Ex Libris has won a number of accolades including the winner of The Global Book Awards. We caught up with the author John Oehler to discover more about the background to his Bestselling book.
What prompted you to write this book?
As with most of my novels, the idea for Ex Libris began with an incident. My wife and I were on a pre-Christmas vacation in Prague when we visited a monastery with two libraries — one for so-called Forbidden Books. I began to wonder what could be more forbidden than a text that contradicted a fundamental aspect of the Bible. The hotel we stayed in and the Christmas Market in Prague’s Old Town Square provided settings, and a local restaurant introduced us to working-class food.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication?
Ex Libris took me about 5 years. Why so long? Because I’m meticulous about accuracy and details. Accuracy because I want readers who’ve experienced the things or situations I describe to say, “He got that right.” Details, including smells and taste, because they help to draw the reader into the story. I also take a lot of care with dialogue and mood. All of this takes time — and numerous rewrites. My hope is that readers will cruise through the story with no idea of how much effort it took.
What was your biggest challenge in getting your book written?
Probably my biggest challenge was all the research I did to get the settings correct. Paris I knew by heart. Not so for most of the other places. Among them, the gypsy enclave was the most fun, along with depicting gypsy culture in a way that would potentially provide new insights for readers. Creating the character of the blind painter was also a challenge, and a fun one.
What aspects of your book do you think readers will find the most fascinating?
I hope they find the biblical conundrum fascinating. It was the impetus for the story. Apart from that, I think they’ll enjoy the mystery, intrigue, and twists.
- When you did the final read-through for the book what was your favorite part of the book?
I like the gypsy/Roma stuff. I wanted a gypsy hero because I’d never seen one in another book, and the Roma people have been persecuted throughout their history. Real Roma may disagree, but I like the way I developed that side of the protagonist’s character. I also like the “forbidden” book I created, which wasn’t easy. Fortunately, I had some excellent help from a rabbi. As an aside, my wife, surprisingly to me, likes the parts of the story that transpire through the rapid-fire text messages.
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