Lindsey Leavitt is here today to share a few insights on her latest novel, Going Vintage. A unique story about gaining perspective and learning that life is never really simple no matter how hard you try to streamline, Going Vintage is a cute story and a must read for anyone who has ever experienced a personal crisis and struggled to sort out the mess.
Lindsey Leavitt is a former elementary school teacher and present-day writer/mom
to three (mostly) adorable girls. She is married to her high-school lab
partner and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the author of the
Princess for Hire series, Sean Griswold's Head, & Going Vintage.
She also feels weird writing about herself in third person.
Where to find her...
Going Vintageby Lindsey Leavitt
Release Date: March 26, 2013Publisher: BloomsburyWhen Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.
Going Vintage is filled with unique, three-dimensional characters who both contrast and compliment Mallory. What goes into creating such a balanced cast?
First off, thank you. Second... I think that's what a cast of secondary characters should always do--compliment and contrast the MC. If a character isn't doing that, they don't need to be in the story. Also, and I think most authors would say this, but my characters take shape during revision. Grandma Vivian, for example, wore puff-painted cat sweatshirts in an earlier draft, but that didn't work with her personality or her relationship with Mallory. Getting to know my characters draft after draft is honestly my very favorite part of writing.
Why did you chose the 1960s as Mallory's throwback era of choice?
Part of it was the age difference of her grandma--forties would have been to far away for her to connect with grandparent. Also, early sixties was a time on the cusp of change. Some people were wholly involved with that change--the civil rights movement, the second wave of feminism--and some were living in the bubble of the fifties. And that's pretty symbolic of Mallory's journey in this book. She thought her life was one way, but realized it was built on a shaky foundation and she wants to solidify herself.
With so many fads and fashions returning from years past, what thing from the 1960s would you like to see return to popularity?
I love the Betty Draper kind of dress--full skirts, fitted waist. So many fashions now leave so little to the imagination, and the clothing then was so classy and flattering. Don't get me wrong, I would never give up jeans, but a time when men still wore hats and women pearls? Big fan.
How important was it to you to have Oliver and Mallory's relationship build over the course of the book instead of going the "insta-love" route?
One of my biggest considerations going into this book was keeping it a break-up book before it was a romance. I know some readers will be disappointed that "more" doesn't happen, but I think that would have negated everything Mallory learned. Also, I am a big fan of the slow build romance. I believe in insta attraction, but not insta-love.
In our tech-heavy, constantly connected world, what do you feel can be gained by unplugging?
For me, unplugging makes me more observant. I see beyond what friends are telling me to see about them, to the things i only notice from being face to face. I'm more active with my kids, I notice more sunsets. Technology certainly nurtures relationships too, but turning my phone off helps me be more involved in each moment.
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