The Secret's in the Details...and a GIVEAWAY of GRAND CENTRAL

Jenna Blum, Alyson Richman, Kristina McMorris, Julia, Sarah McCoy, Karen White...
Just half of the authors of one of my favorite reads of the year.

I love being a reviewer because I am able to discover hidden gems, books that might not have been on my radar but become some of my treasured keepsakes.

So it was gravy to get to meet the authors of one of my favorite reads of the year.

Melanie Benjamin, Jenna Blum, Amanda Hodgkinson, Pam Jenoff, Sarah Jio, Sarah McCoy, Kristina McMorris, Alyson Richman, Erika Robuck, and Karen White are all bestselling authors who have tackled the tough subjects of the Holocaust and World War II in Grand Central, a heartwarming and kleenex-worthy anthology. 

Listening to these authors and reading this collection, I was struck again by the importance of details and how the right ones turn an ordinary book into an exceptional one. In this case the reader falls head over heels for the characters of these stories because of the breathtaking detail.

Alyson Richman's main character plays piano in Grand Central Terminal. As he sees the woman of his dreams across the room, it is impossible not to feel the vibrations of love in the air.

"She had just come up from the subway, her green silk dress fluttering like the ruffled edge of tulip leaves...But her movements were somehow old-fashioned and slightly tentative, the way a person who wasn't born in America might search for the right coins in her purse, or how someone new to Manhattan might pull slightly away when someone's sleeve brushed against their own." (Alyson Richman, "Going Home")

In a moment I'm transported into Gregori's world. I, too, am captivated by this beautiful girl and cheering him on in his journey to get her to notice him. Coming up from the train, I see her as a Marilyn Monroe type creature, vivacious and daring, yet a minute later my view is tempered as I see the contrast in her character through Gregori's eyes. Richman has created an intriguing girl in Liesel, before I even know her name I am enthralled.

What details can you add that might show even more shades of your main characters, supporting characters, and even antagonist?

Sometimes we only know a character by a single small detail. I haven't seen the movie Schindler's List since eighth grade but will never forget the girl in the red coat who seems to signify Oskar Schindler finally taking note of the tragedy around him and finding a determination to make a difference. 

"It was a large bloodstain [the Holocaust], a primary color on everyone's radar, but no one did anything about it. And that's why I wanted to bring the red in," according to Steven Spielberg.

Likewise, a scarf defines an otherwise unknown character in Jenna Blum's "The Lucky One." Peter flashbacks to a key moment in his life as he searches for a scarf for his daughter at his wife's bequest, hoping to prevent illness in his beloved child.

"He spotted an elderly woman nearby, as bulky with the furs as a racoon...His father would have taken it, Peter was sure...But what if the old lady had spores in her lungs, like Peter's mother, and his snatching the shawl was her death warrant?" (Jenna Blum, "The Lucky One")

One tiny detail captures the reader's attention and with timing takes on epic importance. During this single moment of contemplation, Peter is pushed on to a train bound for Terezin work camp. 

How can you change your story by allowing sensory detail to play even more of a key role during critical junctures of your story as Blum does expertly here?

In "I'll Walk Alone" by Erika Robuck the main character is watchful as she sits with her son at the Oyster Bar, waiting with dread for the return of a loved one. 

"Seated across from us are another set of lovers--a soldier and a young woman who is as primped and pressed as I am but altogether different. She is fair with brown eyes. She wears a pale blue dress with sleeves that puff at the top, and a matching headband. Light radiates from her, and her beau is basking in it. She reaches up and runs her hand over his face." (Erika Robuck, "I'll Walk Alone)

In an instant the reader is struck by the contrast between the two women. Watching the lovestruck couple is an emotional barometer into Josie and Mitch's own tumultuous relationship. 

How can you use observations about one character to reflect the inner world of another character?

A flower is used as contrasting symbolism in two stories of Grand Central. It is intriguing to watch details take on a fresh meaning for each character. The authors have connected the stories into a seemless whole, though each is an entirely different take on love and reunion. 

Reading Grand Central, I fell in love with the beautiful details of one of my favorite eras of history. As a writer I was struck anew by the importance of these little pieces to make our own novels sing.

Interested in reading this book? 

Buy Grand Central anthology

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ALSO, I HAVE ONE COPY OF GRAND CENTRAL FOR THE WIN. JUST LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME PERIOD TO EITHER READ OR WRITE ABOUT AND WHY. INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS PLEASE.