Interview With Author Irene Wittig
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two novels, a book of short stories, two children’s books, two editions of a book on creative painting on everyday ceramics. – all of them inspired by different aspects of my life and the places I have lived.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book “Almost Home: the Story of Otto Gruenbaum, Pianist and Ritchie Boy” is the story of my uncle, a Viennese refugee who served with the American Army in World War II. He survived the war but disappeared a week before he was to return home. His death remains unexplained to this day. The book is a narrative and includes documents, research, and interviews.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I imagine the characters first, have them in a situation, and let the plot develop from there.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always liked and been influenced by writers who have a deep understanding of their characters. A master at this is Anne Tyler.
What are you working on now?
A novel, I hope.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website https://all-that-lingers.com shows all my books but in its other pages concentrates on the Viennese background of my novel All That Lingers, and my non-fiction Almost Home.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write characters you care about so that you readers will care about them too. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to change what you’ve already written. Don’t worry about trends.
If you write historical fiction, do a lot of research and have your language reflect the time.
Read read read!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you would like to read.
What are you reading now?
I’m usually ready to read about World War II and just finished two books, but I also loved Pachinko and Horse, and right now I’m reading Kate Atkinson’s latest Jackson Brodie mystery, which is really a bunch of wonderful character studies.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully a novel
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Too hard! Best thing would be to download as many ebooks as possible – fiction and non-fiction – but with no electricity or wifi… I think I might bring my novels and lots of paper and then completely rewrite them, inventing new characters and situations.
Author Websites and Profiles
Irene Wittig’s Social Media Links