What an incredible amount of joy it is for me to welcome to Jorie Loves A Story, the writer of historically enriched French novels which ache to be classified as literary as much as they are most decisively historical in breadth of scope — Ms. Heather Webb!
I was quite wickedly intrigued by her debut novel: “Becoming Josephine” which not only introduced me to the Bonaparte’s in a way I had not expected possible, but it clued me into the particulars of Revolutionary France and the swirling tide of rule that would alter time and history. I was not quite ready to meet Josephine as her story was quite brutally harsh and incredibly layered, (a credit to the writer who brought her truth to light from her pen) but what I walked away with was this undying intrigue for France & for eclipsing previously unknown eras of French history through stories presenting a lifeblood of a living person who dared to make their mark at a time that was fashionably slanted against them!
This has become Ms. Webb’s signature style — of interweaving historical fact and the mysterious unknown spirit of truth of her characters into a riveting read of history encased in a figmented glass of eloquence.
I’ve come full circle — I hosted Ms. Webb for her debut novel, and now after having spent many a spontaneously happy moon meeting up with her in the twitterverse, I am hosting her for her second novel, this time centered around the Belle Epoque era of artistic dynasty!
You’ve previously reflected how much you adore the Belle Epoque era of French history due to the well of inspiring innovative thoughts, movements, and progress stepping out of it. Do you remember what gave you the first bonefide passionate link to the Belle Epoque world? Was it a particular person, story, or movement that eclipsed your heart?
Webb responds: It began when I was twelve years old and living in Nashville. (My dad was military so we moved around a lot.) A traveling exhibit of the impressionists came to one of the museums downtown. My mom, ever on the hunt for the cultural things to see in each place we lived, bought us tickets immediately. I’ll never forget marveling over the array of gorgeous paintings, how the artists used color to depict light and movement. From that point on, I wanted to know more about these painters and thus began my interest in this era.
I have oft found the best discoveries we have in our lives are the ones that are fortuitously spontaneous and unexpectedly alighting on our path! How keen your Mum had a bit of inspiration towards your growing curiosity on art history inasmuch as sparking a flame inside your mind that would one day lead you toward’s telling the story within Rodin’s Lover! I love finding such connective pieces of where inspiration and curiosity start to carve such an intricate thread through our mind’s eye towards revealing in our future how that moment solidified a desire we had yet to give a name too!
When it comes to fine art, I have drifted between Renaissance artists of Italy (i.e. Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michaelangelo and Raphael) to the Pre-Raphaelites (i.e. John W. Waterhouse, Bouguereau, or Godward), yet I haven’t explored Rodin. Except to say I have lamented about his sculpture “The Thinker” throughout my childhood, whilst I studied fine art. What tipped your interest on Rodin initially, and sparked your joy in bringing out Camille Claudel who had such anguish in loving Rodin?!
Webb responds: I fell in love with both Camille and Rodin while in my French film class in college. The film, simply called Camille Claudel, was multiple award-winning in Europe and the U.S. with stars Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu playing the roles of Camille and Rodin. Their tragic love story gripped me and I swooned at the beauty they created both together and separately. After the film, I became rather obsessed with sculpture in general. Many years later, I had not forgotten Camille, and knew I wanted to delve more into her life.
Isn’t that interesting?! Depardieu, you say?! I remember finding him for the first time in Green Card; yet I had not realised they had brought Rodin & Claudel to the screen! Although having become further interested in the real-life counterparts to this story, I had nearly suspected there might have been a classic motion picture on behalf of their life, as they so oft had brought to life people who had such a strong impact on art and society. There is beauty within tragedy as much as there is solace out of darkness — I can see how the strong emotional ties of their orbit heightened your motivation to tell their stories!
As an additional note to my readers: this film is available at your Public Library!
It feels as though you resurrected a portion of Camille Claudel’s spirit to convey her life, internal world, and the ache in which she tried to fuse art with passion both in and outside her work. Was there a part of her that you only discovered whilst writing on her behalf vs what you gathered from your research?
