We are so thrilled to chat with Anne Clermont, author of Learning to Fall. Here, Anne shares a few facts about herself and gives us a sneak peak into her workspace!
On the bottom half of my nightstand lives my TBR stack. On top I have a scented candle, my Jivamukti lavender massage lotion, the book I’m currently reading, and a wire ‘Mom’ sculpture from my daughter. I typically sip either a bedtime tea or a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon while reading before I go to sleep. This is probably my favorite time of day—outside of when I’m writing, of course.
Amelia, Brynn’s mother, was the most difficult to write by far. She is such a complex character and I had a tough time showing her in her real form. I wanted her relationship with Brynn to be sweet, yet I knew she was haunted by her own demons and fears; frustrated with not being able to follow her own dreams; angry at her husband for leaving her. I wanted her to be as real and deep as I knew she was, yet conveying that, without making her too harsh, was a challenge.
I think most people would be surprised to know that English is my fourth language. I was born and raised in Poland, and for several years I learned German. Due to political reasons we ended up moving to Holland, where I quickly picked up Dutch – my parents even asked me to help translate our Dutch immigration documents for Canada! We ended up moving to Canada, though at the time I thought we’d be moving to the Wild West and I cried and begged them to stay in civilized Holland. It wasn’t until I realized that Lucy Maud Montgomery was Canadian that things suddenly seemed promising: I would finally get to visit Lucy Maud Montgomery’s home.
When I first started writing Learning to Fall we lived on top of a 2000-foot mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean. When we walked at night, sailboat lights twinkled as Half Moon Bay settled in for the night. Silicon Valley and San Francisco lights signaled the city coming alive. We ran a 75-horse equestrian center, had a lesson program and a show jumping training program, we had two beautiful daughters and a stallion we invested in. Horses neighed to me in the morning, bunny rabbits hopped as I pulled in, blue jays danced on our front deck. It was a fairy tale come true. Yet some of my toughest lessons in life and some of my the darkest experiences, happened there. Running a business, raising two young children and dealing with the ups and downs of running an equestrian center, surrounded by people who, in essence, shared my home, was a mixed blessing. We’ve all heard rumors about horse people… some of them are true! I quickly burned out and realized I wasn’t cut out for real-life drama. I needed a creative outlet, a place that felt safe, a place to pour my emotions into. Brynn’s story slowly took shape. After the horses and children were tucked in, I would turn off Quickbooks, close the Excel spreadsheets and the mail program, and turn off my phone. I’d light a candle, turn on some music, pour myself a glass of wine, and start telling Brynn’s story. Luke’s story. Amelia’s story. Jason’s story. I finally came alive, in my own secret world, inspired, connecting with my one perfect reader.
I love to work in my home office with occasional times out in cafes. Writing there helps me get in my flow more easily. After the kids have left for school and I’ve finished cleaning up after breakfast, I grab my first cup of coffee and head to my office. My dog beats me to it every time—laying right next to my chair. The cats and our little pet Conure frequently join me, too. Surrounded by horse pictures and paintings, my pets, having a view of the lush forest from my desk… what could be better than that?
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