Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Karen Levy/@Homeboundpub
“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” George Moore
I am very pleased to feature Memoir Author Karen Levy in this guest interview about finding peace through memoir writing. Karen and I met when her publisher at Homebound Publications, Leslie Browning contacted me to do a review of her newly released memoir, My Father’s Gardens.
When I finished reading her memoir, the main thought that surfaced was how memoir writing can help one find peace. My Father’s Gardens is a story of a young girl who comes of age in two languages, and on two shores, between warring parents and rules that change depending on the landscape and the proximity to her mother. It is a gripping story of heartache, conflict and ultimate transformation. My reviews can be found on Amazon and Goodreads.
Welcome , Karen!
KP: You have a very compelling story, Karen, of moving between Israel and America every few years while you were growing up, based upon your mother’s whims. When did you decide to write about it? What was it like for you to resurrect painful memories?
KL: The moving was due partially to whim and partially to my father’s work, but my mother suffered bouts of nostalgia that pulled us away from America when she missed Israel and towards America when she tired of Israel. Leaving was always accompanied by heartache, and it was frequent enough to become a familiar, somewhat exciting but also dreaded emotion. At the same time, that gypsy life became second nature, so staying in one location for lengthy periods of time while appealing, was also unfamiliar and when it became quite obvious that America had become permanent, once I married and had children here, there was a restlessness that I needed to handle in some way. And writing about it allowed me to travel great distances in my mind and on paper and give voice to emotions I was uncomfortable or incapable of expressing out loud. So while painful, it was also a release.
KP: Did you keep a journal when you were younger? If not, how were you able to resurrect so many memories in such vivid detail?
KL: I had a few diaries which I was very excited to go through once I decided to write, since I thought they would be a treasure trove of information. Yet they were quite disappointing and probably one of the dullest reads a teenage diary has ever afforded. They seemed to be more an account of daily activities instead of thoughts and emotions, they switched languages and started and stopped whenever we moved. And I believe that at some point I had the notion that my mother was reading them, so that may very well be why they contain absolutely nothing that reveals what I was actually doing or thinking beyond the very superficial. In other words, they were pretty useless sources of information. So I began to ask questions of anyone who was willing to dredge up the past, of which few people were. Fortunately I recall scents and textures and sounds quite vividly. I seem to embed places in my mind, how Jerusalem stone feels beneath my fingers, what an Israeli morning sounds like, how a California summer evening smells. I inhale locations.
KP: Your unique voice comes through and your writing has a lyrical tone to it. How did you find your voice?
KL: I’d like to think that it found me. I stopped trying to be someone else and allowed myself to be nothing other than who I am. The writing, like me, speaks its mind in as honest a way as it can, and I realized that I appreciated other writers who took risks and spoke from the heart. It feels more satisfying to read and write that kind of voice.
KP: You structured your memoir as a series of vignettes, very effectively I will add. How did you decide on this structure?
KL: I came across this style of writing in Sandra Cisneros’ book, The House on Mango Street, and I remember thinking to myself that I could do that, unlike full-fledged novels that seemed, and still do, like a daunting challenge to take on. Writing in what I like to think as snapshots, gives the overall effect of looking through a photo album at someone’s life, and listening to a story that is attached to each picture. Part of me also thought that it would be easier that way, soon to find out that getting the conclusion just right for each vignette was not as simple as it seemed.
KP: What is the main message you want to convey in your memoir?
KL: My quest has always been to find home, to find a place where I belong, and through this writing and from experience, I discovered that home can be found in more than one place, and among certain people, as well. For the longest time I thought I had to make a choice but it doesn’t work that way. Both countries have made me feel at home in different ways. This desire is not mine alone. I believe many of us need to know when and how we will be able to tell that we’ve arrived where we belong.
KP: You take us on a journey of self-discovery and ultimately to a point where you have reconciled the conflicts of your past. Did writing this memoir help you find that sense of peace?
KL: I believe it has to a certain extent. Because of this duality that has always been part of my life, there will forever be an underlying restlessness. My heart and mind are always in two different places at the same time, but overall, that discovery that I didn’t need to choose between them, that I could love both, was a relief. And writing about it all certainly allowed me to figure it out by forcing my hand in a sense, to examine so many pieces of my life.
