Questions for Katherine Howe?

[blkeyesuzi]

First of all, I want to thank you for the opportunity to experience your book.  It has been extrememly enjoyable and has provided an excellent stream of conversation in the FirstLook book club.  It's been a wonderful experience.  You are quite talented and I look forward to reading more of your novels.  Keep them coming!  I honestly believe you already have a pretty steady readership from a large number of us, here.  I'm among them, absolutely.

Now to my questions:  There has been a good deal of discussion regarding the relationship between Connie and her mother, Grace.  Several people have indicated that they feel there is a bit of contention between them, while I tend to see a fairly normal and caring relationship between them. 

There is also a debate as to the personalities.  Some feel Grace is detached and even selfish, while others disagree.  The same sort of thing goes for Connie, some dislike her and think she may somewhat "stuck up".  

What was your intention in regard to these characters' personalities and the way you hoped the reader would see them. Also, how do YOU see the relationship between the two of them and what was your initial intent regarding their relationship?

I would also like to comment on your characterization of Sam.  He wasn't what I would call the usual romantic interest for a character like Connie.  His overall character was great fun to get to know!  The tattoo and the nose ring, etc. were all rather unexpected features that worked very well! His character became much more complex and I liked that.

[Katherine_Howe]

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blkeyesuzi wrote:

First of all, I want to thank you for the opportunity to experience your book.  It has been extrememly enjoyable and has provided an excellent stream of conversation in the FirstLook book club.  It's been a wonderful experience.  You are quite talented and I look forward to reading more of your novels.  Keep them coming!  I honestly believe you already have a pretty steady readership from a large number of us, here.  I'm among them, absolutely.

Now to my questions:  There has been a good deal of discussion regarding the relationship between Connie and her mother, Grace.  Several people have indicated that they feel there is a bit of contention between them, while I tend to see a fairly normal and caring relationship between them. 

There is also a debate as to the personalities.  Some feel Grace is detached and even selfish, while others disagree.  The same sort of thing goes for Connie, some dislike her and think she may somewhat "stuck up".  

What was your intention in regard to these characters' personalities and the way you hoped the reader would see them. Also, how do YOU see the relationship between the two of them and what was your initial intent regarding their relationship?

I would also like to comment on your characterization of Sam.  He wasn't what I would call the usual romantic interest for a character like Connie.  His overall character was great fun to get to know!  The tattoo and the nose ring, etc. were all rather unexpected features that worked very well! His character became much more complex and I liked that.

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Hi blkeyesuzi!

Thank you so much for your kind words, and for this great question. I have read some of the debates about Connie and Grace, and am excited to add my two cents. 

For these two characters especially, who are so very much the center of the book, it was important to me to make them seem complete people. Complete people are imperfect. So I would say that Connie *is* a little stuck up, but in the way that an insecure person sometimes is. She might feel like her unusual upbringing hasn't prepared her for the world that she lives in, and so maybe she relies on her institutional affiliation to make her feel validated. Sam understands this part of her personality, and that's why he nicknames her "Cornell." He's teasing her for leaning on Harvard to give her a sense of her own importance. She is very good at what she does, but like a lot of bookish people she runs into snags in her personal relationships. She has immense focus, but that very focus sometimes means that she can't see what's staring her right in the face. 

Like a lot of daughters, Connie simultaneously loves and resents her mother. Connie is at an age where she is finally figuring out that her mother is just a person, with both strengths and weaknesses, but even as she realizes this she still craves Grace's attention and approval. Grace is rather self-absorbed, it's true. But she was pretty young when she had Connie, remember. One idea I was trying to explore with many of the Dane and Goodwin family mother/daughter pairs was the sense of generations talking at cross purposes, unable to understand each other. I was also attracted to the idea that it is often those people whom we most resemble who push our buttons most painfully.

It has been interesting to me to see how very different First Lookers' reactions to Grace, especially, have been. I would say that, in my mind, Grace is more on top of things than she might seem. But it's striking that some readers have been very angry with her, or severely disappointed with her. I'll be curious to see if that feeling persists into Part II.

