A brief excerpt from The Horseman:
>>>.....Just
as disconcertingly, the Kurds' alienation was successfully tapped
into by special interest groups, from their very own leaders who
used their collective pain for personal gain, to the Soviets, to the
Greeks, Armenians, and Syrians, neighbors who coveted territorial
expansion at Turkey's expense. Each harboring their respective
agendas, however conflicting with the other, they nevertheless
managed to pool their resources and kept gnawing along the edges of
the land map that was today's Turkey.
<<<
Another Excerpt from The Horseman:
...>>>Mehmet Ali’s scowl deepened as he
continued with an icy tone and raised, clenched fist, “How dare you
claim that there are no Kurds in Turkey? How dare you deny the
existence of millions of men and women?”
Ariadne froze with dread, her heart pumping
madly.
Burhan’s gaze remained steady. “Let’s argue
about this another time.”
“I agree,” Ali replied through clenched teeth.
“Meanwhile, remember this: I am a Kurd. Loyal citizen of Turkey, but
a Kurd, nonetheless. One of the ancient proud people rooted in
Southeastern Turkey. And don’t try repeating that nonsense about
that the word Kurd comes from the word kurt, which means wolf—”
As the words Kurd, Kurt, Wolf, Ali, seared
through Ariadne’s brain like a row of falling, red-hot dominoes,
Burhan observed calmly, “Why not, hey, it makes perfect sense to
me.” Turning to Ariadne, he explained, “The Bozkurt, Gray Wolf, was
indeed the archetype symbol of the Turkic tribes in Central Asia. We
did see ourselves as the People of the Bozkurt, and there is this
legend about how the Gray Wolf leads us to—”
“No!” Ali cried out vehemently, “We Kurds are
racially distinct from Turks and Arabs—”
Burhan’s hand shot forward and grasped Ali’s
wrist. “Watch what you’re saying!” he whispered urgently, pointing
with his thumb to the adjacent tables, “You never know who’s
listening, and I don’t want you to end up in jail just because you
felt like locking horns with me.”
Freeing himself with a violent twist of the
arm, Ali declared defiantly, “Listen to me, Burhan, and listen well.
Just as you can not deny or ignore the reality of my existence, you
can not deny the millions of others—”
“No, my friend, I can’t and I won’t,” Burhan
interrupted him again, his voice still low, fraught with bitterness,
“but in my eyes, what some of your people are attempting to do is
akin to separating the nail from the thumb. Do you understand what I
am saying, my friend? Separating the nail from the thumb!
Because, as I see it, the Turk and the Kurd, meaning you and me,
have grown that close over the passing centuries.” Sighing, he drew
deep on his cigarette, and then added coldly, “By the way, I know
all about the secret Kurdish mandate for a higher birth rate to
achieve parity in numbers with the Turks.”
Ali gasped, his face flushed deeply with
emotion, but he remained silent. “Your leaders are turning your
women into a collective baby factory,” Burhan went on quietly,
“they’re deliberately creating a new underclass of—” abruptly
pausing mid-sentence, he bit his lips.
Silence descended upon the table, dark and
heavy with the potentially lethal argument both men took great pains
not to unleash....
As Ariadne felt the nervous bristling of small hairs on the back of
her neck, two names popped into her thoughts: White Roebuck and
Wolf...
.....continued on the right, below the banner --------
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Q.:
Where did you grow up and was reading and
writing always a part of your life?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: I was born in
Rome, Italy, but grew up in Istanbul, Turkey; I
came of age in love with Istanbul and its people
who are formed of a remarkably cosmopolitan, civilized, coat of
many colors. And yes, from as far back as I can remember, pen ,
pencil and the urge to disseminate information, were part of my
existence.
Q.:
Who were your earliest influences and
why?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Indeed my earliest influences were my parents.
