Friday Mar 29

JaquieryAnna Anna Jaquiery was born in France 39 years ago and is of French-Indian descent. She has lived in many places, from Russia to New Zealand, due to personal and professional circumstances. She is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Her stories and poems have appeared in places like Magma, Flashquake, Freefall and the Asia Literary Review. Her poetry collection Sailing Across Hemispheres was published by Flutter Press in June 2010.
---------

Anna Jaquiery interview with Meg Tuite


Anything you want to share with our readers about the inspiration for this story?


When I was 22 years old, I decided to move to Nizhny Novgorod to try my luck as a freelance reporter. Nizhny Novgorod is Russia's third largest city and at the time - this was in the early 1990s - there was a great deal happening there, socially and politically. I had lived in Moscow with my family, and studied Russian. During the 18 months I spent in Nizhny Novgorod, writing newspaper articles, I came across many fascinating people with wonderful stories to tell. My story is inspired by some of the things I saw and experienced during my stay in that city.


Do you have a writing schedule you adhere to and/or any tricks you might want to share?

I am a working mother with two young boys, therefore the only time I really have to write is when everyone else is asleep! I write every night. There are no tricks, really. For me the most important rule is to write every day, and to keep at it. Even on days when I feel I am too tired to write, I try to do a little before I go to sleep.

 


What book are you reading at this time?

I am reading a book called Access Road, by a writer from New Zealand whom I like a great deal called Maurice Gee. I have just finished Freedom, Jonathan Franzen's latest book, which I loved. He has a somewhat detached way of dealing with his characters, but I find his writing very stimulating and thought-provoking.



Name the top two or three most influential writers of your writing career and maybe a line or two telling us why.

Two of the most influential writers in my writing career, whom I never tire of reading, are Anton Chekhov and Graham Greene. They are both so adept at describing the complexity behind people's motives and behaviour. I love the way Greene delves into the troubled and darker aspects of the human psyche. And I love Chekhov's humanity and humour. Both these authors reveal how flawed we are yet there is compassion in their writing.
---------


fullscreen
In order to preserve the artistic arrangement of the writing, this piece has been created with Print2Flash Flashpaper. Get Adobe Flash player