KH

[ponie]

Ms. Howe, I liked TPBODD.  It is not a book I would pick up to read, probably because of my rightwing fundamentalist upbringing and stereotypical view of the "witchy" content!!  So I am glad I signed up for this First Look and read a book outside my comfort zone. 

I read The Crucible (for the first time) last weekend and until reading your book and The Crucible I had no idea what the Salem Witch Trials were REALLY all about.  And I have no recall of anything from the McCarthy/HUAC proceedings; no recall if my parents discussed it at the time.  However my inlaws (in their mid 80s) had a lot to say about "those days" when I asked them. 

I have finished TPBODD.  I finished The Crucible.  I could not finish the dvd of The Crucible - too upsetting.  And without going into detail, tho it may sound overly dramatic, I am changed.  And a book that does that is a GOOD book in my book!  TPBODD and the many postings on the various threads have challenged my (somewhat?) narrow, unconfronted (is that a word?) long held views (considered fact), raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista...so, in short (about time, huh?), thanks for the "stretch"!!!   Thank you Katherine for TPBODD.  Thank you B&N for the opportunity to be a part of this ARC community with First Look.

And now, a question.  Has Connie read The Crucible?

[VeraC]

Ms. Howe,

Much of what I was going to ask and talk about has already been covered, so I won't repeat it here.  But one of the things that I most appreciated about the book is that you didn't spend a lot of time on the girls who were the accusers. As a teen, I was fascinated with the witch trials, but was disappointed that most of the books out at that time focused on the girls and not on the impact of their actions to everyday lives.  I really apprectiate your perspective on how others in the community would have reacted during this time.

My question to you relates to the next step in your career.  You've stated that you are working on another book.  Does this mean that you've decided not to pursue an academic career?  Or are you planning on blending writing and academia? 

VeraC

[hookedonbooks09]

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Katherine_Howe wrote:

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Hi Elaine!

Thank you so much for reading Physick Book. I'm glad that you have been enjoying it.

It is true as far as I know. But as you point out, describing the difference between a so-called spell book and a book of home remedies and even food recipes is difficult to impossible. That difficulty is one of the ideas that I found so attractive for the plot of Physick Book. 

There are definitely extant colonial books of herbal remedies and suchlike. I even stumbled upon a fun modern compendium of some of these things, which I believe was called "The Compleat New England Hus-wife." Includes a recipe for a "sallet swung in a collinder."

I found the book at a local gift shop in Salem, but here's the full title in case any of you want to hunt it down.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Compleat-New-England-Huswife-Englands/dp/1889193216

Meanwhile, antique remedy books do turn up every once in awhile. Check out this article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/4937924/Book-of-household-remedies-and-spells-from...

"Dragon's blood," while sounding very witchy and arcane, is actually a term for red tree resin. 

KH

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Hi Katherine,

Regarding the old reading on this topic....I just located Cotton Mather's The Wonders of the Invisible World  that you mentioned in your book and it looks quite interesting.  Thanks for mentioning it!

I always appreciate when authors add in things like this---book references, poems, quotes etc., as it broadens my knowledge as a side-effect of reading the book! :-)

Barb

[Katherine_Howe]

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ponie wrote:

Ms. Howe, I liked TPBODD.  It is not a book I would pick up to read, probably because of my rightwing fundamentalist upbringing and stereotypical view of the "witchy" content!!  So I am glad I signed up for this First Look and read a book outside my comfort zone. 

I read The Crucible (for the first time) last weekend and until reading your book and The Crucible I had no idea what the Salem Witch Trials were REALLY all about.  And I have no recall of anything from the McCarthy/HUAC proceedings; no recall if my parents discussed it at the time.  However my inlaws (in their mid 80s) had a lot to say about "those days" when I asked them. 

I have finished TPBODD.  I finished The Crucible.  I could not finish the dvd of The Crucible - too upsetting.  And without going into detail, tho it may sound overly dramatic, I am changed.  And a book that does that is a GOOD book in my book!  TPBODD and the many postings on the various threads have challenged my (somewhat?) narrow, unconfronted (is that a word?) long held views (considered fact), raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista...so, in short (about time, huh?), thanks for the "stretch"!!!   Thank you Katherine for TPBODD.  Thank you B&N for the opportunity to be a part of this ARC community with First Look.

