A Writer’s Journey with Lucy Rose

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Lucy Rose tells how and why she decided to “ghost write” her brother’s memoir: The Journalist: Life and Loss in America’s Secret War by Jerry A. Rose and Lucy Rose Fischer (Spark Press, 2020). Her brother, Jerry Rose, was a journalist in Vietnam in the early 1960s. Lucy Rose has written his memoir in “collaboration” with her late brother, based on his journals, letters and other writings—giving the term “ghost written” a whole new meaning.

She began working on this book almost thirty years ago—which may be some kind of record.  Along the way, she has had a lot of help from other writers, editors, and coaches, most especially Marni Freedman. She is extraordinarily grateful.

Click here to watch the book trailer.

Q & A with Lucy Rose Fischer with Laura Engel 

LE: Writing and crafting a memoir in collaboration of your late brother, Jerry Rose is fascinating Lucy. When did you first decide to write his story? 

LRF: This has been a very long journey. I had the first thoughts about this book some time in the 1980s. I heard a presentation at a conference from a writer who had a book about his experiences as a soldier in Vietnam. I had the quick thought—my brother’s life as a journalist in Vietnam would be a fascinating story—different from the perspective of a soldier. I knew that my sister-in-law, my brother’s widow, was storing all his papers. 

LE: What did you learn while working on The Journalist about Jerry and about yourself? 

Photo of Jerry Rose

LRF: My brother, Jerry Rose, was a painter and a writer—he had earned an MA from the Iowa Writers Workshop, had published short stories in literary magazines, and was working on a novel. While working on this book, I immersed myself in his story and his life—in a way that would not have been possible if I had not crafted this book. He was a remarkable person, ambitious but also very caring and concerned about both Vietnam and the US. He was driven to tell the truth about what he witnessed.

LE: What was the hardest part of writing your book and how did you push through and continue writing? 

LRF: This book went through many, many versions—I wrote 100 versions of manuscripts to complete one book. The first one was a biography—very different from this memoir, which is written in my late brother’s voice. One of the hardest parts was to decide what to NOT include—whole episodes, chapters, and characters got left on the cutting room floor. I had a lot of help—editors, coaches, and readers. Marni Freedman and Judy Bernstein were especially instrumental. The previous books I had published were very different from this one—so there was a big learning curve.

LE: If other writers are interested in writing a similar memoir, what is your advice to them? 

LRF: This is hard work and requires a lot of commitment, but you can’t let your ego get in the way. For me, the task was to craft the best book I could—that was how I could honor my brother. If that meant revising, revising and revising—that was okay. It’s as if, many years ago, I entered a long, long tunnel. The book that has emerged on the other side of the tunnel is not what I started out to write—it’s much, much better. And I am immeasurably grateful for all the help I’ve received along the way.

LE: What would you like your readers to take away with them after they finish your book? 

LRF: I think there are a few messages: 1) it’s a story about the war—Jerry, as a journalist in the early 1960s was a witness to how America’s Vietnam War fiasco began; 2) it’s a story about a journalist—at a time when journalists are especially at risk, this is a story of courage; and 3) it’s a brother-sister story—my brother was my first mentor as a writer, so, in a way neither of us could have anticipated, he trained me to write his book. 

About Lucy:
Lucy Rose Fischer, PhD, author, artist and social scientist, is the author of six books and has won awards for her research, her books and her art. She is featured on the public television program “Life Changing Art.” www.lucyrosedesigns.com