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.
Acknowledgments
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.
About the Author
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.
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