Kristian Mercer

Signings in Seattle: Carol Goodman

I'm interrupting my regularly scheduled "what I did on my summer vacation" blog to bring you this review of Carol Goodman's booksigning, held tonight at Third Place Books!

I've been a fan of Goodman's work since 2003, when I picked up a copy of her first novel, The Lake of Dead Languages. I loved the atmosphere of the novel, her use of language, the way she delicately intertwined the elements of mystery and romance. When I finished that book, I thought, wow, this really reminds me of Mary Stewart. Or Daphne du Maurier. Or, going further back yet, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.

So Goodman has been on my "must-read" list ever since. And when I found out she was going to be signing copies of her latest book, The Sonnet Lover, I knew I had to be there.

I thoroughly enjoyed the excerpt that Goodman read to us, but the best part (of course) came during the question-and-answer session. Goodman talked about her research, how she traveled to Rome only to discover her book was set in Florence (sounds like a pantser to me!), and how she uses her interests and experiences to springboard the plots of her books.

I screwed up enough courage to ask a question of my own. (I don't know why I get so tongue-tied at these things. I'm pretty sure the authors want to answer questions, after all - no one likes to look out at a silent crowd!) I said, "I've loved how you create the atmosphere of a modern-day Gothic in your books. Can you tell us a little about your influences?"

And would you believe she came back with this answer: "Well, Jane Eyre, of course, is my favorite book." She went on to say that she believed you could trace the lineage of books like hers (some would call them romantic suspense) starting with Jane Eyre and then moving down through Daphne du Maurier and Mary Stewart. I couldn't stop nodding and smiling. That's what I've always thought, too!

At the end of her talk, Goodman was kind enough to sign all five of her novels for me. She thanked me for the "astute comments" (!) and, when I told her I was working on a novel, she wished me all the best.

So there's some inspiration for the weekend - I'll be back in my chair and revising!

P.S. And oh my goodness - check out this essay from Goodman, where she cites the influences of fairy tales on her work!