Today, Bookpleasures.com ispleased to welcome Ginny Kubitz Moyer, the acclaimed author of TheWorld At Home,a richly textured historical novel set in 1944 San Francisco.

Thisevocative story follows young Irene Cleary as she navigates thechallenges of war-era life, family, and high-society intrigue,capturing the profound search for home and belonging during World WarII.

Inthis interview, we’ll explore Ginny’s creative process, delveinto the vibrant characters she brings to life, and discuss thetimeless themes that make this novel resonate beyond its historicalsetting.

ACalifornia native passionate about local history, Ginny is also knownfor her previous award-winning novels TheSeeing Gardenand AGolden Life,both praised for their immersive historical detail and compellingstorytelling.

Ginnylives in Northern California with her family and continues to drawinspiration from her surroundings and love of history.

Norm:Good day, Ginny, and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Whatinspired you to set your novel in 1944 San Francisco, and how did thewartime atmosphere shape your storytelling?

Howdid you balance historical accuracy with fictional elements to createan immersive world?

Ginny: Theinitial spark for the novel came in 2019, when my family and Iattended TheNutcrackerballet,and I learned that the first-ever U.S. performance ofTheNutcrackerhadtaken place in San Francisco in 1944. I was intrigued by that factand even a little proud that the SF Bay Area (where I was born andcurrently live) was responsible for introducing the ballet toAmerican audiences. 

Sensinga story there, I started to research the 1944 production, whichquickly led me to explore what life was like in San Francisco duringWorld War II. They were fascinating years, a time when 1.6 milliontroops passed through on their way to war. I knew I wanted to writeabout this very unique city in this very unique moment of history.

Ido my best to be historically accurate about most things, whetherit’s world events or what a young woman would wear when going outto dinner in 1944. There’s only one area where I give myself acomplete pass on historical accuracy, and that’s the weather.Obviously, I won’t give San Francisco ten inches of snow, but Inever bother to look up whether it rained or was sunny on a certainday. I try to be so meticulous about other things that I give myselfthe luxury of not having to get the weather “right.”

Norm:Irene’s journey from orphan to self-assured woman is profound. Howmuch of her character is drawn from real-life stories or personalexperience?

Didyou find any particular challenges in portraying her emotional growthauthentically?

Ginny: I’ve always loved coming-of-age stories. When you’re in your lateteens/early twenties, you’re accumulating new experiences, figuringout who you are and how you want to live in the world; it’s anemotionally rich and complex time.  I’m thirty years past thatnow, so while I was writing this novel I had to put myself back inthat mindset. One thing that helped was listening to music that Iloved in my college years. Hearing certain songs again was a prettypowerful way to connect with some of those emotions. 

Thatsaid, Irene’s experiences and mine are quite different. That’swhere I draw on my imagination. I think writing fiction is like beingan actor: you have to learn to inhabit your main character, to seethe world through her eyes…but you do it on the page instead of astage.

Norm:Max Burke’s reinvention from Maximilian Bukowski adds complexity tohis character. How did you approach developing his dual identity?

Whatdoes Max’s experience say about the immigrant pursuit of theAmerican Dream during that era?

Ginny:One quirk about me is that I don’t create my characters in advance.I have to start writing scenes, and I gradually get to know theirpersonalities that way.

AsI was writing Max, I realized that while Irene naively assumes he hasbeen born to privilege, in fact he’s entirely a self-made man. He’sthe child of Polish immigrant parents, and his family tragedies madehim decide to reinvent himself into a new person with a new name. Hehas an innate gift for paying attention, a zeal for getting to knowpeople and places, and the determination to have a life verydifferent from that of his childhood.

Ithink he does represent the implicit “American promise” ofstarting over and becoming whoever you want to be. But he also learns— as many of us do — that a wholesale rejection of your pastnever quite works. Down the road, there will likely be pieces of itthat you wish you’d kept. 

Norm:The tension and tragedy in the Burke marriage drive much of the plot.What influenced your depiction of Cynthia’s difficult position andchoices?

Didyou intend for readers to feel sympathy for Cynthia despite herantagonistic role toward Irene?

