Author: Simonetta Carr
Located in: Santee, California
Submitted: May 20, 2011
Tell us a little about yourself. I am Italian by birth, but have lived in different countries. I have taught elementary school until I married, then I have home-schooled my eight children for several years. I have written for various newspapers and magazines and have translated the works of Christian authors into Italian. Most recently, I have started a series of Christian Biographies for Young Readers, published by Reformation Heritage Books. I am a member and Sunday School teacher at Christ United Reformed Church.
What was your motivation behind this project? P&R asked me if I wanted to contribute to their "Chosen Daughters" series and I was immediately excited. I have chosen Olympia Morata for several reasons. For one thing, she was Italian, and I think few people realize what an important role the short-lived Italian reformation played in 16th century Europe. Also, she lived a short and very adventurous life, documented first-hand in her letters and poems, and I felt that young girls today could easily relate to her feelings and struggles.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? This is always a difficult question to answer. I don't think a novel can be written with a specific agenda. I just hope that my readers will get to know Olympia as a young believer of her time. Opening our hearts and minds to other times and cultures is always important. In this particular case, Olympia matured immensely as a Christian in the few 39 years of her life, and I believe she will not leave anyone unaffected.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? Working with Olympia has changed my life in many ways, as I shared her excitement and disappointments, hopes and fears, until her final peace and rest in God. In some ways, I lived vicariously through her as I read and re-read every one of her writings, trying to understand her and portray her as she was, without interjecting my own feelings, thoughts, or personality.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I have many favorite authors but I am not sure if any of them have influenced my style. This is my first novel, and this, together with the fact that English is my second language, somehow prevented me from concentrating on style. I focused instead on character arc, pace, and especially yearning, keeping the passion alive. I often wrote or at least mused on the story while listening to classical music, particularly opera.
