We chat with author Diane Les Becquets about Where the Water Meets the Sky, which is the story of a brave young woman seeking wholeness and love in the untamed forests of Michigan’s upper peninsula—and answers about a fire that took away everything.
Hi, Diane! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I love, love, love good books, good stories; my dog, Izzy; campfires and music; a morning run; family and friends. I find solace in so many beautiful places in nature. And there’s nothing like packing up my truck and taking a road trip to gorgeous, remote locations, pitching a tent, sitting by water, watching a sunrise, feeling the breeze. I was a college professor and directed a graduate creative writing program, and now get to show up for work at a 7×7 foot, cozy writing shed I call Wild Spaces.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have memories of myself at four years old, sitting on a boat dock in front of my grandmother’s house on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or on top of a haystack in Tennessee, imagining stories in my mind. I could sit there for hours. I began writing stories and poems as early as kindergarten.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Aside from picture books and Nancy Drew mysteries, the first book I remember reading is Mike, by Benedict and Nancy Freeman, about a young bride who uproots her life in Boston and moves to Alaska.
- The one that made you want to become an author: A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
Your latest novel, Where the Water Meets the Sky, is out May 5th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Summer, nature, family, love. (And the U.P.!)
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect to spend a summer in nature with an achingly tender, and thoughtful protagonist searching for healing, redemption, and that mystical more her life hungers for.
Where did the inspiration for Where the Water Meets the Sky come from?
The inspiration came from a place that sings to me of family and love, of communion with nature, of laughter and music, campfires, porch talks, bats and swallows swooping at dusk, boat rides and fish fries—from all the summer days and nights spent in the small fishing community where my father grew up; and from the child I once was when everything was possible.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved creating the cabin on the tip of the Garden Peninsula, and placing Abby and Seda there for the summer. There is something magical about that place, even down to the red, velvet sofa and the afghan of many colors; or the rooftop where they would sit and have their morning coffee.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
While working on the novel, I was diagnosed with five brain aneurysms, two of which were breaking down. I had surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After recovering, I revisited the novel and knew I wanted it to be more than it was. I had so much emotion inside me, so much gratitude; I felt everything. I wanted to bring the beauty and power of what I felt into my prose and my characters’ lives. I remember playing really soulful music on repeat, and in my mind stepping into the novel’s scenes as the quiet observer, detached from both the characters and myself, and noticing everything. Those moments felt incredibly restorative and pure for me. Before, I would try to step into a scene and write it as if I were experiencing it. I no longer do that. Now, I am the quiet observer. It’s funny how much we can understand a character, or another person for that matter, simply by watching in the most present way possible.
What do you hope readers might take away from Where the Water Meets the Sky?
A line I try to live by is, “Know what brings you peace, and protect it at all cost.” I would like my readers to experience this special place, this town, this community of flora and fauna and people, and walk away with a deeper peace.
What’s next for you?
More road trips, more books and stories and family, and another novel, this time with an adult protagonist recognizing life a second time.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I’m looking forward to reading Whisper by Ann Patchett and The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. Some of the books I read this year that I’ve enjoyed include: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy; Heartwood by Amity Gage; The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré.