So deeply in love with Istanbul was I that my dreams and plans for the
future involved (in addition to a career as a pen-warrior i.e.
journalist) to help preserve
her grandeur as a public servant, be it as a mayor, congresswoman, or
senator (all possible goals for any woman living in contemporary
Turkey). My parents, who were active anti-Communists as well as
dedicated human rights champions, were asked to leave Italy due
to some of their (at that point in time) politically controversial
beliefs and endeavors, and Turkey gave us sanctuary. Both of my
parents had a strong Calling to both read (i.e. learn)
and write (to dispense what they learned to the masses who needed
information), and this same Calling seems to be embedded in my genes,
too... If you so wish, you could read more about them, by clicking on
the B&W photo of me and my mother, on the right:
Q: Why do
you write?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Because I can't help it; it's a built-in part
of my soul. I believe in the pen being mightier than the sword. So did
my parents. We sure were three kindred souls!
Q.: Tell
us about your book THE HORSEMAN --
Kristina
O'Donnelly: In the briefest
of terms, THE HORSEMAN is unusual, timely, exotic, provocative, yet
universal. However, it is also romantic, and deeply passionate. It
does ask the question: What Price for Love That Defies Time? Would
you pledge your soul to eternity?
Aspects of
THE HORSEMAN'S subject matter are controversial; depending on
one's ingrained beliefs, it's either poison or manna. Nevertheless,
The Horseman is presented with a you-are-there immediacy.
Revolving around a dynamic American heroine, the novel encompasses
Mid-Eastern politics, reincarnation, Tarot, mythology, the Irish
Catholic experience, as well as the roots of the ongoing bloody
upheavals between the Turks and Kurds. Complete with magnificent
settings from Turkey and Mecca to Ireland and the United States, The
Horseman
presents an intense, multi-cultural love triangle with indomitable
characters united in their quest for social justice. As Ariadne, the
American, Burhan, the Turk, and Mehmet Ali, the Kurd, emerge from the
mists of 8,000 BC and reunite in 20th Century Turkey, they play out
their star-crossed destinies upon an explosive socio-political stage.
Q.:
In THE HORSEMAN, you're delving into the subject of Turks vs.
Kurds, and Kurds vs Turks. What are your thoughts about this issue?
Are the Turks indeed the aggressor in this conflict? Are the Kurds
really an oppressed minority without any human rights?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: The question of who the aggressor is, and of
being an oppressed minority, changes according to which side of the
fence you are seated on.
Q.:
How do you explain this in light of the long-lasting bloody war
between the PKK and the Turkish Armed Forces? I understand the death
toll had reached 20,000.
Kristina
O'Donnelly: The PKK waged a war of terror and of separatism
from Turkey. The brief reply would be: The Turkish Government did what
any other government would do, send in the troops to squelch those who
want to break apart the territorial integrity of the land.
Q.:
I understand that for decades, the Turkish
Government took the stand that there are no "Kurds" in Turkey, but
"Mountain Turks." Is this true?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Well, arge groups of Kurds dwelled in the mountainous areas of
Anatolia, and due to the fact that they are citizen of Turkey, they
could be termed "Mountain Turks." In the United States, we have
"Italian-Americans," "Irish-Americans," "Spanish-Americans." Meaning,
yes they might have different roots nevertheless they are "Americans."
Same with any ethnic group in Turkey. However, Turks and Kurds have
more in common than any other ethnic groups, and to focus on the
"divide" rather than the "blend" benefits the assorted power-brokers
and never the ordinary people.
Q.:
You said your writings are poison to
some, manna to others. What do you mean by that?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Because in deeply ingrained, controversial
issues, there is never one solid set of truth. And when an outsider
takes the role of an independent observer then writes claiming that
their viewpoint is "unbiased" and "objective," both of the
feuding parties will disagree with her. I mentioned earlier that I was
raised in Turkey, to that I have to add my testimony that in general,
Turks are a tolerant, open minded people, free of cradle to grave
hatred towards those who betrayed them in the past, and are still
waging a harmful campaign of propaganda against them.
Q.:
Your novels are complex and off the beaten track, ranging
from reincarnation to Socialism, so why are you adding politically
controversial issues, too?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: I did not, consciously, sit down and concoct
novels to fit a certain political view. Rather, these themes showed up
as an inherent part of my fictional characters' lives. For example,
one of my three protagonists, is a Kurd, Mehmet Ali Mesut, Professor
of Sociology, who is an idealist, an enlightened man, whose chief
concern is the betterment of his people by bridging the gap between
the rich and the poor, yet he comes from a line of aghas,
feudal lords. So naturally the theme of feudalism in Turkey, its
history and effect on the emotional and social sovereignty of the
people, enters the story line.
