The Last Romanov (31 page)

1. Both of your last two books, Harem and Courtesan, are intergenerational in that they follow the lives of three related women—mothers, daughters, and granddaughters. But
The Last Romanov
mostly follows Darya, who loses her mother at a young age and who never has a child of her own. How did writing a novel with one protagonist differ from writing the multigenerational stories you've previously told?

DLM:
To me, this, too, is a multigenerational novel. Sabrina Josephine, Darya's mother, is an important character in the story, and although she dies when Darya is still young, she influences Darya in significant ways that continue to reverberate throughout the novel. And although Darya does not have a child of her own, to her, Alexei is no different than a son. And she certainly loves and cares for him as a mother would. So, in the end, this story, too, is influenced by three generations.

2. Historical fiction by its very nature requires meticulous research, infused with a healthy dose of imagination. What kind of research did you do in preparation for writing
The Last Romanov
? How did you decide what facts to include, revise, or ignore?

DLM:
Research was voluminous, and it was not easy to sift through the plethora of tantalizing information I gathered. Fascination with the Romanovs continues even today, nearly a century after their death, and new information is constantly uncovered. After all, it was only in 1991 that the Romanov remains were exhumed, and it was as recently as 2007 when the missing bones of Alexei and one of his sisters were eventually found. One of the most important jobs of a writer is to exercise control when it comes to which researched fact to include and which to ignore. If even the most intriguing information does not help advance the story, then it does not belong there. And as imagination is an important player, even in historical fiction, the responsibility of the novelist is critical in what facts to leave alone and what to tweak without harming the integrity of the historical tale.

3. Darya, our protagonist, is one of the non-historical characters in this novel. She's also one of the strangest in terms of her magical gifts and exotic appearance. What led you to give Darya a golden opal eye and mystical powers? Did you use any sources as fodder for her abilities and concoctions, or was it all straight from your imagination? Is Queen Athalia a historical figure, or is she based on one?

DLM:
Opal is a mythical precious stone, purported to carry all types of healing, aphrodisiac, and magical powers, so I thought it would be fitting for Darya, who has supernatural powers. Perhaps it is my background, the culture where I come from, that's rife with myth, magic, and superstition that compels me to create such characters. Plus, I truly enjoy the freedom of imagination magical realism affords me. Athalia is based on a Biblical figure, who might or might not have been the daughter of Jezebel. Athalia, who ruled Judah, or Israel, for six years, is the only female monarch in the bible. Since there remain so many unsolved mysteries about her life and her intents in the Bible, it is with this controversial historical figure that I took the most authorial liberty.

4. Now that you have three novels under your belt, have you seen any changes emerging in your writing process or style? Tell us a little bit about that process.

DLM:
My writing style is constantly evolving, and that's why once my books are out, I never go back to read them. Not even a paragraph. Because that is crazy-making for me. I know that if I ever start reading, I'd want to change this and that and then curse myself for not having added this or that. As for the writing process, some habits remain the same, but others have changed. I still prefer to start writing early in the morning until my brain tells me it's time to quit. I still like to write in a central corner, where I can tell what's happening around the house. I still like the ritual of steeping a cup of tea before I sit to write with all the intention of drinking it, but which invariably turns cold and undrinkable. What has changed is that I mostly work on my laptop rather than on the desktop computer. If I'm stuck in the story, I've learned to get up and take a short walk, sometimes no further than the other room, and the solution comes to me. And now, I don't panic if I don't have an idea for another book right now and right here. I'm confident that I have enough stories to tell in my lifetime.

5. Legends of Rasputin range from portraying him as a crazed priest with political ambitions to a sinister sorcerer with ties to the Devil himself. How did you balance the true historical record of Rasputin with the many legends that abound? What busted myth or unknown fact surprised you most?