Ginny:In the early days of writing the novel, it became clear to me thatthere was tension between Max and Cynthia.  Eventually, Ifigured out the cause. And although it’s fair to lay the blame atCynthia’s feet, the truth is that her life hasn’t been an easyone. Growing up in a wealthy and prominent family, especially as theoldest daughter, she has always been subject to a great deal ofscrutiny. I suspect it’s not easy to feel that you always have tobe perfect and that your parents’ love is conditional on how wellyou represent the family. So yes, I do hope readers feel some bit ofsympathy for her. 

Norm:The theme of ‘outsiders versus insiders’ permeates your novel.How does this dynamic reflect the social realities of San Francisco’selite in the 1940s?

Whatbroader commentary will readers take from this aspect?

Ginny: Oneof my favorite novels is TheGreat Gatsby.It’s such a brilliant depiction of the human desire for socialacceptance, which we all feel to some degree. In 1944 even arelatively young city like San Francisco had its “old money,” atight inner circle of wealth and influence. It’s a world Irene hasalways seen from afar, and to be invited into it, even briefly, issomething she never expected to happen. It’s a thrill for her to beushered behind the curtain.

Ofcourse, the irony is that Irene — just like Gatsby—will learnthat the charmed circle we long to enter is often a very unpleasantplace to be. And when you haven’t grown up in that world, you don’talways have the skills you need to make it out unscathed. 

Norm:The novel explores the power of storytelling and the search fortruth. How did you decide which secrets to reveal and which to keephidden to maintain tension?

Werethere any storylines or truths that you initially considered butultimately left out?

Ginny:  Thisis tricky to answer, because I don’t outline my plots in advance. Iwish I could—it seems like an efficient way to write a novel!—but I have to start writing scenes and let the plot reveal itself tome. Once I do that long enough,  I end up with enough scenes toget a fairly good idea of the general arc of the story.

ThenI take the scenes I’ve written and figure out the connective tissuebetween them, as well as how the novel is going to be wrapped up. Isuppose I do outline about the last fourth of the novel beforewriting it … but up to that point, I’m really discovering theplot as I go. 

Withthis process, there’s not a lot of conscious planning about whichsecrets to reveal and which to keep hidden. I let what’s emergingon the page guide me to those choices. In the editing phase, ofcourse, you have the freedom to remove anything that doesn’t seemto serve the story well (thank goodness for that).

Norm:Irene’s creative work with sewing and Max’s nightclub bothsymbolise acts of creation. Can you speak to how creation functionsas a form of hope in your book?

Didyou intentionally use these artistic elements to contrast with thesurrounding destruction of war?

Ginny:  Peopleoften say things like, “Oh, I’m not a creative person,” but Ibelieve they’re wrong. We allcreate.Whether it’s a meal or an organized bookshelf, every one of usknows the transformative feeling of making something where beforethere was nothing. It’s odd to say, but I’ve only recentlystarted to appreciate the absolutely essential role that creation—inmy case, of stories—plays in my life. It’s always been there, butI haven’t consciously understood it until the last few years.

Goingback to the genesis of this novel, what captivated me about thatfirst Nutcrackerperformancewas thinking of it in the context of WWII. You’ve got a whimsicalstory of sugarplums, and you’ve got global death and destruction;how on earth do the two fit together? But I think humans need beautyand creativity. Seeing beauty changes us, and creating beauty changesus. If nothing else, focusing on art is like planting the flag of ourhumanity and hope. Art lets us survive and transcend the painfulcircumstances of here and now. It’s a statement that the darkesttimes can’t defeat us.

Inlight of all this, it’s interesting to realize that I startedwriting TheWorld at Homein2020. During the Covid lockdown, when my whole family was working andstudying from our very small house, I’d sometimes drive to aparking lot and sit there in my car with my laptop and write ascene.  During that disorienting and scary time, this novel gaveme a chance to focus beyond the present. So maybe it’s notsurprising that the transformative power of creativity is such alarge theme in the novel. I was living it as I was writing. 

Norm:Johnny’s letter provides Irene with closure. What role does closureplay in the healing process you portray?