KP: Do you have any memoir writing tips you’d like to share with us?
KL: Try to find a theme around which the information will revolve, otherwise you might feel as if you need to tell your audience everything, and that isn’t necessary. Be as honest and authentic as you can. Be yourself. If writing comes from the heart it will reach an audience.
My Father’s Gardens can be ordered from Amazon or Homebound Publications
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Author’s Bio:
Karen Levy is an Israeli-American writer. Born in Israel, Levy spent most of her childhood traveling between her native land and the United States. Commuting between these two countries and having a keen eye for detail have afforded Levy the knowledge necessary to recount the immigrant experience in a very candid style. Following her military service, Levy pursued her studies in the United States where she earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Davis, and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing from Sacramento State University where she teaches composition and interpretation of literature. Her work has appeared in Welter Magazine, So to Speak, the Blue Moon and The Meadow. She lives in Davis, California with her husband and two children.
How about you? Has writing helped you to find peace?
Karen has graciously agreed to give a way a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments or questions below~
Next Week: “The Role of Faith in Finding Freedom From Domestic Abuse: An Interview”
What an interesting interview. The disruption due to frequent moving spoke to me, because the chaos and turmoil wrought in my childhood caused me as an adult to not only be at peace with it, but sometimes to enjoy it. I’m intrigued also, Karen, by your comments about vignettes and writing style. Going now to check out your book. Best wishes, and thanks to Kathy.
Thanks Lynne. I hope you enjoy my memoir!
Thanks for jumping right on board the first thing this morning, Lynne! I,too, was drawn in by the idea of moving frequently between two countries. Karen has a unique voice and story structure that pulled me right into her story. I love her advice “If writing comes from the heart, it will reach your audience” and she shows us how it’s done in her memoir. Thanks, as always for sharing your thoughts.
Great interview Kathy. Hi Karen, I’m putting your memoir on the reading list and look forward to reading it soon. Congratulations on your accomplishments! All the best, Sue
Thanks Sue. I hope you enjoy it! Best, Karen
Yes, Sue , put Karen’s memoir on your list. She delivers a unique and enjoyable read 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you for all your support, Kathy. You have a wonderful site.
Leslie, I’m so happy you connected me with Karen. It’s my pleasure to help promote her powerful memoir. Thanks for stopping by and offering such kind feedback on my site.
Thanks for a most interesting interview, Kathy and Karen. While I didn’t move around physically the way Karen did, I empathize with her feelings. My folks are native Southerners; my sis and I were born in the Midwest. Every vacation was spent traveling “home” to the south, so I “get” the duality of trying to grow up in two different worlds.And while I gravitate toward fiction, I especially love this statement of Karen’s: “Be as honest and authentic as you can. Be yourself. If writing comes from the heart it will reach an audience.” Good advice to take away!
Hi Debbie,
I’m so glad you could relate and that you found my suggestion helpful. Sounds like you’ve had some adventures yourself! Best, Karen
I love Karen’s advice too, Debbie. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I never moved around as a child so that story alone grabbed me. I waited until my adult years to live in four different states, but that’s another story 🙂 Happy you enjoyed the interview and I know you will enjoy Karen’s memoir!
Beautiful interview, Karen and Kathy. Two things struck me: “I’d like to think that it found me. I stopped trying to be someone else and allowed myself to be nothing other than who I am.”
“My quest has always been to find home, to find a place where I belong, and through this writing and from experience, I discovered that home can be found in more than one place, and among certain people, as well.”
It intrigues me how these two, for me, go together. If we allow ourselves to be who we are, no matter where we go, we can find “home” in those places and people who feed our soul.
And I thought the quote at the beginning served so well for this interview too. If we don’t live from the center of who we are and who we want to be, running to another place will likely not solve that for us.
Great thinking interview today! Thank you!
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview, and that you can appreciate the need to be yourself. Not everyone approves of such authenticity…. I hope you enjoy the memoir! Best, Karen
Karen, it is so interesting that you say that not everyone approves of such authenticity as I believe this is also true. Though I do feel it may be more out of one’s own fear of facing their own authenticity that they shy away from those that are sharing their voice. It makes me sad at times to know this, as I truly want to help encourage others to share their voice through the book I’ve written, as well as work I’ve done. But we are all on our own path’s and I do respect that as well.
