Where Butterflies Go was the winner in the Historical Fiction category of the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Debra Doxer.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The book is called Where Butterflies Go, and it was published in October of 2020.
What’s the book’s first line?
My family was poor, but the city was rich with sounds and smells.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Where Butterflies Go is based on the harrowing true story of one woman’s survival during the Nazi occupation of Poland, and her struggle to find meaning in the aftermath.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
This book is based on the life of my great aunt, who was a Holocaust survivor. Her story was well-known in my family, and I took inspiration from her own accounting. I also obtained the testimony she gave after the war, which is kept in the Yad Vashem archives.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The actions of the main character always seemed extraordinarily brave to me, but now that I have a daughter who is the same age as the main character’s daughter, her actions hit especially close to home. As I wrote this story, I found myself constantly wondering what I would have done if I’d been in her shoes. I still don’t have an answer, and I’m very glad not to be in her shoes.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Everyone thinks they know what happened during the Holocaust or that they’ve heard every story. But each story is different, and each story deserves to be heard and remembered.