Q.:
What is your opinion about the demand
that there should be two
official languages in Turkey?
Kristina O'Donnelly: I am all for learning
to speak, read, and write in as many languages as one can. I was
raised fluent in several languages. The Republic of Turkey, just like
the United States of America, is founded upon a multi-ethnic,
multi-cultural landscape and one should be able to celebrate one's
true heritage. However, to attempt a bi-lingual "official language" is
not realistic, cohesive, or even progressive. Its effect would
be divisive, actually forcing a large segment of the land into
learning another language that doesn't have any bearing in their daily
lives. As citizens of Turkey, the Kurds are integrated into every
level of its society, armed forces, arts and literature. Many of their
performers are super-stars, adored by Turk, Kurd, alike. I grew up in
Turkey and listened to songs and read literature without
differentiating "Turk" or "Kurd." Learning another language should be
voluntary, not mandatory.
Q.: Does the Western world have a clear
understanding of this particular issue?
Kristina O'Donnelly: Somewhat, yes. But for
the majority, they are either romanticized or demonized. Depending in
which direction blow the winds of politics, various p.r. machines
disseminate information tailored to suit a particular agenda. An
agenda determined to suit the interests of the power-brokers, and
never the people's.
Q.: You sound like a Socialist.
Kristina O'Donnelly: Actually, die-hard
Romantic would be a better description.
Q: How did
you research the history and settings for THE HORSEMAN?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: I've lived through it... I had friends among
Turks as well as Kurds, listened to their opposing views, did my own
independent research and reached my own conclusions.
Q.: Will The Horseman
be published in Turkey, soon?
Kristina O'Donnelly: Yes, in Spring of 2008,
by Kalemus
Publishing House.
Q.:
You mention reincarnation, in THE HORSEMAN. Do you believe in
reincarnation?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: My answer is simple: Yes.
Q.: Can you
validate this belief rationally, scientifically?
Kristina O'Donnelly:
No.
Q.: But are you not
a rational person born in the 20th Century?
Kristina O'Donnelly:
Yes, and this is precisely why I do not even try to question my
belief. But I certainly try to understand it.
(Well, dear Reader, let’s leave the defense of
such an illogical belief/notion aside. Fact is, I have a deep,
unabating connection to the Neolithic-era settlement excavated in
Chatalhoyuk, Konya. While my heroine Ariadne’s vivid experiences are
entirely of her own, mine comprise of strong feelings and brief series
of memory-like scenes, involving several locales, from Vienna to Rome
to Istanbul and London. However, like Ariadne, I too passed through
Konya in the late 1960s, and was overwhelmed by emotions which had
left me breathless.
In conclusion, I would like to leave you with
this thought: It makes sense to consider the cause-and-effect fluidity
of the Soul. Yes, remain a rational person of sovereign mind, with two
feet anchored on terra-firma, but if a sense of deja-vu
leaps at you unexpectedly, from the left side of your life’s field, do
not walk away from it either. For quite possibly its purpose is to set
your soul upon the path of spiritual liberation, and prepare you to
reunite with the Light.)
Q.:
THE HORSEMAN is the first in a series of novels, titled
Lands of the Morning. How long will it take you to complete the
series?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Well, it began as a trilogy, then turned
into a quintet, and now with seven books published and several more on
the workbench so to speak ... I think I might be busy for the rest of
my life!
Q.:
I noticed the subtitle on Clarion of Midnight: Megali
Idea. What does it mean?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Megali Idea is a concept of Greek nationalism
expressing the goal of establishing a Greek state that encompasses all
ethnic Greeks, going back to the Greek-Turkish War of 1897.
Q.::
Who are your favorite writers and why?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Some of my favorite authors are: Anya Seton,
Taylor Caldwell, James Michener, Wilbur Smith, Katherine Neville,
Turkish authors Yashar Kemal, Halide Edip Adivar, Dr. Muazzez I.
