We're pleased to welcome Audrey Burges to CLC. Her debut novel, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone, releases next week. Melissa really enjoyed it and can't wait for you all to read it! Check out her review. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!
We just came across this article recently and it goes along with The Minuscule Mansion pretty well, except Myra would never refer to the Mansion as a "dollhouse."
Audrey Burges writes novels, humor, satire, and essays in Richmond, Virginia. She has stories published or forthcoming in McSweeney's, Cease, Cows, Into the Void, Human Parts, Empty Mirror, The Belladonna, Slackjaw, and Points in Case. When Audrey isn't writing, she's being tolerated by her two rambunctious children and very patient husband.
From her attic in the Arizona mountains, thirty-four-year-old Myra Malone blogs about a dollhouse mansion that captivates thousands of readers worldwide. Myra’s stories have created legions of fans who breathlessly await every blog post, trade photographs of Mansion-modeled rooms, and swap theories about the enigmatic and reclusive author. Myra herself is tethered to the Mansion by mysteries she can’t understand—rooms that appear and disappear overnight, music that plays in its corridors.
Across the country, Alex Rakes, the scion of a custom furniture business, encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room. The pair show him the Minuscule Mansion, and Alex is shocked to recognize a reflection of his own life mirrored back to him in minute scale. The room is his own bedroom, and the Mansion is his family’s home, handed down from the grandmother who disappeared mysteriously when Alex was a child. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds—big and small—and trace the stories that entwine them, setting the stage for a meeting rooted in loss, but defined by love. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
"Audrey Burges has written a sure-fire hit—lively, stylish, and full of heart. The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is decorated with gorgeous wordsmithery and magical trimmings, and I loved every minute spent inside."
—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds
—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds
"The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is a poignant, beautiful debut filled with magic, fate and redemption. This story captured my imagination and I just had to keep reading to see how it would end. I enjoyed every page."
—Rachel Linden, author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie
—Rachel Linden, author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
For me, the road to publishing was a lot like the Mansion itself: often unpredictable, detailed and complex, and ultimately a beautiful experience that I’ve felt so lucky to be part of.
How is Myra similar to or different from you?
I would say that my personality is a blend of Myra and Gwen. It’s like that literary trope that goes around Twitter every so often: inside me are two wolves, and one of them is named Myra and the other Gwen, and they’re constantly bickering over my social life (or lack thereof). I feel that, much like Myra, my personality comes across more clearly in writing than it does in person. But my inner Gwen won’t let me off the hook quite so easily.
If The Minuscule Mansion were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
This is an unbelievably hard question! Not least because, as a reader, I find my own inner picture of a character can be altered by other people’s casting choices. And I could see so, so many people in these roles! But with that said, some who come to mind: I could very much see Elizabeth Olsen as Myra, Paul Dano as Alex, Emma Stone as Gwen, and Emily Blunt as Willa.
What is your favorite room in your house?
My dining room is the nerve center of my house - it’s also my office and writing space, our craft space, and the place where I can hear everything, upstairs and down, as well as the room where I’ve hung a lot of photos and favorite art pieces by family!
Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year?
I am terrible about making resolutions; when I think of one, it’s invariably something like “I won’t eat quite so much cheese!” followed immediately by “now WHY would I do a silly thing like that?” Maybe it’s time to resolve that I will never, not ever, limit my consumption of cheese, because anything that brings me that much joy is worth celebrating.
What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
Hands down, I would have to say Everything Everywhere All at Once. I am probably obnoxious in my level of insistence that people must see it - like, “Hello, you don’t know me well and oh, I see you’re currently writing me a parking ticket, but I have to ask: have you seen Everything Everywhere All at Once?” And it’s one of those movies where, if the answer is yes, there WILL be a conversation, and it WILL start with “Oh my GOD” and then deteriorate into inarticulate falling-all-over examples of favorite moments. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed and cried so hard during a single film. It is exquisite. See it and then talk to me about it. Especially if you’re currently writing me a parking ticket.
For me, the road to publishing was a lot like the Mansion itself: often unpredictable, detailed and complex, and ultimately a beautiful experience that I’ve felt so lucky to be part of.
How is Myra similar to or different from you?
I would say that my personality is a blend of Myra and Gwen. It’s like that literary trope that goes around Twitter every so often: inside me are two wolves, and one of them is named Myra and the other Gwen, and they’re constantly bickering over my social life (or lack thereof). I feel that, much like Myra, my personality comes across more clearly in writing than it does in person. But my inner Gwen won’t let me off the hook quite so easily.
If The Minuscule Mansion were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
This is an unbelievably hard question! Not least because, as a reader, I find my own inner picture of a character can be altered by other people’s casting choices. And I could see so, so many people in these roles! But with that said, some who come to mind: I could very much see Elizabeth Olsen as Myra, Paul Dano as Alex, Emma Stone as Gwen, and Emily Blunt as Willa.
What is your favorite room in your house?
My dining room is the nerve center of my house - it’s also my office and writing space, our craft space, and the place where I can hear everything, upstairs and down, as well as the room where I’ve hung a lot of photos and favorite art pieces by family!
Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year?
I am terrible about making resolutions; when I think of one, it’s invariably something like “I won’t eat quite so much cheese!” followed immediately by “now WHY would I do a silly thing like that?” Maybe it’s time to resolve that I will never, not ever, limit my consumption of cheese, because anything that brings me that much joy is worth celebrating.
What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
Hands down, I would have to say Everything Everywhere All at Once. I am probably obnoxious in my level of insistence that people must see it - like, “Hello, you don’t know me well and oh, I see you’re currently writing me a parking ticket, but I have to ask: have you seen Everything Everywhere All at Once?” And it’s one of those movies where, if the answer is yes, there WILL be a conversation, and it WILL start with “Oh my GOD” and then deteriorate into inarticulate falling-all-over examples of favorite moments. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed and cried so hard during a single film. It is exquisite. See it and then talk to me about it. Especially if you’re currently writing me a parking ticket.
Thanks to Audrey for chatting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.
How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.
Giveaway ends January 24th at midnight EST.
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Listen to this book on Speechify!
My favorite room is the family room. Cozy with a fireplace and very comfortable.
ReplyDeleteMy bedroom...I have put a lot of effort into creating a calming haven.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite room in my house is my bedroom. Not only is my bed comfy, I have 4 bookshelves full of books and bookish decorations and artwork. It's my sanctuary.
ReplyDeleteOne of the bedrooms is where I keep my books and other things that are special to me. I have a desk and a number of bookcases. That would be my favorite room.
ReplyDeleteMy bedroom - bookshelves and a table for my laptop.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite room is the kitchen- it seems like family as well as friends seem to gravitate to the kitchen table where we eat-and just sit and talk-everyone seems very comfortable at the kitchen table.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite room in my house is my living room, it's where I read.
ReplyDeleteThe guest room--it is where I sit and knit and watch tv or read. So comfortable.
ReplyDeleteBedroom
ReplyDeletekitchen
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is our living room, with comfy sofa, pellet stove, big tv and view of the ocean!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite room is the living room. It's where I spend my reading time.
ReplyDelete