Francesca agrees to help her coworker Janie find the rat in her bedroom, hoping that it might curb some of Janie’s cruel behavior. Would you have helped Janie? Are there circumstances where helping others—or making yourself indispensable to them—is not a worthwhile strategy?
Alma is appalled to discover that her coworkers are already aware of John Lambert’s mistreatment of immigrant women. How does his position and the criminalization of sex work protect him from consequences? Do you think the coworkers who turn a blind eye share responsibility for his crimes?
How does fear of the unknown dominate immigration policy, both in the past and the present?
A Conversation with the Author
What first drew you toward writing and historical fiction in particular?
I had a dream about Josephine Bonaparte! She took me on a tour of a chateau every night for a week, and finally, I decided this was a very strange occurrence and picked up a biography about her to learn a little more about her life. I read half of that biography and knew—almost like a lightning bolt—that I had to write a book about her. It was the strangest thing! When I told my husband I was going to write a novel, he looked at me like I was from another planet. I’d never talked about writing a book before that moment. When I look back at my life now, however, I realize I was always a writer. I won essay contests in high school, was the copy editor of my high school and college newspapers, and I carried books around with me as if they were a lifeline. I loved everything about poetry and classic novels and, of course, history. One of my favorite places to spend time still to this day is at museums or historical sites.
Where do you start a new project? Do your characters, plot, or setting come first?
It really depends on the book. If the book focuses on a particular event in history, I start with plot and setting and develop a fictional character that would be the most challenged within the context of that story. If I’m writing biographical fiction (like Becoming Josephine, Rodin’s Lover, and my up-and-coming work on Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner), I begin with the character and really delve into the details of their lives and expand into different themes from there. As for setting, I like to think of it as a character as well and really enjoy digging into that aspect of writing.
Did your ancestors travel through Ellis Island, and if so, did any of their experiences appear in the book?
My ancestors came before Ellis Island, actually. On my dad’s side, I have relatives who date back to the early 1600s, and on my mother’s, the mid-1800s. I did give my grandmother a nod in the book, whose family was from Sicily originally, by naming a character after her. My grandmother Alberta is quite the devout Catholic, so it was fun for me (and her) to have a benevolent and caring nun named after her.
Your research drew from newspaper archives, the Oral History Project, and many other books. How did you handle gaps in the historical record?
Gaps in the record is where a historical author has fun! Both of my main characters in The Next Ship Home are fictional, so you won’t find them on the record. The story and the setting through which they move, however, are inspired by facts about the operations at Ellis Island as well as the history of the labor movement, anarchism, the tenement culture, and the beginnings of the subway in 1902 New York City. The gaps give me wiggle room to write dialogue or what I call “putting words into the characters’ mouths.” It gives me room to create tension and tone and mood as well and to add dramatic elements that give the story more complexity.
Alma’s engagement and Francesca’s pregnancy both highlight the vulnerabilities of women in the early twentieth century. What is the most challenging part of writing independent-minded characters within such rigid social structures?
I have to admit, this is one reason why I enjoy writing alternating points of view with male characters. The men had so much freedom! I don’t have to construct reasons why they don’t have chaperones or why they’re wearing a hat and slacks or why their manners are less than perfect. On the other hand, those restrictions create challenges for my female characters on the page, and finding ways they may overcome them is part of the fun of the craft. It’s inspiring to research a woman who has defied conventions, ultimately paving the way for women today. It feels as if I’m doing a small justice by giving her much-deserved time in the limelight. Many of the challenges that Francesca faces are still issues for immigrants around the globe today.
What do you hope readers will learn about immigration from The Next Ship Home?
I hope readers may see not only the abuse that took place during that time at Ellis Island and the power differential between immigration official and immigrant, but also that the issue of immigration isn’t cut and dry. The laws governing immigration were, and are still, continuously shifting. I hope my readers are able to get a feel for how difficult and complex the issues surrounding immigration can be.
Acknowledgments
I’m always amazed when I finally complete a book. It’s such an undertaking, and one I feel lucky to take part in, especially with the help of many talented and supportive people. I’m eternally grateful for my agent, Michelle Brower, whose savvy and insights have never led me astray. She saw potential in this story long before it was one and believed it would not only come to fruition but that it would find an audience. I also thank my wonderful editor, Shana Drehs, whose insightful notes and encouragements have seen me through to the finish line. Thank you to the entire team at Sourcebooks, who gave my words a beautiful package and helped place it in readers’ hands.
As a historical novelist, I find there always comes a point when I must reach out to specialists for help. With The Next Ship Home, it was no different. I’d like to express my gratitude to Vincent J. Cannato, history professor and author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island, whose absorbing and informative book was one of my favorite resources. Thank you also, Vince, for so graciously answering all of my questions. In addition, I’d like to thank Barry Merino, the incredibly knowledgeable librarian at Ellis Island, for the time he spent tirelessly answering my many queries and directing me to other helpful resources. Thank you, gentlemen.