We chat with author Heather O’Neill about The Capital of Dreams, which is a dark dystopian fairytale about an idyllic country ravaged by war—and a girl torn between safety and loyalty.
Hi, Heather! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I am an author who is currently living in Montreal. I spent my early childhood in Virginia. But when I was seven my mother sent me to live with my father, who was a criminal living in Montreal, Canada. So off I went, never to see my mother again. My father wanted me to grow up to be a petty criminal too and he taught me how to shop lift and launder money. But I carried about books with me everywhere I went. And I decided instead, I would be a writer!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
When I moved to Montreal, I began keeping a journal. There was nothing I loved more than filling the white pages with my thoughts. It made me feel as though my thoughts mattered. My grade school teachers always complimented my stories, and as a motherless child, I loved any praise I could get from women. My writing made me feel loved.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Mother Goose anthology that belonged to my grandmother.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Alice in Wonderland
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Notebook Agota Kristof
Your latest novel, The Capital of Dreams, is out January 7 th ! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Magic. War. Poetry. Snow. Children.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a fairy tale that mixes the horrors of war with talking animals and philosophical children. It is filled with melancholy and despair, but also great laughter and tender philosophy.
Where did the inspiration for The Capital of Dreams come from?
My father used to tell me stories about his time in World War 2. He had enlisted with a fake birth certificate. When I would ask him to tell me stories about it, he told me fairytales. Stories about beautiful French teenagers who lived in the forest. And there was one story I loved about a goose that had fallen in love with him and followed him all over France and into Germany.
I was interested in the way people remember and speak about childhood trauma, which is a time when we don’t have the words to express abuse and horror.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved the character of Clara Bottom. I adored writing a middle age woman who was so confidant and narcissistic. She would always say things that a woman isn’t supposed to say aloud. She sits in the kitchen, smoking cigarettes and expounding on her own genius.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I have a character who is a goose. He becomes the confidante of my main character. When I first created him, he was too mean and cantankerous. But I got to know him better and he showed me his vulnerable side, and I realized his pomposity was merely a defense.
What’s next for you?
I am working on a novel about witches. And a memoir that ends with my birth. I am trying to tell my family story in a way that reveals everything about me.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito and The Lamb by Lucy Rose