Howdid you approach writing the emotional tone of that letter toresonate with readers?

Ginny:Johnny’s letter definitely does provide closure for Irene. I thinkit also restores her idealism and trust in herself. Sometimes inlife, we have an intense and meaningful experience and then laterdoubt whether it was really as significant as we had thought at thetime. His letter shows that she was right to see it as a profoundlyspecial experience… and that’s a healing thing for her. 

Inorder to write that section of the story I read real letters senthome from WWII, which gave me a feel for the tone of Johnny’sletter. And I thought about what he’d say to a woman he loved, andwhat sort of details he might include that he wouldn’t feelcomfortable sharing with his family. I knew he’d let himself bevulnerable with her.
Norm:Themes of family and identity are central. How do you define ‘home’in the context of Irene’s and Max’s journeys?

Doesthe novel suggest that chosen family can be as powerful as biologicalfamily?

Ginny:Because Irene grew up in an orphanage, a family home is somethingshe’s only known through visits to friends’ houses. This is partof the reason why she’s so fascinated to be in others’ homes,like the house where Cynthia’s parents live. She has always cravedbelonging to a family, and at one point in the story, it does seem asthough that is becoming a reality for her.

UnlikeIrene, Max had a home and family growing up. But because of itsdysfunctional dynamics, at a young age he chose to strike out on hisown. So he and Irene are alike in their sense of navigating lifewithout a nuclear family at hand. The awareness of that is a bondbetween them.

Ihadn’t consciously considered the theme of chosen family, butyou’re right: the novel is very much about that. Irene’s workmaking costumes for the ballet introduces her to an entirely newcommunity that welcomes her and celebrates her gifts. Irene’s latementor Anna, who taught her to sew, plays a motherly role … as doesSister Margaret, the head nun at the orphanage who comes back intoIrene’s life as an adult. Though these women aren’t biologicalfamily, they nurture Irene as a parent would.

Norm:What challenges did you face writing characters who embody moralambiguity, like Cynthia and Max?

Howimportant was it for you to avoid clear-cut villains or heroes?

Ginny: For me, any novel—whether I’m the author or a reader—will standor fall on the strength of its characters. If they are complex andfeel alive, I’m totally invested. This means that my primary goalas an author is to make my characters feel like real people. And thetruth is, even the most heroic person has vulnerabilities, and themost unlikable person has some good in them somewhere. If mycharacters reflect that truth, then I know I’ve succeeded in makingthem authentic. 

Norm:Where can our readers find out more about you and The World At Home?

Ginny:MY WEBSITE shares information about TheWorld at Homeandabout my other two novels. I also write a monthly newsletter where Itake readers behind the curtain of my creative process… in anygiven month I might share how I researched the novel, photos of theactual locations that inspired me, etc.  If this soundsinteresting, there’s a link to sign up for the newsletter on mywebsite. 

Norm:As we conclude our interview, what do you hope readers gain from thisstory, and are there any discussions or reflections you would like itto inspire?

Areyou considering further work exploring similar themes or thishistorical period?

Ginny:  Ilike exploring new time periods, so I’m currently working on anovel set in the 1950s. (It’s funny: my first novel was set in1910, my second in 1938, TheWorld at Homein1944, and now the 1950s. My husband jokes that if the trendcontinues, soon I’ll be writing science fiction.)  The newproject is also about a gifted young woman navigating the world, butthis time the protagonist is one of five sisters. I’ve lovedgetting to know each of them and seeing how they relate to oneanother. 

Goingback to TheWorld at Home,I hope it gives readers a chance to see the war years from a woman’sperspective. For all the WWII fiction out there, there’s relativelylittle about the U.S. home front and about what that time was likefor young women. I also hope Irene’s story immerses readers in thevivid landscape of San Francisco and leaves them feeling positiveabout humanity. 

And—mostof all—I hope the novel lets readers escape the real world for atime, while giving them some new glimmer of understanding that theycan take back to the real world when they’re done. That’s themarvelous power of fiction, I believe …and of storytelling ingeneral. 

Thankyou so much for the interview!