And now, a question.  Has Connie read The Crucible?

---

Dear Ponie,

What an amazing post. Thank you so much for giving Physick Book a chance, even if it's not something that you would have picked up otherwise. I am touched that you would be willing to make that step. I bet that a lot of us would love to hear more about what specifically has changed about your outlook. Are you willing to tell us more?

And in response to your question, Connie has definitely read The Crucible. What do you think she would think about it?

KH

[Katherine_Howe]

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VeraC wrote:

Ms. Howe,

Much of what I was going to ask and talk about has already been covered, so I won't repeat it here.  But one of the things that I most appreciated about the book is that you didn't spend a lot of time on the girls who were the accusers. As a teen, I was fascinated with the witch trials, but was disappointed that most of the books out at that time focused on the girls and not on the impact of their actions to everyday lives.  I really apprectiate your perspective on how others in the community would have reacted during this time.

My question to you relates to the next step in your career.  You've stated that you are working on another book.  Does this mean that you've decided not to pursue an academic career?  Or are you planning on blending writing and academia? 

VeraC

---

Hello VeraC!

Thank you so much for reading. I am glad that you enjoyed the book's approach. Like you, I was never very satisfied by the emphasis on the accusers when talking about the Salem panic. In particular, I find the "hysteria" explanation to be unhelpful. If we step back and consider the world view of all the participants at the time - accusers, accused, judges, jury, theologians - we forget that for their time, they were all acting rationally. That's the scariest part, isn't it?  Those young girls were acting within a broader social and religious system that reinforced their behavior. It's the system that is interesting, to my mind, not the behavior.

In answer to your question, for the forseeable future, writing is where my energies will go. But I love teaching, and am squeaking my way through the end of the PhD. Given the opportunity I would like to teach composition or writing again. We shall see.

KH

Message Edited by Katherine_Howe on 04-10-2009 02:47 PM

[hookedonbooks09]

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Katherine_Howe wrote:

. . . 

What are some authors that you all enjoy here in First Look?

KH

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Anything by Jodi Piccoult or Ann Patchett.  Looking into a new series by Liz Lutz that looks interesting.  Anything metaphysical. 

And reading these posts only adds to my TBR list.   Mentions of Jung and Miller, not to mention all of the citings of books that others are reading!  Never enough time for all that's out there!

[liisa22]

 

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ponie wrote:

Ms. Howe, I liked TPBODD.  It is not a book I would pick up to read, probably because of my rightwing fundamentalist upbringing and stereotypical view of the "witchy" content!!  So I am glad I signed up for this First Look and read a book outside my comfort zone. 

I read The Crucible (for the first time) last weekend and until reading your book and The Crucible I had no idea what the Salem Witch Trials were REALLY all about.  And I have no recall of anything from the McCarthy/HUAC proceedings; no recall if my parents discussed it at the time.  However my inlaws (in their mid 80s) had a lot to say about "those days" when I asked them. 

I have finished TPBODD.  I finished The Crucible.  I could not finish the dvd of The Crucible - too upsetting.  And without going into detail, tho it may sound overly dramatic, I am changed.  And a book that does that is a GOOD book in my book!  TPBODD and the many postings on the various threads have challenged my (somewhat?) narrow, unconfronted (is that a word?) long held views (considered fact), raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista...so, in short (about time, huh?), thanks for the "stretch"!!!   Thank you Katherine for TPBODD.  Thank you B&N for the opportunity to be a part of this ARC community with First Look.

And now, a question.  Has Connie read The Crucible?

---

Ponie, 

WOW! This is amazing that this book has had such an impact on you!  To have any book to " raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista"  is quite a testament to  Ms Howe! 

Congratulations to both you and Katherine for having achieved this milestone!

