Shirley Russak Wachtel
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel
Author of The Baker of Lost Memories
Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.
The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges ahead: college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness―and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.
Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel
Author I draw inspiration from:
Lynda Cohen Loigman--The Two-Family House
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
On my sofa overlooking the backyard.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I would like to be with Francie from Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I would love to compare experiences of growing up in that borough with her. Although our families are, at first glance, not alike, they do have similarities. Both struggled and worked for a good life for their children. My father was not an alcoholic like hers, but he did suffer from anxiety and post- traumatic stress as a Holocaust survivor. As we moved from place to place, wherever my father had a business, I often felt like a loner, like Francie. We both had a love of school as a place of safety, and we both had a dream of becoming a writer. I think we would make each other less afraid in the elevator.
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
As a child, I would read books by Beverly Cleary, and began thinking about creating my own stories. But when I was twelve, I read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and I knew what it was to live inside a book. This book had it all--drama, romance, mystery, tragedy. I had so many stories in my head and I immediately began, with a friend, to write my first novel, The Mystery of the Three Red Gowns. I don't know what became of that manuscript or the friend, but from then on, I was hooked. I would become an author.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I confess that I usually do not read ebooks or audiobooks. I like the weight of a book, its feel, its smell. I read both hardback and paperback.
The last book I read:
After Annie by Anna Quindlen. I have read most of her books and I enjoyed this one. It is a heartfelt portrayal of three characters (husband, daughter, best friend) and their reactions to the death of their beloved Annie.
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I use pen and paper--always a black G-2 #10 pen and lined memo pad for my writing. I believe that writing in longhand makes for a closer connection with my thoughts which a computer can impede. Does that make sense? After coming up with an initial idea and an intriguing first line, I jot down some notes and then begin writing. More often than not, the characters take me down a different road, so that often the book is not what I originally intended. After writing each chapter, I revise and edit. Then I type the chapter and revise and edit again. And, of course, once the manuscript is complete, more editing takes place. Only then do I send the manuscript to my readers for their review.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
I would love to be best friends with Jing-Mei Woo, a protagonist in Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club. Even though our cultures are vastly different (she is Chinese, I am a Jew whose parents immigrated from Poland), we would have so much in common. We were both extremely close with our mothers who endured much suffering in war time. It is the stories they told which has shaped Jing-Mei and my life, which gives us reason to strive and seek fulfillment. Finding that connection with this character is one of the reasons that the Joy Luck Club is one of my favorite books.
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I just retired as a professor of English, a profession I loved for over thirty-five years. The class discussions with my students was an enriching experience for us all, and I learned a lot too. My students came from diverse backgrounds and offered different perspectives on a variety of topics, including current events. It was a joy to introduce them to literature and see their progress throughout the semester. My work as a professor also gave me time to write.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I favor the current decade. Looks can be classic, sporty, sexy, whatever. No restrictions as fashion reflects who we are or who we would like to be.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I have traveled to many places, but have not yet been to Japan. The culture and language is so different from our own that I think it would be an eye-opening experience. In particular, I would like to visit Hiroshima, the city devastated by the nuclear bomb, as I have taught John Hersey's novel of the same name for many years. Going there would add a new dimension to my understanding.
My signature drink:
Cosmopolitan
Favorite artist:
Paul McCartney for music; Matisse for painting; and Mary Oliver for poetry.
Number one on my bucket list:
Publishing my third novel.
Anything else you'd like to add:
I am very grateful and fortunate to have the career of my dreams as an author.
Find more from the author:
Website--shirleywachtel.com
Facebook, shirley russak wachtel, author
Instagram, shirlwach
Linked In, Bluesky shirl23.bksky.social
About Shirley Russak Wachtel:
Author Interview - Shirley Russak Wachtel
Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of A Castle in Brooklyn. She is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Shirley holds a doctor of letters degree from Drew University and for the past thirty-five years has taught English literature at Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey. Her podcast, EXTRAordinary People, features inspiring individuals who have overcome obstacles to make a difference. The mother of three grown sons and grandmother to three precocious granddaughters, she currently resides in East Brunswick, New Jersey, with her husband, Arthur.
