Then she gave an odd little smirk, and she said, You know what’s best for Lara don’t you?
Yes, yes I do.
We were fortunate enough to do a Q&A with Gigi!
To start off with we have a few questions about you and your writing lifestyle:
Q: If you could have dinner with 3 authors (living or dead) who would you choose and why?
A: Rahla Xenopolous is a wonderful writer living in New York. She is also my sister. I miss her. George Saunders because he’s a teacher. Teachers make the best conversation. And they teach you a thing or two. Christopher Hitchens. We can talk about how we hate Mother Teresa. Then go outside for a cigarette.
Q: Could you tell us a book you have read recently that you really enjoyed and would recommend?
A: I think I’ll spend the next decade recommending George Saunders’ A Swim in the Pond in the Rain. It should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to write.
Q: What is your least favourite part of the writing process?
A: Ooh I don’t know. My favourite part is the moving things about. Once the first draft is written, and you go back and shift things. I can spend months (actually, years) on that part.
Q: Do you have a go-to writing snack or drink?
A: I like to write first thing in the morning with a cup of tea. Then, after about two hours, a coffee
Q: And finally, what advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
A: Read read read. And write write write. Don’t wait for inspiration. Treat it like a job.
Now some questions about your Ockham NZ Fiction shortlisted book A Good Winter!
Q: We’re curious - where did you find the inspiration for Olga? Was there a specific event or interaction that she was born out of?
A: There was a specific interaction, but I had to let go of it very quickly. I wonder whether this isn’t often (always??) the case with fiction – that the initial idea gets you going, but then the process takes on a life of its own.
Q: Did you ever want to include Lara’s perspective?
A: I don’t think I did. This felt very much like Olga’s story, like the story that Olga should tell. Perhaps it is less about the story and more about giving Olga the voice – the opportunity to describe the world as she sees it.
Q: If your book was made into a movie, who would you love to play Olga?
A: As long as it’s not Judi Dench.
Q: Last question! Would you be able to disclose (without spoilers) one significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
A: Definitely the ending. I knew all along what it had to be, but I tried a few different ones before returning to what it had to be.
So… what do we think?
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Read while listening:
Pop these songs on in the background while you read Olga’s story with a glass of wine in hand. Make sure it’s on a nice low volume because when the instruments swell it can be a little distracting. There’s a good mix of genres (bluesy, swing, chill rock!?) but they blend well. I think it’s a nice contrast to the darker themes of the book and the songs take on a creepier edge and tone. Think ‘love songs’ but make it *stalker*.
Just The Two of Us (feat. Bill Withers) - Grover Washington Jr.
Stand By Me - Ben E. King
Put Your Head On My Shoulder - The Crooner Collective
Happy Together - The Turtles
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
Wouldn’t It Be Nice - The Beach Boys
My Girl - The Temptations
My Way - Frank Sinatra
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
Every Breath You Take - The Police
How Deep Is Your Love - PJ Morton
Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
(They Long to Be) Close To You - Carpenters
For that ending: Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
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Rachel's thoughts:
I literally walked into the shop after finishing this saying “what the hell did I just read?”. You should know up front that I’m all about those types of books so this was right up my alley.
In short, ‘A Good Winter’ is a story told from the perspective of Olga, a super unreliable narrator with an incredibly pessimistic view of almost everyone. I absolutely despised Olga (I’m fairly certain you’re not supposed to “like” her) but I have an immense appreciation for authors who write unlikeable characters (Paula Hawkins and Catriona Ward being some of my favourites). I feel a fire in my belly when I get to talk about characters that grind my gears - it’s always a fun discussion! When I see reviews that say “I didn’t enjoy the book because there were so many unlikeable characters” it makes me frustrated. Sometimes that’s the point… sometimes you’re not supposed to like them, and I believe this is one of those books. Yes, Olga frustrated the hell out of me but is it weird to say I enjoyed it? There were certainly moments where I pitied her and her very sad point of view but most of the time I was imagining how if she were walking in front of me on a staircase I would have to try really hard not to just give her a little push… Read her story before you judge me for saying that please. This is a book to be devoured in one sitting rather than drawn out over a couple of weeks - trust me when I say you don’t want to spend any longer trapped in Olga’s head.
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What the Ockham judges are saying:
Word by word, inch by inch, Gigi Fenster immerses us in the increasingly unsettling psyche of her narrator. Olga lends a hand with her friend’s daughter, who has recently given birth, but the helpful old woman gradually takes on a more sinister role. It is an unnerving and absorbing reading experience as the darkness gradually closes in. Fenster creates an unforgettable voice, which at first seems so light and benign as — impeccably paced — the psychological tumult builds to a truly mesmerising crescendo.