Hello people, I welcome you all to my first ever Author Interview session. I’m seriously very much excited about it and I’m even more excited to have Dr. Cholet Kelly Josué as my first guest. I read his debut book “Twelve unending summers – Memoir of an immigrant child” it was so nicely written and I immediately know this is the person I’m going to interview first. After reading I almost felt I know the author personally because this memoir was written directly from his heart. Let me introduce him to you all.
Dr.Cholet Kelly Josué is Bahamian-born Haitian American author and physician seeking a home among the three cultures that have played a role in his life. Born in the Bahamas of Haitian parents who wanted their children to experience their ancestral roots, Cholet moved to Haiti with his siblings when he was four years old. There he spent the next twelve years of his life reveling in a simple and decent, if checkered, childhood until he was sent across the Caribbean Sea in a wooden boat to join his mother in South Florida after the death of his father.
While still an undocumented immigrant, Cholet earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Florida Atlantic University. Then he spent the next six months at the University of Miami law library preparing to represent himself in the trial of his life: the quest to become a legal resident.
Cholet received his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and did his residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He practices medicine in Maryland with a functional and integrative approach and draws on his special interest in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry.
Welcome to my blog Post Dr.Cholet, it’s so nice to you have you, I hope you enjoyed the session and Thank you so much for taking time to do this interview. So let’s dive into interview session without any further ado, my first question for you is,
First of all when did the idea of writing materialized in your head ?
The idea of writing a book started emerging from my head right after I finished residency and when I moved to Maryland to practice medicine. Once I started traveling to Haiti doing medical mission, and seeing how fast the pace of changes have been brought on by political instability. I started worrying that I needed to do something about my growing up in Haiti in order to make sure that I did not forget my childhood era, the past.
What was the hardest part whilst writing this memoir ?
Definitely, the emotional parts of the places, the people, childhood friends that are no longer alive. Or the places that I have seen vanished from the time of my childhood. Writing a memoir, if one wants to make an effort to be true to oneself, and do not make up stuffs, writing a memoir is very emotional.
You have such a serious mainstream career, has your day job ever came in the way of your writing path ? How do you balance both ?
It has not been easy at all. Being a physician is very demanding so there are many weeks I could not and did not write much. Part of the reason why it took me about five years to finish the manuscript.
What writing means to you ?
Writing is both therapeutic and cathartic, but also it keeps the creative side of myself very much alive. Writing is hard but at the same is very gratifying to write words and make them into books that other people would like to read. Writing = creative freedom
How many hours a day do you write ? Do you follow any particular schedule ?
No, I never followed a particular schedule, I did make sure that I write at least two hundreds words per day, but there are some days when I did not feel like writing, and I could not write also because of my work schedule. The main important thing is to make sure you continue writing even when you spend a couple of days off.
Is there any unknown facts about your book ?
No, I gave the reader an all intimate up close and personal account of that period of my life.
How long did you take to write this book ?
About five years, trying to write a decent memoir can take quite awhile.
They say writing is a lonely job, how true is that ?
Yes, that is true. But at the same time, sharing with the writing community where you meet a lot people like you, who are going through the same anguish and travail, the writing community makes up for that other part of being a writer, where one has to be alone in order to write some time; not all of the time.
Do you believe in writer’s block ? If so, do you have any tips to overcome it ?
Yes, hell yes, it exist. For me, I try to be still and let it take its course, but I do set up a time limit. I will allow writer block for 4-5 days, then I will force myself to write something. You cannot let it go indefinitely.
How was your journey towards publishing the book ? Easy or tough ?
Both, publishing a book has a lot of unpredictable twists and turns, but at the same time, I have been lucky to have a great supportive team, who helps me when I am frustrated, discouraged, just plain old grumpy. There is a wide range of emotions that you go through being a writer, it is part of the craft and I welcome it. Being artistic, creative is a way of life and everything that comes with it.
If you want to give advice to the young blooming authors what it would be ?
Read good writers, read writers whose work outlive their lives, and also try to practice your crafts; don’t rush. Learn how to write by joining writing communities, take writing classes, and write from the heart.
What was the best compliment you received from a reader ? And how did you feel about it?
I feel good when readers tell me that they could tell from reading the first paragraph of my book, that I have put in the work, I have taken the time to write the best I could. It is very important for the writer to respect the audience, the reader, and try to give the best of oneself.
How well do you take criticism ?
Not well, but I am getting better at it. One has to accept that it is part of the process. You will grow from taking criticism
What was the first book that you ever read ?
Animal Farm by George Orwell. I am going to re-read all those classics.
Do you have a library of your own ? Approximately how many books do you have in your collection ?
Yes, I have a library that I have amassed, unfortunately I am addicted to buying and reading books, both medical, scientific, literary fiction and non-fiction. As they say: I have accepted that I am a ‘prisoner for life.’ I have close to four hundred books and counting.
In an average how many books do you read in a year ?
40-45
Name a book which inspired you and had a life changing impact on you ?
Two books: The first one from my favorite author of all time—One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
What genre would you select if you were to write a fiction and why?
Magic realism like Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I like mixing what is real and what is not real to give it a new life.
How important is a cover and title is to a book ?
Very important, especially for memoir and non-fiction; but also for fiction. A book cover and title are part of the creative artistic side of the writing life
What is the best book that you have read in the recent times ?
The most recent autobiography of Ulysses Grant
Who is your favorite author and why ?
Gabriel Garcia Marquez—magic realism: blurring the lines between reality and fantasy
And finally what do you feel about this interview ?
Thank you for having given the opportunity and I would like to sincerely apologize for having taken such a long time. Thanks
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Here is my review of his book, check it out to know more about the book Twelve unending summers – Memoir of an immigrant child by Cholet Kelly Josue, MD : Book Review
Get in touch with the Author :
Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Website
I hope you guys loved it.
Until next time,
~Meenu
