Book talk: Fiona Davis kicks off Nick Linn Lecture Series in Naples in January
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Fiona Davis’ readers know that the best-selling novelist is also a locksmith, one who flings open the doors and windows of New York City’s most iconic landmarks and reveals their secrets — while adding some fictional intrigue and romance for spice.
The author of last year’s “The Magnolia Palace” and the upcoming “The Spectacular” comes to Naples on Monday, Jan. 16, to open the 20th annual Nick Linn Lecture Series for the Friends of the Library of Collier County.
Three additional luncheons and lectures follow in February and March, all fundraisers by the nonprofit FOL to benefit the Collier County Public Library system’s 10 branches. They will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in North Naples. (See the information box for ticket details or go to www.collier-friends.org.)
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The other authors are Delia Owens, author of “Where the Crawdads Sing,” who will appear in February with her friend Mary Alice Monroe, best known for her Beach House series; Robert Dugoni, who wrote “The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell”; and David Baldacci, a returning favorite of the Nick Linn Series whose latest work is “Long Shadows,” an Amos Decker Memory Man novel.
Fiona Davis, Canadian-born but now a longtime New Yorker, first came to the city as an actress, then switched to writing and graduated with a master’s degree from the Columbia Journalism School. Her previous best-selling titles include “The Lions of Fifth Avenue” and “The Chelsea Girls.”
She answered these questions in advance of her Jan. 16 appearance in Naples.
Naples Daily News: You’re pretty committed to the dual or braided timeline. What are the advantages of that plot device, and are there disadvantages you have to work around?
Fiona Davis: I initially chose that structure because it’s the kind of book I love to read. One of the advantages is that I’m writing two novellas, in a way, versus one long novel, and I find it refreshing to dive back and forth between two different decades. The tough part is weaving the timelines into a cohesive story. Because I love to include an element of mystery — some kind of plot twist or big reveal — I have to be very careful when I drop clues in each timeline, or risk giving the twist away. It's an intricate dance in the early outlining phase that tends to make my head spin.
NDN: How have your past careers as both an actress and a journalist — “a different job every decade,” as you put it in one interview — influenced your writing?
FD: As a former actress, I think I’m able to slip into a character’s emotional state fairly easily and then transfer that onto the page, and it also helps that I read many plays and so hopefully developed an ear for dialogue early on. As a journalist, I learned not to be afraid of tackling complicated stories — that it’s all a matter of researching widely and asking the right questions. Because I was usually working on a tight deadline, I figured out how to digest a lot of information quickly. That definitely helps in the early stages of research, as I dive into the history of each building in search of the “scaffolding” of the story.
NDN: A fascinating tidbit in “The Magnolia Palace” was that industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his rich buddies thoughtlessly caused the Johnstown flood that killed more than 2,000 people in 1889, by altering a dam to improve their upriver fishing hole. It must be a real “aha!” moment to find a historic nugget like that. Is that generally a goal of your research?
FD: Exactly right. I’m always looking for the “aha!” moments, as I know that if I’m surprised, the reader will probably be as well. Another little-known fact about the Frick family that I discovered was that they were greatly affected by the death of their first-born daughter, Martha, who in many ways haunted the family decades after she passed away. Even though Frick was a ruthless businessman, understanding the pain he must’ve gone through at that time helped to humanize him as I wrote the novel.
NDN: You seem to do a lot of in-person appearances. What’s the main thing you get from these events — and do you come away with any ideas or inspiration for your writing?
FD: I love getting in front of readers and sharing the process of writing each book. In fact, when my first book came out, I made it a rule to go to any library/bookstore/book club that would have me, knowing how powerful word-of-mouth is in the book world. Today, I’m able to travel around the country and chat with readers, librarians and booksellers, and the exchange of energy in the room is always thrilling. I especially love the question-and-answer period where readers share their thoughts on the novels or ask about the writing life in general. In fact, several of the ideas for the locations in my books have been inspired by readers during the Q&A, including Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library.
NDN: What’s your favorite way to explore New York City? Are you a walker, or are you more likely to hop into a cab or take the subway?
FD: New York is a great town for walking, no question, as the skyline is always changing. As I walk down a street, I’ll often remember the buildings or shops that were there back in the “olden days” when I first arrived, or see a stalwart like the Dakota and be amazed it’s survived this long. However, taking the subway or bus provides a terrific opportunity to mull over a plot or character issue that’s tripping me up. Something about being in transit seems to trigger inspiration.
NDN: You’ll no doubt talk about this in Naples, but please give us a brief glimpse of your next book, “The Spectacular,” set at Radio City Music Hall and due out in June 2023.
FD: You bet! “The Spectacular” was also inspired by a reader who reached out to me — she’s a former Rockette in her 80s, and after speaking with her I knew I had to write about Radio City. The story takes place mainly in the late 1950s, when a newly hired Rockette gets caught up in the hunt for a bomber who’s been targeting iconic buildings in New York City. It’s a mix of romance, thriller and mystery, and provides a backstage glimpse at the life of a Rockette. I’m so excited to get it out into the world.
The Nick Linn Series is the main fundraiser for the nonprofit Friends of the Library, which over the years has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Collier County Public Library system to buy e-books, fund adult and children’s programs, pay postage for the Mail-A-Book program for the homebound, fund the genealogy databases and purchase Wish List items that are not covered by the branch libraries’ budgets.
20th Annual Nick Linn Lecture Series
What: Author talks and luncheons sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Collier County
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive, North Naples
When: Luncheons begin at noon. The author takes the stage at 1 p.m. Book signings begin at 2 p.m. after a Q&A session with the audience: Fiona Davis, Monday, Jan. 16; Delia Owens and Mary Alice Monroe, Monday, Feb. 20; Robert Dugoni, Monday, March 13; and David Baldacci, Monday, March 27
Tickets: A current Friends membership is required. Publisher Series includes all luncheons and lectures, as well as private pre-lecture receptions and priority assigned seating ($675). Other levels are Editor Series ($575) and General Series ($500). The Lecture Only Series is sold out. There are no single-event ticket sales. Friends memberships begin at $30/year and also provide access and discounts to other programs. Contact Marlene Haywood at mhaywood@collier-friends.org or 239-262-8135 for details.
Website: https://collier-friends.org/events/nick-linn-series/
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples author lecture series kicks off with Fiona Davis on Jan. 16
