THE BEAUTIFUL NAME received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Lilly Stewart.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
THE BEAUTIFUL NAME. It was published on November 30, 2024. It is the first book in a trilogy, entitled, “MONDEGREEN.”
What’s the book’s first line?
“There were always pennies at the bottom of the pool.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”
What happens when Carmen De Luna discovers her professor is the leader of a secret order operating out of the liberal arts college she attends? When Carmen sets out to uncover the truth about the secret group, she reveals their nefarious activities and, in the process, puts herself at risk. THE BEAUTIFUL NAME is a heart-wrenching tale chronicling the injustices and tragedies that result from the selfish actions of the powerful few. With magical elements and a focus on the social politics of early adulthood, it is evocative of Gossip Girl and Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The Beautiful Name was inspired by an amalgamation of different influences and experiences, but ultimately it is a project that sets out to reflect the injustices that occur in a patriarchal society. There was not a single person or event that inspired the novel, but my experiences with and observations of a culture that normalizes and excuses male violence was a contributing factor. That, in addition to my morbid fascination with secret orders, cults, and groups of the powerful elite.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
You should read The Beautiful Name (and the rest of the Mondegreen series once they come out!) if you want to feel seen in the complexities of interpersonal dynamics that exist in an inequitable society. If you want to see ‘dark academia’ get dark in a real way, beyond the aesthetics, The Beautiful Name is for you.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Carmen De Luna is distinct because she is opinionated, stubborn, and highly critical. She is not a goody-two-shoes main character who always does the right thing. She is socially awkward and holds a grudge. She is also distinctive because she comes from a matriarchal lineage of women who are gifted psychically. Carmen is a mix of Nancy Drew and Arya Stark.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best parts about being an indie is that I get to determine the length of the story, I get the final say on edits and cover design, and I can decide when to publish. I can go with my gut feeling and preserve the artistry without the pressure of making something “profitable.” The hardest part is how the promotion of the book falls completely to me, and the stigma around being an indie author (the assumption that indies aren’t talented or ‘deserving’ enough to be published traditionally). The stigma makes it harder to receive recognition for the work and potentially more difficult to earn the chance to break into the traditional market in the future.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Toni Morrison, Jane Austen, and Carmen Maria Machado.