THE WRITER

Ever since Genevieve Graham was a little girl, she dreamt of playing the oboe in a professional orchestra. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine becoming a world-renowned author. Music is in her blood. Her grandmother played the piano, providing soundtracks to silent movies starring Keaton, Chaplin, Mabel, Pickford and other movie stars of yesteryear. Her maternal grandfather played the double bass. Her dad was a master of the oboe. Genevieve was even selected to attend Julliard. The world was her oyster. This kid’s destiny was to headline an orchestra at Lincoln Centre and play the oboe for the world to see and hear.

Sometimes, however, destinies don’t pan out and people’s dreams intersect with harsh reality. By 30, Genevieve had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called “Sjögrens Syndrome.”

SJOGRENS SYNDROME
“Sjögrens Syndrome struck just before I turned 30,” she says. “My first symptom was ‘chipmunk cheeks.’ When I was hungry or even thirsty for water, my salivary glands jammed up and that resulted in extremely painful swelling in my cheeks – so painful that when one doctor glibly suggested I ‘take an ibuprofen,’ and I replied that I couldn’t open my mouth when it happened. Then it affected my eyes and when my body couldn’t produce tears anymore, my eyes burned so terribly that I wore three pairs of sunglasses inside the house.”

MARRIAGE, KIDS & RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
In March 1992, Genevieve flew to Calgary to meet a friend. They had planned to go skiing. As serendipity would have it, her friend wasn’t able to keep their date, and Genevieve ended up meeting her future husband at the chairlift. The couple were married within 10 months of that encounter.

Years later, after working at many different radio stations, ad agencies, a humane society and even a western wear retailer, Genevieve was diagnosed with another autoimmune disease.

“In 1998, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis,” she says. “My doctor warned my husband to consider building wheelchair ramps for our house as soon as possible. Then, in 1999, I got very, very sick and spent two months in hospital, where my symptoms were observed by some wonderful specialists who put me on specific medications that completely erased my symptoms.”

Four years later, Genevieve started her family. “I had kids when I was 33 and 36.” While battling her autoimmune diseases, Genevieve was doing everything possible to raise her children. “I was a stay-at-home mom and spent all my time either with them or teaching piano to neighbourhood kids.”

Her schedule was beyond full and she wasn’t relaxing or taking care of herself properly. By this point, looking after children combined with her autoimmune diseases left Genevieve feeling exhausted. She was out of gas. Emily and Piper were eight and six when Genevieve’s mother handed her a book. It was the first time she’d read for pleasure in years and it was the best medicine she could have ever asked for.

“After that, it was like I needed to catch up – I read everything I could get my hands on, but my genre of preference was always historical fiction. With stories thundering through my brain, I decided to sit down and try to write one of my own and that’s when this whole incredible world of writing opened up to me.”

That same year, Genevieve was gifted a laptop, “I remember Mother’s Day 2007 fondly because that was the day my husband bought me my first laptop.” Before she knew it, she’d written several bestselling novels.

“I write in my office, a small room at the front of my house with windows all around. It’s a perfect place for me. My favourite setup is in my office, candle burning, tea steaming, all by myself with no interruptions.”

WORLD RENOWNED WRITER
Despite not fulfilling her dreams of professionally playing oboe in an orchestra, at age 42 she discovered she had another talent – writing novels. When she completed her first book, it was rejected by over 200 agents. Finally, with dogged determination, she hit the jackpot – she found an agent who sold her first book to Penguin Publishing. Today, at 56, she has become one of Canada’s top-selling and most prolific writers. She writes historical fiction and can usually be found on the Globe & Mail’s Top 20 list. On April 27, 2021, Genevieve’s latest book, Letters Across the Sea, published by Simon & Shuster, will hit bookstores – on and offline.

NOVA SCOTIA
Many of Genevieve’s novels are set in and around Nova Scotia. “We live in a small community on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, about 45 minutes east of Halifax. From the moment we arrived here, I was captivated by the wealth of history in this province.”

Genevieve explored the Halifax explosion and the Acadian Expulsion of 1755, which led to her writing both, Tides of Honour and Promises to Keep. She continues investigating Nova Scotia.

Genevieve has been influenced by many authors during her career.

“My greatest influence is Diana Gabaldon and her entire Outlander series,” she says. “I’ve read it seven times and I hear something different every time, whether it’s the historical facts, the characterization, or something about ‘the craft’ of writing.”

INSPIRATION

Life hasn’t always gone as planned for Genevieve, but thanks to her well of talent, it has allowed her to push through her challenges and reinvent herself, from an amazing oboe player to a world-class writer. When old dreams die, new ones emerge with inspiration from the most unexpected places.

LETTERS ACROSS THE SEA
Genevieve reveals the plot of her latest tale: “Eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist, but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max.

To learn more about Genevieve and the novels she’s written, visit https://genevievegraham.com

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