Ask the Author: Leslye Walton
Answered Questions (43)
Leslye Walton
Shaona! Thank you for taking the time to ask me such delightful questions! Let's see if I can do them justice!
1. My advice for teen writers is very simple: write. Write as often as possible, for as many people as possible. Keep honing your craft. And while you're at it, read books from authors you admire.
2. A lot of my characters are inspired from the people in my life--Cardigan was based on my childhood best friend, and Henry on a young boy I used to nanny. Even Trouver was inspired by a dog I used to walk while in grad school! And, of course, much like Marigold Pie, I simply love dessert--especially macarons!!
3. I have many favorite books! I loved Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, as well as Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, and I devoured Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone!
4. I'd love to see a Tim Burton-style Ava Lavender movie or miniseries. I don't actually have any thoughts on casting. What do you think?
Thanks again for your questions!
1. My advice for teen writers is very simple: write. Write as often as possible, for as many people as possible. Keep honing your craft. And while you're at it, read books from authors you admire.
2. A lot of my characters are inspired from the people in my life--Cardigan was based on my childhood best friend, and Henry on a young boy I used to nanny. Even Trouver was inspired by a dog I used to walk while in grad school! And, of course, much like Marigold Pie, I simply love dessert--especially macarons!!
3. I have many favorite books! I loved Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, as well as Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, and I devoured Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone!
4. I'd love to see a Tim Burton-style Ava Lavender movie or miniseries. I don't actually have any thoughts on casting. What do you think?
Thanks again for your questions!
Leslye Walton
Thank you so much for your question! The novel started as a short story inspired by the song "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" by Colin Hay. Viviane's parts of the novel were directly taken from that short story. Over time, I started collecting characters, characters that seemed to also belong in this strange little world, and the story emerged from there. Many of my characters are based on the people and places that I love. Ava was inspired by a photo of my younger sister. At the time the picture was taken, my sister was about 11 years old. She was running, and the large white t-shirt she was wearing billowed out behind her as if she had wings. And it was in writing that description that I came to a stop, my fingers poised over the keyboard, and I thought, "No. Not as if she had wings. She has wings."
The rest of the story emerged from there. Cardigan was based on my childhood best friend, and Henry on a young boy I used to nanny. Even Trouver was inspired by a dog I used to walk while in grad school! Being from Seattle, it seemed quite natural to base the main part of the novel here. And, of course, much like Marigold Pie, I simply love dessert--especially macarons!!
The rest of the story emerged from there. Cardigan was based on my childhood best friend, and Henry on a young boy I used to nanny. Even Trouver was inspired by a dog I used to walk while in grad school! Being from Seattle, it seemed quite natural to base the main part of the novel here. And, of course, much like Marigold Pie, I simply love dessert--especially macarons!!
Leslye Walton
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Leslye Walton
Thanks for your question, Sophia! While I was writing Ava Lavender, I read just about as much magical realism as I could get a hold of--Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, Alice Hoffman's Illumination Night, as well as Nick Bantock's Griffin & Sabine were particularly inspiring. As were the movie Pan's Labyrinth and Amelie.
Leslye Walton
Thank you for your question, Kaleigh! A compliment from a bookseller is one I take seriously indeed! I'm thrilled to tell you my next novel, The Price Guide to the Occult, comes out March 13, 2018! It's a bit different from Ava Lavender and a departure from magical realism, but I hope it resonates with readers such as yourself as much as Ava did.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Leslye Walton
Thanks for your question! I'm so glad you enjoyed that aspect of the novel. I have a rather large extended family, and I find our lives tend to weave together regardless of whether we want them to or not. Perhaps this is why I can't help but tell stories that include large family histories. I'm hesitant to say very much about my next novel, but I will say that though my new protagonist's family members might not play as large of a part in the story as Emilienne or Viviane did in THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER, you can bet they'll be there.
Leslye Walton
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Leslye Walton
Thank you so much Kimberly! And thank you for such insightful questions. I have to admit, the characters themselves inspired the plot of Ava Lavender, and it was their decisions that led to such tragedy. They never seemed to listen to me! To be honest, as difficult as it was to watch these lovely characters of mine make such horrible choices, I really enjoyed writing Ava Lavender. None of it was difficult to write, instead, there were certain characters that I really enjoyed to write a bit more than others--I am particularly fond of Marigold Pie and Rene Roux.
Leslye Walton
Thank you Lexxy! I am editing my second novel right now. It's set to be published September 2017.
Leslye Walton
Hello Mikaela! Thank you for your question! As Ava Lavender was the first novel I ever wrote, I was learning how to write a novel as I wrote it, so my process was hodge-podged at best. When writing my second novel, I found outlining to be really helpful and I always start any of my writing projects by first exploring both my characters and my setting. This way, by the time I sit down to actually put words on the page, I have a basic idea of where I'm heading and a lot of descriptions and compiled information to pull from. Hope this helps!! Good luck to you!
Leslye Walton
Thanks Marina! I am currently working on something right this minute, and I can't wait to get to into the hands of my readers! Stay tuned for more information about when and where to expect it!
Leslye Walton
Regardless of whether there's a question or no question, thank you so much for your message! I'm so glad you enjoyed it as much as you did!
Leslye Walton
Hi Supriya! Thank you so much for your message and your lovely review! I'm sorry for taking so long to respond, but I am so happy you enjoyed this little book of mine, and that it pulled you out of your reading slump--trust me, that's happened to me once or twice before ;)
Henry is quite lovely, isn't he. He is undoubtedly one of my favorites as well--I'm so pleased you appreciate him as much as I do.
Again, thanks so much for your message!
Henry is quite lovely, isn't he. He is undoubtedly one of my favorites as well--I'm so pleased you appreciate him as much as I do.
Again, thanks so much for your message!
Leslye Walton
Well, considering Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the greatest magical realist writers of all time, then I'm going to say yes, yes it is! That said, that comparison just made my entire life and now I'm going to go call my mom and brag about it! Ciao!
Leslye Walton
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Leslye Walton
Daniela, thank you so much for your question. I am currently working on something set to come out in March 2017. In the meantime, I am thrilled to say I have a short story that's been included in a historical fiction anthology entitled A Tyranny of Petticoats that comes out next month! It also features stories written by Marissa Meyer, Kekla Magoon, and Marie Lu as well as many other amazing YA authors, so I suggest you check it out! Thanks again!
Leslye Walton
Thank you so much for your question, Mackenzie! I have to say that when I was younger, I was definitely most like Ava in that it felt like it took me a bit longer than others to figure out the ways of the world.
Leslye Walton
I don't at the time being, but if you want to send anything to my publisher, I'm sure they'd be willing to get it to me! Thanks for your question!
Leslye Walton
Like Water for Chocolate is one of my favorite novels, and I would be thrilled if the scenes in Emilienne's bakery read even half as well as the scenes in Laura Esquivel's delicious novel.
Leslye Walton
Hi Allison, thanks so much for your question! You know, when I first started writing The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, I didn't know I was writing a multi-generational piece, and I also didn't know I was writing magical realism. When I figured out those two pieces, the rest just fell into place.
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