Fear definitely appears to be the cause of the backlash I have received. Mind you, the negative comments have come only from those whose story has been exposed in mine. Like any form of writing, memoir too seems open to interpretation… yet keeping appearances has never been my forte, so certain individuals are finding my truth painful.
Oh yes, Karen, I had not thought of it in that way. Though now that makes me recall how I felt writing certain things in my book and how others would feel– not an easy thing to do.
Not easy but worthwhile.
These are powerful thoughts, Barb: “if we don’t live from the center of who we are and who we want to be , running to another place will likely not solve that for us.” Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your own authentic voice, which comes out so beautifully in your own powerful memoir Through Frankie’s Eyes”. I’m so happy Karen’s interview resonated for you. I appreciate you stopping by and commenting 🙂
Thank you, Kathy. I have a dear friend struggling with a major life change right now and these are words I’ve spoken to her to try and guide and be there for her the best I can.
I hope your memoir is going well! 🙂
I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Barb. She is lucky to have you in her circle of love and support. My memoir is moving along–it feels at a galactial speed but it would help if I would tear myself away from social media and focus on my writing!
ah yes, the pull of social media when trying to focus. I understand. 😉
What an interesting interview. I found it especially compelling because as an expat I can relate to so much of what Karen says about living in one place and longing for the other.
Thank you, Pat. I’m happy you found it interesting and I hope you’ve found home. Best, Karen
Thanks for stopping by Pat. I can see how Karen’s experience echoes your own journey through different places and cultures to transformation. You both show us how to be winners. Everyone,check out Pat’s memoir, Home Sweet Hardwood, too!
Karen, nice to “meet” you here too, and it was great to see you in person in Davis last month! Congratulations on your memoir, with such a universal appeal–trying to find home, learning what home is within and outside of us, the yearning for place, and the sense of displacement. I look forward to reading your memoir, and Kathy, as always, this is a lovely post and interview!
Blessings to all.
-Linda Joy
Hi Linda! It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing your story as well,at the Avid Reader. I hope you enjoy mine. Best, Karen
Thanks so much for stopping by Linda Joy and sharing your perspective. How nice you and Karen were able to meet in person. I agree her memoir has a universal appeal and I also feel her unique voice and writing style set it apart. I’m happy you enjoyed the interview.
Blessings to you too,
Kathy
Kathy and Karen, thank you for a lovely interview and overview to Karen’s book. As a person who has never lived anywhere other than these United States, I find the idea of living back and forth interesting. Yet, as Karen implies, it likely would come at the wrong time when you were in your teens! 🙂 Putting Karen’s book on my to be read list and hope to get to it soon.
Thanks for stopping by Sherrey. I know you will enjoy Karen’s memoir. I can’t imagine having to move so many times as a child and teen but Karen did and she has many interesting lessons to share from her experiences.
Hi Sherrey, Thank you for reading the interview and for your interest in my book – I hope you enjoy it! Best, Karen
This memoir sounds fantabulous…can’t wait to read it as I can tell there is much more to the story…
I’m inspired to continue on in my own true voice…your comments hit home for me in many ways. On writing, “Try to find a theme around which the information will revolve, otherwise you might feel as if you need to tell your audience everything, and that isn’t necessary. Be as honest and authentic as you can. Be yourself. If writing comes from the heart it will reach an audience.”
May we all reach out to others and make a difference in the world…one story at a time!
Write On
Well-said , Rhonda. Yes, may we all reach out to others and make a difference in the world through our stories. Amen! 🙂
Hi Rhonda, Thank you for your feedback – I’m so pleased that you found my words inspirational. I find that writing from the heart is much more satisfying, as is any other genuine gesture. Taking risks in writing provides a better read for your audience. I hope you enjoy my story! Best, Karen
I’m putting your memoir on my ‘to read list’. As a child of immigrants I know the feeling of finding your home and where do you belong.
Welcome, Sharita! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will enjoy Karen’s memoir as much as I did.