DLM:
Rasputin was the most compelling and contradictory historical figure I researched. He had crude manners and was a notorious drunk and womanizer, who was a member of the Khlysty sect, who shared the orthodox belief that the body is a sacred gift that should not be debased, yet maintained that sin was an essential part of the human life and that man can attain grace through sin. This doctrine was attractive to Rasputin, who took advantage of it to justify his debauchery. What surprised me most was that Rasputin did indeed possess certain healing powers. It is documented that he was able to stem the Russian heir's bouts of hemophilic bleeding. Doctors now credit this to Rasputin's hypnotic power that succeeded to soothe and calm—essential in stopping hemophilic internal bleeding—the heir and those he was surrounded by, especially his mother.

6. Besides their tragic execution and the mystery of possible lost heirs, the Romanovs are most famous for the intricate artistic wonders created for them by masters such as Peter Carl Fabergé. Are any of the items you so beautifully describe in the novel real? Of those you researched, which was your favorite and why?

DLM:
The jeweled Fabergé eggs I describe in the novel that were created by the House of Fabergé from 1885 to 1917 are all real, except one. The Fabergé egg pendant the Empress gifts to her friend, Sabrina Josephine, and Sabrina then gives to her daughter Darya. These Fabergé imperial eggs, with the intricate secrets they reveal, are truly works of wonder, one more stunning than the other. My favorite is the Alexander Palace Egg, which Nicholas II presented to his wife, Alexandra. The Alexander Palace Egg is made of Siberian nephrite, diamonds, gold, rubies, and tiny paintings of the Imperial children on ivory. The initial of each child is monogrammed in diamond above each portrait. The surprise inside the egg is a detailed replica of Alexander Palace, including the adjoining gardens, the Imperial Family's favorite residence. In 1917, Kerensky's army confiscated it from Alexandra's Lilac room. Perhaps I favor this egg, not only because of its beauty and historical value, but also because it represents Alexander Palace, where most events of my story take place.

7. Your first novel,
Harem
, takes place in the fourteenth century.
Courtesan
takes place in the late nineteenth century. What first attracted you to the fairly modern period of history (mostly twentieth century) portrayed in
The Last Romanov
? What attracted you to the story of the Romanovs?

DLM:
I am attracted to periods when major historical events reverberate around the globe and change our world in major ways. I am also fascinated by eras of unimaginable decadence that end up imploding. This is what happened in Tsarist Russia, when the enormity of excess on one hand and poverty on the other ignited a chain of revolutions that resulted in Communist rule.

8. So far, all of your novels have an element of danger or forbidden love, and Jewish characters experience more difficulty. What special interest does this theme hold for you?

DLM:
Having spent a good part of my life in Iran, surrounded by all types of prejudices, and having experienced wars, revolutions, and even a
coup d'état
in my own lifetime, it's not surprising that the prospect of some type of looming danger is never far from my consciousness. Jews have faced tremendous difficulties throughout history. And as my Jewish identity is part of me, it is understandable that my Jewish characters, too, face great obstacles.

9. In many ways, reading The Last Romanov is like an extravagant trip through Imperial Russia. Did you travel to any of the locations described in the novel? How did you infuse your descriptions with such detail?

DLM:
Just as I did not need to travel to Ancient Persia to recreate the details of the Jewish Quarter for
Harem
, I didn't need to travel to Russia to picture, for example, Ekaterinburg, Alexander Palace, or the Mariinsky Theater, in realistic detail. These days, we have powerful tools of research at our disposal, a treasure trove of images and information that allows the author to visualize places, events, and characters as if inhabiting that world.

10. Ambergris is still a popular essential oil and scent. Is there any scientific or historical basis for its use as a healing substance, particularly for hemophilia, as it's used in the novel? Is it really the product of whale indigestion?

DLM:
There is historical evidence of using ambergris as a healing substance, although I'm not aware of any scientific basis for using it to cure hemophilia. Arabs used ambergris to heal heart or brain diseases. Ambergris is still used in the Orient as an aphrodisiac. The Greek added it to wine or inhaled it before drinking wine to boost the effect of alcohol. When sperm whales are unable to digest the sharp, hard beaks of squids, they expel a chunk of fatty substance, sometimes hundreds of pounds, into the ocean. Whether this substance is a whale's vomit or fecal matter is open to debate. What's certain is that this rare, valuable ambergris has a foul smell, until it has a chance to be cured or aged for years by sun, air, and salt water.