Cig, and Piers Anthony. I enjoy their works and respect their
knowledge, research, and spirit. Each of their works present a
tour-de-force, simultaneously entertaining and educating on a
multi-cultural, if not cosmic, scale.
Q.:
What's next?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: More reading (i.e. learning), and writing.
Currently, I am hard at work on Poseidon Unbound, which is the
fourth installment in the series.
Q.:
Poseidon Unbound? What's it all about?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: The most suitable for a film adaptation! Not
that the others are not, actually all my novels would do well as a TV
series or motion picture, however they'd require larger budgets.
Poseidon Unbound) is tightly written
(locale-wise), only New York and
Bodrum, in Turkey. Briefly:
after a brutal odyssey to reach for the stars, Morgana, as this year's
Academy Award winner, has finally reached the top of the mountain; yet
now that she can gather the stars in her palms, she is enmeshed in the
murderous final battle between the two titans, Hakan and Alexander,
who were rivals for her love from the day they had discovered her at
seventeen, when she was waltzing on the fringes of hell. But the ties
that bind Morgana to Alexander, are rooted in the 5th Century B.C., in
the era when Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea, was a man who walked
on earth. And nothing that Morgana has experienced in this 20th
Century, could measure up to the horrors she had suffered when she was
Kore, slave to the powerful and cruel playwright Kephalas, who'd been
revered by his compatriots as Poseidon Incarnate.
Q.: Do you
have a screen-play?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Yes, albeit a short partial; I have no
experience at all in this craft, and am seriously looking for the
right partner to team up with. Let this be a notice to screen-writers
and producers interested in making a film about contemporary Turkey
and her roots in the classical era.
Q:
And what about Trojan Enchantment?"
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Oh yes, I love that one! Lighter than all my
other novels, its origins hearken to when the late Louise Halley
Forshaw and I had buckled up to write a novel together. It's the fifth
novel in the series, so it's time-period is actually after Poseidon
Unbound.
Q.: Most
of your novels are connected to Turkey one way or the other;
have you been to Turkey recently? Are you planning another
visit?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: I had attended the Istanbul Book Fair in
October of 2003, upon the behest of my publisher, Epsilon, and had
autographed copies of Ride the Eagle (e-book version's title: Beloved
Enemy) which was my first novel translated and published in Turkey. I
must tell you since Turkey, a.k.a Lands of the Morning, is the realm
of my youth, per se, this was quite an emotional experience for me!
And yes indeed I plan another visit. To attend the Istanbul Book Fair,
to augur the publication of my next novel in Turkey.
Q.:
What was the last book you read?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Lately, I've been cutting a deep, wide swathe
through Piers Anthony's magnificently diverse novels, and currently I
am reading TAROT, which is billed as The Classic Fantasy Adventure,
but it's really a deep, universal quest for the meaning of Life and
the veracity of God.
Q.:
Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance
your writing?
Kristina
O'Donnelly: Reading, writing, day-dreaming, and falling in
love with my husband, Michael, on a daily basis. As I live, so I
write. Slainte!
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Excerpt,
continued: >>>>>..............Her mind leaping to Ali,
she felt troubled by the way Burhan had termed him a fedai, martyr
for the cause, but also, by the memory of how his eyes shone tonight
as he argued with Burhan. His blazing green gaze was reminiscent of
the dark and savage warlord of her nightmares. Once again the words
Kurd, Kurt, Wolf, shot through her brain like lightning. Panic rose
in her and she tried to employ common sense to still her racing
heart.
Still, she could not fall asleep. She had the
ever-increasing, deeply disturbing sense that Mehmet Ali, Burhan,
and herself formed a triangle. And that their coming together at
this point in time, had a purpose. A purpose which may yet culminate
in some sort of tragic reckoning....
Trojan Enchantment
Novel.com Copyright © 2005 by [Kristina O'Donnelly]. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
05/29/08 18:02:15 -0400.
'If good people do nothing,
evil triumphs.’
Say: Can do, Will do!
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