Interview with Sharon Kreider, Author of Wandering

12 Jul 2023

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Wandering?

As a young woman, I had this burning desire to break away from my small hometown and dysfunctional family of origin in a quest for a better life. I set out to travel alone, albeit naively, across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia without the ease of any modern-day communication. Along the way, I had the most amazing experiences that are truly not available today. When I returned, the dream of writing about those experiences haunted me every day until I had to write this story. It’s like the quote from Maya Angelou: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Wandering, what would they be?

When I was traveling across Europe and the Middle East, Bob Dylan’s song Like a Rolling Stone kept playing in my head. I think the main characters of this book would relate well to Peter Gabriel’s song Don’t Give Up, George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord, a few of Ravi Shankar’s ragas, and The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre to read is historical fiction, fiction based on true stories, and good women’s fiction.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Books on my TBR pile: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver; Trust by Hernan Diaz; Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari; The Gathering by Anne Enright.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My time in Kashmir.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I am constantly jotting down highlights of my life, and what’s going on in the world; chronicling these events in journals that I have collected for over four decades now.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Enjoy the passage of time.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Some of the most lasting memories of our lives are often spontaneous and not planned; some of which can be extremely challenging. Resolution in our lives is important and very personal; you can’t seek resolution from anyone but yourself.

Sharon Kreider is the author of the new book Wandering

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