Steven Raichlen

Are you working on another novel? What’s it about?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:33:22 +0000

Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Donec sed odio dui. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros.

What are the major themes in the book? To what extent did you consciously plan these themes when you wrote the book and to what extent did they emerge afterwards?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:32:50 +0000

This book is about families—most of them fractured. What makes a family?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:32:32 +0000

There are a lot of opposites in this book: Claire and the Hermit. Claire and Sheila. Claire and Beiderman. Claire and Harrison. Do opposites repel or attract? Are there any similarities here between you and your wife?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:32:05 +0000

There’s a lot of cooking and food in the book. Why no recipes? Talk to us about the redemptive power of food and the importance of mindful cooking and eating.

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:31:44 +0000

What’s with all the living off the land stuff—were you a boy scout? A survivalist?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:31:19 +0000

Who was Wilhelm Reich and why is he in the book? What does his controversial career bring to the story? How about the other real life historical figures—for example, Marie Curie, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Teddy Kennedy?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:30:57 +0000

Claire story reminds me of the biblical Job—why do you heap so much calamity and misfortune on such a nice woman? Hasn’t she had enough?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:30:30 +0000

You call the book Island Apart and start with famous line from John Donne: “No man is an island.” What role do islands play in your story?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:30:01 +0000

What did Island Apart teach you about writing?

Ilysa — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:29:38 +0000