Marianne Brandis

Readings

I always discuss the subject with the teacher(s) beforehand, so that I can design my reading to fit with what he/she/they are doing with the students. Depending on what they tell me, I will talk about the research I do, and about the ways in which I weave the results of the research in with the fictional/historical story and the fictional central character. I will talk about the lives of kids in the historical period with which I’m dealing (Upper Canada in the first half of the nineteenth century), and about the life of the period in general (of adults as well as young people). I will talk about the wood engravings illustrating the books, and about how they are done, and about the ways in which my brother (the artist) and I work together on the books. I will talk about how my books are rooted in my experience of being an immigrant and living on a pioneer farm in the north of BC when I was young.

I will read sections of the book to illustrate these various points. I usually bring in a few artefacts of the time, and will demonstrate how a tinderbox is used to make fire (without, of course, actually making a fire). For this display, as well as for any autographing, I like to have a table of about 3’x6’. For the selling of books, I like to have someone from the hosting organization to handle the actual sales, so that I have time and attention to give to the members of the audience. (I bring small change and everything else required for the selling.)

It is of great help to an author to have the students well prepared for my reading: any time that I have to spend narrating the stories in order to provide the context for dealing with the other subjects is time lost to the other subjects. When I do the planning with the teachers, I encourage them to do as much preparation as possible.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Biography

I was born in the Netherlands in 1938 and, with my parents and two brothers, came to Canada in 1947. We first lived in Terrace, in northern BC. When I finished high school, we moved to Vancouver, where my parents and I all studied at UBC (my brothers were still in school); later we moved to Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and then to southern Ontario.

I began writing when I was in high school and wrote poetry, plays, and short stories until I began focussing on novels. Publication came some years later; the early work was part of my apprenticeship. I’ve always been interested in history – my parents were, and so there was talk about history when we were all together. I read historical novels as well as non-fiction history, and I gradually became aware that my life – living through World War II in Holland, and then being part of the mass migration that was one of the characteristics of the twentieth century – had put me in first-hand contact with history-as-it-was-being-made. Living on a pioneer farm in the north of BC put me in touch with Canadian history – the lives of pioneers – of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. I use all of this experience in my writing.

I studied history in university (though my major was English Literature) but that was only the starting point for the kind of historical study and research that was required for writing historical novels. I taught myself how to do that kind of research – I have written about several different historical periods, and I love immersing myself in such a project, following strands and ideas, watching the interweaving that happens when the writing of a book (the first few drafts) and the historical research take place alongside each other and constantly interact. I love bringing the past to life; it is a complex but very rewarding kind of creativity.

OTHER PRESENTATIONS:
I enjoy speaking to adults about all my books. For such audiences, I speak about my other books well as the YA ones (I refer to whichever ones fit the subject) because my writing for YA readers interweaves with my writing for adults. The former gave me invaluable experience and skills for the latter (in my career and the sequence of the publication, the YA books do not form a separate period). I can speak about the same aspects of my work that appear in my talks to audiences of young people (see above), but at an adult level. I will tailor my talk to fit specific audiences – people specially interested in historical writing, or immigration, or the creative process, or any of a number of other areas. Again, I will discuss with the hosting organization what they are interested in and what kind of event it is.

I encourage anyone considering inviting me to speak at such an event to check my website for the range of subject matter and genres in which I work.