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Literary Scene -
Literary Features
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May 2008
She's worked as a bookseller, publisher and a writer. Jane Johnson has been working in the world of books for more than 20 years! As the Publishing Director at HarperCollins UK she was responsible for publishing the works of JRR Tolkien during the 1980's and 1990's and worked on Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. She's written several children's books as well as the three bestselling visual companions to the Lord of The Rings films. This May her latest work, The Tenth Gift, hits the book shelves here in Toronto and across the county.
Christopher Turner had the chance to sit down with Jane and ask her a few questions for Experience Toronto. Here's what she had to share with us!
Ten Questions With Jane Johnson 
ETO: What inspired you to write The Tenth Gift?
Jane: Well... I was brought up in Cornwall hearing a family legend about an ancestor in the 17th century who was stolen out of a Cornish church by Barbary pirates and sold into the North African white slave trade. I always thought my Mother was making it up! I didn't believe a word of it, until a few years ago when I heard mentions of a pirate raid in 1625. I began doing some research. I didn't immediately think I would write a book about it. But then I thought what a great novel it would make!
ETO: Where did you begin?
Jane: In order to research I needed to go to Morocco. I'd always been fascinated in Morocco so off I went. I needed a travel companion to come with me to do my research and the only person I could think of was my climbing partner, Bruce. I told him "come with me to do my research and I will take you climbing after".
ETO: I've read while you where away researching the story a series of "remarkable event" change your life. Tell us about them.
Jane: Off we went and did my research. It was so exotic. And so close to the UK. Only three hours away! After researching for 2 weeks we went to go climbing and because of the weather that day we couldn't. To pass the time we walked into this establishment and met the proprietor, Abdel Bakrim, who made such an impression on me. Such charisma...
At last the weather cleared and Bruce and I started up this monster route. It was a difficult 1,500 metre climb up to the Lion's Head. There where all sorts of hazards from the rain. The light failed and we had no way down. At 10:00pm my mobile phone went off. It was a colleague from work telling me about a black tie dinner when I would get back. Well I realized I could use my phone so I called the restaurant in the local village and got Abdel and asked him to let everyone know we were ok. He told me that they would come and find me. I thanked him but told im given our postion it would be impossible. He spent the night worrying about me and I spent the night thinking of him. It was a spark that then became a flame. It made me realize you don't need to talk to people very much to be compatible.
The next day as soon as the sun rose we made our way down. Abdel and a group of well-wisher where there overjoyed. Abdel put an antique silver ring on my finger for my protection. I returned home and we phoned every night for 6 weeks until I went back to Morocco on my own. Six months later we were married.
ETO: That's incredibly romantic. So now how do you juggle your role at HarperCollins UK and your own writing?
Jane: Well I'm not in the office very often! Now I work remotely between a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains and Cornwall.
ETO: Let's change gears a bit. Who is your favorite author?
Jane: It changes all the time. I will give you two. Mary Renaults, a historical writer and British novelist (Dame) Daphne du Maurier.
ETO: What are you reading right now?
Jane: Henning Mankell, a Swedish writer. Crime fiction about inspector Kurt Wallander.
ETO: Your guilty literary pleasure?
Jane: I love thrillers... That's my guilty literary pleasure!
ETO: Have you had the chance to visit Toronto before?
Jane: No I haven't. But I love visiting new cities. I love to be out experiencing them.
ETO: What Toronto hot spots are you most looking forward to checking out while you're in Toronto?
Jane: Bloor Street and Yorkville. I have heard they are lovely for shopping. And Ben McNally's Bookshop! I have heard it's beautiful. And there is nothing I love more than being surround by beautiful books.
ETO: What is the one thing you want readers to take away after reading The Tenth Gift?
Jane: It's never too late to start your life... We not only get second and third chances. We get nine and ten. Miracles really can happen.
About The Tenth Gift:
In an expensive London restaurant Julia Lovat receives a gift that will change her life. It appears to be a book of exquisite 17th-century embroidery patterns but on closer examination Julia finds it also contains faint diary entries. In these, Cat Tregenna, an embroideress, tells how she and others were stolen out of a Cornish church in 1625 by Muslim pirates and taken on a brutal voyage to Morocco to be auctioned off as slaves.
Captivated by this dramatic discovery, Julia sets off to North Africa to determine the authenticity of the book and to uncover more of Cat's story. There, in the company of a charismatic Moroccan guide, amid the sultry heat, the spice markets, and exotic ruins, Julia discovers buried secrets. And in Morocco – just as Cat did before her – she loses her heart.
Almost 400 years apart, the stories of the two women converge in an extraordinary and haunting manner that will make readers wonder – is history fated to repeat itself?
The Tenth Gift is available everywhere on May 6, 2008!
Author Links:
Jane Johnson's Offical Website: http://www.janejohnsonbooks.com
Jane Johnson's Children's books: http://www.janejohnson.eu
Jane Johnson's books written as Jude Fisher: http://www.judefisher.co.uk
Random House Of Canada: http://www.randomhouse.ca
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