Webb responds: I think every writer must step inside a character’s shoes, heart, and soul to really capture their essence on the page. It’s not so different from what an actor must do. And yes, while writing, I discovered Camille’s yearning to be close to her mother and the subsequent struggle with women throughout her life. The research showed she had a volatile relationship with her mother, but this deep longing in her heart I found on the page.
Yes, this is quite true, indeed — yet I think each writer approaches the craft differently with their own unique take on how to subject themselves to their character’s heart and the way in which the characters alight out of their musings. It is quite an organic process to dig inside the introspective side of a person who lived outside of our own time, and yet as you said, their voices can become so strong and so vocal, it is as if they were still drawing breath to give us a first hand account of where they stood with their thoughts and their emotions! I love how portions of her own soul started to emote through the pages you dedicated to her life — to stir the cosmic layers of insight out of a compelling drama.
I am quite curious about the journey writers take to get into the niche spot of their character’s heart, to internalise a bit of what is left behind of their essence in order to draw out the best likeness possible in their fiction. As Rodin is such a centerpiece on sculpture, did you visit the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia or other museums in France, to sit for a spell with his art, drawing out a murmur of who the artist was behind the art?
Webb responds: I did. I’ve spent a lot of time at the Musée Rodin in Paris, actually. It was my favorite museum long before I became a writer. In fact, the museum itself and all of those gorgeous pieces were likely a big part of why I wanted to write the story in the first place. I’ve also visited the permanent collection at the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
Oh, how wickedly lovely! I knew there had to be other museums and galleries featuring Rodin! I personally find myself cast a bit spellbound whilst wandering galleries & museums — such a jolt of creative ingenuity and individual accomplishments that defined each artist and their generation! I can well imagine how visiting Rodin’s works of art gave you a foundation of wanting to spend more time with him!
What are your favourite works by Rodin and why do they capture you on such a profound level?
Webb responds: My favorite works by Rodin are The Hand of God, the Burghers of Calais, and The Kiss, each for different reasons. The Hand of God is a small piece with very fine detail and I love the internal reflection it evokes. The Burghers are just brilliant—these men are marching to their death to save their medieval town from destruction. The nobility in their sacrifice, their anguish, as well as their strength is all conveyed perfectly in this piece. It’s one of his master works in my opinion. I also adore The Kiss as it was inspired by Camille and it’s just beautiful, romantic, and passionate. The pearly effervescence of this piece really makes the figures look like their skin is glowing.
Such vivid details and such a capture of human emotions wrought out of the sculptures themselves! The way in which you conveyed the image of “The Kiss” gave me butterflies — I love how you described ‘their skin’ and how their skin electrified a passion of who Claudel was whilst she was able to articulate the strength of her spirit.
The main conflict for Camille Claudel was the obstinate will of Rodin not to relinquish his relationship with his live-in lover; did you feel through writing “Rodin’s Lover” that if perhaps a second course had been taken, where Rodin chose Claudel over his lover, if Claudel’s fate might have been saved? Or was she not strong enough to overcome her emotional anguish to where any release of heartache might not be able to reach her at that point?
Webb responds: I think her life would have been different to a point. She would have been well-cared for despite many arguments, but she was mentally ill so I do think there would be no “saving” her emotionally. They just didn’t have the knowledge or medicine that we do today to help mitigate some of the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Sadly, I think you might be right — although, I think for each reader and writer who stumbles across someone who once lived and whose life ended quite tragically, there is always a measure of yearning to see the past rectified.
I applaud your choice to give Claudel her own shining light, to reveal who she was as a woman as much as an artist. Why do you think she has been held back from appreciation in art circles, to such a lesser extent than Rodin, if they created such beauty that befits mention?
Webb responds: Thank you. Yes, I found her life compelling and tragic, yet she created such beauty. I wanted to bring her story to light as she deserved to be recognized as a great talent. In art circles, she is very highly appreciated, actually. She just hasn’t really made it into the main stream body of knowledge, as most female artists have not. This is sexist, of course, but I hope and believe women’s contributions to history will be remedied over time.