(your post nearly had me in tears, and for some reason I couldn't access reply at work today)  

[liisa22]

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liisa22 wrote:

 

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ponie wrote:

Ms. Howe, I liked TPBODD.  It is not a book I would pick up to read, probably because of my rightwing fundamentalist upbringing and stereotypical view of the "witchy" content!!  So I am glad I signed up for this First Look and read a book outside my comfort zone. 

I read The Crucible (for the first time) last weekend and until reading your book and The Crucible I had no idea what the Salem Witch Trials were REALLY all about.  And I have no recall of anything from the McCarthy/HUAC proceedings; no recall if my parents discussed it at the time.  However my inlaws (in their mid 80s) had a lot to say about "those days" when I asked them. 

I have finished TPBODD.  I finished The Crucible.  I could not finish the dvd of The Crucible - too upsetting.  And without going into detail, tho it may sound overly dramatic, I am changed.  And a book that does that is a GOOD book in my book!  TPBODD and the many postings on the various threads have challenged my (somewhat?) narrow, unconfronted (is that a word?) long held views (considered fact), raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista...so, in short (about time, huh?), thanks for the "stretch"!!!   Thank you Katherine for TPBODD.  Thank you B&N for the opportunity to be a part of this ARC community with First Look.

And now, a question.  Has Connie read The Crucible?

---

Ponie, 

WOW! This is amazing that this book has had such an impact on you!  To have any book to " raised my level of awareness and interest, softened some sharp edges, broadened my horizons, expanded my vista"  is quite a testament to  Ms Howe! 

Congratulations to both you and Katherine for having achieved this milestone!

(your post nearly had me in tears, and for some reason I couldn't access reply at work today)  

---

 

I am not one to quote my own post- sorry, but,

 

I am most impressed that you have shared something so personal with us. That is not easy for anyone to do!  

[Tarri]

I don't have any questions, but I have to tell you that your book is wonderful and I will be reading  more about that period of time.  You have really piqued my curiosity.   

Thank you for allowing B&N to share your book with all of us.  

[Fond_of_Books]

Katherine, you asked what the First Look readers liked to read.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I love the fantasy and magic is fascinating. I also enjoy historical fiction mixed with some fantasy similar to your book like Labyrinth and Sepulchre by Kate Mosse, books by Tracy Chevalier like The Virgin Blue, and Susan Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue. I really enjoy books where a modern character makes a connection with her past. I like learning about historical time periods through fiction.

Jodi Picoult is also excellent. I also enjoyed Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth. I've read more of a variety authors lately with my book club than what I mentioned. If I'm reading, I'm happy. Have you ever belonged to a book club? I think the discussion of the book makes the experience of reading more complete.

Nicole

[pen21]

It has been interesting to me to see how very different First Lookers' reactions to Grace, especially, have been. I would say that, in my mind, Grace is more on top of things than she might seem. But it's striking that some readers have been very angry with her, or severely disappointed with her. I'll be curious to see if that feeling persists into Part II.

KH

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I just wanted to comment on Grace.  have felt that Grace sent Connie to Granna's house for a purpose. She needs to learn about her history to know herself. Grace seems very cognizant of Connie, especially her emotions. I haven't started Part II yet, but am looking forward to see how Connie and Grace interact. But I agree with you that the overall comments were angry and disappointed. We will see what the rest of the book brings.

I am really enjoying your book. This is my first First Look book. And I feel I picked a good book to start with.

[JerseyAngel]

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Katherine_Howe wrote:

It has been interesting to me to see how very different First Lookers' reactions to Grace, especially, have been. I would say that, in my mind, Grace is more on top of things than she might seem. But it's striking that some readers have been very angry with her, or severely disappointed with her. I'll be curious to see if that feeling persists into Part II.

KH

---

I have to say I was one of those that was initially turned off by Grace. My very first reaction to her was a woman who had little interest in academics so showed no interest in Connie's achievements even though she knew how important they were to her daughter. However, as time goes on, I think you've done a wonderful job at slowly revealing there is more than meets the eye without revealing too much too soon. I am feeling the same about Prof. Chilton. The obvious seems to be he's a mean person trying to steal Connie's work but I have a feeling there is much more to it. It's this slow reveal that makes the book so interesting. Just when you think you know what is happening or what a character's intentions are, something happens to make you rethink it.