Hi Sharita, Thank you for your interest in my book! I hope you have found your home. Best, Karen
I adore Karen’s memoir and have tried to spread the word as much as possible because it’s a great read! I so understand the self-consciousness that can accompany journal or diary writing. I regret that I have avoided it because I can’t quite come to terms with the thought that a family member might be reading my private thoughts or what posterity might think. That’s kind of a shame, isn’t it? We are all so fortunate that Karen has vivid sensory memories of her past and has been able to recreate them in such a beautiful way. Thank you, Karen, for so honestly sharing your story!
Welcome, Nadine. I agree, Karen’s writing style is lovely and very engaging. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Thank you Nadine! Such kind words. I am so glad you enjoyed my book. Best, Karen
Thank you Kathy and Karen for the wonderful and insightful interview. I look forward to reading My Father’s Garden and having Karen as a guest on my blog in the next couple of months. Just curious to know, Karen, do you still spend time in Israel as well as Davis now?
Finding home has never been an issue for me – I’ve lived in the same house for the last 34 years, but when I travel I cannot wait to get home. So I’m very interested in your story.
I wish you great success with your book. Best, Madeline
Hi Madeline, I’m happy you enjoyed Karen’s interview and I know you will enjoy her memoir. I look forward to Karen’s guest post on your blog, too. Thanks, as always for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Blessings~Kathy
Good evening Madeline, Israel is always whispering my name, so yes, my family and I visit as often as we can. In fact, we’ll be answering her call this summer when I will be visiting my father there and presenting him with a copy of My Father’s Gardens. I look forward to being a guest on your blog! Best, Karen
I’m a Texan gal and moved to CA when I was 19 years old. It has been hard to try to find a real “home” when I go back to Texas for a visit (where all my family lives) and then return to CA to write and enjoy my retirement. At one time I considered a move back to Texas but my children were rooted in CA. It was financially difficult to cut my ties to CA. The Lord has given me peace that wherever He sends me, that is the best home for me. I went through a terrible divorce that forced me to look inward to the needs of my heart. I’m sure I have a story to write but for now I’m writing a YA novel which I hope to finish next year. Thank you for your insights on the dilemma of being a dual citizen. Your comments about how you found your authentic voice was especially heart felt and echos my desires.
“I stopped trying to be someone else and allowed myself to be nothing other than who I am. The writing, like me, speaks its mind in as honest a way as it can, and I realized that I appreciated other writers who took risks and spoke from the heart. It feels more satisfying to read and write that kind of voice.”
Welcome Kathy! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your story. I’m happy to hear you have reached a place of peace with all you’ve been through and am glad Karen’s responses resonated with you. Best wishes with your writing. It certainly does sound like you have an important story to tell.
Hi Kathy, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m glad you could relate to some of my words and I wish you luck with your novel. Best, Karen
Very interesting and engaging interview, Kathy. Before you can make peace with your past, you have to sort of embrace it and feel it and mull it over. Writing allows this process to unfold naturally so yes, writing has brought me peace.
Karen, your book sounds very intriguing. Congratulations and best wishes for your continued success.
Thank you Grace. I agree with your comment about embracing and mulling… and I am glad that you have found peace through your own writing. Best,
Karen
Dear Grace, I’m glad you enjoyed Karen’s interview and that you have found peace through writing. That was certainly evident in your lovely memoir, REACHING. Thanks for stopping by!
Karen,
How profound yet necessary when you followed your own voice:
“I stopped trying to be someone else and allowed myself to be nothing other than who I am.” A great reminder to all of us, writers. (Actually a great lesson for life.)
Appreciate your insight and beauty of your answers.
Thanks for stopping by, Sarah. I’m happy you enjoyed Karen’s interview. I agree, she offers some interesting insights into the memoir writing process.
Karen, well done on writing your story. Allowing sensory detail to lead the way to past is a powerful way of accessing suppressed memories. I was so excited to see you refer to Sandra Cisneros’ book, The House on Mango Street. Just yesterday I looked at my own copy again. She is the Queen of Vignette!
Another great post, Kathy.
Thanks, Belinda. I always appreciate your perspective and appreciate you stopping by to comment.