Q & A with Hilda Chaulk Murray

1. What is your favourite movie(s)?

I can’t say I have a favourite movie. I don’t think of myself as a movie fan. I quite enjoy the old movies shown on TCN when there’s absolutely nothing else to do. Dr. Zhivago, On Golden Pond, most of those starring Elizabeth Taylor . . . Murdo and I went to the premiere of Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh in August 1961, a Disney children’s movie which I really enjoyed. I have no desire at all to watch a horror movie.

2. What is your favourite food?

I like just about everything. But I think I’d say toasted whole-grain bread is my “comfort” food

3. What do you like to do in your free time?

My first reaction to that question is What free time? I like reading, walking, berry picking, gardening, bowling, and playing spider solitaire (difficult level) on the computer.

4. If you could live during any time period and in any place, when and where would you choose?

I think I was born in the best place and time for me. I don’t think I’d want to change anything about my life to date. But then my sign is Aquarius, and now and then my horoscope says we’re all born fifty years ahead of our time!

5. What other jobs have you had besides being a writer?

I was a high school teacher of English and Math in various places in Newfoundland. My last stint in high school was at Bishops College, St. John’s. I resigned from there and went to MUN to do a master’s in folklore under Dr. H. Halpert. When I graduated I was hired as an instructor in English at the College of Trades & Technology. I saw two other names for the institution before I retired. Sometime after that it became College of the North Atlantic. I loved teaching but once I left, I left. No regrets. It was my work in folklore studies that led to my being a writer. My thesis became More Than 50 %: Woman’s Life in a Newfoundland Outport, 1900–1950. I guess my teaching career has influenced my choice of topics for my books so far. I’m still explaining things to people!

6. When do you like to write (time of day, day of week)? Where do you do your writing (location)?

I’m not a disciplined writer. I can start in the morning and work through to the wee small hours of the next day if necessary. If I have all my research done, interviews, etc., I try to work fairly normal hours during the day. I do my writing directly on the computer. I love being able to delete and cut and paste. One exception: any poetry I’ve done has been on
the spur of the moment and often when I’m out walking by myself. I need to be alone to be able to write anything.

7. What was your first piece in print (book, review, or article, etc)?

My first piece published was More Than 50%. That was brought out by Breakwater Books in December 1979.

8. What is your favourite book(s)?

I couldn’t begin to tell you. I’ve enjoyed so many, many books in my lifetime. My brothers and I always got books in our stockings at Christmas. My favourite book one year was Treasure Island—my brother’s book. For light reading, I enjoy murder mysteries and historical fiction and autobiographies of famous people.

9. What are you reading now?

I always have several books on the go, especially this fall with the proliferation of top notch books by local authors. I’ve been having a feast. However, I recently decided to read The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I found it an interesting piece of fiction but I knew the identity of the Teacher as soon as the character was introduced. P.D. James and Elizabeth George have kept me guessing a lot longer!

10. Make a question of your own and then answer it.

Who would you like to have lunch with?

I enjoy meeting for lunch with several friends from my early days at university: Hannah English Smith, Hope Starkes Squires, and Olga Broomfield-Richards. The food is always good and the conversation stimulating.