Author Fiona Davis stopped at The Book Stall in Winnetka on Thursday to discuss her newest novel, \u201cSamantha: The Next Chapter,\u201d the first American Girl doll novel for adults.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSamantha: The Next Chapter\u201d picks up in 1920, when Samantha is 25. The young heroine searches for justice in New York City after someone steals her family\u2019s inheritance.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 red and black plaid clothing and slightly-curled hair with a bow.<\/p>\n
The Daily spoke with Davis prior to the event about her new novel.<\/p>\n
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Davis: No, because I think that\u2019s dangerous. I think if you\u2019re writing for anyone in particular, it\u2019s going to be daunting. You know, what if they don\u2019t like it? And that, I think, would be a tough road to go down as you\u2019re writing that first draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u2019ve been blown away by their reaction. But when I\u2019m 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Daily: What made you want to take on this project?<\/p>\n
Davis: They asked me. American Girl reached out and said, \u2018We\u2019re thinking about writing this, the very first book for adults, centered around Samantha at the age of 25 in 1920.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
I love the 1920s. I thought it was a great idea for the company, and I thought it\u2019d be a really interesting challenge to take something that\u2019s already made in a way and see where it goes.<\/p>\n
The Daily: How did your historical fiction background apply to this new project?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Davis: Yeah, it applied a ton because I\u2019ve written books set in the 1920s, so I\u2019d done a lot of research about \u201cWhat are the cars like? What are the clothes like?\u201d 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And there\u2019s just so much going on in that time. It\u2019s right when the wave of change is just about to crest in 1920, so the fashions are changing, women\u2019s place in the workplace is changing, suffrage, of course.They\u2019ve gotten the right to vote \u2014 finally \u2014 so it\u2019s just a dynamic period in America\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
The Daily: What did you learn through your process of writing, what was your favorite part?\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Email: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Related Stories:<\/p>\n \u2014 Author Michael Lewis examines DOGE, civil service in \u2018Blockers\u2019 book talk<\/a><\/p>\n