Q&A with Rochelle B. Weinstein

 

 

Rochelle B. Weinstein is the author of the new novel We Are Made of Stars. Her other books include This Is Not How It Ends. She teaches at Nova Southeastern University, and she lives in South Florida and in North Carolina.

 

Q: What inspired you to write We Are Made of Stars, and how did you create your cast of characters?

 

A: We spend our summers in the mountains of North Carolina and one of our favorite places is The Inn at Little Pond Farm (Vilas). The owners, Gaye and Frank, host private, chef-prepared gourmet dinners at a communal table, and guests are front and center, part of the experience.

 

I've always been fascinated by the connections made at the table-- strangers and friends coming together. Food. Wine. I knew I had to base a story here.

 

Q: The writer Annabel Monaghan said of the book, “It explores the brokenness and misunderstandings between us and the healing that happens when we acknowledge our connectedness.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I think I'm going to have her write my next book! She's brilliant. And she captures the depth of this story, all the messy, broken parts, and how we're all connected in big, beautiful ways.

 

Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: One of the characters, Henry, is an astronomer, and he's always discussing the stars and the sky. If you think about it, the table is a metaphor for the sun, and the characters are the planets orbiting it. The title suggests we're all connected and come from something bigger than ourselves...which is how this story evolves.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: The message of connectedness and thinking outside of ourselves. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: An epic love story!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: How grateful I am to you and to readers and friends for the love and support over the years. None of this would be possible without you. Sign up for my newsletter! Lastly, if you read the book and loved it (or liked it a little) please please write a review. It really helps an author.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Rochelle B. Weinstein.