Which scene in The Seamstress did you most enjoy writing?
Oh, my… Even though it is tragic and violent, I think it has to be the scene of the women storming the palace at Versailles. For one thing, as a not-so-secret feminist, it’s somewhat satisfying to see women taking action.
There’s something so powerful about the idea of women made bold for the sake of their children—to see them add weapons to their voices and confront subjugation with threat. I could never advocate that in today’s climate, but in the context of history, it is such a powerful moment.
That scene is also a perfectly crafted chapter in the Dickens novel, with the sinister Madame Defarge at the helm. And finally, though I won’t go into detail exactly how, it brings the cousins Laurette and Renée within consciousness of each other, and as a writer, those little moments are so much fun to craft!
As you were crafting the characters featured in The Seamstress, which one did you personally relate to the most? Which character surprised you the most?
I related to Laurette the most because she is basically just a total mess. She’s impulsive and petulant and wracked with self-doubt. She is forgiven much.
What are some future projects you’re working on?
As of this moment, all future projects are still in an early stage—too early for specifics. I will say that I am NOT finished with Dickens. I’m looking at other fictional characters who need to leap into my pages as well as historical figures who might show up in a story yet untold.
Visit Allison Pittman’s author page:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/allison-pittman
The Seamstress
Allison Pittman
Tyndale House
A beautifully crafted story breathes life into the cameo character from the classic novel A Tale of Two Cities.
France, 1788
It is the best of times . . .
On a tranquil farm nestled in the French countryside, two orphaned cousins―Renée and Laurette―have been raised under the caring guardianship of young Émile Gagnon, the last of a once-prosperous family. No longer starving girls, Laurette and Renée now spend days tending Gagnon’s sheep, and nights in their cozy loft, whispering secrets and dreams in this time of waning innocence and peace.
It is the worst of times . . .
Paris groans with a restlessness that can no longer be contained within its city streets. Hunger and hatred fuel her people. Violence seeps into the ornate halls of Versailles. Even Gagnon’s table in the quiet village of Mouton Blanc bears witness to the rumbles of rebellion, where Marcel Moreau embodies its voice and heart.
It is the story that has never been told.
In one night, the best and worst of fate collide. A chance encounter with a fashionable woman will bring Renée’s sewing skills to light and secure a place in the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. An act of reckless passion will throw Laurette into the arms of the increasingly militant Marcel. And Gagnon, steadfast in his faith in God and country, can only watch as those he loves march straight into the heart of the revolution.