and are able to do what you love to do, where would that place be?
Lee: My husband and I love islands—Bora Bora especially. But I think ideally, we’d just hang out in different places around the world for a couple weeks at a time. That’s the beauty of writing fiction—you can travel for research, but you can do the actual writing anywhere.
Brotherton: I love Washington State, where my family and I live right now. The winters, although thick with rain, offer intrigue and drama. When the sunlight finally comes out in the Pacific Northwest, everywhere you look is this incredible shade of golden-green. If I had to pick a new place, sure, I'd say give me more sun. I like Kauai.
What books are you both reading right now? Do you have a stack of books on your bedside table or a "to be read" pile?
Lee: My pile is embarrassingly huge. I am a slow reader, and a lot of my “reading” time gets devoted to research, so pleasure reading often gets relegated to audiobooks while I’m driving (thank goodness for audiobooks, which I so enjoy). Right now on my pile is an advance copy of my friend Aimie K. Runyan’s upcoming A Bakery in Paris. I’m really excited about that because I know it’s going to be an awesome story. Also, Aimie is such a nice person (always support writers who are great writers *and* nice people!).
Brotherton: I'm reading "The Lost Kings," a novel by Tyrell Johnson. I have stacks upon stacks of books, all begging to be read.
Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a bit more and we can't wait to talk with you on Wednesday, May 3rd!