[Zeal]

Ms. Howe,

When I first discovered the "First Look" book club, I thought it was too good to be true!  Then, when I received the free copy of your book, I was thrilled!  The cover was beautiful (Did you have any input as to the design of the cover?), and I delved right in, finishing the entire novel in just a few days. 

The letter on the back from Matthew Pearl was very intriguing to me. Having such a personal connection must have added to the inspiration for your novel.  The historical time period that you address is one that has been unfamiliar to me until now.  I knew very little about the idea of "practicing the craft."  I was completely absorbed in your characters, settings, and plot.  The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was a very satisfying, informative read...one that I have already recommended to many others.

Your previous post question, as to whether I believe in witchcraft or not really made me pause and think.  I have never really thought about this concept until now.  Yes, I guess I do believe, especially in the way Deliverance and all her relations used the "craft."  They had all of the best intentions.  This is true of the Wicca population today.  What a misconception and ignorance people have about their beliefs!  I find the whole aspect very interesting and would actually like to know more (I am currently researching).

Connie's dislike of the Wicca woman in the shop was obvious, but I wonder if Connie's opinion of the woman changed toward the end of the book.  I believe that aspect was not addressed. 

The thought of a sequel is one you should definitely explore!  I am hooked, and I would love to read more of your work!  Thank you for sharing this exceptional novel with us!   Please keep writing

[gmfuhlman]

I couldn't have said it any better than you just stated.  All I can say is keep writing and hope you are going to wrote sequel to this book.  I study witchcraft and this is a great new way of looking at that time that happen in the past.  Katherine Howe, just know that I really enjoyed this book.

[Immortal-Spirit]

First I would like to welcome you to the First Look Book Club.  It has been an honor to read your book and I will recommend it everyone who will listen!

Ms Howe, I have tons of questions for you.    But, I will keep it short. 

Are there any similarities between your own genealogy and the characters in the book?

[Immortal-Spirit]

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Zeal wrote:

Ms. Howe,

When I first discovered the "First Look" book club, I thought it was too good to be true!  Then, when I received the free copy of your book, I was thrilled!  The cover was beautiful (Did you have any input as to the design of the cover?), and I delved right in, finishing the entire novel in just a few days. 

The letter on the back from Matthew Pearl was very intriguing to me. Having such a personal connection must have added to the inspiration for your novel.  The historical time period that you address is one that has been unfamiliar to me until now.  I knew very little about the idea of "practicing the craft."  I was completely absorbed in your characters, settings, and plot.  The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was a very satisfying, informative read...one that I have already recommended to many others.

Your previous post question, as to whether I believe in witchcraft or not really made me pause and think.  I have never really thought about this concept until now.  Yes, I guess I do believe, especially in the way Deliverance and all her relations used the "craft."  They had all of the best intentions.  This is true of the Wicca population today.  What a misconception and ignorance people have about their beliefs!  I find the whole aspect very interesting and would actually like to know more (I am currently researching).

Connie's dislike of the Wicca woman in the shop was obvious, but I wonder if Connie's opinion of the woman changed toward the end of the book.  I believe that aspect was not addressed. 

The thought of a sequel is one you should definitely explore!  I am hooked, and I would love to read more of your work!  Thank you for sharing this exceptional novel with us!   Please keep writing

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I could not have said it any better! I second the motion for a sequel.  Kudos to Zeal! 

[Immortal-Spirit]

A little off topic here.....But does anyone know what happened to the girls who made the accusations?  Did they receive any punishment at all?  I'm very curious about this.

[bud12]

I have been 'spellbound" to your book and found it hard to put down. Congratulations for writing this first novel. My questions have to do with the tough times women have faced in academia. Have you had any comments from recent Harvard grad students about prejudices in their history department against women?Connie shows such strengths, and its nice to see them blossom as she contends with Chilton throughout the story. Do you view yourself as a feminist? Even fighting the battle to show the best side of witches makes me wonder about you and whether you haved faced battles to be heard as a woman?