You’re looking at a phenomenon.
Mariam Kobras’ first novel of a 40 year old rock star who reunites with his lost love (and the mother of his son) sold out on Amazon before its official launch. It’s rapidly caught fire and selling well in several countries. And Kobras had never written fiction – or written much — before she decided to create a story for herself, not necessarily for publication.
This almost never happens.
With that sort of success, you’d think she’d be — well, unapproachable. Elite. But, no. Mariam, as I’ve come to know her, is one of the most down to earth, sweetest and gifted people I’ve come across. The thing is, she lives in Germany, I live in the States and the only way we’ve gotten to know each other is connecting every day — can it be a year now?? — over Twitter. But it’s in writing those tweets and then emails, that we find the common ground as writers. We speak each other’s language — of the mind and heart.
So when she asked me be one of the hosts for her publicity “blog hop” — I didn’t hesitate. Here’s my interview. This is Mariam. Watch for her, readers.
I’m struck by how much we have in common even after reading your first blog interview with PJ Kaiser! Like you, I’ve always wanted to publish my novel “traditionally.” We both love the feel of a book in our hands. This makes me think you’re a long-time reader. Can you tell us a bit more about your relationship with books? What do you like read?
Among the many books I’ve read, a few stick out that I love. They are kept on a shelf very close to my favorite spot in the living room so they are always within reach. Some of them (in no particular order) are Nagib Machfus’ Cairo Trilogy, Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdottir, Sean Jeter Naslund’s Ahab’s Wife, John Galsworthy’s Forsyte Saga, John Irving’s Owen Meany and Kiana Davenport’s Shark Dialogues. These are close to my heart.
I’m a bit quirky about books. I need to own them, and in paper too. Preferably in hardcover. I’ve gone out a number of times to buy a hardcover book after buying and reading the paperback. It’s a calamity that beautiful, bound books are being forced out of the market by the e-book rage. I fear that later generations will never feel the awe of holding something as precious as the Gutenberg Bible in their hands.
I wonder if book readings and signings will go out of fashion with the advent of the e-book, and what will that do to the author–reader relationship?
As an author, I really love talking to my readers. It’s so cool to hear their views about my books. Sometimes it’s something completely different than what I meant. All that feedback, all that personal contact, will it die?
As you can see, I’m not a fan of e-books. Reading a book on a Kindle is pretty much like watching a rock concert on TV.
I read that you had a scene in your mind – the reappearance of a long-lost love and a woman dropping a tray of glasses to the floor…and the reunion reignites that lost love instantly. I also had a scene that presented itself to me in writing my novel – a young waiter singing brilliantly on a terrace in Italy, trying to impress a girl among the diners. Was The Distant Shore built around that scene – was it the genesis of the story? Or did the story exist in your mind and the scene helped it along?
Well, first of all, Naomi drops plates. Very expensive, custom-made, English plates that the hotel she runs had just received that day from the manufacturer.
I can’t say the novel is built around that scene, but it was certainly the reason why I began writing the book, it was the genesis. Somehow I had to get to that scene, and I made up the story of Jon and the letter, and how he goes to Norway to find Naomi. At that time, I had no idea this rather short story would grow into a novel, let alone three. Or more, who knows. When my publisher asked for the manuscript and then accepted it, I was more than stunned. For me, it wasn’t enough of a story.
Two people lose their love, find each other, fall in love again, get married, and life takes a turn toward disaster. End of story.
Luckily, I’m the only one who thinks that way. Everyone else loves it!
You live in Hamburg, Germany? The Distant Shore takes place in California, Norway… I actually wrote a travel post about a golf course in Norway, above the Arctic Circle – so I loved the description of Jon landing there with just a jacket from his home in California! Have you lived in or visited the places in your scenes throughout your book? Not too many novels have a rock star chasing his ex-girlfriend down to an inn in Norway! [My novel takes place in Germany, Italy and Greece in 1967.]
In one word: Yes. All the places you will visit in “The Distant Shore” exist, and I’ve been to all of them. Well, not to the place Naomi’s family own outside Toronto, but the small town, Kleinburg, exists. It’s home to the really beautiful McMichael Canadian Collection. I’ve spent many hours there.
The Norwegian village is actually the small town Floro, and I’ve modeled the Seaside Hotel on a hotel there. It is not the same place though, and all the people are totally made up. Which, by the way, also goes for Jon and Naomi, Sal, Art and Russ. No real people here. I could say (quite arrogantly) that I don’t need to model my characters on real people. I enjoy making them up too much to settle for real people.
There are not many novels about a rock star chasing his ex-girlfriend down to Norway from California? Heck, I hope so! How else would “The Distant Shore” become a bestseller book and an Academy Awards movie?
