We chat with author Lucy Ashe about her latest release The Sleeping Beauties, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Lucy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m an English and Drama teacher and the author of two historical thrillers: The Sleeping Beauties and The Dance of the Dolls. I am from the UK, but I live in Brooklyn and when I’m not teaching or writing, I love to take ballet classes in NYC or go for runs around Prospect Park. I trained at the Royal Ballet School, and my love of dance has inspired both my novels.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve created stories for as long as I can remember. My twin sister and I loved to build stories together in our games when we were little, and we adored being read to by our parents. Every Saturday when we were children, we walked to our local library and got out as many books as we were allowed. This love of books has stayed with me my whole life.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
- The one that made you want to become an author: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Your latest novel, The Sleeping Beauties, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Tense, mysterious, moving, evocative, romantic
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a historical thriller with a fairy-tale at its heart, as well as a moving story about women’s lives during World War Two. When two strangers meet on a train at the end of the war, Rosamund returning the last evacuees to London from her countryside manor, and Briar on her way to rehearsals for The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House, their lives become dangerously entangled.
Set among the work of the Sadler’s Wells Ballet company during the war, The Sleeping Beauties is a suspenseful novel about the role of art in times of conflict, as well as the lengths we will go to atone for the past.
Where did the inspiration for The Sleeping Beauties come from?
When I was completing my debut novel, The Dance of the Dolls (another dance themed historical thriller set in the 1930s), I became fascinated by stories of dancers’ lives at a pivotal time for British ballet – World War Two. I learned that it was a performance of The Sleeping Beauty that re-opened the Royal Opera House in London at the end of the war, a ballet and fairytale about re-awakening after a long curse. This inspired me to create my own story about war, love, and finding hope through story-telling and dance.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I particularly enjoyed writing the chapters that are set in Holland in May 1940. Based on a true story, I loved exploring the memoirs, diary entries, biographies and photographs about this dramatic tour to the Netherlands. A group of dancers from the Sadler’s Wells Ballet embarked on a cultural tour of this country that was yet to join the war. Within days, however, Germany had invaded, and the dancers were forced to evacuate, making a dangerous journey home across the North Sea. I love combining fact and fiction, especially when I am able to bring to life unique stories about World War Two that are not often told.
What’s next for you?
My next novel will be published in Fall 2025. It has taken me in a new direction – a psychological thriller about a women’s obsession with her psychotherapist, set at the transitional time between the conservatism of the 1950s and the growing youth culture of the liberalising Swinging Sixties. The research for this has been fascinating, and I’m excited to see what readers think of this combination of suspense, psychoanalysis, and desire.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
This has been a great year for reading! I’ve loved The Mad Women’s Ball by Victoria Mas, Harlem After Midnight by Louise Hare, and Butter by Asaka Yuzuki. I’m excited to read the new Sally Rooney novel, Intermezzo, as well as Entitlement by Rumaan Alam.
