Author Interview: Maria Elena Sandovici Storms of Malhado
JMR-Welcome to the Books
Delight, Elena. Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun and what
does the perfect day look like?
ES- Hi, Jeanie! Thank you! I’m
excited to talk to you. I live in the Heights in Houston, which is a lovely neighborhood,
full of old houses. I love reading, cooking, walking my dog, painting, and the
occasional day trip to Galveston. The perfect day is one where nothing much
happens, but the weather’s nice, I write, paint, make something good for
dinner, and am reading a good book.
JMR-What’s your favorite
historical time period? Why?
ES- Early 1960s. I love the
aesthetics, yet am appalled at the race and gender inequalities of that decade.
It’s a fascinating time to witness as an outside observer. As a woman, I’m so happy
we don’t have to live in those times. Then again, some of the current social
and political tension we’re experiencing reminds me of the 1960s. Perhaps we’re
undergoing a similar transformation?
JMR-Who is your favorite
historical figure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what would it be?
ES- Coco Chanel. I love that she
was an entrepreneur, also a strong independent single woman. I love her role in
democratizing fashion, making style affordable, getting rid of some of the
constraints women had to deal with (literally: the corset). It would be so hard
to pick just one question to ask her. It would probably be: What’s your advice
for success selling luxury goods at a time of economic upheaval?
JMR- How did you come to be a
writer? You are also an artist how does that influence your writing?
ES- I can’t imagine not being a
writer. I think it came to me at an early age – an extension of my desire to
escape boredom (read: school) and to try to live more than one life. I always
daydreamed myself somewhere else, imagined myself in other people’s shoes.
Being an artist goes really well
with being a writer. It stems from the same desire for escapism but also from a
desire to know the world and the settings I love in a more intimate way. Both art
and writing force you to slow down and truly examine things, to see details one
might normally gloss over, and to make a decision about what is interesting
enough to be included.
JMR- Your first book is set in
Galveston, Texas. What elements do you use to immerse the reader in its
history, the sort that make them feel a part of the story? I’ve spent many a
day at Galveston, would I recognize it in your book?
ES- Storms of Malhado is indeed
set in Galveston, but it is not my first book. It’s my first historical novel, also
the first book that I’ve taken the time to properly promote, which is why it’s
my most successful one. I have written five previous books, all contemporary
women’s fiction, set everywhere from NYC, Cancun, West Texas, Paris, Bucharest,
and the Black Sea. Setting is very important to me as a writer, and Galveston,
where I lived for three of the most transformative years of my life, is a
favorite.
If you spent a day on the Island
you would definitely recognize it in my book – even smell it! I think the best
compliments I received are from readers saying they could smell the salt
air.
The haunted mansion in the story
is inspired by the League House, a real mansion on Broadway. The different
historical eras show the progression of the Island from a wealthy port town to
the devastation of the Great Storm of 1900, the decades of economic struggle
afterwards, then finally its rebirth after Ike. While the characters often find
the Island stifling, the book is ultimately a celebration of Galveston’s magic,
of its capacity for survival and reinvention.
JMR- I live south of Houston
and have ridden out many hurricanes. I am currently watching as Hurricane Iota
blasts into Central America. How do you capture with words the enthralling
terror of a hurricane?
ES- In some ways waiting for
storms is more frightening than the storms themselves. But aside from that
tension, there are scary moments featuring hurricane winds and rising water in
the book as well. I don’t want to give too much away, but characters actually
die and readers get to experience the storms from their point of view. The only
spoiler I’m willing to give up is that the horses live. I would never ever kill
the horses!
JMR- Elena, tell us about your
book, Storms of Malhado.
ES- Storms of Malhado is a
historical novel with paranormal elements. Galveston is the perfect setting for
it, as the veil between life and death is so thin there. Through three
historical eras, three women with strikingly similar destinies face deadly
hurricanes in the same Broadway mansion.
JMR-What projects do you have
in the pipeline? I see you are trying a Kickstarter approach to publishing your
next book. How did it go?
ES- I’m currently writing another
historical novel set in Galveston. The Glory Days of Aimée Bonnard is a historical
mystery about a Galveston prostitute in 1898. You’ll notice I picked a year
without a major storm, and that is on purpose. There’s so much more to
Galveston’s history besides storms, and the history of prostitution is
certainly fascinating. I was very much inspired by historian Kimber Fountain’s
work on the Red Light District, and her idea that prostitutes were not driven
into their line of work by desperation but rather by a desire to be free in a
world that offered women few avenues for independence. I found that worth
exploring.
The Kickstarter is a first for
me. Usually I pay for all professional services that go into my books (editor,
formatting, cover, advertising, etc.). These are expensive but well worth it. They do
make it hard to earn any money, though, as royalties must first cover these
substantial costs, which can take years… I’m ready for my writing and
publishing to no longer be an extravagant hobby, but rather something that pays.
People love to help. They love to see creative projects come to fruition and
creators rewarded. It’s a fun way, too, to offer my readers a little something
extra, a way to engage with this story and the characters in a more personal
and meaningful way. For example, Aimée herself will send some of the
backers letters and tell them a secret that’s not included in the book. Isn’t
that fun?
JMR- Tell our readers how to
find you on social media and the web.
ES- The best place to find me is
my blog: HaveWatercolorsWillTravel.com. I’m also very active on Instagram
(@mariasando) and so is my dog (@biggestdogintheuniverse). I also have a
Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mesandovici)
and a Twitter account (@SandoviciME).
JMR- What question were you
hoping I’d ask but didn’t?
ES- What’s the link for the
Kickstarter? Lol https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2003567733/the-glory-days-of-aimee-bonnard-a-historical-novel?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=the%20glory%20days
JMR- Thanks for stopping by Maria and for a fascinating interview. Good luck with your campaign. Readers if you'd like to see more about Maria's book, Storms of Malhado, click on the Amazon button.
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