The Lost Diary of Venice Read online

  Although so much of The Lost Diary of Venice was informed by research, I was genuinely surprised by how life conspired with me to fill in any gaps. For example, the afternoon I began to write about Corvino, a stately crow took up residence in the tree outside my living room window. When it seemed that Gio might need a friend, I went to a dinner party and met a modern-day alchemist. Myriad fragments of my own life began to fall into place within the book: the little tale of a bird and a tree that I’d drawn for my students when I was teaching children in the French Alps; the motivational signs my father—also a painter—had taped to his studio wall while I was growing up in Alaska. Even my favorite bookshop secured a role, complete with cozy nooks and companionable cat. It felt as if these experiences, initially so random, had carried a purpose all along that I was just now able to see. I found myself waking up to write while it was still dark, and sneaking art books into my work handbag.

  I began to feel alive again.

  Yet even though aspects of my personal life made their way onto the page, I never had the sensation that this book entirely belonged to me. I certainly derived a sense of purpose from the relevance of so many of the novel’s themes—from women’s rights to anti-Semitism and conflict between Christians and Muslims—but rather than feeling like a debut author, I instead felt more like a secretary taking a phone call that was just a bit muffled, doing her best to get the message down right. In the end, my deepest hope is that I’ve served the story well, so that it can reach all those it is meant for: to entertain, to inspire, and to maybe help them feel just a little bit more alive.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Margaux DeRoux was born in Juneau, Alaska. Before turning to fiction she was a waitress, a teacher, and a marketer. She now lives in California with her husband and daughter.

  Twitter: @MargauxDeroux

  Instagram: @margaux_deroux

  What’s next on

  your reading list?

  Discover your next

  great read!

  Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.

  Sign up now.