Ah, sexism! That tangled web we all know so very well! Yet, for all the woes it brings, I would have felt that at some point contemporary art teachers might have enlightened their students (such as I) with a bit of insight into Claudel? After all, she has quite the legacy to share and whether or not her life was a bit melancholic to reflect upon, it reminds me a bit of how her voice was unnecessarily obscured like Zelda’s (Fitzgerald). The story of each person’s life has merit to be shared and like you, I do strive to hope that history will be kinder through additions made to highlight those who were previously kept to shadows.
Part of what inspires you is an undercurrent of sociological themes of exploring the lives people led in the past and the way in which how they lived is then understood from our modern age of living. I was curious, do you think you will continue to explore women’s topics per each new century and/or locale you tackle, or are you going to shift outside of this vein and surprise your readers?
Webb responds: I have a wicked smile on my face. I plan to do both. I’m in the process of working on something purely fictional—yet still historical and women-centric—and also have another fictional biography on the back burner that will explore the life of another inspiring woman.
And, I had a cheeky happy one on mine, having read this response! I couldn’t help smirking into a laugh! How I know you or rather have grown to understand you over this past year! I felt like I might have hit upon where you were heading next a bit ‘too cunningly close’ but alas! I had to try to upturnt a surprise for my readers! Ooh, dear — what delight indeed! A new biographical fiction!? Daresay! You shouldn’t hold us in the throes of mystery for too long!
When it comes to focusing on your research, what do you take the most enjoyment out of: the primary sources or the travelling bits where you can breathe in a breath of a moment lost to time? Or do you find them both equal to the evolution of the story to solidify the vision you have to draw together your character with the heart of the novel?
Webb responds: They’re equally important. I learn much more by reading, of course, but there is something pertinent a writer gleans from traveling to the locations. There’s a lot of visceral and sensual information you can’t absorb quite the same way through pages of a book.
Yes, I completely agree — to put foot to thought and mind to heart where your locale is generating such an illuminating idea of where your story is set — it is only right to travel there and absorb the atmosphere of that place into your very bones! To allow the place to wash over you, become a part of you, and then return back to the art of capturing what you felt and saw to the printed page! Yes, I do agree — travelling is quite exclusively necessary!
Did the relationship between Rodin and Claudel mirror other famous couples in history that had a combustive relationship where being together was quite toxic and not always healthy for them both to thrive? Did you find yourself drawing a composite of other whilst writing Rodin & Claudel’s story?
Webb responds: I know others exist, surely, like Monet and his own beloved Camille, but no, I didn’t do much in the way of comparisons. I lost myself in Camille and Auguste’s world.
And, this goes to point to how our characters endeavour us forward to create something that transcends every ounce of what we might have first felt we would achieve having given them ink originally! How lovely to hear that all other voices were silenced as your ears and eyes only saw the two you were focusing on!
After completing “Rodin’s Lover” what were your final ruminative takeaways on behalf of both Rodin and Claudel? As a couple and as individuals?
Webb responds: They were brilliant, passionate people who longed to bring beauty to the world—to reflect the struggles of the human spirit in all of its ugliness and perfection. They were certainly individuals, but the love and power they had together was dynamic and unique.
They in effect created their own unique confluence of energy — igniting each other with fire to create art and yet their passion for each other on a different level created conflict. To give and to take yet unable to walk away. A kaleidoscope of humanity within two souls.
Outside of writing and research, what do you consider uplifts your spirit the most and gives you a pause from your writerly pursuits?
Webb responds: Other than family and friend time, I adore cooking and baking. Not the run-of-the-mill putting a meal on the table, but experimenting with my cookbooks and recipes. It’s a lovely creative outlet that’s both meditative and inspiring to me on some level.
I do as well! I am more keen on baking than savoury exploits — a certain revelation that has only just alighted out of realising that my first instinct is to grab flour & bakery supplies rather than to root around for veg! I do admit that I am positively addicted to ‘you pick’ farms where you can personally select your own greens and veg; but outside of the farmer’s markets or farms themselves, my initial joy is what I can create out of the oven! I never knew a ‘run of the mill’ meal myself! My Mum is a natural talent in the kitchen (perhaps why I followed Julia Child as a ‘late blooming cook’; yet I bet her by a handful of years! lol) who never met a recipe she couldn’t alter as her own nor a spice or herb who did not whet your palette with a thirst of joy!
