[Exclusive] Armenian writer Syune Sevada’s interview with bestseller author Alex Michaelides

The interview with Alex Michaelides was unexpected, binding and very pleasant. During the conversation I discovered a person who is versatile, interesting and very unique, like his own books. The author of "The Silent Patient" and “The Maidens"spoke about his literary experience, world recognition, his inner roles and, of course, Armenians.

-Generally,  every writer has an objective when writing. One tries to make the world a better place with his books, the other tries to raise the issues in a society, another  would  emphasize spiritual values and so on. What would be your "global" motivations to write?

-Quite simply, my goal is to entertain. I have no pretensions to being a great literary writer, nor a political one. But I have a great love for detective stories, and popular entertainment. And the only thing I ever wanted to achieve as a writer was to give people pleasure. That’s really my only goal.

-You cold-heartedly uncover the external shell exposing the incognito  murderers and criminals, who are respected members of society. This duality in different doses is in fact the tragedy of our time. What do you think contributes to the lives of people who are many faceted with fake lives? 

-I think everyone has a mask that they wear, to some extent. In a book like The Maidens, or The Silent Patient, there are always two stories: the apparent story, and the true story that hides beneath it. I think we’re all fascinated with murderers and extreme sociopathy, because we’re all capable of extremes within ourselves. 

-In your books, you have allocated a big chunk to Greek mythology and it becomes luxurious even when the plot leads to a brutal murder.  Mythology is usually used in modern life to honor the nation that created it, to emphasize its traditions. You also do the same but from a completely different angle. What are the reactions in Greece? I can say in the name of readers in Armenia, that many, thanks to your books, have started to learn about Greek mythology. 

-Well I think that mythology, specifically Greek tragedy, has a great deal in common with a detective story. Both involve an investigation to solve a mystery – with a revelation at the end, and a recognition of the truth finally. What fascinates me about Greek myths is how relevant this stories are. Growing up in Cyprus, I was aware of mythology from an early age; and now there is a real trend for retelling Greek myths in modern settings from modern psychological perspectives. I think people in Greece are more accustomed this than most, and are perhaps less surprised that the stories hold up so well. They are truly timeless. 

-At the heart of the unsuccessful and tragic fates of your main characters the reader finds issues deeply embedded in childhood and society which eventually become fatal for them. This was especially noticeable in your book “The Maidens”. What solutions would you suggest for such circumstances? How would you deal with your “inner demons” to overcome them?  

-I really believe that our childhood shapes who we are. And I think that the only way to overcome childhood trauma is to shine the light of awareness onto it. Alice Miller, the psychoanalyst I quote in both books, always said that not only do we need to understand what happened to us when we were children, but we need to understand what happened to our parents when they were children - only then can we be freed from the unconscious repetition of our childhood, that so often sadly takes place.

- When writing, what motivates you? What takes a lot of energy away from you? Are you born with your heroes? Do you die with them? Are you able to consider them your partners? 

-I suppose the characters are all aspects of myself. That certainly been the case so far. I wouldn’t know how to make someone up, unless they were representing at least some part of my own brain and feelings. So what motivates me I think is to try and apply a deep level of realistic psychology onto a thriller plot. That’s the kind of thing that very much excites me.

- What are the advantages of becoming a bestseller? Many writers say that it creates additional stress because with each book you need to exceed yourself and also prove that your previous successes were not a result of pure chance. What is your perspective? 

-Obviously, it was a really wonderful experience, to go from being a struggling writer to a successful one. The fear of failure is always there, and yes, it probably has increased paradoxically since I have become successful. However I really firmly believe that you can only write to please yourself, and so I keep trying to bring it back to that – to write a story for myself to enjoy, and hopefully there are enough people out there who will also enjoy it.

- What kind of relationship are you in with your readers? How have you built that relationship? I wonder if you might have an interesting story you would like to share?  

-By far the best thing about the success of my books has been the expansion of my world. By that I mean all the people who get in touch with me every day on Instagram, and write to me, saying they have read my books and have either been entertained by them or moved by them or in someway affected by them. It’s an incredible feeling and it makes me so happy. My favourite emails are from people who have been unwell and say my books have given them a few hours of pleasure and a distraction; that is an incredibly rewarding feeling.

- The press, especially yellow journalism, oftentimes tries to penetrate the lives of famous people, including the personal lives of writers. Are you successful in defending your fortress? 

-I don’t really think I’m famous enough to generate much interest. I am a very private person, anyway. So I wouldn’t be particularly open to that kind of exposure. I think all writers are caught between the difficulty of being very private people, and then also putting their work out into the marketplace; so there is a duality there which is difficult to navigate sometimes.

-You have stated that you had written most of “The Maidens” during lockdown. I hope that our lives have not changed indefinitely. What kind of prerequisites are necessary in your daily routines in order to be able to be actively creative? 

-I think solitude is very important for a writer. It’s very important not to have other peoples voices inside your head. I certainly like to meditate a great deal when I write, and I go for long walks, and try to stay inside ‘the river’ as much as possible. It’s a funny process. It’s partly magical, and partly architectural.

-“Alex Michaelides is a renowned international best seller author.” Apart from that, who is Alex?

That’s something I’m trying to work out for myself at the moment! I’ll have to come back to you on that…

-My country and people, like Greece, are among the oldest inhabitants of the earth and have always had friendly ties with Greece. Does that warmth reach you today? Do you know about Armenians and what they are like through your eyes? 

 I grew up in Cyprus, where as I’m sure you know there is a large Armenian population. So I grew up with many Armenian friends at school and afterwards. And they have often always been some of my favourite people, educated, sensitive, and very warm. So I think yes there is a great deal of similarities between Greeks and Armenians.

- Armenia is a small country, but book-loving and very sentimental towards that market ․ You have been loved, accepted, and are one of the favorites of our bibliophile society. In your opinion, what is it that has made you occupy the hearts in small and big countries as well as the market? 

-When I was a young writer I used to try and write things to appeal to the whole world, and ended up appealing to nobody. My writing tutor at the American film Institute always used to say it was a paradox, and the more personal your story is, the more interest you are to the world. I think that’s the secret to it. To try and be as deep and truthful as you can be. And then more people relate.

-The Armenian reader would be very appreciative of a direct message received from you. Would you want to add anything? 

I’m thrilled that my books are popular in Armenia and I am so glad that there is an interest in my writing there. I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me and I’m very grateful.