Awww, thanks so much for having me.

Would you please start by telling us a bit about the kind of research you did while writing Gracianna?

Where do I start? Firstly I went to the Basque country, Paris and Auschwitz aside from the “book” study work and interviews I did.  It was bitter sweet. Seeing the homeland where my great-grandmother was from was wonderful. I felt at peace knowing the place where she grew up. Compared to the comforts of today I can barely imagine heating a place by wood and the effort that it would have taken to do that. Listening to her native tongue all around me was mystical.  

Paris was gorgeous of course. 

Seeing the opulence of Le Meurice Hotel where the Nazi Command had set up was overwhelming. It is beautiful to but to know that the Nazi’s had once dominated it was chilling. 

I went to Auschwitz one day.  I took about 700 photos. I have barely looked at them since. 

When I landed in Warsaw I had realized that I had left my big jacket at home. Not hard to do since I had been on the road for three weeks and in temperate South America  for two weeks prior.

When the door of the airplane open WHOOSH! The rush of the cold air hit me like a truck. I was drawn to Auschwitz knowing that Gracianna’s sister had been there during the winter. How someone could live through a day of that weather was unfathomable.  

While doing your research, did you learn anything that particularly surprised or inspired you?

On the day I stared writing the book I learned that Gracianna’s sister had lived through a Nazi concentration camp! That was a revelation that added a complete new dimension to the book. It was shocking and made sense all at the same time. I was compelled to write Gracianna and find write a story behind the whispers.

What gave you the idea to turn your great-grandmother’s fascinating story into a book?

When I was five years old my grandmother caught me walking around the house with a loaded German Luger. It came back to  as a teen and I stared wondering. Why did my great-grandmother have a loaded German Luger in her house? I started piecing it all together in my head.

Could you please talk a little about which parts of the story are fact and which are fiction?

There are tons of facts in the story. It started with me picking up a gun and walking around her house with it. “Put it down” was all she said. She was nonplussed but serious. Everything about the Basque country is factual along with the war, the Resistance and the concentration camp references. Gracianna’s sister was in a concentration camp and lived according to my Aunt Kathy. There are many many references to my own live that are woven into the story that are true as well. As my publisher told me, “The moment you add dialogue it is fictional.” Makes sense, who knows who said what to whom?

Your family runs a winery named after your great-grandmother. What made you decide to name the winery after her?

That is an easy one. When I was a boy my great-grandmother used to talk about being thankful a lot. At that age it is impossible to fathom the meaning. But over time it started to come to me… “grateful.” I have said that one must hit their 40’s or maybe 50’s to “get it.” If one ever does. But I started to realize that appreciating what we have is a fruitful, calming and humbling frame of mind. We had always considered that a value important to pass along to our children as well. Gracianna came to mean “thankful” to us and gratitude came alive as a result. 

Do you read as well as write historical fiction? Or do you have another favorite genre?

I enjoy non-fictional really when I have time to read. But the classic are my favorite. Stephen Crane, F. Scott Fitzgerald, I read them over and over. I have no idea what I am looking for but these books are well worn and comforting.

Do you have any plans to continue writing or was this a one-time thing to tell this particular story?

Huh, funny you should ask. There is another story and my publisher has asked if I would be interested to write it. I will decide as we get into the New Year. I would LOVE to write again and hope to be able to do that.

Where can readers go to learn more about your book and about your wine?

Thanks so much for asking www.gracianna.com If folks are coming to the wine country please send me an e-mail and I will be happy to arrange a personal tour and tell our story. Trini.Amador3@gracianna.net

Thank you so much for joining us today Trini! As a lover of non-fiction, I’m always fascinated by the parts of fiction that are true and the research that goes into making historical fiction believable. I really enjoyed your book and hope someday to visit your beautiful winery!

The post Author Interview with Trini Amador appeared first on Doing Dewey.

First, could you tell us a little about your book?
The book is a unique compilation of examples of pop culture, history, social media, business, sports, and education all explained through an economic lens. It uses current market trends and examples that can be applicable and enjoyable for anyone. It is written in a narrative non-fiction format so it flows easily and does not read similarly to a textbook. Economics is part of daily life, and this book challenges readers to question how and why people make decisions by adding a simple twist on normalcy.

What made you decide to write a book about economics?
I love economics, and I majored in it during my undergraduate work at Indiana University. As a student, many of the examples in my textbooks were irrelevant and made the subject one that many students did not enjoy. I wanted to change the negative connotations associated with the topic. I wanted to make it something that people understood and relished learning about.

What do you most want your readers to take away from your book?
I want to shed light on economics as a topic for the average reader. I want them to realize that economics is not just graphs, charts, and theories. It can be applicable in almost any situation. The theories that I explain in the book are developed with multiple examples that readers can relate to. Purchasing gasoline is one of them, and education is another. It is amazing how economic theory can help to explain both.

How did you become interested in economics?
I studied economics at Indiana University as an undergraduate and became interested then. It is such a detailed, complex subject with so much knowledge. I decided I needed to make that information accessible to anyone to enjoy, so I decided to write the book. I hope that people that read it will take how both concepts and also the ability to apply the concepts to their lives.

How did you pick the examples in the book?  Are they all from close personal experience or did you have other sources?
The examples came from close personal experiences and from research. Many of the topics that my professors would cover in college are things that I discuss in the book. As far as the many uses of cigarettes and tobacco, I used to be a salesperson for a large tobacco company, so I had a first-hand experience. Many times I would think of how directly the concepts applied to the industry, and finally I had the time and effort to sit down and write them.

What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I like to go running, spend time with my friends and family, adventure sports, go to professional sporting events, read, write, and shop.

What are you currently reading?
I just finished The Hunger Games trilogy. It was absolutely fantastic. I usually don’t read that genre of books, but they came highly recommended from my sister. Since I trust her judgment on literary works, I was glad that she encouraged me to read them.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
Honestly, I’ve been working so hard on marketing the book that I haven’t had much time to celebrate. I’ve celebrated the little “wins” with my family and friends just by going out to dinner.

Where can people learn more about you and your book?
The link to the website is http://www.theeconomicsbook.com.
Twitter: @KerstenLKelly
Facebook
Amazon
Kindle
Barnes and Noble
CreateSpace

The post Author Interview with Kersten Kelly appeared first on Doing Dewey.