Madhouse Family Reviews: French Lessons Blog Tour : Q & A with author Ellen Sussman

As I told you yesterday, Madhouse Family Reviews was proud to be yesterday's stop-off for the French Lessons blog tour. I posted my French Lessons review yesterday, but now I can also share with you an exclusive interview with the author Ellen Sussman.

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Hi Ellen. How did the idea come about for writing French Lessons ?

Here's a link to the story:

http://ellensussman.com/FrenchLessons_essay.html

You seem to know Paris inside out. Did you visit Paris when researching the novel ?

I lived there for five years! In the years since then, I've visited many many times. I just need a Paris fix every so often -- no other city seems to satisfy those cravings. After I wrote the novel I returned for research -- I took the walking tours that my characters take in the novel and made sure that everything was up to date and accurate. It's a very tough business trip!

In French Lessons, Paris represents something different for each of the characters. Why do think it is such a symbolic city for so many people ? What does it represent for you ?

I do think that Paris has a remarkable power of people. It's a city of romance, of sexuality and sensuality, of adventure and exploration. The beauty of the city (and its people!) as well as its extraordinary history (including literary history) adds to that lure. For me it's a city of love. When I'm there I want to fall in love.

Do you have a favourite character from the book or one that reminds you most of yourself ?

Riley probably reminds me most of myself since I was an ex-pat with two babies living in Paris. (but I never got a hot French tutor!) But Josie is my favorite character (probably because she's nothing like me!) -- she's pure invention and I love the surprise of learning her on the page.

If you could pick one of the tutors to take you around Paris for the day, which one would you pick and where would you go ?

Nico! I adore Nico and would follow him anywhere.

Do you have any plans for bringing back any of the characters from French Lessons in a future novel ?

It's funny -- i have an enduring fascination with Lindy, Jeremy's step-daughter. I'm now writing a novel that takes place in the south of France and there's a chance she might show up somehow.