That I Might Live: Book Review + Author Interview

Last month, I hosted my first author interview, a sweet friend who wrote a children's book on grieving (see it HERE). Today I have another book interview + author interview with a local Texas author, Meara Dixon. Her sister is a dear friend of mine and I had the pleasure of meeting Meara a few times in the last year. When her book, That I Might Live,  was recently published, our book club voted for it to be chosen for April's book and we invited Meara to join us so we can ask her questions and gush about her book. We had a great time and I knew I would want to share about this book on my blog so more people are  aware of this captivating story. 

I've read a lot of WWII fiction and always learn a lot about that difficult era through the context of fiction based on true events. I've read WWII books with settings in France, London, Poland, Italy, and Philippines, but the most common setting has been France (particularly the Nazi occupation of Paris). So I had been trying to take a break from this genre for awhile, but was curious about Meara's book and wanted to give it a try since I wanted to support a local author, especially once I knew. Well, I was blown away and so glad I read it! 

Sylvia is a Jewish girl living in Paris when WWII begins. As tensions and dangers grow with the Nazi occupation of Paris, she and her family are in grave danger. With the help of many brave people who risk their own lives for hers, she struggles through the tragedies and fears of the cruel Nazi regime's presence in France. When she is able to escape Paris and be hidden by a kind, courageous family in the countryside, dangers are still looming, yet there is a new understanding of faith and hope. Told in dual timelines, with Sylvie's story alternated with a pre-teen girl in our contemporary time setting, it is a powerful story that I have been thinking a lot about since finishing. Meara's research helped weave a story that was different than other WWII fiction based in Paris, particularly because it was from a child's perspective as well as the different places she was taken for shelter outside of Paris. 

This novel had an engaging and intriguing plot that had me rooting for the main character, Sylvia, through all her challenges.  It was thoughtfully researched and written,  including WWII history I wasn't aware of, so I enjoyed learning through the lens of a well-crafted story. I loved how the book focused on the many different people who helped Sylvia along the way to help her survive as a Jew in occupied France. There are illustrations in the novel that may help a middle-schooler to better connect with the story and imagine the scenes. This would be a fantastic book for a parent to read with their middle or high-schooler as they discuss WWII, though I enjoyed it as an adult and didn't feel it was too simple or juvenile at all. I am adding it to my list of favorite WWII novels since it impacted me so much and hearing about the writing process from the author made it such a rich reading experience. 

Content rating: G to PG (alludes to certain violence against Jews but very careful not to share too much).

Recommended if you enjoyed: All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr), The War that Saved My Life (Kimberly Brubaker Bradley), White Bird (R.J. Palacio)

Elena: You share in the forward about some of the ways you were inspired to write this novel, including learning about a man who helped save dozens of people during the Holocaust. Rather than just watching and admiring the video about Sir Nicholas Winton, something in you was moved to action. Can you share a bit more about how the book came to be?

Meara: I have always been extremely inspired by men like Sir Nicholas Winton and others who put their own comforts and safety aside to aid the Jewish people during the Holocaust. I remember my mom reading us stories about these heroes when I was young, and I poured over the books late into the night when I was supposed to be sleeping. The sacrifice has stuck out to me as well as the thought that if individuals had not stepped up so many more families and their legacy would have ceased to exist. This is one of the main messages I wanted to get out of my story; demonstrating the beauty and the life giving nature of self sacrifice. 

Elena: It is obvious that you researched the Holocaust in great detail, from the careful timeline that helped put Sylvie's story in the grand scheme of WWII and the overall attention to historical details that aren't as commonly known. Your research also included a trip to Paris. What was that process like for you? How long did it take? 

Meara: Thank you! It took a lot of time and thought! It began with a year of reading numerous books about the Holocaust, WWII, the Nazi take over, different countries during this time, etc. I was intrigued by France during this time because I learned that about 75% of Jewish people were saved in this country during Germany's occupation and I wondered how and why. Sometimes these two questions help fuel research for historical fiction books. I ended up going to Paris to do more research, and this proved to be very helpful... and fun! I had already started the writing process at this time and knew specific key spots and events that I wanted to delve deeper into while visiting France. One place I will never forget was the Holocaust museum in Paris and walking into a room and seeing, behind a glass case, hundreds of Jewish identification cards. Through this encounter, the people who went through unbelievably horrific times and the story I wanted to tell became real to me. They were not words on a page, or pictures in a book, they were real people with families, homes, hopes, and dreams who carried those cards, many of them to their death. I also had the privilege to visit Normandy on this trip. At that time, I had not decided where Sylvia should hide during the war, but after visiting this place, it didn't take me long to make up my mind. I would say the research aspect took me about a year and a half and then you have to write the book :)

Elena: One theme in the book that I loved was how selfless and sacrificial so many characters proved to be, risking their own lives for the main character, Sylvia, as well as others. Why was this an important theme for you to weave into the story?

