SONATA FOR MIRIAM

Linda Olsson’s novel Sonata For Miriam, which is being published all round the world, has just been published by Penguin in the US. The quantities are huge: Linda is almost certainly the biggest selling NZ author in the US at present apart perhaps from Lloyd Jones and Mister Pip.

Her first novel Let Me Sing You Gentle Songs, published in the US as Astrid & Veronika, has sold well over 100,000 copies in the US and something like a quarter of a million copies in Sweden.
Linda is now on a three-week author tour of 14 US cities and will be sending a mini-report to me every now and then.

Here is her first:

Day 1
Friday 13, March (!), Los Angeles
Crisp and clear, blue skies and dry air. I haven’t slept well, perhaps I am a little nervous. Or else, it’s jetlag.
When I toured the US with Astrid and Veronika (Let me sing you gentle songs) two years ago I was totally unfazed. It was ignorance - I didn’t know what to expect, or what was expected of me, so I just dived in. This time it’s very different. I am conscious of the responsibility to perform, and of the expectations that others may have.

The first event then as now was here in LA, organised by the same person, Julie Robinson, who runs events for some thirty book clubs in the area. Few events on my last tour lived up to the high standard of the first: a carefully chosen venue and some 100 guests who had all read my book. Thoughtful questions. It’s the same this time, but I am, like I said, much more aware of what is happening.

I am delighted at the turn the questions take: they are mostly about the book, not about me. In New Zealand and in Sweden I usually get lots of questions about me: my age, my language and my nationality. Here, all questions show a close and thoughtful reading of the text. And most of them are interesting. Some leave me speechless, as they address matters that I haven’t considered before: like ‘Why is Adam’s father mute?’ To me, he just is, but the more I think about it, the more intrigued I become. The eloquence of the questions and the ensuing debate elevates my text to realms that I have never dared to aspire to.

I realise quickly that many guests are Jewish and I am moved by how they have embraced my book. Ever since I set out to write it I have been conscious of the fact that I am not Jewish, and whether I had the right to try and write this story. But along the way I have been comforted by incidents, unexpected meetings, encouraging signs. Like when I went to interview a survivor in Wellington and found Adam’s silver box on the lady’s coffee table. She noticed that I was looking at it and said: ‘Are you looking at my silver box? I just keep old photographs in it.’ Goose bumps arose on my arms. The box was identical to the one I had given Adam in the book. For him to keep his photographs in. Today’s event added further comfort.

Julie sold the 100 books she had brought with her, and more. She will get some to my hotel for me to sign tomorrow.
Time to finally have a look at the environs. I am staying at the Beverly Hilton, and my son has asked me to see if I can spot any celebrities.

Tomorrow it’s a book store event. Those can take any shape and form.