Every now and then I will read a book for endorsement by a new author that really knocks my socks off. Today on the Edge it is my pleasure to welcome Carla Stewart, a novelist whose debut book, Chasing Lilacs, sent me searching for toe coverage. If you had Superman vision, you would see that my endorsement of this lyrically written book is floating in the clouds on the front cover – high in the sky where there are no socks. I wasn’t the only who loved this book. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review.
Here is the storyline in a nutshell:
Edgewise: Where did the idea for Chasing Lilacs come from?
Carla: It sprang from childhood curiosity—the occasional whisper about someone who’d had a nervous breakdown or shock treatments. The term “nerve problems” frequently cropped up with no explanation of what that meant. Not only were these taboo topics for conversation in the 1950s, I later learned that the ailments themselves were often misunderstood and not always treated properly. As a writer, I wanted to explore what it might have been like for an adolescent girl from that era to have a mother with these problems.
I also wanted to write about the place I grew up—a close-knit petroleum camp in
Edgewise: Is there significance for you personally for the lilacs motif? Could the story just have easily been Chasing Peonies?
Carla:
Edgewise: What did you learn about grief and loss while writing this book that you didn’t know before?
Carla: I thought at the outset that I would have clearly delineated phases of grief like you learn about in the books (and which mistakenly I thought I knew all about). I didn’t want it to be clinical, though. As the story unfolded, I struggled with Rita (the mom), trying to determine if she would choose to endure a lifetime of unresolved grief or choose to take her own life. I felt she was, in fact, a victim of circumstance, but I also wanted to show God’s grace and power in being able to stop the cycle by sending people to comfort and guide young Sammie so she didn’t fall victim herself. Putting myself in their skin was uncomfortable, but taught me to be true to the story.
Edgewise: Did any of the characters end up surprising you? The story evolve in ways you did not expect?
The garage took on a much larger role than I had originally intended, but a very wise editor who read an early draft suggested I had missed a great opportunity for Sammie to have a fear of the garage. When I began to build that thread, the story took a sharp right turn. All the elements were there; I just had to make the most of them.
Edgewise: Some reviewers have said your book has a Young Adult feel to it but I think that designation sells it a bit short. Were you writing to a YA audience? Am I the naïve one here? Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible has scads of its pages written by young protagonists and I don’t think of it as a YA novel. What are your thoughts?
Carla:
I am always tickled, though, when people tell me they enjoyed the nostalgic parts for that is where my heart truly is as an author.
Edgewise: Chasing Lilacs got a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Describe the moment you learned of it. How do you feel about that moment now?
Edgewise: What’s next on the horizon for you?
Carla:
Thank you, Susan, for having me and being such an encouragement to me. When I grow up, I want to write books like yours. You’re the best!
Edgewise: Nice to have you here of course. And hey, thanks for the affirmation. I may not deserve it, but it sure feels good.
On Monday, Edglings, my thoughts on The Swan Thieves. . .
Lovely to read even more about my good friend Carla and all that went into this wonderful book! What an exciting time for you, and well deserved honors!
Thanks, Myra! And wouldn't it be nice to be with Sooz on the beach in So-Cal instead of here where the heat and humidity have us by the throat?
Thanks, Susan, for having me. You are the best!
What a great interview. I loved this book!