Featured Interview With Francesca Vespa
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a girl from South Australia, but have spent time in New South Wales and overseas. I can do things like drive 18 wheelers, because the work here is in heavy industry. Writing is the only thing I have figured out about my life so far, and I don’t know where it’s going to take me, but I’m here for the ride.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a voracious reader, but I only stated writing constantly about a year before covid, and not with any intentions to go pro. When the pandemic hit, it gave me time to finish three manuscripts that were in first-draft form, and I recently published the first one at the suggestion of a friend.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jane Austen is a pleasure, but so is Bulgakov. I don’t have a favourite genre but I like writing that has the divine spark: the unique and strong voice of the individual writer that is intoxicating to read.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s called Seven Perfect Days, but it’s not about something that happens over seven days, but rather a story set over a decade. It’s a very big, sweeping novel like Dr Zhivago or Wuthering Heights with a romantic subplot. It is not a memoir, but is probably the most personal book I’ll ever write. It’s about a girl who has this coming-of-age where her best friend dies, but the event itself leads to every other event that is important in her life, and none of it could have happened without the tragedy, until finally she’s looking back on the decade at twenty-seven and sees the mess that she has created tying right back to the ripples that started when she was sixteen. So she wants to connect it all together to make it make sense, and not give it meaning. The only problem is that trying to tie the past
I wrote it partly as a homage to the Bronte sisters, but set in 21st Century. It has a magical realist aspect to it that echoes Life of Pi and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Those who like A Little Life might also like this book too.