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Clarissa Martinez, a biracial young woman, has lived in seven different countries by the time she turns twenty. She thinks it’s time to settle in a place she could call home. But where?
She joins a quest for the provenance of stolen illuminated manuscripts, a medieval art form that languished with the fifteenth-century invention of the printing press. For her, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a passion for art.
Though immersed in art, she’s naïve about life. She’s disheartened and disillusioned by the machinations the quest reveals of an esoteric, sometimes unscrupulous art world. What compels individuals to steal artworks, and conquerors to plunder them from the vanquished? Why do collectors buy artworks for hundreds of millions of dollars? Who decides the value of an art piece and how?
And she wonders—will this quest reward her with a sense of belonging, a sense of home?
TheGoldenManuscripts-FIN.mp4 from Evy Journey on Vimeo.
Interview: Evy Journey, The Golden Manuscripts: A Novel
On writing:
How did you do research for your book?
I wrote a paper on illuminated manuscripts decades ago. But recent research usually uncovers previously unknown facts, and the scope of this book goes beyond manuscripts, so I read more books and articles and watched relevant documentaries. I also surveyed my email list to learn what and how many readers know or have read about illuminated manuscripts.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
My author website tagline reads “I see, I listen, I think. Therefore, I write.” I live in a multicultural region where my reality consists of stories of the “Other”—multiracial or transcultural characters navigating separate “realities.” I’ve packaged my stories of the “Other” into a series (Between Two Worlds) of standalone books, each of which delves into a specific subject that interests me—for The Golden Manuscript, it’s art.
What makes your book different from other fiction on art, artists, and art heists?
Few novels focus on illuminated manuscripts, especially stolen ones. This story is inspired by real events and goes deeper into motives other than financial gain for art thievery. It gives a glimpse into an esoteric art world, and of medieval manuscripts as precursors to today’s picture books.
Your book is set mainly in the Bay Area, but also includes scenes in Paris. Have you ever been to these places?
I’ve lived in different cities in California including the SF Bay Area and stayed for two to six months in Paris across several years. I presume to know these places fairly well.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I researched, evaluated, and helped develop mental health programs. But I’ve always wanted to write fiction, a youthful dream my parents nixed..
How long have you been writing?
At least 50% of my time in previous jobs was devoted to writing proposals and reports. Before that, I wrote short stories for a school paper, term papers, a thesis, a dissertation. If you include those, then I’d say I’ve been writing a long time. As far as published fiction is concerned—twelve years.
What is your next project?
How about a novel on Edouard Manet (“father” of modern art, Le Dejeuner Sur L’herbe) and Berthe Morisot, one of very few female Impressionist painters? Were they more than friends, or was he just a mentor/painter to her student/muse? She eventually married his brother. If I find enough intrigue in what’s been written about them, I’ll be sorely tempted.
What genre do you write and why?
The freedom self-publishing gives me is that I can mix genres—a little mystery, a little romance, women’s issues, family life—all in one novel. So I say I write literary because it can accommodate all those, and it lets you probe into the inner lives of characters. Lately, I’ve woven well-researched real events into my fiction that I hope would raise a question or two in readers’ minds.
What is the last great book you’ve read?
It’s still Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, which I read in 2015. I’ve read a number of good books since, including Doerr’s latest, but this to me is still tops.
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
My research taught me a lot; entertained me, too. Both are big pluses. The challenge was taking care not to get mired in facts that would bore readers and disrupt the flow of the narrative. I also wanted believable, relatable characters with issues of their own other than the search for who stole the manuscripts.
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
Relatively easy, because I‘ve self-published, and there are plentiful beta readers and editors who help in the process.
Which authors inspired you to write?
Austen and Dostoevsky—writers from my youth whose books I’ve read several times. Ms. Austen might be an obvious inspiration. Dostoevsky nurtures my characters’ existential angst, as well as mine.
What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?
The chapter before the Epilogue was supposed to show the male character, in his POV, disclosing his feelings for Clarissa, and what happens after she kisses him. More intimate and a bit sexy, it’s part emotional hook/part deeper characterization, but I decided it would distract from the story’s main themes and is out of sync with the story presentation. And why not leave something for the reader’s imagination? So, I excised it before I sent my draft to the editor.
On rituals:
Where do you write?
Usually, on a long window seat with a laptop on a lap tray. I can get a relaxing view while thinking through the scene I’m writing.
What is your writing schedule?
I tend to write in the dead of night. I’m a nocturnal animal who doesn’t get to bed until two a.m. when I’m working on a novel.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I have, but rarely. I’ve been wedded to a computer since grad school.
Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
That’s easy: Paris.
Favorite dessert?
Macarons.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See; and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
What’s the scariest thing that ever happened to you?
I was in an accident that killed three people. An oncoming drunk driver on Highway 12 (going to the Napa Valley) veered into our lane and struck the two cars in front of me. I stepped on my brakes as I watched the first car flip up in the air. Braking just in time, I still hit the second car, but only had fender damage. I got PTSD and had to go into therapy for a few weeks.
Any hobbies?
When I’m not writing, I do art—from portraits to still life in different media, though lately, I’m hooked on digital “painting.”
What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?
Writing, art, and music helped me survive being alone and lonely, at least during the early days of the pandemic when I had to isolate from everyone. Now, being alone doesn’t feel so bad.
What TV series are you currently binge watching?
Lupin, about a charismatic thief. This French series is a take-off on an early 1900s set of novels featuring Arsène Lupin, a gentleman thief, written by Maurice LeBlanc. I’m waiting for the third season.
What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?
Not a song, but a particular classical piece: Krystian Zimerman’s rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2, maybe because it was one of my husband’s favorites, and I’ve played it countless times.
Tell us about your longest friendship.
My husband’s. We were good friends before we were lovers and continued to be, as partners in marriage.
Any encounters with celebrities?
I talked (kind of) to Francis Ford Coppola, dapper in a light brown linen suit, sitting by himself outside a café next to the short-stay apartment we were renting in Paris. I wrote about the encounter on my author website.
Teensy excerpts: “Polite in that guarded celebrity way, he doesn’t encourage much interaction, but doesn’t shrink from it, either.
Hero-worship shining in my eyes, I say, “I think you’re the best director America has seen in a while. I love your movies, especially Apocalypse Now.”
He smiles patiently, mumbles something nice and inconsequential. After a few more inane remarks, we realize we must leave him in peace so he can enjoy pretending he’s like everyone else who visits Paris.”
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Evy Journey writes. Stories and blog posts. Novels that tend to cross genres. She’s also a wannabe artist, and a flâneuse.
Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois). So her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces.
Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed a few months at a time.
Website: https://evyjourney.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ejourneywriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eveonalimb2/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zQUFT4
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