Elaine Stock
Author Interview - Elaine Stock
Author of We Shall Not Shatter
As both love and war approach their Polish town, Zofia, Catholic and hearing and Aanya, Jewish and deaf, must make choices that will change the meaning of family, home, and their precious friendship. The journey, decisions and the no-going-back consequences the women face will either help them to survive—or not—as Hitler’s Third Reich revs up its control of the world.
Author Interview - Elaine Stock
Author I draw inspiration from: This is a tough question for me since I've read so many books in various genres. I can say that I've admired the novels by Jodi Picoult (Click here for my list of Best Jodi Picoult Books), Joy Fielding, and Ronald H. Balson because of their amazing storytelling.
Author Interview - Elaine Stock | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: Preferably, any place comfortable and friendly to my 3 bad neck discs, though I do confess to reading in bed nightly before turning off the lights.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: As far back as I can remember, I've been delightfully influenced by my always-book-in-hand mother and my oral-storytelling aunt. To say that books were the focal point of my childhood would be an understatement. Though I did win a 3rd grade writing competition, and wrote stories as a hobby for years, it wasn't until my mother passed away when I was 26 that I had a wake-up call. She loved the written word, whether reading, listening to show tunes, or listening/watching movies, as well as dabbling in writing poetry. If it weren't for a severe mental illness limiting her, I believe she would have pursued the arts she loved on a professional basis, especially writing. When she passed, I realized that if I really wanted to write for publication and not just for myself, then I needed to diligently learn the craft of writing and to go for it. Although it took me many years to become published, I studied and learned and relearned my skills and to hone my author's voice.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Definitely paperback! However, I've listened to audiobooks while driving and in addition to enjoyment, I think the listening aspect helped in the study of the writing craft... listening enables one to pick up many things that the eye visually skims over. As for ebooks, I think they're great for research. This said, I must share that for the first time as an author I will have a story printed in hardback (in addition to paperback and ebook and possibly a future audiobook addition). Out of all my books, I'm thrilled that We Shall Not Shatter is the first one printed in hardback!
The last book I read: I'm currently reading The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline.
Author Interview - Elaine Stock | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: No second thoughts--computer. I've bonded with using a keyboard decades ago and the rhythm of storytelling and typing words work well in harmony together. However, I use any and all scrap paper to write notes to myself, despite tons of software to help in organization of these notes... or at least some kind of support group for notorious note takers.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Believe it or not, a graphic designer. A creative junkie at heart, there's something pure fun about playing with the formatting of words and images.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Honestly, I'm the wrong person to ask. My "style" is baggy pants and a sweatshirt.
Place I’d most like to travel: My number one answer is Poland. To be more exact, I want to see my paternal hometown of Brzeziny, Poland, where my novel We Shall Not Shatter is set in its beginning. My husband and I had hoped to travel there before the book's publication, but the pandemic wasn't too cooperative. After visiting Brzeziny (though I understand present day Brzeziny is not comparable to what it once was prior to WWII) and many other places in Poland, what I'd love to do is to take the train to Hamburg, Germany. This was the same route my family took to reach the Vaterland ship when they immigrated to America. This would be the closest to experiencing the last few days/hours of a lifetime in Europe before leaving for a new continent.
My signature drink: Coffee--does that count? I do enjoy one glass of my husband's home-brewed dandelion wine per week, and am planning on toasting my upcoming trilogy (which We Shall Not Shatter is Book 1) with a flute of champagne.
Favorite artist: I love classical music and my favorite and go-to composer for tranquility is Bach.
Number one on my bucket list: To be truthful: to retire from working a day-job and write many more stories. Then, there's traveling, like the Poland trip I've mentioned, as well as visiting much of Europe and more of the US and Canada.
Anything else you'd like to add: We Shall Not Shatter is a story that yes, is set during WWII, and yes, has some scenes and references to the atrocities by the hand of people, but it’s truly a story about the friendship of two special women that advanced readers are calling endearing characters. I hope many see Zofia and Aanya that way.
Find more from the author:
Website: https://elainestock.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElaineStock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElaineStock
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/ElaineStock
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elaine-stock
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/elainestock
Author Bio: Elaine Stock writes Historical Fiction, exploring home, family and friendships throughout time. She enjoys creating stories showing how all faiths, races, and belief systems are interconnected and need each other. A member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and The Historical Novel Society, she wrote We Shall Not Shatter, Book 1 of the Resilient Women of WWII Trilogy, inspired by her deaf great aunt who was left behind in Poland and perished in the Holocaust. The novel has earned the Historical Fiction Company 5-star and “Highly Recommended” Review and won the Finalist Award in the Historical WWI-WWII category of the Historical Fiction Company 2021 Contest.
Although multi-published in award-winning Inspirational Fiction, and a past blogger and online magazine contributor, Elaine now pens novels for the General reading audience. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she has been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a city gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.
