Author Fiona Davis stopped at The Book Stall in Winnetka on Thursday to discuss her newest novel, “Samantha: The Next Chapter,” the first American Girl doll novel for adults.
Published Oct. 13, the novel is inspired by American Girl doll Samantha Parkington. Samantha is an orphan born in the Edwardian era, who lost her parents in a boating accident.
“Samantha: The Next Chapter” picks up in 1920, when Samantha is 25. The young heroine searches for justice in New York City after someone steals her family’s inheritance.
As The Book Stall filled with more than 65 women and five dolls at the sold-out event, it was clear Samantha has a bit of a cult following. One pair of attendees even dressed in Samantha-style garb — red and black plaid clothing and slightly-curled hair with a bow.
The Daily spoke with Davis prior to the event about her new novel.
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
The Daily: How would you say you handled the American Girl doll super fans? Audience-wise, were you writing with a certain audience, or fan in mind?
Davis: No, because I think that’s dangerous. I think if you’re writing for anyone in particular, it’s going to be daunting. You know, what if they don’t like it? And that, I think, would be a tough road to go down as you’re writing that first draft.
You need as much positive energy behind you as you can, keeping in mind that the fans of American Girl are incredibly enthusiastic and are so excited for this book, and I’ve been blown away by their reaction. But when I’m writing a book, I just have to keep what will entertain me. Where do I think the character should go? (What is) right for the character, first of all. So Samantha always came first.
The Daily: What made you want to take on this project?
Davis: They asked me. American Girl reached out and said, ‘We’re thinking about writing this, the very first book for adults, centered around Samantha at the age of 25 in 1920.’
I love the 1920s. I thought it was a great idea for the company, and I thought it’d be a really interesting challenge to take something that’s already made in a way and see where it goes.
The Daily: How did your historical fiction background apply to this new project?
Davis: Yeah, it applied a ton because I’ve written books set in the 1920s, so I’d done a lot of research about “What are the cars like? What are the clothes like?” All the basics that you have to know before you start writing. So that was helpful, and that gave me a little security blanket as I started writing.
And there’s just so much going on in that time. It’s right when the wave of change is just about to crest in 1920, so the fashions are changing, women’s place in the workplace is changing, suffrage, of course.They’ve gotten the right to vote — finally — so it’s just a dynamic period in America’s life.
The Daily: What did you learn through your process of writing, what was your favorite part?
Davis: I loved reading the stories and letting the ideas for a plot bubble up from that. That was really fun and challenging to see what I could do to stay true to who Samantha was, and her family, and her background, and her characteristics, and just see how far I could take her in a way that would challenge her and turn her into a grown-up.
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