Part 2 of 5

In the previous post I reviewed Leslie Gould’s terrific adoption-themed novel, Beyond the Blue. I had the opportunity to ask Leslie a few questions about the book. The next two posts will acquaint you with the book from the author’s perspective.

The first section of the novel covers a span of 24 years. Why did you choose to provide readers with little snippets of your main characters’ lives over such a long time frame?

I wanted my readers to connect with both Lan (the birth mother) and Gen (the adoptive mother) and with their individual losses. The Vietnam War (the “American War” in Vietnam) forever changed both characters’ lives, even though they lived a world apart.

Your insights into the sights and sounds of Vietnam seem very realistic. Are they based on your travels there to adopt your daughter? If so, what were some of the things about Vietnam that left a lasting impression on you?

I kept a detailed journal while we were in Vietnam and sent scads of descriptive e-mails home to friends and family, so I had a recording of the sights, smells, and sounds of the country. Also, the way our daughter Thao reacted in different situations and the emotions that Vietnam and the whole adoption process evoked in me remained vivid and intense long after we returned home.

I found Vietnam absolutely enchanting—the food, the traffic, the crowds, the shopping, the heat, the torrential rain—it was all good. Of course, adopting our daughter Thao, meeting her birth mother, and visiting her caregivers in the orphanage left the biggest impression, but the people of Vietnam were also very memorable. They were warm and welcoming. They were kind to three-year-old Thao and very helpful when we needed directions or advice. Most of the people that we met had little by our standards but seemed content and happy and eager to interact with people from other countries.

In the next post: More chit-chat with Leslie Gould