Page 32 September 2016 Open House Sunday, Oct 30, 2016 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm 8th Grade Day Friday, Oct. 28, 2016 9:30 am - 1:00 pm 4710 N. 5th St. | Phoenix, AZ 85012 | www.xcp.org | 602-277-3772 Photo by chadwickfowler.com Discover your talents. Discover your future. Discover you. Dates to remember: ade D a y a a 8 2016 emember : By Amanda Goossen Go back in time to the mid-1950s, to the most glamorous floor of the famous New York Barbizon Hotel for Women. In Fiona Davis’ debut novel, The Dollhouse , readers are transported in time, traveling back and forth between the modern day tenants of the historic Barbizon condo building and the glitz and glamour that came before them. When current resident Rose Lewin begins to learn about the past of Darby McLaughlin, one of the old Barbizon girls who still lives in a rent controlled apartment inside the building, her determination to hear the stories of the past lead her down a path of mystery, deceit and shocking truths. Filled with abundant history, yet told with fictional characters and plot, The Dollhouse is a rich and thrilling read. The Arcadia News Book Club will meet on September 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Saguaro Library to discuss The Dollhouse . Our evening will also include a Skype discussion with Fiona Davis. To attend, please RSVP to amanda@arcadianews.com. Arcadia News recently had a chance to ask Davis a few questions about her novel as well as her writing and the publication process. AN: The Dollhouse tells the story of two women, decades apart. What type of research did you do to ensure accuracy for both lifestyles and generations? FD: For the 1950s section, I went straight to the TimesMachine online, which offers digital versions of The New York Times all the way back to 1851, to get a sense of what life was like. Even though the post-World War II economy was booming, there was a sense of danger and dread, as issues like the rising heroin epidemic, McCarthyism and the atom bomb loomed large. I also checked out back issues of women’s magazines like Mademoiselle and Ladies Home Journal , not only for the gorgeous fashion spreads but also for the content of the articles, which offered mixed messages regarding career and marriage. In addition to interviewing women who lived at the Barbizon in the ’50s and ’60s, I took a 12-hour course in bebop jazz, which was a blast, and read everything I could about the Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School, and, of course, the Barbizon Hotel for Women. For the modern period it was much easier. (Thank goodness!) I toured the Barbizon condo and revisited the real locations mentioned in the book, like Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, in order to ground them in a solid reality. AN: Did you always know you wanted to write a novel? FD: I’ve been working as a journalist for the past 15 years, but the idea of writing a novel seemed crazy. The two forms are so different. But once I had the idea of the structure of the book – writing about two timelines in the same setting – I figured I’d give it a shot, and soon became obsessed about how to weave the two stories together while keeping a sense of tension and mystery throughout. The complexity of the plot took my mind off the fact that I was indeed writing a work of historical fiction, and the more I dove into the characters of Darby and Rose, the less I second-guessed myself. I gave myself a word count each day, knowing that it was only the first draft and I could go back and edit it. I think being in the habit of meeting deadlines as a journalist helped me get to the finish. It was just what I did every day for work, but in a different form. AN: At what point in your story development did you know you wanted to include items from your personal narrative, including a move to New York City and onto the Broadway stage? FD: Early on, I knew I wanted to have a character who was new to the Big Apple so I could describe the city through her eyes. I remember so vividly my first time here, being overwhelmed and worried, and then the moment when I finally realized I was home, which is something every newcomer goes through. And while I really enjoyed my time working as an actress, there’s always this moment of terror backstage right before you make your entrance where you think, “There’s no way I’m going out there,” but then you do. I wanted to try to describe that, and figured making the character least likely to do so would add to the tension. So I made Darby go onstage and sing. Cruel, I know! AN: Do you have a favorite character in The Dollhouse ? Who and why? FD: Great question. I do have a soft spot in my heart for Darby. The minute I saw the umbrella dress in a women’s magazine from 1951 I knew I had to have her wear it, and wear it with pride, and that became the key to her character. She is forced to grow and change and I love how quirky she is. But I also love the two “sages” in the book – Stella in the 2016 timeline, who tells it like it is, and Miranda, Griff’s daughter, who understands the dynamics of the adults around her better than they do. AN: What was the most surprising part of becoming a published author? FD: How welcoming the community of writers is, no question. Over the past couple of years, I’ve established friendships with authors who have been at this for a long time and been struck by how supportive and helpful they’ve been to a newbie. Whether it’s comparing social media strategies, reading early drafts or trouble- shooting plot points, they understand what you’re going through. Writing a book is such a solitary endeavor, and sometimes you need to step away from the laptop, get a glass of wine with a friend and have a laugh. Debut novel entertains readers with history and suspense BOOK CLUB BOOK OF THE MONTH The Dollhouse BY FIONA DAVIS Saguaro Library Sept. 22, 2016, 6:30 p.m.

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