We chat with author Elle Tesch about What Wakes The Bells, which is a lavish gothic fantasy inspired by an ominous Prague legend and is perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, Margaret Rogerson, and V.E. Schwab.
Hi, Elle! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m Elle Tesch, a YA Fantasy writer from Vancouver, Canada. My interests include wandering the forest trails behind my house, doing too-big-for-my-own-good cross stitch projects, travelling places to eat good food, and constantly listening to music. What Wakes the Bells is my debut novel.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always been a voracious reader. Some of my earliest memories include my mom reading Magic Treehouse and Choose-Your-Own-Adventure to me and my sister before bed. In the summers, we walked to our local library every week, and I made a beeline for where the Thoroughbred series and the Tintin and Asterix comics were shelved. My love for writing came much later. It wasn’t until I was in university that I finally decided to give the vague idea floating in my head a go. It was terribly written and will never see the light of day again, but it set off a very stubborn spark inside of me.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Muddle-Headed Wombat by Ruth Park
- The one that made you want to become an author: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Your debut novel, What Wakes the Bells, is out March 11! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Gothic. Icy. Star-crossed. Family drama.
What can readers expect?
As Stefon from Saturday Night Live would say: This book has everything. Murderous statues, biblically accurate Saints, a lovers-to-enemies star-crossed romance, demisexual rep, snowy gargoyles, and a living city with a literal beating heart.
Where did the inspiration for What Wakes the Bells come from?
All credit must go to the beautiful city of Prague. I went in 2019 and left with my brain completely re-wired. The inspiration for the plot itself came in two parts. The first was from St. Vitus Cathedral, the bell tower of which I climbed. The clock mechanism was open to view at the top, and it was so much noise and work to pull a single bell, but it planted a seed in my head. The second part was from a sign outside the Old Town Hall that shared a local legend tying back to the Cathedral. It’s said that when the heart of the largest bell in St. Vitus breaks, it is an omen of something bad to come. That seed of an idea bloomed then, and I practically lived inside my memories of that trip for the next few years as I wrote. The winding cobbled streets, the close-knit buildings, the gothic spires piercing the sky, the sculptures in every corner, the rosy light through stained glass windows—all of it found its way into this book and the sentient city setting.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing Mina’s relationship with Max. It was something very new to me. Not only are they an established couple from the first page, but Mina identifies as demisexual. Things that others often do without thinking about in relationships, Mina needs time, space, and trust before she can develop the feelings and desire for them. And Max is the first partner that lets her take the lead without making her feel less for it. His first proper introduction to readers is one of my absolute favourite scenes because of that. Their relationship was also deeply cathartic to explore because it allowed me to discover and process what being on the ace spectrum meant to me.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
As much as I love and am so proud of the chapters that take place in the city’s catacombs, they tested me like no other. They lead into some big reveals while hinting at more to come yet fought me at every turn. It wasn’t until literally the very last draft that I figured out how to make it work, and I don’t think I’d have succeeded without my editor’s keen eye and suggestions. Relying on the thoughts of others really has become my go-to for how to nail down those tricky chapters.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It’s been a long one, that’s for sure. I think I first started writing ten years ago, and Bells is my seventh finished manuscript. There were a lot of mistakes made and lessons learned on my own, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I think I truly stepped out of the wordy wilderness and onto the paved path to publication. My first publishing yes came from being accepted into a popular mentorship program. I found community to support me. I finally signed with a literary agent after four attempts. There have been so many moments of hope and happiness, but just as many of tears and doubt. Looking back, I’m just glad I never gave up.
What’s next for you?
I’m always picking at some project or another, but right now I am focusing on edits for my sophomore book, The Hanging Bones, which comes out next year! Another YA dark fantasy standalone, it’s about an aro/ace gamekeeper, the magical stag hunt she enters, and the horrible monsters stalking her through the forest. Think A Far Wilder Magic meets House of Hollow with some inspiration from Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
Oh my goodness, how much time do you have? From my fellow debuts, I am so excited to get my hands on In the Company of Killers by Elora Cook, Mistress of Bones by Maria Z. Medina, Girls of Dark Divine by E.V. Woods, All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis, The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire, and When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur. Beyond that, obviously Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, Oathbound by Tracy Deonn, To Steal from Thieves by M.K. Lobb, Tenderly I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone, And They Were Roommates by Page Powars, The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas, House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt, and The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig.
