Since posting the summary of my upcoming book, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, last week, my inbox has been filling with questions from readers. I really appreciate your enthusiasm, guys! I can’t wait for next summer. But for now, a little Q&A will have to do:
When can we see a cover?
I ask that same question all the time. I’ve seen a comp and it’s purty. When I have a final cover, believe me, I’ll be posting it all over (and talking about the crazy crazy story behind it.)
Is this a series?
No, it’s a standalone. I know, bucking the trend. But I’ve published two series so far (in fact, in my writing career, the ONLY original novels I’ve published have been series) so I needed a break.
Persuasion is one of Jane Austen’s most mature works. How did you write it as a YA?
There are a lot of questions that are variations on the theme of “how did you handle XYZ aspect of Persuasion“? The sort answer to all of them is: read the book to find out. To answer this one, specifically: the main character in For Darkness Shows the Stars is eighteen years old, which is on the “upper” end of the teenage years. As noted in the summary, she’s been separated from her sweetheart for four years. As to how everything else works out — sorry, you’ll have to read the book.
The summary says “inspired by Jane Austen” but you say it’s a retelling. Which is it?
Potato-potahto. I’m not exactly sure what the legal line is between “inspired by” and “retelling” when it comes to fiction. Maybe the nice people at Balzer & Bray, who wrote that part, do. “Inspired” has a nice ring to it. If I was going to compare it to something, I’d compare it to West Side Story or Clueless. These stories have the same basic plot and most of the characters map to characters in the original work, but there are a few adjustments (sexy Anita who is the girlfriend of Maria’s brother, instead of the old staid nurse from Romeo and Juliet; or the fact that Josh is Cher’s former stepbrother instead of her brother-in-law, as Knightley is in Emma). For instance, you can tell in the summary that the Captain is not a military man, but an explorer. There’s a change right there.
If that kind of thing annoys the purists, then they will, alas, be annoyed by my book. But honestly, if everything was exactly the same, just in post-apocalyptic costumes, then what’s the point? I can totally see doing that in a stage production, but not a novel.
Can you just tell me if you left my favorite part in?
No. Please believe that as in love with the source material as I am, I tried to remain as faithful to it as humanly possible. And in places that I did deviate, I hope I remained true to the spirit of Jane Austen.
I heard a rumor that this is an epistolary novel. Is that true?
Kind of. There are letters. But it’s not all in letters. Partially epistolary is fair.
Why doesn’t 2012 get here nownownow?
I feel your pain. Trust me, I do.
Any more? I’ll answer in comments.
August 10th, 2011 at 8:24 am
I’d like to know where the title came from?
Can’t wait to read this book! I know it will be the perfect mix of adventure and romance!
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August 10th, 2011 at 8:45 am
Great question, Jo. I found titling this book quite a challenge.
It actually comes from two sources. The first is a Carl Sandburg poem I love called “Prayers after a World War” that goes, in part:
“WANDERING oversea dreamer,
Hunting and hoarse, Oh daughter and mother,
Oh daughter of ashes and mother of blood,
Child of the hair let down, and tears,
Child of the cross in the south
And the star in the north,
Keeper of Egypt and Russia and France,
Keeper of England and Poland and Spain,
Make us a song for to-morrow.
Make us one new dream, us who forget,
Out of the storm let us have one star.”
And I found that poem very inspiring to me when writing the book. The images of a “song of tomorrow” and “a new dream, us who forget” and of course, the “wander oversea dreamer” and the “southern cross” are all veingry important motifs in my book. I wanted to find a way to use it, but “Out of the storm let us have one star” seemed a bit wordy for the title.
Then I ran across a quote by an American self-help writer that said, “I love the light because it shows me the way, but I endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” And I started playing around with configurations on that and ended up with For Darkness Shows the Stars, which just seemed perfect.
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August 10th, 2011 at 8:51 am
For some reason, I am abnormally excited about this. There are lots of books I’m looking forward to in 2012, but the prospect of a one-shot post-apocalpytic Persuasion is just… hitting all my buttons right. Can’t wait!
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August 10th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Here’s a question: Why isn’t it 2012 yet?
Oh, right. You asked that one already.
