Fields Of Gold (33 page)

Authors: Marie Bostwick

BOOK: Fields Of Gold

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A Special Chat with Marie Bostwick

I love to read almost as much as I love to write. If you came to visit me at my house in Connecticut, the first thing you'd notice is books: books on shelves, piled on desktops and nightstands, stacked on floors, with more arriving every week. It is impossible for me to walk by a bookstore without going inside, and once inside I'm sure to find just one more volume I can't live without. One of the best things about reading is discussing a story with friends. I love that moment when someone says, “I really like the part when ...” and everyone gasps because that was their favorite part, too, and they all start talking at once, throwing out questions and observations, arguing over character choices, delighted to discover that someone else understands exactly how they feel.

One of the most satisfying things about writing FIELDS OF GOLD was finding that my reading friends were so eager to discuss the book. Though I have fielded a wide variety of questions about the book, readers do seem to have some common enquiries. I thought this might be a good place to address some of them, just in case you've had some of the same questions as my other reading friends.

Whenever I read a book that is historically based, I always want to know which of the events really happened and which were the author's invention. Many readers have wondered the same thing about this story so, first things first.

Charles Lindbergh did barnstorm in Texas and parts of Oklahoma for a couple of years in the early twenties. There's no evidence that he had any romantic liaisons with any young women during that time; in fact, he seems to have been reserved and even a bit prudish as a young man. However, he was very good-looking, and it is not hard to imagine that the sight of the dashing young aviator may have brought a flutter to the heart of many a small town girl. Surely they tried to flirt with him, but did he respond? Who is to say? This is absolutely a work of fiction, though I have tried not to take literary license beyond the point of the believable. My historical standard was not so much what did happen as what could have happened. Lindbergh did go on a victory tour after his flight to Paris, and he did make a stop in Oklahoma City; who is to say that he couldn't have stopped off to see Eva on the way? Of course, the conversations between Eva and Slim were invented, and my attempts to explain some of his less admirable actions and character traits are purely personal conjecture. However, in the arena of actual events such as the kidnapping, Lindbergh's interest in eugenics, his work on developing an artificial heart, his involvement with the America First organization, and unofficial contributions to the war effort, including flying combat missions as a non-uniformed civilian and teaching pilots how to stretch their flight range, I tried to stay true to the historic record. The reality of his life was so fascinating that there was little need for imaginative embellishment.

Many people want to know where I got the idea for FIELDS OF GOLD. For me, every story idea begins with a question, a “what if” or “why not?” Usually those questions arise because of something I've read, but in this case, it was provoked because of something I'd seen: that wonderful old movie
The Spirit of St. Louis
starring Jimmy Stewart as Charles Lindbergh. In the film, Lindbergh is brave, shy, humble, determined, and seemingly a perfect human being. At that time I knew very little about him. As I watched the movie I kept wondering if he really could have been so flawless and if he wasn't, would that have made his accomplishments less heroic? This started me thinking about heroism in general, what it is and why we have such a need to pretend that people who do heroic deeds are perfect. To me, heroism lies in the fact that we sometimes exhibit traces of nobility and selflessness in spite of our flaws. It is in overcoming our fears, our circumstances, and the imperfections of our character, or in giving in to them, that we show what we are made of.

That is where my story began, with questions. My research showed Lindbergh was just as human as the rest of us, subject to the same weaknesses we all face, but I didn't want to write about Lindbergh himself. Historians have done a far better job with that than I could ever hope to. Also, I wasn't really interested in examining him as an individual. I was more intrigued by what he represented, the questions we all face in choosing whether or not to be the heroes of our own life story. Will we fulfill our early promise or allow the hurts, disappointments and tragedies of life overwhelm us? That's where Eva comes in. She is shy, fearful, bitter, cautious; in many ways she is just as flawed as Slim and began life with far fewer advantages, yet she chooses the better part. She is what gives the story hope and focus. This is Eva's story. Lindbergh was the catalyst for the story, and the events of his life added structure to the book, but by the time I was finished writing, I was much more interested in Eva than I'd ever been in Slim.

Sometimes people want to know if I see myself in my characters or if they are modeled after real people. The answer is yes and no. All the characters reflect pieces of my own experience, but they tend to be compilations of people I've known rather than specific personalities. For example, the relationship between Eva and Ruby is not based on any one relationship I've had but is reflective of the many strong, supportive relationships I've experienced with my women friends and family. What makes Eva and Ruby's relationship so special (and so familiar to those who are fortunate enough to have a true friend) is their ability to accept one another just as they are, in spite of their differences. They are there for each other through life's joys and sorrows, and are unswervingly loyal to each other and their friendship even when they disapprove of each other's choices.

