Ask the Author: Chantal Gadoury
Answered Questions (11)
Chantal Gadoury
Hmmm, probably the easiest plot to write about a girl who misplaces her car keys five minutes before she's supposed to go to work. And as soon as she finds the keys, she can't find her phone. Those are the greatest mysteries plaguing me as of late !
Chantal Gadoury
Hi MacKenzie! Thank you so much for your question and for taking the time to read "WinterDream" and enjoy it! I was certainly so much writing the Nutcracker retelling! "WinterDream" is definitely a standalone novel.
If you loved that book (and you love Disney! Me too!) you might actually enjoy the newest novel coming out sometime in 2024 called "Until the Last Page." Be sure to keep your eyes out for it!
If you loved that book (and you love Disney! Me too!) you might actually enjoy the newest novel coming out sometime in 2024 called "Until the Last Page." Be sure to keep your eyes out for it!
Chantal Gadoury
What a great question! If I could travel to any fictional book world, I think I'd love to travel to "A Court of Thorns and Roses" - only because it's one of my favorites! I am, ironically, sending a few of my characters into a fictional world of fairytales! Be on the lookout for my newest title, "Until the Last Page."
Chantal Gadoury
I'm actually not quite sure where you saw that I wrote 300 books. (I wish!) I've only written 3... If someone had written 300 books, it would have to be someone like.. Danielle Steel, who has been writing for years and years and years (and drinks A LOT of coffee!) lol
Chantal Gadoury
Hello Ashley! Thanks for sending me in a question (I'm so sorry I've taken this long to respond to it!) I agree about "Allerleirauh." I grew up loving this fairy tale (mostly the dresses element!), and I noticed it wasn't a story that a lot of authors were writing about. I'm glad that I tackled it too!
As for plans in writing other fairy tales (or fairy tale retellings), I'd love to. Honestly there are a few fairy tales that I'd love to write and elaborate. I've thought about a "Snow White and Rose Red" retelling.. but I haven't quite found a fairy tale that is anything like "Allerleirauh" and how much it came to mean to me. I've thought about more Greek Mythology stories (my first novel, "Seven Seeds of Summer" is based on the Myth of Hades and Persephone) and I've often thought about either revisiting that world or creating another.
Thanks to Robin McKinley, I'd love to write something in regards to "Beauty and the Beast" or Susan Kay's "Phantom." (All stories that have been with me for years and years.)
I do have a "Mermaid" story outline. It's something that I'm slowly working on. For now, I'm putting my focus to a YA Contemporary which is mostly based on some things that happened to me while I was in High School.
But I hope to bring more Fairy Tales to the plate in the future!
Thanks for writing in!
As for plans in writing other fairy tales (or fairy tale retellings), I'd love to. Honestly there are a few fairy tales that I'd love to write and elaborate. I've thought about a "Snow White and Rose Red" retelling.. but I haven't quite found a fairy tale that is anything like "Allerleirauh" and how much it came to mean to me. I've thought about more Greek Mythology stories (my first novel, "Seven Seeds of Summer" is based on the Myth of Hades and Persephone) and I've often thought about either revisiting that world or creating another.
Thanks to Robin McKinley, I'd love to write something in regards to "Beauty and the Beast" or Susan Kay's "Phantom." (All stories that have been with me for years and years.)
I do have a "Mermaid" story outline. It's something that I'm slowly working on. For now, I'm putting my focus to a YA Contemporary which is mostly based on some things that happened to me while I was in High School.
But I hope to bring more Fairy Tales to the plate in the future!
Thanks for writing in!
Chantal Gadoury
Well, I just finished "Allerleirauh," and I'm craving to do more with her. I'd love to re-enter Saarland der Licht, or evens just the Fairy Tale world. I had started to think about doing a project called "From Me, to You." - A young adult novel about a young couple involving playlists and young love. But I don't have a set project yet. I'm waiting for that inspirational moment. It took me a while to find after "Seven Seeds of Summer" - when it came to "Allerleirauh." I know it'll find me soon.
Chantal Gadoury
Honestly, I'm not even sure. For me, at present - it's just knowing I've accomplished a novel. I've finished something that's a part of me. It's a wonderful feeling. I think meeting people - meeting readers and other authors really make the journey even more fun. Getting to influence or inspire others - what a great gift to give others.
Chantal Gadoury
My advice is to never give up. Never stop writing. Write constantly. Even if it's something small - it doesn't even have to be towards an actual project. My "outlet" is Tumblr. I write with RP - I'm constantly using my skill and trying to make it better. No matter how many rejections you might get, or how many hurtles you may have to jump - keep going! Never stop or give up on your dream. Aspire to do what you love and never let anyone stop you.
Chantal Gadoury
Music. Music really inspires me. If you have the right songs - playlist- you can write anything - any scene. The music often triggers emotions for me, influences the emotions of the characters.. And then I don't even feel like I'm writing the characters - I often feel like they're writing their own story.
Chantal Gadoury
With a large amount of DD Iced Coffee (preferably Peppermint Mocha) - a set playlist (Ludovico Einaudi and Robert Cacciapaglia are favorites and sort of must haves), and a few candles. Sometimes it might take a few weeks to get out of writer's block. I've had it happen that it lasts much longer. But time, knitting, painting, talking out the plot with my fiance Rob - He always gets me to re-look at what I'm doing differently. Hot showers. Watching movies or shows that are sort of similar. When it came to "Allerleirauh" - I'd watch a lot of "The White Queen" or "The Tudors."
Sometimes just time is the best way to deal with Writer's Block. It depends on how bad it is.
Sometimes just time is the best way to deal with Writer's Block. It depends on how bad it is.
Chantal Gadoury
I actually was inspired by "Beauty" by Robin McKinley, and "East" by Edith Patou. I've been a big fan of fairy tales and different retellings of the tales that I've come to know and love. I knew that I wanted to write something to do with a tale that I grew up with - so, late one night, I just started to write a draft in Hades and Persephone's point of view, and "Seven Seeds of Summer" took off!
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