Photo by Claudia Serino
Meg Serino is the author of the new novel Annapurna. She lives in Westport, Connecticut.
Q: What inspired you to write Annapurna, and how did you create your character Livy?
A: I actually trekked to the base camp of Annapurna—the same trek that I wrote about—but without any injuries or avalanches!
Before the trek I thought I’d have hours and hours while on the trail to come up with characters and a story. All those uninterrupted chunks of time to just be in my head. Turns out all I could think about was taking my next breath and my next step.
It was when I got home that the character of Livy first came to me—someone who avoided painful memories and needed to suffer physically in order to face them. The story kind of flowed from her.
Q: The writer Michelle Wildgen called the book “[b]oth an adventure story and an addictive exploration of more human mysteries.” What do you think of that description?
A: Michelle is very kind! And I think Annapurna is really about those human mysteries. It’s about how the things we don’t say out loud, or even to ourselves, can have the hugest impact on our lives.
We all have our stories, it’s just that many times they’re not based on what’s real. We just don’t know that: we believe what we believe, until maybe something happens that makes reality reveal itself and change everything.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: I had a general idea how it would end but yes, I definitely changed things along the way. I like to have a broad outline of what I’m writing without knowing exactly how everything will happen. Sometimes the characters just need to go in a different direction than the one I planned. And that’s okay.
Q: How would you describe the relationship between Livy and her husband, Graham?
A: They love each other and never stopped. It’s just that Livy’s story about her past, shoved under that proverbial rug, had become outsized in her own mind. She lost perspective about what was important and needed to come to terms with her past before she could really be honest with herself and with Graham.
And I think Graham recognized that she needed to deal with her own stuff before she could truly be in their marriage.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’ve working on a novel that takes place in both Israel and New York. It goes back to the 1980s and just learning about what was happening politically in Israel at that time and listening to the music and researching the culture of that era has been so much fun.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Part of Regalo’s publishing mission is to donate to the charity of the author’s choosing on publication date.
I've selected Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) as the charity for my book. Its goal is to maximize the benefits and reduce the negative impacts associated with tourism in Nepal.
I’m especially drawn to its Porters Welfare Program, which educates porters about their rights regarding health and safety standards for work as well as informing them about appropriate trekking clothing. On my own trek I saw how porters needed better clothing and gear and working conditions. It’s something I won’t forget.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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