Nathalie Abi-Ezzi, born in Beirut and now based in Kent, is an author of two novels, a non-fiction book, and a poetry collection. Her short stories have been featured in anthologies and on BBC Radio 4. Beyond writing, Nathalie is involved in teaching, tutoring, running writing workshops, and has served as the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of the Arts London. She also leads a reading group in Kent and supports refugee and wildlife charities.
Nathalie, in A Girl Made of Dust, you explore the world through the eyes of eight-year-old Ruba during the Lebanese civil war. What inspired you to choose a child’s perspective for this story, and how did you capture the innocence and complexity of a child’s view of such tumultuous events?
I was born and grew up in Lebanon during the years of civil war, so when it came to writing about that particular time and place, it felt natural that I should do it from the point of view of a child. At the same time, I should stress that the characters and story are entirely fictitious. Children are so observant, even if they don’t fully understand what they’re seeing, and I wanted to portray the effects of war, but filtered through a child’s comprehension.
As the fabric of society collapses around Ruba, her concerns remain very matter-of-fact. Her brother is befriending boys with guns, but what could be so attractive about a gun? What happened to change her father from the man he used to be? There’s a new girl in class who doesn’t speak. Why doesn’t she? And of course the reader can often deduce more of what’s going on than Ruba is able to.
Given the depth and historical context of your novels, can you share how you conduct research for your writing? How important is historical accuracy versus creative freedom in your work?
Researching the Lebanese civil war for A Girl Made of Dust, and the 2006 July War for Paper Sparrows did not make for light reading, I can assure you; but these novels are also not “war novels”. Yes there is conflict, but to me they’re stories about family, about love, about humanity. In terms of historical accuracy, if I’m setting a novel around a factual event, I need to know that I’m standing on solid ground, so yes, everything will be as accurate as I can make it. I don’t want to rewrite history, I just want the reader to understand it in a new way; to be able to experience it from the inside. And within the historical context of a real place and real events, I’m still free to play around with my characters’ stories.
With A Girl Made of Dust being adapted into a film script, what was it like to see your novel transform into a different medium? Did this process influence your perspective on storytelling?
A Girl Made of Dust has indeed been adapted into a film script, but the film has not – yet! – been made. It was an odd experience to have other writers translate my story into a different format, but once my novel was in script form, it didn’t feel like mine any longer. And while I can’t say that this influenced my storytelling in any meaningful way, it did make me appreciate the work that goes into scriptwriting, and how different that process is to writing a novel.
As you’ve transitioned into writing poetry, how has your writing process evolved? Do you find the experience of writing poetry different from crafting novels or short stories?
Earlier this year, my first collection of poetry, Needle Around Her Neck, was published, but I would refer to that as a branching out rather than as a transition. I was invited to take part in an art project called Traces: Stories of Migration, which was, as it says on the tin, about people’s migration stories, but also about personal journeys – of identity, motherhood, reconciliation, etc.
The poems in the collection were inspired by these stories, and yes, that process was very different to writing a novel. It was incredibly intense because I was working on so many different poems at the same time, but I absolutely loved it. It was also the perfect medium for this particular project. I can’t imagine how I could have achieved something similar in prose form.
Could you describe your daily writing routine? Are there specific rituals or practices that you find particularly helpful in maintaining productivity and creativity?
I take a long walk with the dog first thing, then settle down to write. I find that that initial physical exercise is essential. Some days it takes a while to get stuck into the writing, but when a project is properly on the go, I find that some part of my brain is thinking about it all the time, even when I’m not at my desk. And ideas can come at me when I least expect them.
How do you deal with writer’s block or creative slumps? Are there any activities or practices that help reignite your creativity and inspiration?
I tend to exist in a state of chaotic mental activity while I’m working on a piece, but once it’s done and dusted, everything dies down again. Yet it’s important to accept this part of the process too, because during this creative “wintertime”, ideas will be brewing for the next book, and at some point they’ll start pushing up like shoots.
If I do need a jump-start, I find immersing myself in other art forms really inspirational, whether that’s visiting my favourite paintings, getting lost in a piece of music or watching a good film. I also find watching a good tennis match pretty inspiring!
If you could have a conversation with any author throughout history about their writing routine or creative process, who would that person be?
That’s a tricky one, but I guess I’d have to go for Emily Brontë. And hopefully she would introduce me to the rest of her family members.
Lastly, I’d love to know about the books you’re reading at the moment. What have been some of your favourite recent reads?
Right now I’m reading Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller and The Stories by Jane Gardam, both of which I’m really enjoying. A recent favourite has been Mary Lawson’s Crow Lake, a beautifully-told story set in the north of Canada, with a narrative voice that immediately pulls you in. And I’ve gone back yet again to Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, which stuns me every time I read it.
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