Former psychiatrist Karen Zelas draws on her own experiences to expertly navigate issues facing New Zealand families. In consultation with other experts and an experienced editor, Zelas makes the crime genre accessible to all readers. Karen talks to NZ Booklovers.
Tell us a little about Safekeeping.
Safekeeping is the second in a crime fiction series, a standalone in which lawyer for child Rebecca Eaton is the central character. The reader is at the centre of the action – sees the world through Rebecca’s eyes, feels it in her heart.
Rebecca has ongoing complications with her own mother and strongly feels a responsibility to protect babies and young children, including one who is under threat of violence even before he is born and another whose parents are divided as to what is best for the child. There are many twists and turns, and I don’t want to spoil your read by giving away the unexpected.
I wanted to portray several contemporary issues that affect children and their families, to thrust them into the reader’s awareness in an impactful manner, that is, through telling a story. The impossible situations Oranga Tamariki staff encounter and are expected to fix on the smell of an oily rag. The acceptability of single sex parents. And others.
The principal thread that binds the story from beginning to end is surrogacy, in which a baby is conceived for the purpose of being given away by the birth mother to surrogate parents. Does this action turn out to be a gift or a disaster?
What inspired you to write this book?
There is currently controversy about all matters I have woven into this book, from dreadlocks and tattoos to single sex couples and domestic violence. Sometimes a story can allow debate from all angles. The unfolding of events can expose positive and negative outcomes that might not have been expected.
In my view, people enjoy being immersed in things that are familiar to them – they identify familiar places, familiar experiences, eg their home town Ōtautahi Christchurch, Covid/Omicron. In other words, they enjoy enjoying themselves. They also like to be emotionally drawn to characters, whether they love them or hate them or share their feelings about something or someone. The positive comments I received from friends regarding the first novel in the series, Resolutions, confirmed this and were a stimulus for the sequel, Safekeeping.
I also like to weave factual and current information into the story so that people might learn something without becoming bored or without slowing down the energy and progression of the story.
What research was involved?
In my former capacity as a child and family psychiatrist I frequently functioned as an expert witness within the justice system. I also had much experience of working closely with family lawyers. Time has moved on and I made a career shift from family psychiatry to writing; laws have altered, so I sought out legal colleagues who could update me, or comment upon details of a fictional situation.
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
Since I retired in 2006 from medical practice, I took some writing courses at Canterbury University and gave writing priority each day. I set a daily 1500 word target.
If a soundtrack were made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.
In my view, this is a specialised task for a Musical Director. There are highs and lows in this novel; love and tenderness; violence and vulnerability and each would, I imagine, need to have suitable accompanying music.
‘Bright Eyes’ sung by Art Garfunkel. When I eventually realised what you were considering, this song immediately came to mind and wouldn’t go away. To me, the song depicts the vulnerability of young children and the depth of feeling even an observer might have stirred up in them.
What did you enjoy the most about writing Safekeeping?
Writing the dialogue.
What do you hope people will take away from reading this novel?
I hope their interest will have been aroused and that they will have learnt something of procedures dealt with in our family courts. I hope they will have learned something about surrogacy, the rough and the smooth and the fact that procedures have still to be adequately defined. I hope they will feel increased responsibility for their own children and for those of others – the emotionally deprived, at risk, the vulnerable, in need of things their own parents cannot provide. I hope they will join in debate about the well-being of children, especially infants. Do you know that most children killed by parents or caretakers are less than two years of age?
What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
This year I have read mainly NZ crime fiction, an expanding genre. It is becoming accepted that crime fiction can also be literary. It can be thoughtful, meaningful and well-written. It can be comic. The characterisation can be complex and deep. And the plot, too, maybe deep, twist and turn, and be influenced by real events. Alternatively, it may be superficial, shallow or violent and, in my opinion, of little merit.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
Already I am mapping out the plot for the next and final book of the trilogy. And I shall set aside some time for writing poetry too.
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