I’m about as excited as a girl can be about this book. Oh golly. Must. Calm. Down.
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August 10th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Jo’s question was my first question. It’s a gorgeous, GORGEOUS title. It really evokes a lush poetic/romantic scene for me.
My other questions are writerly questions – feel free not to answer if it gives too much away:
1. We’ve seen from the description that the world you’re building is sort of a futuristic throwback – technology is outlawed, people have estates and there’s a real divide between rich and poor. It’s almost a futuristic Regency-era novel. Given that, is the writing style of the book more historical/Austen-ish than the rest of your novels? Will the characters be speaking in Regency English?
2. Further to that, is the book in third person or first person narrative?
3. I’m assuming by the names that the the characters are English and they live in an English-speaking country/society. Is this correct? Do you delve into what’s going on in the rest of the world as well? Has the whole world gone Luddite? (These definitely might be no-no questions, sorry!)
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August 10th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I love the title and the inspiration for it.
Also wanted to say that I would have loved an epistolary take (if only!), but just as pleased with “partially epistolary”. I’m very much looking forward to this!
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August 10th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
thank you Allison! I’m abnormally excited, too! I talked to mye ditor today and ARCs should be coming in October!
Thanks you, Mrs!
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August 10th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Oh, so Tiff thinks she’s going to get responses today after her snarky comments yesterday about my horrible adherence to deadlines? Hmpf.
1) They aren’t speaking in Regency English, no. But they aren’t speaking in modern English, either. The tone is more formal.
2) Other than the letters, obviously, the book is third person from Elliot’s perspective. Austen’s perspective was omniscient, and yet in dissecting the novel, I discovered that in Persuasion, she actually shares more of what’s going on in *Elizabeth* Elliot’s head than in Captain Wentworth’s (most of all, obviously, is Anne). I decided to stick to Elliot’s perspective only.
3) The characters speak English. They live in a very isolated society.
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August 10th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Was I snarky? Sorry, I think it was more an admittance of my own inability to adhere to deadlines – and when you admitted the two months was a lie, it just made me laugh at my own impossible deadlines. My NaNoWriMo graph thingy now says I’ll be done in November. =P
Re: question 2 – interesting. Was it difficult to make the switch to third person after doing six books in first person? People always ask this question of Ally Carter, and she says it’s refreshing and whatever works for the novel…
Re: question 3 – the plot thickens! Because surely Captain Wentworth would have seen some of the world in his travels…and he got some ideas about how things might be improved…
I’m getting really excited about this book!
Speaking of retellings, I just saw a production of “Eurydice” by Sarah Ruhl and it’s a fabulous theatrical retelling of the Orpheus myth from Eurydice’s perspective – really well done. You should check it out (you know, between the taking-care-of-Q and spending-time-with-SB and writing and all that =P)!
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August 11th, 2011 at 12:10 am
Tiff, much bigger than the issue of switching the mode in which I wrote the POV, was switching the actual POV itself. Amy is not Astrid is not Elliot. Whereas Amy, for example, is the type who often speaks before she thinks (indeed, it may be her defining character trait), Elliot is the type that NEVER speaks, even if she’s overflowing with thoughts. Writing a quiet, self-contained character was, for me, the real challenge.
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August 11th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Hi Diana,
Any word on a release date yet? Or if not a specific one, maybe the month or season it’s being published?
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August 12th, 2011 at 6:07 am
Amy: June 12, 2012.
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August 12th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
[...] Diana Peterfreund answers questions about her upcoming Persuasion-inspired YA, For Darkness Shows The [...]
August 13th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
I’m really excited for this book!! I can’t wait to read it and will be trying to score an ARC as soon as I can because I need a Diana fix!
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September 11th, 2011 at 10:59 am
oh man, not only 2012, but SUMMER 2012?? i was really hoping for an earlier date. woe. but ARCs in october?? that gives me hope!
love the title, and i love the inspiration for it. it reminds me of a neitzche quote – “only chaos can create a dancing star.”
can’t wait! well, i mean, i’ll have to wait, but still. are you possibly going to plan a book tour that might include stops out west, or is Q going to keep you close to home?
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