The story’s historical. Why did you write it as a novel?
I had hoped to write it as a historical work, but very little is known of her origin or her ultimate fate.
It’s your first work of fiction.
It was slightly scary at first. In my first draft I tried to cling to historical fact, but in the second I was liberated. It was really quite exhilarating.
You have macular degeneration. How were you able to write?
By dictating. It certainly was a cumbersome process. I found a splendid researcher in France who was able to do the research.
The book is about miracles. Are you a skeptic or a believer?
I’m a skeptic who would like to be a believer.
How’s this story relevant today?
The background of religious wars. Now you have the idea of Islamic fundamentalists trying to force their views on the entire world, which is a very dangerous and futile aim.