The other thing that struck me was that we’re both writing about a young woman being in love with a talented man. Yours is in his 40’s and tremendously successful. Mine is in his 20’s and his fame is yet to be determined. Do you think talent complicates relationships and great loves? Naomi and Jon end up in a creative relationship as well as being lovers again. Is creativity an aphrodisiac, do you think?
Ah. Interesting question. Their talent is the reason why these two meet in the first place. Naomi, barely nineteen, hears Jon on the radio one day, while she is vacuuming her room at her parents’ house in Geneva. That voice, that music, drive her into a writing frenzy. She sticks the lyrics she writes into an envelope, writes a note saying, “Sing this!” and sends it off to Jon’s office. A while later, when Jon is on a tour through Europe, he meets her to talk about those lyrics, and they fall in love. She goes to California with him, and lives with him.
Three years later, Jon’s growing fame, his wild life, and a drug bust at their house drives her away and into hiding in Norway.
I write a lot about creativity, and about creative process. I’ve analyzed how it creativity works differently for Jon and Naomi, how Jon, with no musical education, makes his way into rock stardom the good, old-fashioned way, while Naomi has it all: piano lessons from an early age, classical singing, the best Swiss private schools.
Honestly, I don’t think creativity is an aphrodisiac. My poor hubby has to put up with all my moods and eccentricities, and I can tell you, there are a few of those.
Twitter has played quite a part in your novel’s path to being published. Can you tell a little about it (Buddhapuss)? You have a book tour coming up in the US in summer?
My publisher and I met on twitter. I’ve told this story often and on many blogs, so I’ll not repeat it here again. I’m very happy where I am. Buddhapuss is a wonderful publisher with a lot of experience, patience and passion for their work. I’ve been extremely lucky in signing with them, and I don’t plan on leaving them if they don’t kick me out.
The book tour won’t be this summer. My publisher and I talked about this at length, and I balked a bit at the change of plans. But she was right, as she is nearly always. I’ll be going on the book tour in March and/or April, after book three of the Stone Trilogy has been published. That will give us enough time to do the editing and work necessary to get two more books out in less than a year’s time!
This is cool.
I’m saying this so easily, but actually it’s really, really cool. I know that in about a year from now, I’ll have published three books. A dream. MY dream. Come true.
I think we first connected on Twitter when your son was “romancing” a girl by not paying attention to her – and I told you how my youngest son did the same to a girl in high school. The other thing that drew me to read your tweets was the wonderful haiku you write sometimes. What’s your usual writing day like? You’re working on Book 3 now in a trilogy about the rock star Jonathon Stone?
My work day begins around 9 am in the morning, when the cat and I crawl out of bed. I make coffee, feed the cat. I turn on the computer and check my mail, twitter and facebook while I drink my first cup. Since The Distant Shore has been launched I sneak over to Amazon to see how the book is doing, and then I open my writing file. Oh yes. I open my writing file, and I dive into that world I have created and begin to spin my tale.
I love tweeting haikus. In fact, I started writing haikus on twitter, thanks to @Pookandgrace and her #haikuwordgame. Now I write my haikus on Facebook and combine them with Eric G. Thompson’s art. He did the painting which is on the cover of The Distant Shore. I adore his art!
Oh, and my son? That method didn’t get him anywhere. The girl ignored him.
The other thing I found common with us was how you got into the production side of the rock concerts you went to… and I loved that side of PGA Tour televised tournaments. When my ex-husband ( a former player) was doing on-course commentary for television, I loved the cameramen and production trucks and sound guys…
PS Watched you on a video from a TV station – you have the loveliest accent!
HAHA! Thank you. I was incredibly excited. That interview wasn’t planned, I was visiting with my friend Bunny in Lynchburg VA, and she took me with her to work. She’s a producer for the local ABC station, and they kidnapped me for that interview!
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This was the tenth stop on Mariam’s The Distant Shore “Love is in the Air” Blog Hop & Giveaway. We hope you enjoyed this interview and will join us tomorrow on the next stop at Book Reviews by Elizabeth White for a post called Slaying Dragons.
Buddhapuss Ink is giving away copies of Mariam’s book, along with some pretty terrific (and very romantic) gifts, as we count down to that most romantic day of the year—Valentine’s Day!
Want to enter the giveaway?
Leave a comment for this post for one entry. We also encourage you to “Like” this blog and follow it!
Tweet a link to this blog including the hashtag #TDSBlogHop for another chance to win.
Want more chances to win? CLICK HERE for all the info!
Want to see that TV interview that Mariam and Marci mentioned? Here it is.
