Interview with Donna Cowan about my book “Flight Into The Unknown.”

I thought more of my grandma last night than I did for years! Incredibly, she had nine children, but only five lived. Three girls, two boys, one of them my dad. It was a time when people wanted more children, it was their ‘insurance’ for their old age. It didn’t always work that way. I remember her saying bitterly, “Gila, one mother can raise and care for nine children, but nine children can not care for one old mother.” Sad, isn’t it? Well, I have my own experience. Even with fewer than nine that I cared for… I’m just re-reading my immigration tale, “Flight Into the Unknown.” Now, with a year since the publication, I read it with new eyes, see it from more distance… my goodness, how could she – how did she – wasn’t she old enough to think this through? As her dear old dad said? Quite a read! I understand the man who said to me over a year ago: “I’m not a reader. I always skip pages. Your book? I read every word…”

I was surprised and very happy to say “yes” when Brian Feinblum offered to interview me (online with a questionnaire) about my book “We Don’t Talk About It.” I sent him a long version and when I learned that I might have gone into too much detail, I sent another, a short one. Brian sent an email a few days later and said, “You may share this.” Looking at it I couldn’t believe he published the long one. I thought he made a mistake – but his answer was: “No mistake. This interview is worth the longer version.” So here we are, sharing with you:

Interview With WWII Survivor Author Giselle Roeder
https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/12/interview-with-wwii-survivor-author.html

I just finished reading “Love in the Land of the Caribou.” It’s an enlightening book about survival in the Boreal forest, about animals, be they friend or foe, about facing each day not sure if survival is possible, learning to eat plants – but above all, getting more of a glimpse into the traditional life of the First Nation’s people.
The Canadian author, Genevieve Montcombroux, a French-born and raised girl, has spent 32 years living in the northern bush, six years even in the Arctic, she knows about survival firsthand. But she did not write about that, instead, she takes us on the dangerous, romantic journey of two people, one white, one native, lost in the wilderness, and in an entertaining, sometimes breathtaking way she enlightens and educates us about “The Land of the Caribou.” I learned a lot, and I mean A LOT about the traditional way of life and must say, I am amazed that it was not a hard but very interesting lesson.
I recommend this book to all who are truly interested in knowing more about the life history of our native people we know nothing about. The little we know is superfluous.

Well, I finished chapter 26 for my final book of the trilogy “The Nine Lives of Gila” yesterday. Boy-oh-boy! Did I ever enjoy writing about the last few months of 1999 once I was into it, the awesome New Year’s party at the prestigious Terminal City Club in Vancouver, dancing into the Centennial Year 2000! I never expected living long enough to see the change from putting the year 19… on my cheques and learning to write ‘2000.’ Next, on to writing about all the happenings in the world and how they affected Gila during what felt like a new age. I am at the point to enter my ninth life – and I look forward to ending the book. Not my life, hahaha!