Dear Everyone,
Thank you for your continued support of me and my writing. I’m pleased to say that Heather Huffman and I are in talks about co-authoring a romantic comedy whose royalties would be donated to charity. More details will be forthcoming. If you haven’t read Heather’s novel, “Throwaway,” please do. Not only is it a compelling and redemptive read, Heather donates a portion of her royalties to combat human trafficking. I’m honoured to be able to work with her on a project that will continue to support those efforts.
What follows is the third instalment of my interview with Serendipitous, a long time reader. Her words are in bold:
There are many references to art, literature and music throughout “Gabriel’s Inferno.” Did these works inspire the scenes you wrote? Or did the writing come first, to be complemented by art?
In some cases, the artistic elements were part of my original idea. The works of Botticelli and Holiday’s painting of Dante and Beatrice were part of my outline. As the story progressed, pieces of music and literature were added in order to illustrate a point or to signal something to the reader.
You created your characters with a very sure eye. Their mistakes, their failures, and their victories are perfectly in line with what we come to know about them. How much character development was done before you began writing? Was it challenging to adjust when they took an abrupt turn from what you’d planned?
When I began the story, I outlined the arc of the narrative from beginning to end. But the way in which the characters interacted and the things they said emerged through successive drafts. The character of Professor Singer, for example, wasn’t in my original outline. But when I envisioned Professor Emerson’s public lecture, I saw her sitting in the audience and I knew they would have a history.
I can’t imagine the story without her. She’s vile, but she plays a certain role in the progression of Julia and Gabriel’s relationship. Gabriel is rather vague when Julia questions him on what happened with Professor Singer. Did you prefer leaving it to the reader’s imagination?
Yes. The reader can decide for his or herself what happened between Gabriel and Singer. For Gabriel, those encounters were self-destructive and desperate and that wasn’t a place I wanted to go within the context of the narrative.
Paul treats Julia with kindness from the start, and he makes it clear he’d like to be more than a friend. But Julia’s heart knows only one direction, and it leads to Gabriel: someone who acts remote, cold, and even cruel to her on occasion. Do nice guys finish last, even if they’re Virgil?
I don’t think nice guys ever finish last, including Virgil. If someone is good, he is rewarded by being good. No amount of failed relationships or unrequited love can ever diminish that. Certainly, the historical Virgil didn’t finish last. He spends eternity in the Vestibule with Homer and Ovid. (Parenthetically it should be noted that readers shouldn’t give up on Paul so quickly. There is much more in store for him in the sequel)
It’s good to hear that, because Paul deserves happiness and someone who truly appreciates everything he has to offer. Thanks for the little glimpse into the next book!
I’ll be posting more from our interview soon.
All the best and thanks for reading,
SR
I am honoured to have had all three of my novels appear on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. {
This is such exciting news, I’m going to really buy a nice new bookshelf for my Sylvain Reynard library. (don’t act like you won’t be as well people 😉
Loving the GI interviews with the lovely SerendipitousMC!! Thank you both, including Heather Huffman for your wonderful literary gifts.
Smooches
Mistie
Wonderful news.
First, congratulations on your upcoming collaboration with Heather Huffman, is a worthy cause that honors them both.
Second, interesting and enlightening interview with Serendipitous, as always.
And finally, my heart hit a triple somersault on the confirmation of your third … I am happy to know that Gabril’s rapture, will not be my last. Thanks for everything.
This is exciting news,SR, that you and Heather Huffman are working on a new novel. I enjoyed her Throwaway novel very much. And its great to know that proceeds will go to a worthy cause.
I am loving the interview with Serendipitous and looking forward to more interviews in the future about your Gabriel’s Rapture as well!
Maybe you and Heather can do an interview together in the future concerning your new project…
Thanks for this.