Meara: I really wanted to pay honor to all the different people who helped. That's why I wanted to include a member of the OSE (Children's Aid Society) involved, a family, a priest and even that individual (who was probably a member of the resistance movement) who sent the letter warning about the upcoming roundup. So many people had a part to play in saving just one family. 

Elena: You made a very intentional decision to not write scenes inside a concentration camp. There were references and assumptions of what happened to certain characters, but the horrors of stepping into a concentration camp was avoided. Please share about that decision and the intention behind it.

Meara: This book is intended for readers eight and up. I wanted the children who read "That I Might Live" to truly understand the horrors of the Holocaust, but, being conscious of their age, I didn't want my readers to step foot into a concentration camp, per se. I hope children who read my story get a grasp of the Holocaust, but come away with a deeper knowledge of the "helpers."  

Elena: What was the most challenging part of writing this story and what was the most surprising?

Meara: The most challenging part was figuring out where Sylvia was going to escape to in France. I was trying to find a specific village for her to hide and even found one with a story about Jewish children who would go hide in the woods when the Nazis came and the villagers would sing a song letting them know it was safe to come back. Side note, this is where I got the idea for the Psalm 56 song. I was able to get in contact with the daughter of the pastor of this village and I asked if I could write a story about this particular village. She graciously advised against it; saying so many stories had been written about her father and this amazing place, but unfortunately misinformation began circulating causing the truth to be hidden. I remember sitting with my Grandma in a cafe in Rouen, France and it all of a sudden dawned on me that I could represent all the villages who housed and hid Jewish children by not specifying one place and this would also ensure that I did not misrepresent a particular village. One aspect of writing and researching for "That I Might Live" that surprised me was how France bowed down to the Nazis and in some cases were just as brutal to the Jewish people. I will say, after visiting France, the country has acknowledged their wrongs and although it can never undo what has been done, there are many places in Paris specifically that pay honor to the Jewish people.

Elena: Do you have any advice for new authors who want to enter the writing world? What are some things they can do as they develop their writing skills?

Meara: I have never liked to write outlines; they have always seemed like a wasted step. But not now! Especially with writing historical fiction where you are trying to mesh your story and the truth together, I think it is very helpful to have it all in one place. Do the research, find the events you want to highlight in your story, discover your characters by creating character sketches, and then put it together into a sequence of events. It might seem like an added step, but I have found it really helps to know where you are headed in writing and in some cases, if you take the time to write an outline, when it comes time to write, the story flows much easier. 

Elena: Psalm 56, and specifically a hymn based on this psalm, becomes a touchpoint for Sylvie during life-threatening circumstances. I initially tried searching on YouTube for the specific hymn mentioned, but no results came back. When I asked you,  I found out it was because that song was written by your sister, an accomplished musician! I find that so fun and it truly added to the depth of the story that you wanted a song that was authentic to what the Bellamy family, specifically their Christian faith within the French culture. I'd love for you to share a bit about how the music for the psalm came about since I loved the story and think it would resonate with the blog readers as well! (Side note: this song is now available to hear on her FB author page, linked below).

Meara: I knew I wanted this song to be throughout the story. Psalm 56 has such powerful words to combat fear and anxiety and I knew Sylvia needed to discover where her true help comes from. From my high school days I learned about the French Huguenots (which is a story for another day), but the Bellamy family were part of this Protestant church. I remember learning that they would sing straight from the Psalms at their worship service without instruments. I wondered if there was any music from those days in France, specifically music set to Psalm 56. I had no idea where to look, so I asked my sister, who is a music major, if she had any thoughts. She went above and beyond what I expected and reached out to a Genevean Psalm expert. He informed her that there wouldn't necessarily be any sheet music for us to use, so my sister, using her music history knowledge, wrote the Psalm to music based on what the style would be for those attending the church at that time in France. I am very grateful to my sister for her help with this!

(Image borrowed from author)

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It was such a joy to highlight this great book and chat with Meara through this interview. Below are links to get info about Meara and That I Might Live, plus the Amazon link for purchasing the book, if desired. Thank you, Meara, for the opportunity to highlight your book!

Meara's Facebook page     Meara's Instagram Page

Amazon link to book