At the end of the nineteenth century, three revolutionary women fight for freedom in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s captivating new novel inspired by real-life events and the true story of a legendary Cuban woman, Evangelina Cisneros, who changed the course of history.
We had the pleasure of chatting with Chanel about her new release The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, writing, book recommendations, and so much more!
Hi, Chanel! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Thank you so much for having me! I am a Cuban-American author who is originally from Florida, and I write historical fiction inspired by my Cuban heritage. I love to read, travel, and spend time on the water.
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
So far, fingers crossed, I am really hopeful that 2021 will be a brighter year.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Honestly, I can’t ever remember a time when I wasn’t reading, so there are too many books to list here that shaped me and inspired me to become a writer, but the book that probably inspired me the most to write about my Cuban heritage was Carlos Eire’s extraordinary memoir Waiting for Snow in Havana. It was the first time that I saw my family’s story reflected in a book, and it moved me tremendously and inspired me to want to write about my experiences growing up as the daughter and granddaughter of Cuban exiles who came to the United States as refugees and passed their love and memories of Cuba down to me.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve always been an avid reader and it was my passion for books that inspired me to try to write one. I started working on my first manuscript about thirteen years ago and it’s been an incredible journey along the way.
Your new novel, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, is out on May 4th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Adventurous, emotional, suspenseful, inspiring, informative
What can readers expect?
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is set during the late 19th century and is inspired by the true story of Evangelina Cisneros, an eighteen-year-old Cuban revolutionary who was falsely imprisoned by the Spanish and subsequently became an international celebrity when her plight was used by William Randolph Hearst as a rallying cry for American intervention in the Cuban fight for independence from Spain. Evangelina’s imprisonment in the notorious Recogidas prison for women in Havana and subsequent infamy intertwines with the stories of my other two heroines: Grace Harrington and Marina Perez.
Grace is an American newspaper reporter caught up in the subscription fight between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst in New York City, and in her quest to be the next Nellie Bly, she is drawn to Evangelina’s story. In Cuba, Marina Perez also becomes involved in the effort to save Evangelina as she works as a courier for the revolutionaries in Havana. She’s sent to a reconcentration camp with her mother-in-law and daughter while her husband fights for freedom in Cuba’s countryside.
Where did the inspiration for The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba come from?
In the summer of 2018, I was down in the Florida Keys on a research trip for last year’s book release The Last Train to Key West. While I was there, I visited the San Carlos Institute—a Cuban heritage center—and I also visited a memorial to the USS Maine. I became intrigued with the idea of writing a book set during the Cuban fight for independence from Spain and the Spanish-American War. The more I researched, the more fascinated I became with this tumultuous period in history and the people who lived during these times. When I came across the true story of Evangelina Cisneros, I knew I wanted to write about her life.
What kind of research did you have to do for The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba?
So much research! I read/watched/listened to over one hundred different sources while working on The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba. There were so many aspects to this story from the excesses of the Gilded Age setting, to the Cuban fight for independence from Spain, the explosion of the USS Maine, the Spanish-American War, and the lives of some of the central characters like William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, and of course, Evangelina Cisneros. I spent a lot of time going through the historical record as I tried to bring this time period to life. While I utilized many sources to craft each facet of the story, for Evangelina’s character I referred to her “autobiography,” a book that was published during her period of infamy by Hearst—and likely written and influenced by members of his staff—as my primary document.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is the first time I’ve written about a real-life figure as one of my heroines, so it was really important to me to represent Evangelina’s story as faithfully and accurately as possible. I used her “autobiography” as my guiding influence for that reason, but even with that, it was still at times hard to get a sense of who Evangelina really was outside of the public spectacle that was made of her life. Even her autobiography was likely written by members of Hearst’s staff, so she could be a difficult character to feel close to at times. It was important to me to give readers a sense of her spirit and to convey her love of country.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
I think the best writing advice I’ve received is to read as much as possible. I learn so much as a reader both from other historical fiction authors and from authors in other genres.
I’m not sure that I’ve really received bad writing advice, but I think everyone has to find what works for them and follow their own path.
What’s next for you?
My next book is a dual timeline historical fiction book set in the 1930s and 1960s in Cuba, Spain, and the United States. It features three Cuban heroines whose lives unexpectedly intersect against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the Cuban Revolution of 1933, and the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Since I introduced the Perez family in Next Year in Havana, readers have been asking for the rest of the Perez sisters’ stories, and I’m excited to share that this next book which will be out in 2022 features Isabel Perez’s story as one of the heroines.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’ve been on an amazing reading streak lately and I’ve read and loved some fabulous ARCs of historical fiction releases that will be out later this year. I highly recommend Island Queen by Vanessa Riley, Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, and The Riviera House by Natasha Lester.
