Authors Interviewing Characters: Laura Resau

The Alchemy of Flowers

“Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth.” –Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris

A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens–but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls. This debut adult novel is an enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.

Help Wanted: In search of a gardener for the ancient walled Jardins du Paradis in the South of France. Unique and rustic lodging provided. Off the grid in all ways. One must grow flowers from one’s merde . . .

Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine. To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise. And best of all for her . . .

Absolutely no children allowed on the premises.

Within the high garden walls, Eloise starts to learn the strange rules of the elusive estate owner. Living and working in isolation with her three companions, she finds her heart opening again to friendship–and realizes she’s drawn to the handyman, Raphael. The flowers whisper to her, enchanting, delighting, healing. But why are the workers forbidden from going out during dusk? Who is the “Goddess of the Garden”? Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does she see a woodsprite flitting through the trees? The giggles and glimpses of a little girl haunt her and make her question: What is real in Paradise and what is illusion?

Eloise tries to rationalize her uneasy feelings and the darkness she uncovers beneath the garden’s lush beauty, but as she digs deeper into the mysteries of her sanctuary, she begins to suspect there’s a child on the grounds–who may be in danger. When Paradise becomes a deadly prison, she must risk everything to protect her newfound family and claim her second chance at happiness.

Laura Resau Interviews Eloise Bourne from The Alchemy of Flowers

Laura: Hello, everyone! Thanks for joining us here at the Château du Paradis in Provence, France for this live interview with Eloise Bourne, the new gardener. You can see how enchanting The Gardens of Paradise are through the iron bars of these gates. Unfortunately, we’re not allowed inside. 

Eloise: Right. Sorry about that. I don’t make the rules, and anyway, there’s only one key—which I don’t have. Can we just talk through the bars?

Laura: Sure—let’s get started. Eloise, we’re so excited to catch up with you now that you’ve been living and working here for a few weeks. How are you feeling?

Eloise: Well, it’s paradise. I mean, there’s gourmet food, interesting new friends, treehouse lodging, chats with magical flowers, waterfall swims with the bricoleur—that’s French for handyman. I could go on and on. Oh, and I love that there’s no internet, no cell service, no electricity. Totally off the grid. Like I said, paradise.

Laura: I sense you’re holding something back.

Eloise: Okay, there are some weird things here—bizarreries. Like the creepy goddess statues, the mysterious notes, the poison garden, my predecessor’s disappearance, ghost women on the riverbanks. And strange rules—no leaving home at dusk, no children, no gossiping. And as you can see, we’re more-or-less locked in here. Apparently, the gates stay locked so the gardens aren’t overrun—they have the power to heal or harm.

Laura: So you’re focusing on the healing parts? No thoughts of leaving?

Eloise: I have nothing to go back to in Colorado. No husband, no children, no home. I burned down my old life. Literally. For years, I tried so hard to make a family, but I have nothing to show for it. So here I am, avoiding reminders of children, talking with flowers, being a hermit.

Laura: A hermit? But you have new friends here. And that handyman co-worker. Right?

Eloise: Well, I admit, wasn’t expecting that. I thought I’d hole up here alone with the flowers. But yes, my coworkers are great. Bao is the naturalist, in charge of the wildlife and forests. He’s gentle and kind—gives me nature treasures like seed pods and feathers. And he makes the most amazing pho. Then there’s Mina—she oversees the vegetables and fruits. She’s writing a memoir of her childhood journey as a refugee from Senegal. She’s warm and friendly—we’ve been bonding over some unexpected things we have in common. And yes, there’s the handyman, Raphaël, and, well…

Laura: You’re blushing.

Eloise: Okay, I like him. A lot. But honestly? Nothing can happen between us. He’s leaving the gardens soon—for secret reasons he won’t tell me about. So we’re just friends.

Laura: Hmm.

Eloise: What’s that supposed to mean?

Laura: Nothing, nothing. Okay, pivoting here… tell us about your boss.

Eloise: She’s a bit of a mystery. They call her La Patronne, which could mean the estate owner, the lady boss, or even the patron saintess or goddess. None of my coworkers have ever seen her. We communicate through her personal assistant, Antoinette. She’s cold and controlling, but once in a while, bits of vulnerability sneak through. And then, well, never mind.

Laura: What?

Eloise: Well, I’ve gotten notes from the so-called Goddess of the Gardens, who claims to be the true boss… but I’m assuming you’re asking about an actual human.

Laura: I was, but now I’m wondering what otherworldly creatures you might have encountered here.

Eloise: I keep seeing signs of strange things. It all makes me wonder if the ghostly trio by the river might be the triple goddess in some form. I don’t understand how real they are—and I know I sound a little nuts. And, well, never mind.

Laura: What were you going to say?

Eloise: I’ve seen glimpses of a little girl in the gardens, even heard her laughter. I figured she was a figment of my imagination. I lost my own children in miscarriages, so I thought this could be some form of grieving. But now, I’m wondering if she might be real, and if she is, that could be painful for me. The clincher for me to come here was escaping reminders of children. I love kids more than anything, but after years of infertility, it felt devastating to be near them. So now, the idea there might be a girl in the gardens—well, I don’t know what to think.

Laura: You look worried. Maybe even scared?

Eloise: Here’s the thing—the girl might be in danger. La Patronne is adamant that children are forbidden, that dire consequences could ensue.

Laura: Are things getting too weird? Will you try to leave Paradise?

Eloise: Oh, hold on! There’s Raphaël coming up the path! Sorry, I have to go join him for a swim now. So um, no. No plans to leave Paradise at the moment.

Laura: You’ll just hope the dangerous side of the gardens won’t make an appearance?

Eloise: I hate to cut the interview short, but Raphaël’s waiting. Thanks for the chat.

Laura: Okay, then—thanks for your time, Eloise, and bon courage!

BUY HERE

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Laura Resau is the author of The Alchemy of Flowers, her debut novel for adults, and eleven acclaimed books for young people. Her novels won five Colorado Book Awards and appear on best-of booklists from Oprah, the American Library Association, and more. Trilingual and with a cultural anthropology background, she’s lived in Provence and Oaxaca, and now teaches creative writing at Western Colorado University. You might find her writing in her cozy vintage trailer in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives with her rock-hound husband, musician son, wild husky, a garden of healing flowers, and a hundred house plants. 

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing