About Hanna Perlstein Marcus:
I have come to my literary adventures rather late in life, following a long career as a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut. My educational background is in psychology and counseling at the University of Massachusetts and University of Connecticut. I have had the idea for a memoir in my thoughts for many years, always thwarted by career and family obligations. I finally turned to writing my true stories after completing my social work career and I have never looked back.
My books, all part of a series called the Sidonia’s Thread Books, have become a sensation worldwide. Born in a displaced persons camp after World War II, I came to Springfield, Massachusetts when I was two with my single mother, Sidonia, a Holocaust survivor, exceptional fashion designer and dressmaker, and keeper of secrets. The three books in the series, Sidonia’s Thread (2012), Surviving Remnant (2017), and Sidonia’s Seam Binding (2023), all tell different parts of my journey growing up and understanding this remarkable, but often inscrutable woman.
Readers have found my books compelling, poignant, and tender, and offer a heartwarming, fresh look at mother/daughter relationships. Many readers continue to correspond with me about how the books have resonated with them and, in some ways, identified with the dynamics of my relationship with Sidonia, for which I am gratified. Our special relationship revolved around her gift as a designer and creator and my ability to model her work to the universe.
I live in Connecticut and have two grown children, a son and daughter, and four adorable granddaughters, who have learned so much about their grandmother and great grandmother from my series of memoirs. These days, I am writing a historical fiction, which takes place in my mother’s ancestral home country, Hungary, during the inter-war years of the twentieth century, which seem to hold fascination for me. It tells the story of an unusual woman who resists the conventions of her time and environment and lives life on her own terms under tense and often dangerous circumstances.
What inspires you to write?
I was originally inspired to write my three-book memoir by stories I heard from my mother, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor. Her tales of family life, hardships, intrigues, heartwarming moments, sadness, love, resilience, and loss during her childhood and early adulthood always fascinated me, particularly because it included characters that I did not have the opportunity to ever meet. Writing about these people and life events in an earlier time and place brought them to life and also elucidated my mother’s complex personality.
Once the books had been published, starting with the first, Sidonia’s Thread, I realized that my true tales resonated with readers all over the world and inspired them to look at their parents and ancestors from different perspectives than they had ever done in the past. As I heard from readers, I became more and more inspired to continue my journey into the dynamics of my mother/daughter relationship and my feelings about how I fit into the amazing ancestry of my forebears. In turn, my faithful readers, who have stuck with me throughout all of the books, have nurtured my confidence in my writing skills and ability to express myself. My writing has connected me with a variety of individuals of all ages and allowed me to understand our shared path through life. That connectedness has been the factor that has made writing not only a passion but also a compulsion to continue as long as my thoughts, imagination, fingers, and laptop all cooperate
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Some of my favorite authors are David McCullough, the biographer and famed historian; Judy Blume, for her astute insight into children’s emotions; Gillian Flynn, for her skill at heightened suspense; Frank McCourt, for his truthfully raw memoirs; and Ernest Hemingway, the king of meaningful dialogue.
Tell us about your writing process.
In writing my memoirs, I have used the stories I have heard from my mother to lay the foundation for my books. In the first book, Sidonia’s Thread, I created a loose outline of the story arc and how much I wanted to include in this first of three. Basically, the book is an overview of key moments in my life with my mother, Sidonia, starting at the age of four and ending with her death. I have never felt obligated to stick to my outline and therefore, I consider it to have moving parts. I use my intuition to sometimes deviate from my outline to adjust the sequence and nuance of certain story elements without changing the true timeline.
While developing the story arc, I concurrently focused on the main characters and teased out each of their personalities, characteristics, and features that are important for the reader to understand. In most cases, the main characters are the author/daughter, and my mother, the core character of each book, two of which include her name in the title.
My second book, Surviving Remnant, is a departure from concentrating on only two characters, although they are still at the center. The story describes an entire community of which I was a part as a child up to the age of twelve. Of necessity, memory is paramount in writing memoirs when there are few people who can prompt you regarding people and events. I must rely on myself to think back on events, emotions, and relationships that occurred many years ago. Character development here helps the reader understand the vibrant community that made up my earlier life and how it may have shaped me.
In the last book, Sidonia’s Seam Binding, I concentrate on my later adolescence and adulthood emphasizing the dynamics of a mother/daughter relationship after many years together. I rely not only on my memory, but also on research into genealogy and my imagination in creating an unusual alternate reality as an integral part of the story, interspersed with true events. I allow my instincts to take me to places that I had not envisioned when I began my outline. I find that my instincts rarely fail me when I am writing.
What advice would you give other writers?
First, I would advise authors to write as often as possible. It can be about topics other than your book. Even what I term “bad” writing keeps your writing skills flowing. Just keep on writing words and you will get to the “good” writing stage soon enough!
Think about a topic that interests you and one that, after doing your market research, your potential readers will want to read. In writing my memoirs, I have tried to be as sincere and truthful as possible so that readers can feel my authenticity from the moment they start reading. I frame my memoir writing in a style that often mimics a fictional account, with moments of pathos, discovery, revelation, and resolution. Yet I have assured the reader that the characters and events are true and heartfelt. We will see how I do with my next book, which will be, indeed, historical fiction.
Try to be compassionate to yourself even when you are having a difficult writing day and no original thoughts come your way. Sometimes taking some time off from writing and focusing on other matters works to stimulate the brain and invoke enthusiasiasm about returning to work.
Finally, if you do not have supportive people around you, then find some! It is important to have those who not only believe in your writing, but also actually manifest their encouragement and support. Writing a book can be a very solitary endeavor, requiring a measure of self-discipline. Supporters of your writing projects are essential to boost your confidence and self-image. Although your name will go on the front cover, most writers will agree that a number of others had a positive impact on their writing along the way.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Since as I mentioned, I began writing books rather late in life, I felt that the long timelines of traditional publishing would not work for me. As I felt strongly about the story, I wanted to reach potential readers as soon as feasible. Also, by the time I had the opportunity to devote the necessary time to writing, I wanted the freedom to make the decisions that would work best according to my vision and plans for how the books would be presented.
In choosing self-publishing, I felt a direct connection to my audience. I was comforted that I could independently select the people who would work with me to accomplish the best results possible. That included editing, proofing, graphic design, my own imprint, and other factors that go into producing a book, something I had never done before. Now that I have done it three times, I feel more confident in my choices than ever.
In deciding on self-publishing, I also understood that the literary staff, promotional support, and resources that a traditional publisher can offer would not be available. However, I was willing to become well-versed in the various aspects of book publication and rely on my own researched knowledge and instincts. Based on the strong readership of my books, I will continue to follow the self-publishing route in my writing future.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think book publishing has changed dramatically over the past two decades and will continue to do so in the near future. The proliferation of self-publishing platforms have made it easier for authors to publish their books and secure the proper tools to produce a piece of literature that would have been impossible with only traditional publishing houses. However, it has also come with the production of some lesser quality books that have not had the advantage of good editing, graphics, marketing, and promotion. Yet, authors who have understood the need to secure these professional services to improve their work have done very well in the self-publishing world. That realization is the key to making self-publishing on par with traditional routes.
Digitization, which allows authors to produce eBooks, audio, as well as print copies, has expanded the reach of self-publishing authors to a global universe. Online social media outlets and website opportunities have enhanced their reach even further.
The AI revolution has begun to affect how we present literary work, and will, no doubt, continue to evolve quickly, as all technology tends to do these days. Although it will help authors understand target audiences, trends, and marketing techniques, as well as assist in possible literary improvements, I think we need to watch the evolution of AI closely to assure that it does not act as a substitute for human talent and creativity, but enhances it.
Overall, I think the future of book publishing is dynamic and has the potential to showcase the talents of countless authors who deserve the chance to have an impact on readers.
What genres do you write?: Thus far, I have focused on memoirs. Currently, however, I am excited to leave the memoir genre for now, and take on a historical fiction, which has already challenged my imagination, but will take a while before completion.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Hanna Perlstein Marcus Home Page Link
Link To Hanna Perlstein Marcus Page On Amazon
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
