Menna van praag biography graphic organizers

Interview

Menna van Praag talks about her recent book, The House at the End of Hope Street, and the inspiration behind the book and its characters.

Was there a real Grace Abbott?

If not, what inspired you to write a story about a sanctuary for women who have run out of hope?
I love Grace; I wish she was real, but as it is she's born out of love, desire, and imagination—inspired by several real people in my life.

The story for The House at the End of Hope Street was in turn inspired by a dream I had to buy a big house and give grants to aspiring artists (writers/painters/singers/actors/etc.) to live there for one year and do nothing else but study and promote their craft.

When I graduated from Oxford I waitressed full–time while writing at night, so I know how hard it is to fulfill an artistic passion while holding down a day job. Anyway, since I can't yet afford to make that a reality I created the f