An Interview with Betty Wall

Betty R. Wall was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures (M.A.), she has spent most of her professional career working in translation. In her free time, she continues to pursue her love of writing and travel, which has taken her to various parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. She is the author of No Way Out, a Canada Book Awards Winner, published in 2021. All That This House Has to Offer is her first short story collection.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

This is an interesting question. I had initially decided on the title “Safe Haven,” which is also the title of one of the short stories. A quick Google search revealed that there was already a plethora of books with this title. I discussed the  issue with my daughter, who knew what the book was about. Within about thirty seconds, she said “How about All That This House Has to Offer?” It resonated with me immediately.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

My first thought when I saw this book cover in print form was “This is perfect.” The cover itself tells a story and invites the reader in. I liked it so much that I ordered a poster and bookmarks with this artwork as well.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve long had an interest in writing. For a number of years, I participated in the Freefall Writing Workshops put on by Barbara Turner-Vesselago. The first iteration of this particular collection of short stories was mostly written shortly after my mother passed away when it suddenly became a matter of urgency to record these stories and memories.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I have worked as a German>English translator and have translated many, many technical documents for the automotive industry! I also love to bake.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The feedback I’ve received from unexpected places and the way in which the stories are resonating with my readers.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

A different song for each story. In some cases, German hymns, for another, “A German Requiem” by Brahms, pop music from the sixties and early seventies, and a bit of jazz.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I think that the Thomas King quote “The truth about stories is that that’s all we are” says it all. The importance of storytelling and that everyone has a story. I’d like these stories to evoke the readers’ own stories and encourage them to tell theirs, whether orally or in writing.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am currently in the incubating stage, waiting to see what comes up next. In the meantime, kitchen and bathroom renovations!

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

It is a pleasure working with Atmosphere Press. I love the fact that human interest is at the forefront and that what the author wants and thinks matters. This is my second time working with Atmosphere. My novella No Way Out was published by Atmosphere in January 2021. The cover art for it was wonderful as well. I also appreciate that copyediting is now being handled by two copyeditors, to ensure that spacing and format are consistent and that typos and grammar mistakes are caught before going to print. So, we have a developmental editor, two copyeditors, cover design, interior design, and more, all to create a complete package in a relatively short period of time!

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.