An important question most people ask themselves at some point is: What is the purpose or meaning of life? It’s usually during a dark hour, when life appears most bleak. Socrates at his trial for impiety claimed “the unexamined life is not worth living.” He believed that the first step toward finding the meaning of life is to know and deeply understand ourselves. But when people get stuck at the juncture of major change, and reflection yields little, sometimes taking a small step toward the new and unknown launches a journey of discovery.
The Pays Basque, the mystical land half in France and half in Spain, has always been the place I go for reflection. The traditional Basque houses reflect the importance of nature: whitewashed and trimmed in red to signify earth and blood, or green to reflect the crops and mountains, or blue to denote the sea and the sky. Steeped in history, inhabited by Basques and a slew of nationalities, it is, in this author’s view, one of the most beautiful and poignant places on Earth. Specifically, the stretch of coast from Hondarribia, Spain, to Biarritz, France, and the breathtaking Pyrenees are the backdrop and inspiration for Whispering in French. Whilst all the characters and events in this story are fictional, this part of France is, indeed, my homeland. I find inspiration here as have hundreds of painters and writers before me. Indeed, this is the stomping ground of Hemmingway and Picasso among many others. It is almost impossible not to be moved by coastal walks on the littoral, swims in the freezing Bay of Biscay, or hikes to little known peaks in the mountains. But by far, my favorite view has always been that of Les Trois Couronnes—the Three Crowns in the Pyrenees near the coast. It appears to change every day, and in every type of weather. As a child, I loved to imagine that the slumbering lady draped over the peaks would one day wake up and go on to fulfill her centuries of dreams. Hence, a full story was born nearly forty years later.
Occasionally, readers ask me why I write. It’s so simple. To write is to be on a journey of discovery. Often challenging and infuriating, storytelling is also sometimes, if one is very lucky, uplifting for writer and reader alike. All is fair in love and storytelling. Yes, I always hope to entertain, but the goal is to inspire and question life’s purpose. I do so hope Whispering in French accomplishes that goal by reconciling some of life’s harsh realities so that redemption might be found.