Anna Hamilton
Anna Hamilton is one busy person. The owner and operator of Hughie’s restaurant, Anna with her sister Sarah, who owns Trail Center restaurant, is active in many community events in Cook County. Still, she found time to write a book. Anna took a few moments from her busy schedule to answer questions posed by the Cook County News-Herald.
What inspired you to write this book?
Boy was the second book I wrote about Dementia. The first was a memoir about the two years my father was in the nursing home in Grand Marais and that experience as a whole. When the time came to go back and edit, it was too painful, too real. But, because the subject matter of Dementia and Alzheimer’s is very important to me…. as are all of the things I learned while going through it with my dad, I wanted to get my two cents out there, so, I created a story on the subject. Fiction I found is easier to write than nonfiction because with fiction you are on the outside of a story looking in, rather than on the inside trying to fight your way out…Hence Boy.
Did you grow up on a farm?
No, I didn’t grow up on a farm. I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa; I was a city girl but lucky for me, all of my relatives had farms in both Iowa and Kansas. The times spent on these farms were the best times…giving me strong memories of a simple but hard life. I loved it.
Did you pick Iowa as the setting for your book because you grew up there?
Yes, I picked Iowa because that is where I am from, it is where my people are from, and it is where they are buried.
Literally everything in this story, right down to the names of the characters, the animals, the graveyards, the schools, teachers, etc. is pulled from my life. It is what I enjoyed the most about writing it. It was like re-acquainting myself with my life. With each successful paragraph written, I felt gratitude for the whole picture of me and mine.
How long did it take you to write Boy?
Because I only have the winter months to write, and only one day a week at that, this took me three years from start to finish. What was great was that each winter when I picked it back up to start again, I still liked it. Boy was actually finished over a year ago but trying to find an avenue for publishing has been a booger. That’s why it’s on Amazon. It’s a free site to publish and I figured I might as well get it out there while I submit to the endless publishers.
The most important thing here for me is the subject matter. It isn’t all about Dementia. It is about life and love and friendship. It’s sweet. A goal accomplished.
Are you planning to write any more books?
Yes, I am writing another book. Two in fact. One is The Poor Philanthropist. A nonfiction story about parts of my sister Sarah’s and my life while living in this jewel town. We both laugh at the title because there is so much truth in it. Sarah has been here since 1993, and I have been here since 1984. In all of that time we have made millions working our butts off…. and we have given it all away. Our mother used to say: “I came into this world poor and I will go out the same way.” I guess that is true of us as well.
The other book is called The Whore’s Daughter. My grandmother was a prostitute during the 1930s through the 1950s. My mother’s life was unbelievable, to say the least. I am writing this memoir as a tribute to her; she was one amazing woman my mother.
In closing, Anna said, “The majority of the proceeds ($160.00 so far) are going to a nonprofit building project my sister and I hope to begin by this fall. Affordable homes for the working person. A need long overdue in this county. Everyone says it cannot be done. That alone is what fuels me. I am no spring chicken so if it is to be done, it has to be done soon if you know what I mean.
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