Today author Calla Devlin was kind enough to answer a few of my questions for part of the Tell Me Something Real blog tour!
But before we get to that, here's a little more about the book...
Three sisters struggle with the bonds that hold their family together as they face a darkness settling over their lives in this masterfully written debut novel.There are three beautiful blond Babcock sisters: gorgeous and foul-mouthed Adrienne, observant and shy Vanessa, and the youngest and best-loved, Marie. Their mother is ill with leukemia and the girls spend a lot of time with her at a Mexican clinic across the border from their San Diego home so she can receive alternative treatments.
Vanessa is the middle child, a talented pianist who is trying to hold her family together despite the painful loss that they all know is inevitable. As she and her sisters navigate first loves and college dreams, they are completely unaware that an illness far more insidious than cancer poisons their home. Their world is about to shatter under the weight of an incomprehensible betrayal…
And here is some info about the author of the book, Calla Devlin...
Calla Devlin is a Pushcart nominee and winner of the Best of Blood and Thunder Award whose stories have been included in numerous literary journals and in anthologies, including Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers Reflect on the Mother-Daughter Bond, for which she was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Magazine.
Tell Me Something Real is her first book.
And now for a little Q&A with Calla Devlin...
Describe the book in one sentence.
Tell Me Something Real follows three sisters as their family faces a profound loss, but they ultimately reckon with an earth-shattering betrayal.
What inspired this book?
When I was young, I would travel with my mother, a nurse, to Mexico, where she volunteered at a seaside clinic. My siblings and I were bored and restless. We wanted to be anywhere but there. If we were going to spend afternoons in Baja California, we wanted to swim and shop. We didn’t want to sit in the blazing sun, waiting.
I barely remember the actual building, and I don’t recall seeing the cancer patients my mother spent hours nursing. Whenever I road tripped, I thought of Mexico and the border crossing. I couldn’t shake the memory of that specific drive. I wanted to write about that setting, filling the hospital with characters I’d begun to imagine. I didn’t want to write about a sick child, but I wanted to evoke that helpless almost hostage feeling of waiting, hours on end, knowing something devastating lingered within the halls of the hospital.
Describe each of the main characters with one word.
Adrienne: Firecracker
Vanessa: Big-hearted
Marie: Devout
The story features sisters and their relationship during a difficult time. Were they inspired by anyone?
I have sisters, but they are nothing (NOTHING!) like the Babcock girls. Honestly, I am equal parts Vanessa and Adrienne (after not enough sleep and a ton of coffee). They feel very real to me, but they are unlike anyone I’ve met.
If the book were made into a movie, who would you cast?
That’s a hard question! I think the mom character is the easiest to cast, maybe Cate Blanchett or Jessica Chastain or Nicole Kidman. Definitely an actress who can convey very deep feelings and a hint of darkness.
What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
I love traveling and being at the ocean. I take long walks, especially when I’m working on a book, to think about characters and plot.
What do you like to read?
I love fiction, adult and YA. I’m always on the lookout for books with well-developed characters, beautiful writing, and an interesting story. I love a good love story.
What's next for you?
I’m working on a new novel about a girl whose father, a respected journalist, is abducted while covering a story. She and her mother are left waiting to learn his fate, and while doing so, the girl finds herself and gets to really know her mother for the first time.
A big thank you to Calla for answering my questions!
Everyone should definitely check out her book, Tell Me Something Real!
Also, be sure to check out the other stops on the tour to learn even more about the book and its author!
Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
8/24: Rebelle Reads - Top 10
8/25: The Litaku - Review
Week 2:
8/29: Arctic Books - Review
8/31: The Book Return - Review
And now here is your chance to win one of 3 Finished Copies of TELL ME SOMETHING REAL (US Only)!
Thanks for the interview! I love the inspiration behind this book. I enjoy finding out what authors experienced as a child and growing up.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about the author's experience, and how it led to the idea for the book.
ReplyDeleteDianna