Pinnacle Stories

You have probably read a book about the Spanish Civil War. Have you ever wondered how an author could write such a book? Today, you’re lucky to meet Roc Casagran, a well-known author in Catalonia, especially for his book Ara que estem junts.

How did you start your career as an author?

Well, I started my career as an author by writing as a hobby when I was a teenager, and there came a point when I was lucky enough to submit a prize, a collection of poems, and they published it. So, the prize was having the book published. And that’s how I started by publishing my first book. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to publish many more.

Was there anyone in particular who inspired you to become an author?

No, I don’t think it was anyone in particular, because there is no author that I can say I looked up to, nor anyone in my environment who was dedicated to this. I believe it was a matter of circumstances, from one thing to another. When I was a child, I already liked reading, I enjoyed writing, and I was good at it. At home, my parents always gave me the support I needed. And over the years, as I kept reading and writing, I found that the label people use to define me is ‘author.’ Just as I could have been, I don’t know, a carpenter, or I could have been a doctor.

Which genre do you enjoy writing the most? Why?

I enjoy writing, and it’s harder to say which genre I would focus on, because throughout my life I’ve written whatever I’ve felt like at the moment. I’ve combined it all; I’ve written poetry, I’ve written short stories, I’ve written novels, I’ve written radio play scripts, I’ve written whatever came to mind at that moment, and I feel comfortable with all of it. Because if I didn’t feel comfortable with something I do, I wouldn’t do it. I don’t have the incentive of wanting to make a living from it—I make a living as a teacher, so I write whatever I feel like at the moment, also depending a bit on my availability of time.

How do you separate working in teaching and as a writer?

I organize myself as best as I can. It has never been something premeditated to be both a teacher and a writer. I really enjoy both jobs, and I try to combine them as best as I can. Obviously, it also depends a bit on my personal situation. When I didn’t have children, I had more time, and on weekends or perhaps in the summer, I could lock myself away and write. Once I had children, I needed to take care of them, obviously; I had to be there for them, so I have less time now and I need to organize myself differently. But I feel comfortable having two professions, so to speak, because each one brings something different to me.

How did you feel when your first book was published?

It’s a very big emotion. It’s a first time, and first times are always unique. The emotion of holding the book, of touching the book, of seeing your name written on the cover, being able to flip through it, seeing it displayed in a shop window, and then, on top of that, meeting people you didn’t know at all who have read it. Well, that’s a magical moment.

How did you start writing the book Ara que estem junts?

Ara que estem junts did indeed start with a reading, the first idea, the first inspiration came from a book. Earlier, we talked about inspiration, and here it comes from a reading, which is Els vençuts by Xavier Benguerel. I read this book when I was about 14 or 15 years old, and I was very surprised by everything it explained. It’s a book about Argelers, and I was shocked that I didn’t know anything about it. At 14 or 15, that nobody had ever mentioned the concentration camps in Northern Catalonia, which were relatively close to home—because from my house to Argelers it’s about a couple of hours by car, which is relatively close… not that long ago, 60, 70 years ago, because in the context of history, it’s not much. And that no one had ever told me about it. The moment I discovered this book is when I started to research, I started asking myself questions, looking for information, and over the years, that turned into a novel.

Why did you decide to write this book?

I had a lot of doubts when I started writing it, wondering if it was worth it, because I’m not a historian, and I thought, ‘Maybe I’m stepping into a field that isn’t mine.’ Until I realized that, deep down, it’s not just a book about history, but a book that also speaks to us about the present. I realized it was ultimately about a war and an exile, and unfortunately, wars and exiles will continue to exist in our world. So, I thought maybe it was worth it, because it was a book that talked about the past, but also about the present, and we could extrapolate the Spanish Civil War to any other war happening anywhere in the world, at any time.

How did you gather information about the real events that appear in this book?

I initially gathered information through readings, history books, and literary works by people who had been through Argelers, and in general, the camps in Northern Catalonia. Then, in a second phase, I interviewed my grandparents for a long period of time. They lived through the Spanish Civil War in Sabadell, so they could tell me about the reality of Sabadell during the Civil War. Later, I was fortunate to interview a few people who had been through the camps in Argelers, and they very generously shared their experiences and stories with me.

Is that why you decided to make the town of the main characters Sabadell?

I decided that the story should begin in Sabadell for two reasons. First, because it’s my city and I’m from here, and I think it’s worth mentioning. But also because I believe it’s a good example to show that stories don’t always have to take place in big cities; they don’t have to be in Barcelona, New York, Paris, or London. Interesting events, events that can turn into literature, can happen anywhere in the world. So, I decided not to hide where I was from and to focus on Sabadell. Furthermore, there was an extra point that seemed interesting: to talk about the Civil War from a place where the bombs didn’t explode directly. The bombs were falling just a few kilometers away, but still, the situation was harsh and caused a lot of suffering for the population there.

What message did you want to convey through this book?

I think the main message is that one day we could find ourselves in the same circumstances as the protagonists of the story. In fact, there’s a moment in the novel when some refugee children arrive from another place, in this case from Spain, and they are treated in a way that’s not entirely right. At one point, they reflect and say, ‘Wow, one day it could be us,’ and that’s exactly what happens to them. I think the interesting message is this, right? If we are generous, if we are empathetic with those who arrive seeking a better life, fleeing from various conflicts in their homeland, because you never know in what situation you’ll find yourself tomorrow. And when you do, you’ll surely want to find empathetic people, generous people, people who welcome you as we would want to be welcomed ourselves.

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to write and become a future author?

I would advise them to write for the joy of it, without worrying about whether they’ll be able to do it professionally. That happens very rarely, and what’s important is that, throughout the journey toward publishing a book—if they’re lucky enough to do so—they should enjoy the process. The things we enjoy, as we’ve mentioned before, are the things we make time for and do better than things we don’t like. No one is obligated to write, and no one is obligated to be a writer, so if someone wants to write, they should do it because it brings them joy. And to be able to write well, it’s essential to read a lot. As human beings, we learn through imitation, and it’s difficult to write well if we don’t read first. So, my advice is: first, read a lot, and second, write for the enjoyment of it. If they get lucky and manage to publish, that’s wonderful. If they publish and find readers, even better. But if not, at least the journey will have been worthwhile.