Get ready to learn more about the book Mending Bones in this discussion with sapphic author Merlina Garance.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Merlina Garance about Mending Bones, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Foodie Romance category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Mending Bones?
Mending Bones is the third book in my Leicester trilogy, which follows a different couple in each book. The stories are tied together but can be read at standalones. When I wrote the first one, The Flourishing, Claire was a side character that I ended up wanting to explore more. Through the second book, I gave her a love interest, and it was only natural to explore all that in her own book.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
I love both Claire and Estelle in different ways. Claire is very much me: anxious, always prepared. I do love Estelle though because she is what I would love to be: carefree, spontaneous and enjoying every little moment of life.
What part of Mending Bones was the most fun to write?
Honestly? The smut. These two are having a lot of fun times in that cottage, or even outside of it. It was great to explore how being on holiday strips us away from daily life stress and can make us more spontaneous in every way.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title refers to what happens in the beginning of the story and sets the rest off: Claire, being too tired, trips down the stairs and breaks her leg, which puts her off work and gives her the opportunity to spend a week with Estelle by the sea. “Mending” is also about her own journey to improving her sense of self-worth, which is what is holding her back from having a real relationship with Estelle.
What’s your favorite writing snack or drink?
My classic is a chestnut oolong tea with a piece of dark chocolate. Nothing messy that can get on the keyboard, though I’ll sometimes treat myself to a more substantial sweet (chocolate based as well most of the time) after a writing session, to get that blood sugar back up!
Do you have any odd writing quirks?
I make a lot of faces! Even act out some movements sometimes. It’s my way to figure out how to describe those actions in realistic ways: I need to make a mental choreography to know which muscle is moving, what is possible, to make everything more realistic. I do tend to experience my characters’ emotions strongly as well, sometimes too much!
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
I remember reading writing advice from a French speculative author (Bernard Werber) and what stuck with me is : don’t leave any doors opened. If you write about something suspenseful somewhere, make sure you give it a satisfactory conclusion. If you mention a character in depth, make sure they’re there for a reason, and not a door left open. It helps me tie loose ends and avoid to get too scattered.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
It happens naturally, I think. I daydream about the scenes I’m going to write, and my stories are very much emotion-led. So it’s rather the other way around: if I’m not feeling anything, I probably won’t be inspired to write a new story. The emotions tend to flow when I’ve found the right characters and story arc!
Describe your favorite reading spot.
It’s less a spot than an atmosphere. I’m usually on the sofa but the perfect reading atmosphere is heavy rain outside, a candle on, a perfect temperature tea. Although I can really read anywhere!
Do you only read books in one genre or do you genre hop?
I tend to be more attracted to a writing style than a genre. Basically, if it’s queer and the prose speaks to me, I’m game! I read anything from sci-fi to contemporary romance, although I do stray away from mass market books that can be too tropey for me sometimes. In short: if my brain matches with the author’s, I can read anything as long as it doesn’t include triggers for me.