No, I cannot say the ordinary grabs me either! I like to experiment with different styles of cookery (with a keen bent on the healthy) but ooh! To bake! To bake is to give a bit of love back to your soul!
I am truly full of joy having been given the chance to interview Ms. Webb, whilst the bookish world is embracing her second novel! I was originally scheduled to post my review of Rodin’s Lover today alongside my interview, however, I’ve made a last minute schedule change to reflect that the interview will run separately from my review! Stay tuned as I shall be sharing my ruminations and impressions on Rodin’s Lover before the tour’s conclusion on the 28th!
Book Synopsis:
A mesmerizing tale of art and passion in Belle Époque France
As a woman, aspiring sculptor Camille Claudel has plenty of critics, especially her ultra-traditional mother. But when Auguste Rodin makes Camille his apprentice—and his muse—their passion inspires groundbreaking works. Yet, Camille’s success is overshadowed by her lover’s rising star, and her obsessions cross the line into madness.
Rodin’s Lover brings to life the volatile love affair between one of the era’s greatest artists and a woman entwined in a tragic dilemma she cannot escape.
Converse via: #RodinsLover, #HeatherWebb, & #FranceBT
This author interview was courtesy of:
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Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Rodin’s Lover”, book synopsis, author photograph of Heather Webb, author biography, the blog tour badge were all provided by France Book Tours and used with permission. Conversations with the Bookish banner & the France Book Tours badge created by Jorie in Canva. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded due to codes provided by Twitter.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2015.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life
Author Interview | Conversing with Heather Webb on her passion for Rodin and #amwriting thought-provoking literary… http://t.co/FvlpWVjJPv
— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter ?? (@joriestory) January 21, 2015
I’m so glad I discovered your informative interview with Heather Webb. I can’t wait to read Rodin’s Lover and this interview has me really intrigued. Thank you!
And thank for linking this blog post to the Hump Day Blog Hop (held on the last Wednesday of every month). You have a terrific book blog – I’m on my second cup of tea cruising around your site to all the wonderful content.
Great job and a lot of HARD work! ;)
Hallo, Hallo Ms Valerie,
I was truly touched that you enjoyed visiting with me long enough to have your second cuppa tea! What a lovely honour & such a kind note to find! I remember I smiled a lot thinking about this as being a tea drinker myself, I know how much you can read whilst you enjoy your cuppa! I oft do the same whenever I’m visiting my fellow book blogger’s blogs and to hear someone else likes to do this too, truly was a lift of joy! I’m thankful my interview with Ms Webb intrigued you further into wanting to read Rodin’s Lover – hopefully by the time the book reached your hands, you enjoyed the story within!
Bless you for this lovely comment and for acknowledging how hard all of us work ‘behind-the-blog’ and regularly engage with our audience and readers through the content we are presenting on our blogs. I’ve been truly humbled by this journey and I appreciate everyone whose ever taken the time to respond to one of my posts and given me a small note of acknowledgement for their presence and pleasure of finding my blog.
What a wonderful interview. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to read this book.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
Welcome to my blog! :)
I’m thankful you found the interview on the tour! Did you get a chance to read her debut novel about Josephine!? My review is forthcoming shortly on Rodin’s Lover but I must admit, I had a heap of fun crafting the questions I wanted to pitch to Ms Webb! It isn’t often I get to read a debut novelist and their second release within a year of each pub date!
Drop back again soon!
Fantastic interview! I enjoyed reading it :)
Thank you, Lianne! :)
I was in quite a stimulating convo tonight in #K8Chat, and although I saw your comment I thought it went through! I completely forgot you switched domains! lol :) I’m delighted over the moon you loved this interview as much as I had such a lot of joy composing it! I cannot wait to talk to you about Rodin’s Lover as I am still in the process of reading it!
Til soon, dear friend!