Words to Remember
Bohjalian . “ When I wanted to write a book about the foster care system , I called the department of Human Services in Montpelier directly to learn more about their programs . I expected to get an administrative assistant who would put me on hold . Instead , I got to talk to the head of Human Services and scheduled a lunch with him the next day . That type of interaction would never happen in many other states .”
Bohjalian has drawn inspiration for several of his other books from his personal experiences in Vermont . The opening scene in his 2009 novel Secrets of Eden is set at a picturesque pond , which is directly based on a small body of water in South Lincoln . The pond serves as the location of a pivotal scene in the book and sets the stage for the gripping tale of a community that is rocked by a grisly murder . Bohjalian says that the idea for The Sleepwalker first began to percolate when he was having lunch with the head of the Sleep Center at the University of Vermont Hospital . “ I originally thought that I was going to write a book about dreams and the subconscious , but he had just come from working with a patient who was a sleepwalker . He started telling me stories about sleepwalking , and I was instantly hooked .”
Write Global , Act Local
After Bohjalian stepped away from his career in journalism to focus on writing fiction , he decided that he wanted to expand the settings of his novels beyond the borders of the Green Mountain State . The first novel to break from his established pattern of Vermont-based books was Skeletons at the Feast ( 2008 ). “ I really wanted to write a novel about the Holocaust ,” says Bohjalian . “ I also felt a moral obligation as an Armenian-American to write a novel about the Armenian Genocide .” Bohjalian paid tribute to his Armenian roots with his 2012 novel , The Sandcastle Girls , a timeless love story spanning several continents that tugs at readers ’ heartstrings while dealing with themes of romance , loss , and generational trauma .
As time passed , Bohjalian also began to change the formula of his books to accommodate the changing tastes of his readership . “ I watched how television shows were changing and books were changing , and I knew that readers wanted something different . My more recent books are still very literary in nature and not pure thrillers , but they move at a much faster pace than my earlier novels . Books like The Red Lotus , The Flight Attendant , and The Lioness open with a bang , which reflects the changes I have witnessed in our culture .”
Penguin Random House Audio has been recording his audiobooks since 1997 . Several of his audiobooks have been recorded by his talented daughter , Grace Experience , who is also a successful photo : Dwelling Photography
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