Tell us about your most recent literary pilgrimage, Patricia.

In September of 2022, I visited Beatrix Potter (Hill Top) and John Ruskin’s homes in the Lake District, Cumbria, England. On this same trip to England and Scotland, my husband and I visited several sites connected with my novel A Noble Cunning, including the Tower of London, and the land in Scotland that once was my heroine’s estate. We also visited sites associated with my next novel, which is set in 12th century England.

I’ve gone on historical, art, and film pilgrimages of my own design, too. These include chasing down the locations for scenes in The Maltese Falcon and Vertigo in San Francisco, and searching for the settings for the film Don’t Look Now in Venice.

Name two of your favorite underappreciated novels.

The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk follow a number of characters through events leading up to and through World War II. I thought these novels were a magnificent achievement by Wouk. When they came out, the books were a big hit and were recreated in a popular television series, although I think they have been largely forgotten today. More than anything else I’ve read, these books changed my life by giving me more intimate insights into the Holocaust and some of the major battles of World War II.

What was your favorite book growing up and why do you think it appealed to you?

Perhaps girls have loved Little Women for over 150 years because it’s such a lively, in-depth portrait of a family with four daughters, each with a very distinct and appealing character. Although there is romance, Jo and Amy both have ambitions beyond finding the ideal husband and running a household.

How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?

I don’t believe in dumbing down language, even given the fabled short attention span of the modern reader. All the great 19th century novels, including books like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables that were intended for children, use lots of big words. On the other hand, I’m going to do my best to avoid overblown, pompous prose that is dense for its own sake. I hope my story will be interesting enough, and the characters appealing enough, to encourage the reader to stretch a little.

What are the ethics of writing about historical figures?

If we are writing historical fiction, we aren’t likely to get sued for misrepresenting a real person. There is no restraint but ourselves and the sensibilities of our readers as to how stringently we hew to the historical record. But I don’t think most of us spend much time investigating the past in order to present a totally false or radically distorted picture of what is known about real people. If we want our literary imaginings to be entirely unleashed from history, then let us become writers of fantasy or science fiction.

Do you try to be original or to deliver readers what they want?

I’m always trying to find the heart of what I want to say, and to write something that I would like to read myself.

How long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

Research is just pure joy! I like to really go deep and, since I also have a job and other obligations, I often spend several years researching and then writing. I do initial research to get some understanding of the period and the real-life characters, and then do more detailed research as I get to each section of the story.

Name one of your biggest challenges as a writer.

Writing short is a challenge for me. My first draft current novel manuscript was 853 pages. That’s as long as War and Peace! I had to whittle and slash to get it down to 500 pages and even more to get it to where it is now. The version of A Noble Cunning that went to press is the last third of the story I originally wrote.

My novel is based on a true story about a woman who led a very dramatic life. Perhaps the first two thirds will become prequels to the current novel at some point. In the long run, it may be better to write long and have to cut, than to stretch a few pages to a greater length. It’s hard though, when you have to throw some of what you think are your best bits into the trash can.

This has been fun, Michelle! I invite you and your following to come visit me at: https://www.patriciabernstein.com

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