11. One might expect a happier ending for Darya and her lover, Avram, who stays by her side longer than any man probably ought to and who returns for her time and time again. Why did you choose to separate them? What does it mean for you that her loyalty to Alexei is stronger than her love for Avram, who would marry her?

DLM:
A different ending for Darya and Avram would have been unrealistic in an anti-Semite court to which she was deeply loyal. Still, this ending, although not what we would traditionally call a happy ending, is not that bad for a 104-year-old woman. Darya believes it's her responsibility to save Alexei, her only hope for salvation. Loyalty and love are close relatives, I believe, and carry different meanings to different women. Alexei is as dear to Darya as a son would be. A mother's loyalty to her child often takes precedence over loyalty to a lover.

12. Can you give readers any hints about what eras and stories you might explore next? What's interesting you right now?

DLM:
I am working on a historical novel that takes place after the
coup d'état
of Reza Pahlavi and the fall of the Ghajar Dynasty in Persia. It is the story of a Jewish dentist in court. As my own grandfather was Reza Shah's dentist, this story is especially close to my heart.

My first deep felt thanks are for Nader, whose endless support, patience, love, and understanding are crucial in every aspect of my career. Carolyn, Negin, and David, Leila, Adam, Hannah, and Macabee, my shining stars, are always there when I come up for air. I am grateful for your love, encouragement, and unconditional support.

I owe a special debt of gratitude to Anna Ghosh, my literary agent, who believed and persevered. The wisdom, inspiration, and superb guidance of Shana Drehs, my wonderful editor, enhanced every facet of my book. Thank you. My appreciation goes to Dominique Raccah, whose vision and respect for the written word has energized the book industry. A million thanks to my publishing team extraordinaire: Holly Bahn, Sabrina Baskey-East, Katie Casper, Ed Curtis, Heather Hall, Beth Pehlke, Will Riley, Lindsey Tom, Danielle Trejo, and Sarah Zucker.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to Marcela Landres for her advice, insight, encouragement, and for her steadfast friendship through the many ups and downs we experienced together.

As always, words cannot convey my eternal gratitude to my generous friends and colleagues, Paula Shtrum, Maureen Connell, Joan Goldsmith Gurfield, Leslie Monsour, and Alex Kivowitz, who read and reread draft after draft and on whose invaluable feedback I've relied year after year.

Writing might be a solitary process, but completing a book requires the support of an army of family, friends, and colleagues. I am fortunate to enjoy such support from my beautiful mother, Parvin Levy, my dear siblings, Ora, Nora, Laura, David, and Sol. Thank you! My father, Sion, of blessed memory, continues to cheer me on by making his presence known in his own extraordinary way.

Special heartfelt thanks go to my dear friend Ann Kirsch and to Jonathan Kirsch, my mentor. Your continued guidance and friendship have enriched my life in numerous ways. I'm indebted to John Schatzel, Lita Weissman, Judith Parlarz, Piera Klein, Megan U. Beatie, and Lynn Goldberg, who are instrumental in smoothing the path, facilitating the journey, and ensuring the book's ultimate success.

Dora Levy Mossanen was born in Israel and moved to Iran when she was nine. At the onset of the Islamic revolution, she and her family fled to the United States. She has a bachelors degree in English literature from the University of California-Los Angeles and a masters in professional writing from the University of Southern California.

Dora is the bestselling author of the widely acclaimed novels
Harem
and
Courtesan
, which have been translated into numerous languages, and is the recipient of the prestigious San Diego Editors' Choice Award. She blogs for the
Huffington
Post
, reviews fiction for the
Jewish
Journal,
and has been featured in various publications.