![]() ![]() ![]() There are so many great books being published in historical fiction these days, it seems almost cruel to choose just a handful. What are some of your all-time favourite historical fiction reads? Lily was Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest, Leana was Ava Gardner, and Katherine was Lauren Bacall. I have to confess, I’m the worst when it comes to dream casting! However, unusually for me, I did use some photographs of actresses from the period to reference when writing. Who would you cast as Lily, Leana, and Katherine in an adaptation? ![]() I also read a lot of society magazines like The Sketch and Tatler, as well as leaning heavily on the Court Circular-which is still published by The Times to this day-to find out what was happening on the day that my characters were presented. Having that personal experience really lends small but important details to a book. I love the research process for all of my books, but The Last Dance of the Debutante was truly unique because I had the opportunity to speak to several former debutantes. What research did you do for this book? Was there anything you found interesting that you left out of the book? Just like the war opened up opportunities for women, the debutantes were right on the cusp of major upheavals, including the Swinging Sixties, the sexual revolution, and the second-wave feminist movement. Since MacCarthy herself was a deb, it’s filled with all sorts of wonderful details and was a real gold mine for a historical fiction author.Īlthough the debutantes might seem like a definite departure from the World War II books I’ve written before, I’m always drawn to writing about women who are poised to experience great moments of social change. The book follows the 1958 London Season, during which the last group of debutantes was presented at court to Queen Elizabeth II. While we were chatting, she recommended I read Last Curtsey by Fiona MacCarthy. Right around the time I was trying to decide what to pitch to my editor as my next book, my mother and I went out for tea. The Last Dance of the Debutante takes place in England in the late 1950s, which is a bit of a switch from your previous books that have centered around WWII. ![]()
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