Interview with Monique Roy, author of 'Across Great Divides'

Monique Roy loves writing that twitches her smiling muscles or transports her to another time or place. Her passion for writing began as a young girl while penning stories in a journal. Now she looks forward to deepening her passion by creating many unique stories that do nothing less than intrigue her readers.

Monique holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and is the author of a middle-grade book Once Upon a Time in Venice. Monique loves to travel, play tennis, pursue her passion for writing, and read historical fiction. In 2008, she was chosen by the American Jewish Committee’s ACCESS program to travel to Berlin, Germany, on the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, to explore German and Israeli relations along with 20 other Jewish professionals from across the U.S.

Monique was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and her grandparents were European Jews who fled their home as Hitler rose to power. It’s their story that inspired her to write Across Great Divides, her newest novel.

What attracts Monique to historical fiction is taking the factual record as a structure and letting imagination run wild to fill it all in. Historical fiction lets you escape to another time and place; and Monique likes to explore the past so that we can potentially better understand the future.
Her latest book is the historical fiction, Across Great Divides.

Visit her website at www.monique-roy.com.

About the Book:

Across Great Divides is a timeless story of the upheavals of war, the power of family, and the resiliency of human spirit. When Hitler came to power in 1933, one Jewish family refused to be destroyed and defied the Nazis only to come up against another struggle—apartheid in South Africa.
Sixteen-year-old twins, Eva and Inge, witness their lives in Berlin change before their eyes. Their best friend, Trudy, betrays them when she becomes a member of the Hitler Youth. A valuable family heirloom, a beautiful emerald and diamond necklace, is confiscated by the Nazis as they harass Jewish families and businesses.

Their younger brother, Max, a member of the underground resistance, sees great danger ahead. Their father, Oskar, a successful diamond merchant, refuses to leave his beloved Germany and believes Hitler will fail. Their mother, Helene, holds her family together under dire circumstances.

After the devastation of Kristallnacht in 1938, the family flees Germany with the help of the underground resistance after hiding many diamonds. They seek refuge in Antwerp, but war follows them as Belgium is occupied by the Germans.

A German man, a nun, a countess, and a winegrower help the family escape Europe. They hike over the Pyrenees Mountains while eluding German patrols and Spanish informers. Then, they spend agonizing days on a ship bound for Rio de Janeiro that is targeted by a German U-boat. As Rio’s diamond business is corrupt, they decide to go to South Africa, another diamond market.

In Cape Town, Eva encounters an impoverished colored woman, Zoe, who is in need of work. The family hires Zoe as their maid. They shield her and her daughter from the dangers they face in the slums of District Six and from the horrors of apartheid, which are all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

But, when Max gets into trouble with the South African police over his participation in an anti-apartheid march, will he be subject to imprisonment?

In a thrilling conclusion, the family comes to terms with the evils of society, both in their memories and current situation in South Africa.

Author Interview:

Can you tell us what your book is about?

Across Great Divides is a timeless story of the upheavals of war, the power of family, and the resiliency of human spirit. When Hitler came to power in 1933, one Jewish family refused to be destroyed and defied the Nazis only to come up against another struggle—confronting apartheid in South Africa.

Sixteen-year-old Eva and her twin sister, Inge, witness their lives in Berlin change before their eyes. Their best friend, Trudy, betrays them when she becomes a member of the Hitler Youth. A valuable family heirloom, a beautiful emerald and diamond necklace, is confiscated by the Nazis as they continue to harass Jewish families and businesses.

The family is conflicted whether they should leave home. But after the devastation of Kristallnacht in 1938, they flee Germany with the help of the underground resistance after hiding many diamonds. They seek refuge in Antwerp, but war follows them as Belgium is occupied by the Germans. 

After they escape Europe—hiking over the Pyrenees Mountains while eluding German patrols and Spanish informers—they spend agonizing days on a ship bound for Rio de Janeiro that is targeted by a German U-boat. As Rio’s diamond business is corrupt, they decide to go to South Africa, another diamond market. 

In Cape Town, Eva encounters an impoverished colored woman, Zoe, who is in need of work. The family hires Zoe as their maid and shields her and her daughter, Zola, from the dangers they face in the slums of District Six and from the horrors of apartheid, which are all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

But, when Max gets into trouble with the South African police over his participation in an anti-apartheid march, will he be subject to imprisonment? 

In a thrilling conclusion, the family comes to terms with the evils of society, both in their memories and current situation in South Africa.

Find out more at www.monique-roy.com

Why did you write your book?

I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and my grandparents were European Jews who fled their home as Hitler rose to power. It’s their story that inspired me to write Across Great Divides.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

I tend to base characters on both real people and imagination. Even when you bring an imaginative character to life, some of their traits are probably based on real life and people. Believable characters come from raw emotion and real situations that people face.

Open the book to page 69.  What is happening?

One of the main characters, Inge, is getting married to Isaac in a secret garden in Antwerp in May of 1940. For some short moments, they know peace and happiness. And then, in an instant, the moment is gone when they hear the sounds of two Nazi soldiers.

Have you suffered from writer’s block and what do you do to get back on track?

I put my writing aside and try to not think about it too much. Let the mind rest. Pick up a good book or watch an exciting movie. Go for a walk or anything to free the mind. Somehow, out of nowhere, an idea hits you…it may be while brushing your teeth or while you are falling asleep, but it will make you smile and get you back on track.

What would you do with an extra hour today if you could do anything you wanted?

Probably read or write. I find both to be relaxing. And add a cup of tea to the mix and life is splendid!

What do you like the most about being an author?

I love to write. I enjoy creating interesting and compelling stories that let the reader escape to another time and place. As a historical fiction writer, I like to explore the past so that we can potentially better understand the future.

What kind of advice would you give other fiction authors?

Read a lot about all kinds of things that interest you, and that may not interest you. Not only will you learn new things, but reading helps spark great ideas. Always have a notebook nearby as your short-term memory only retains so much and then you may lose it forever. Keep writing and never give up!