5 Questions With...Vanessa Montalban!

By Grace H. 

Hello and welcome to the first post in part of the TBG’s new series: “5 Questions With…”!

Today we will be starting off with the local author of A Tall Dark Trouble, Vanessa Montalban! She was born in Miami, graduated from UCF, and now writes young adult fiction. A Tall Dark Trouble was her first novel! Without further ado, here are the 5 questions!

                               

First off, can you tell us a little bit about what inspired your debut novel?

Oh yes, so many things went into the inspiration for A Tall Dark Trouble. First, I'm a big fan of witchy stories. I rewatch Practical Magic every year, and the sisterly storyline always reminded me of my own sister! I was also really charmed by the idea of a love curse because it's such a common motif in Cuban/Caribbean lore. You'll usually have a family member who'll swear they were cursed by an old bruja (witch) on the island. The idea was already ruminating, but it wasn't until 2016 that it all came together. I was visiting my dad in Miami when the news that Fidel Castro had died was announced. Castro was the dictator of Cuba for over 50 years. All the streets of Miami were suddenly filled with people cheering and crying, waving the Cuban flag and hoping the news would spell freedom for their island. I felt the relief, the joy of my family, but at the same time, I felt disconnected from it. I didn't live through what they had lived through, or suffer what they had suffered. That's when I had the idea of writing a multi-generational story. I loved the idea of stepping back in time, into another generation's shoes and exploring how their experiences influenced them as people. It was also important for me to show how being a product of that inherited trauma, being part of the diaspora, affects you even when you're born and raised in the United States. Tossing in murder, mystery, and magic made it all the more fun to write.

If you had to describe your book in one sentence, what would you say?

An adventurous witchy story about three teens navigating love, magic, and murder!

What were some of your favorite scenes to write?

One of my favorite scenes to write was the final scene when it all came together! I know, sorry. That's really vague. It was just so cool to see how every character stepped into their power and conquered fears. And there's a high-speed chase! I also really loved writing the romantic moments between the characters. Each duo was so different from the other. There's also a scene when Delfi and Lela are making up after a sisterly fight, and it's a quiet scene in their house, but it felt so real while I was writing it.

What was your experience writing from the perspective of three different characters and two timelines? Was it difficult to keep track of?

Keeping track of the two timelines and figuring out where exactly they should intersect was incredibly difficult. Took a lot of work between me, beta readers, my agent, and my editor. We wanted it to flow together as organically as possible, so if I introduced a certain symbol or theme in the past chapters, I wanted it to carry through somehow in the current-day chapters. I also had to plan reveals to align with both timelines. On the other hand, writing from each perspective wasn't as hard for me. It felt natural to fall into that character whenever I had to switch to another point of view. I think it's because with every character I write, even the villains, they all carry some aspect of me, and it's always fun to think from another perspective, taking into account everything that's shaped that specific character.

And finally, what comes next on your writing journey?

Yes! Thanks so much for asking. I'm really excited about my next project. It releases in February 2025 through Zando Young Readers. It's another standalone YA paranormal/contemporary fantasy. A reimagining of La Cegua, a mythical creature from Nicaraguan folklore who lures men into the woods towards their doom. I'm hard at work with revisions now! After that, who knows? Hopefully, there'll be more to come.

Thank you so much for speaking with us, Vanessa! 

If you'd like to read her action-packed fantasy, A Tall Dark Trouble, check it out from Winter Park Library today!