“Fiction is about empathy, about imagining ourselves in a different world”.

The November session of the Grimsby Author Series included novelist and poet, Alison Pick.  She joined to  speak about her latest book, Strangers with the Same Dream.  Described by the host, Ken,  as “a riveting and sensitive novel”, which is “part love story and party mystery”.  Set in 1921 Palestine, it tells the story of Jewish settlers, setting up a kibbutz, from 3 different points of view.

Pick’s own family had hidden their Jewish roots, escaping Auschwitz by converting to Christianity.  She had converted back to Judaism and travelled to Israel, visiting a kibbutz three times, feeling a sense of belonging which inspired this book.

“Fiction is about opening up questions, asking more questions”

Pick “loves everything about writing, except titles”.  She spent 3 years working on this novel, plotting it out on 3 sheets of bristol board.  She feels that she has a great responsibility to get the story correct so has taken her research and fact checking seriously.

Although I have not read any of her work, I am looking forward to reading my signed copy of her memoir, Between Gods.