1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Set during WWII, this is a story about a Dutch woman who offers shelter to a Jewish baby, and her sister, who must choose between family loyalty and her own safety.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
The Dutch Orphan is a companion novel to my debut, The Dutch Wife, which was about a Dutch resistance fighter, Marijke, who is forced into prostitution in a concentration camp. In the beginning of that novel, Marijke brings a Jewish baby to a Dutch couple who will try to protect the child by passing her off as their own. This scene creates the link to The Dutch Orphan, so it was only natural that I set the novel in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I’ve also lived in Amsterdam for the past ten years, so I drew a lot of inspiration from the sights and history I encounter here on a daily basis.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Johanna’s personality and strong moral code are loosely based on traits of one of my best friends, so there’s only one possible answer here—a big yes!
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Generous, virtuous, but also judgmental.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
During the research process, I visited a fascinating exhibit on fashion at the Amsterdam Museum of WWII Resistance. It covered clothing production/availability during the rationing period in the occupied Netherlands. I was struck by the creative approach women took to make ends meet sewing clothes out of old potato sacks, knitting sweaters from dog fur, and painting lines on their legs to mimic the seams of stockings. There were also stories of people who sewed christening dresses out of the parachute silk they recovered from downed British aircraft. This inspired a scene in the novel, and I also decided to make Liesbeth an aspiring seamstress so I could showcase some of this female resourcefulness.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Good question. I wish I could say that I wait until I’m totally done (I do think that’s the smart tactic for your sanity as a writer) but there are certainly moments when I can’t resist tinkering with a chapter. I often struggle to move forward with a scene if it’s not working, but I remind myself not to waste time polishing the text until I’m sure it’s earned its place in the overall story.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
If you’ve ever been to the Netherlands, maybe you’ve tried a stroopwafel—a thin waffle filled with caramel syrup. The best place to get one in Amsterdam is the Albert Cuypmarkt, a market that sells them fresh and steaming hot. It’s nothing fancy, but I promise you’ll love it!
9–Describe your writing space/office!
The great thing about being a writer is that you can work from almost anywhere! I wrote this book during the pandemic, so most writing happened at home, but since lockdown has ended, I’ve tried to vary my writing spot a few times per week. I work from a co-working space tucked between some of the prettiest canals in the city, and I like to write in the lobby of the Hoxton Hotel, which is always buzzing with young creatives. When I really want to feel inspired, there’s no better place to work than the gorgeous library of the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum, which features two levels of musty, leather-bound books and a wrought-iron spiral staircase.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Claire Keegan has mastered writing at the sentence level. Through reading her fiction and taking one of her writing workshops, I’ve learned to pay more attention to the way we structure paragraphs and the flow of ideas.
I also admire Sarah Penner and Genevieve Graham for the way they foster a sense of community with fellow historical fiction writers. Writing can be such a lonely process, and it’s so important to connect with others and support one another.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
When I was in elementary school, I read The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, a novel about a Jewish girl who travels back in time and connects with her family’s experience of the Holocaust. The story has stuck with me for years and helped spark my interest in WWII history.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
The real “call” experience occurred before the publication of my debut novel. In 2016, I was backpacking through Panama when I received the news that I’d been shortlisted for the HarperCollinsPublishersLtd/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction. I ended up on a phone call with Patrick Crean (who became my first editor) in the middle of a hostel lobby during a huge tropical storm. I was embarrassed about the choppy phone connection, but it sure was a call I’ll never forget.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
I try to read a bit of everything, but my heart lies with historical fiction.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
For the sake of Christmas family tradition: It’s a Wonderful Life.
15–What is your favorite season?
Spring, when all the tulips are in bloom in the Netherlands.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
My birthday falls on King’s Day, the Dutch national holiday, so normally this means celebrating amid a million people who are dressed in orange and boating down the Amsterdam canals.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I really enjoyed the film The Son, directed by Florian Zeller. It was a simple but moving story that stayed on my mind for days.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Mexican, without a doubt.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
On the weekends, I try to take advantage of everything Amsterdam has to offer: a diverse food scene, world-class art and museums, parks, and boating. There’s always something to do here, and I love how easy it is to take a train to Paris or London if I want to get away for a bit.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
I’m working on my next novel, which will still be historical fiction, but it may be set during the Cold War, in North America. That’s all I can say for now. Stay tuned!
THE DUTCH ORPHAN by Ellen Keith
From the author of The Dutch Wife comes a riveting novel set during World War II about a woman who offers shelter to a Jewish baby, and her sister, who must choose between family loyalty and her own safety.
Amsterdam, 1941. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased, her Jewish friends forbidden from performing with her onstage. Alongside her friend Jakob, Johanna helps organize the Artists’ Resistance, an underground network allowing Jews to perform at house concerts hosted by their allies. When Johanna hears of a Jewish orphan headed for deportation, she does not think twice. She takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from even her own sister, Liesbeth.
Meanwhile, Liesbeth finds herself in a dilemma, as she knows of her sister’s staunch support for the Resistance, but her husband supports the Nazis. When a charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on her, her predicament only deepens. As secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond, they are both forced to make choices that will alter their lives forever.
Women’s Fiction Historical [Park Row, On Sale: April 18, 2023, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780778311966 / eISBN: 9780369716033]
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About Ellen Keith
ELLEN KEITH is a Canadian writer and recent graduate of the University of British Columbia’s MFA program in creative writing. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New Quarterly and The Globe and Mail, and she has received the Anton Fiction Prize and the James Patrick Folinsbee Memorial Scholarship in Creative Writing. She spends much of her time abroad, travelling across South America, dancing salsa and tango, and cycling along the canals of Amsterdam, where she currently resides.
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