Today’s guest on What Cathy Read Next is Libbet Bradstreet, author of Bells of Avalon. I love my historical fiction and I’m a sucker for anything set in Hollywood. So I’m very much looking forward to reading Bells of Avalon just as soon as it reaches the top of my review pile. In the meantime, I’m delighted that Libbet has agreed to answer some questions about Bells of Avalon, the inspiration for the book, and her approach to writing.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
About the Book
Thrust into a limelight she never chose, Katie’s been paired with Danny for as long as she can remember. Films, roadshow tours, and drugstore appearances…post-war Hollywood can’t seem to get enough of the sweetheart team. They’ll even fall in love one day. But young love seldom survives the fog wake of Los Angeles – a place of dreams and nightmares.
Format: ebook (260 pp.), Audiobook Publisher:
Published: 26th July 2015 Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme
Find Bells of Avalon on Goodreads
Q&A: Libbet Bradstreet, author of Bells of Avalon
Without giving too much away, can you tell me a bit about Bells of Avalon?
I would say it’s tale about old Hollywood – and friendship. There’s something about the relationships that we form in our youth; they carry a certain intensity – a certain weight. They have the ability to haunt you for the rest of your life. That can be both a good and a bad thing. There’s a wonderful line at the end of Stephen King’s short story, The Body, that says, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, did you?” I thought about that a lot while writing the book.
How did you get the idea for the book?
I’ve been obsessed with the glamour of vaudeville and the golden age of Hollywood since I was a young. Over the years, I devoured pretty much everything I could find on the subject. Soon I began to discover that – beneath all that sharp glamour – there was a darkness that lay just as deep. So many actors from the early days of film have tragic stories. Many paid a dehumanizing price for fame – for survival within the industry. And despite their contributions to film, many have been forgotten. I think that’s a harsh reality that most of us can relate to, regardless of our occupation. I guess this book was written, partially, as sort of tribute to those forgotten actors who inspired me so much as teenager.
Bells of Avalon is your first novel, so can you tell us a bit about your writing journey?
I’ve had an interest in writing since I was very young. I think my focus sharpened, however, as a result of having some amazing creative writing teachers in college. Two in particular, who are amazing authors in their own right, were Diana Joseph and Jeff Conine. Their influence over my writing sensibility feels almost incalculable to me. I’m lucky to feel their guidance and support whenever I sit down to write anything.
Bells of Avalon is set in the Hollywood of the 1950s. What were the challenges in creating an authentic picture of life in that period?
It was extremely important to me that the period setting ring true. That meant if Katie wore a particular dress, piece of jewellery, or brand of makeup – it all had to be creditably related to her time period. Likewise with the rest of the characters. It was also important that the cultural habitats of WWII-era London and, eventually, the late 60s vibe of Greenwich Village be very reliable. That was sometimes challenging as I obviously have no sense memory of those time periods. Writing those passages felt daunting and technical, at times.
How did you approach the research for the book? Do you enjoy the process of research?
By virtue of my interests, I guess you could say I’ve been informally researching the material since I was young. There were definitely times, though, that I had to do a great amount of new research depending on the direction of the plot. Some days I alternated writing days with research days. That was beneficial because sometimes you can get into this gridlocked state, where you aren’t sure where to go next. A lot of the time, the research will lead you down a completely new, creative pathway. My ultimate goal was that someone who spent their formative years during the 1940s and 50s could pick up the book and feel reminiscent – or at least, see elements of own lives within the setting.
If Bells of Avalon was to be made into a film, who would you love to see play Katie and Danny?
That’s a great question! Danny, in my mind, will always look like Richard Beymer from West Side Story. Katie will always be Esther Ralston. Max came to look a lot like Eric Dane to me…but that could have been due to my mass consumption of Grey’s Anatomy at the time!
Libbet Bradstreet is a pen name. Why did you decide to use a pen name and how did you come up with it?
I guess I’m a bit of a private person, so using a pen name felt more comfortable. I did want the name to mean something, though. Bradstreet is an old family surname – and it serves as a dual allusion to my favourite comedian and indie filmmaker, Brad Jones. Libbet is a nickname I stole from a close high school friend (don’t worry…she gave me permission!)
Which other writers do you admire?
Christine Fletcher, Carole Radziwill, Sarah Dessen, Stephen King, Lloyd Alexander, Ann Brashares, Daphne Du Maurier, Nora Roberts, Zoa Sherburne, Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov, Cindy Bonner, Dodi Smith, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Helen Maslin, Charlotte Bronte, Bette Greene, Joyce Carol Oates. Too many to count!
What a great list! What would be your favourite Hollywood movie to curl up in front of the TV with?
Postcards from the Edge with Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine
What are you working on next?
I’m finishing up a collection of YA short stories. The stories share a common, coming-of-age sentiment, but they also exist within vastly different genres/settings/time periods. I’m experimenting a bit with sci-fi and horror, so it’s a bit different from what I’ve done in the past.
Thank you, Libbet, for those fascinating answers. I’m sure reading about the book and its inspiration has created a lot of interest in Bells of Avalon. Who can resist the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood?
About the Author
Libbet Bradstreet is a philanthropy writer currently residing in Austin, Texas. Since 2007, she has served as a fiction judge for the New York-based non-profit NYC Midnight. Her short fiction has been published by Ophelia Street Literary Arts Journal. Bells of Avalon is her debut novel.
Connect with Libbet
Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads
About the Author
What Cathy Read Next... 