I asked Lisa for the back story behind the novel – how she got the idea, if she was plagued with demons while writing, how long it took…
Thanks for having me over Fleur!
Stella Makes Good by Lisa Heidke
Stella Makes Good came together fairly easily for me.
Firstly, there was a piece in the local paper about a raid on a swinger’s party in the next suburb. At the time, I read it and thought, wow! Swingers? Just up the road from me? Imagine if you accidentally turned up there expecting a normal party and instead saw your local butcher dressed in dominatrix gear and the local school’s headmaster wearing a nappy and being lead around on a dog lead? My imagination went into overdrive!
A couple of months later, I was having New Year’s drinks with girlfriends at a local pub – and like Stella and her friends, by the time we caught up, it was almost the end of January. One of my friends asked everybody what their New Year’s mantras were, and we collectively groaned.
But again, it got me thinking, what a great way to begin a novel…making New Year’s resolutions, having defining mantras for the new year…most of us do it…usher in the positive and wipe the slate clean from the previous year.
When I combined the two thoughts, they formed the basis of Stella Makes Good – the rest I made up as I went along.
From the beginning, I knew I wanted the story to be set over one week – I love packing as much drama as I can into a short amount of time – and when you think about it, seven days is quite long. It’s time enough to fall in love, realise you’re married to an adulterer, fail exams, lose a job, win your dream promotion, die…really, anything can happen in a week…and most life changing events happen in a split second.
What if something you knew to be true, turned out to be false? A lie? I believe life turns on a five cent piece…circumstances…and realities can change in the blink of an eye, and often do.
As with my previous three novels, I wrote the main character, Stella, in first person…and then I thought I’d be super clever by writing the three secondary characters in first person as well! So for twelve months or thereabouts, I worked on the first couple of drafts, going back every now and then to layer characters and plotlines.
Because Stella was the anchor, I wanted her to have the least problems, but after the first draft when I reread her story, I thought, ‘apart from being a librarian and a decent mother, you’re a bore’ so I added a romantic interest for her and a mother in law she loved (perhaps a unique relationship – but I love writing about older women which inevitably I model on my mum and her friends).
I wasn’t plagued with demons so much because I really got into Stella’s story and treated her and her friends like real people. (Occupational hazard.)
However, I didn’t think her friends had enough problems so I kept adding to their angst. I wanted so much to add to their angst that I originally had one of the main characters die, but then when I thought about it, I realised I didn’t want that. I didn’t want any of the characters to take the easy way out. Life is tough and you have to deal with it.
That’s not to say that Stella Makes Good is not a hopeful story but those four women – Stella, Jesse, Carly and Louisa – have one hell of a traumatic week!
When I finished Stella’s story, I was quietly confident it would fly and was happy with the four characters all speaking in first person with their own voice…then I got the structural edit back. All twelve pages of it!
Being me, I stomped and cried. The gist of the report was that Stella’s first person was fine but the other three needed to be rewritten in third person. Rewritten being the operative word…I was being asked to do a major rewrite. Far out!
Though I was on a deadline, I called (I think I may have texted) and said, ‘I can’t look at this for at least a week. I need time to digest. It’s basically a rewrite.’
I think then she might have texted back ten minutes later and said something along the lines of ‘suck it up princess’.
Rather than be juvenile and engage in a text fight, I rang and swore at her – we have an open relationship.
Anyway, after I calmed down, I could see the editor’s point and although it was a bit (!) of work, I believe that Stella Makes Good is a much better book because of the changes that were suggested to me.
And that’s about it. Stella Makes Good went through some major rewrites but that’s what you do when you’re a pantser like me and have no idea where your story is heading! You start with an idea and fly by the seat of your pants.
Lisa Heidke, author of Stella Makes Good
I love Stella and her friends…I just wouldn’t want to spend a week in their shoes!
Twitter: @lisaheidke
HA Lisa, you must have a great relationship with your editor. I had to do a smiliar rewrite for my third book and you do need time to process lol Its fantastic how the mind glues all the ideas together! Love it.
Have only a few pages left to go, but believe that if you are single, separated, divorced or unsure… there are lessons for us all in the lives of these women… and it reminded me that ‘the grass is always greener…’ NOT! Thanks for being so clever Lisa!
Thanks for sharing your ‘behind the scenes’ look at Stella Makes Good, Lisa – its a wonderful read!
I must say, I love what you’ve done with your website, Fleur.
Well done, Lisa! I’m really looking forward to reading ‘Stella Makes Good’.
I just love reading about the process…makes it more fun for me when reading the book – and Stella is one that I can’t wait to get stuck into!!! 🙂
Really enjoyed this insight to your writing process and inspiration. I particularly liked the part where you had words with the editor! Think you must be pretty feisty! And while one week seems like a short time in some ways, in others, a week can change everything.
Lisa, I love the insights into Stella’s story. As a fellow panster I know what you mean about rewrites…
I have to say I see echoes of my hubby in the character Brett and love the contrast in the blokes in the story. Hopefully this weekend I’ll have a peaceful hour to fully enjoy your wonderful story.
Thanks for having Lisa over for a chat, Fleur. I’m such an Esme when it comes to other authors’ processes. I just ‘love’ to know how they do it, as compared to how I do it.
Lisa? Hugs and commisses on the rewrites. Been there, done that and have the day-pass from the asylum to prove it.
My last book was one huge rewrite – though I’m waaaay more polite than you. LOL.
I actually held that book in my hands for the first time yesterday (release Feb 27th) and it was like looking at your baby for the first time after a three-day, drug-free labour. I know I’ll love it and protect it, but part of me also can’t wait till it’s 17 and I can clip it around the ear and remind it in no uncertain terms how much pain I suffered during its creation… Bad Mother.
Congrats on this latest release! I bought ‘Stella’ a couple of days ago as a reward for finishing another project – and, as always with your books, I’m loving it. Though, I was a bit confronted by Carly at first because I was sure you’d channelled one of my girlfriends! And now I’m madly reading on to see how she works it all out.
So, go you! I can’t wait to read more and I sincerely hope it sells a trillion.
Hi All,
Firstly, I love your new website, Fleur! Congratulations!
Secondly, thanks to everyone for your lovely comments! Kaz, Congratulations on the ‘birth’ of your baby! Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy after Feb 27.
Re the rewrites, now that it’s over and Stella is out, I can see how worthwile the pain and agony was…I guess you have to just keep in mind that editors and publishers are working with you, not against you! But sometimes it’s hard to remember!
Lisa xx