One of the things that is so interesting about the writing process is the way in which the characters and places come to life. The fictional town of Dillon, Oklahoma, is a very real place in my mind. All the characters, even the more minor ones, are very dear to me because even in their worst, most gossipy moments, their care for one another is apparent. Still, aside from Eva, I think Ruby is my favorite. Her chattiness, energy, and no-nonsense approach to life balance out Eva's quieter, more thoughtful, and sometimes less confident personality. They really do need each other.

More than anything else, it is the relationships among the characters that drive the plot and the choices Eva makes. This is especially evident in the book's marriage relationships. It wasn't intentional but as the story developed, a pattern emerged among the successful marriages in Dillon. They may not have been flashy or wildly romantic, but the partners were comfortable with each other, accepting, committed, self-sacrificing, with shared common dreams and goals. This is true of Mama and Papa's marriage, Ruby's and Clayton's and, eventually, of Eva's marriage to Paul. In fact, it is only when Eva understands Papa's assertion that love is shown not in temporary passion, but in sticking by each other through the difficult days and she is able to recognize and accept her feeling for Paul as true love.

It seems that growing up in such a loving home with such caring parents ought to have made Eva into a woman who could easily give and receive love, but that is not the case. Certainly her disability contributed to this, but it wasn't the only factor. In some ways, I think Mama and Papa may have loved Eva too much. Papa refused to see Eva's disability and, at some level, his unwillingness to acknowledge her as she truly was made Eva feel that her true self was not worthy of love. On the other hand, Mama prides herself on her realistic approach to life. In her determination to deal with Eva's disability head-on, she sometimes neglects to see how much more there is to Eva than a crippled leg. She fails to see Eva's strength, faith, courage, beauty of face and spirit, and to believe that someone could truly love her daughter in spite of her physical limitations. When Slim comes to town, Mama is happy that her daughter has had a romance, even if it is only for a night, because she believes that is the most Eva can hope for. Sadly, Eva believes it too. She settles too soon for a pale imitation of love and fights with everything she has to hold on to it because she can't imagine that she will ever deserve more. In Paul, Eva finds the perfect partner for love and life because he sees her clearly without the filter of fantasy and values her for her virtues as well as her flaws.

Of course, the compensating joy of Eva's painful relationship with Slim is her son. As a single mother, it would have been easy for Eva to allow Morgan to become the center of her universe, saddling him with the terrible but unspoken responsibility of bringing happiness and meaning into his mother's life. One of the things I like best about Eva is that she avoids her parents' mistake of loving her child too much. She is a good mother, devoted, though somewhat overly protective. She delights in her child and yet he is not her whole reason for being. She has her own friendships, her own voice and a strong artistic sensibility, which is so beautifully expressed in her quilts. She had dreams for her son, but when he shows her how small those dreams are in comparison to his potential, she alters her plans for him, points him in the right direction and lovingly releases him from her embrace. As a mother of three boys, I know the most difficult, loving thing a mother can do is let her children go, telling them she has absolute confidence in them when what she really wants to say is, “Hold my hand and don't let go.” Eva's bravery in releasing Morgan to his future sets her up to take the even bolder step of confronting Slim and finding out the truth; he doesn't love her anymore, if he ever did. To me, Eva's willingness to face the truth about herself and her ultimate refusal to continue believing the fiction she has made of her own life is an act of courage that is simply breathtaking.

There are many, many more things I could tell about Eva, Slim, Paul, Ruby, and all the good people of Dillon, Oklahoma, and how they came to life on the pages you have just read, but there probably isn't paper enough in the world to write it all down. Thank you for allowing me to share their story with you.

Years ago, when I set out to learn to write, I dreamt my stories would fuel a few of those same animated, curious, thought-provoking discussions I have so loved taking part in as a reader. I hope that has been your experience in reading FIELDS OF GOLD and that my comments have added to your enjoyment of the story. If you have any other questions or observations, I would love to hear from you. Please take a look at my website,
www.MarieBostwick.com
, where you can find more information about FIELDS OF GOLD, book signings and upcoming releases. Feel free to e-mail your comments and questions to [email protected].

Blessings,
Marie Bostwick

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