We chat with author Grace Flahive about Palm Meridian, which is a rollicking, big-hearted story of long-lost love, friendship, and a life well-lived, set at a Florida retirement resort for queer women, on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin’s life—perfect for readers of Less and The Wedding People.
Hi, Grace! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello Nerd Daily! Thanks so much for having me. I’m the author of Palm Meridian, which is set at a lesbian retirement resort in Florida in the year 2067. I’m originally from Canada but have lived in the UK for 11 years now (the cold climates of my two homes might explain why I was drawn to the warmth and sunshine of Florida!) It’s a dream come true to be publishing my debut novel, so I’m savouring every moment.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember, and creative writing and English were always the things I looked forward to most in school. I think my first proper story was at the age of five or six, when I wrote what might count as Spice Girls fan fiction – and I was the sixth Spice Girl! My only regret is that I don’t remember what ‘Spice’ I was. I’m open to suggestions!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. What a classic! There is also a great home video of me reading this aloud very dramatically at a very young age. I brought a lot of showbiz pizazz to the performance, and I hope the late, great Bill Martin, Jr would be proud.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I think The Giver by Lois Lowry. A book where I thought: I will never forget this story.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I read All Fours by Miranda July about six months ago, and I finished it while sitting on the Tube here in London. I wanted to stand up and tell everyone in the Tube car about it!
Your debut novel, Palm Meridian, is out June 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Palm Meridian is: total, bittersweet, joyful sapphic chaos!
What can readers expect?
The story is set at Palm Meridian Retirement Resort on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin’s life, as she celebrates her end-of-life party with her 200 closest friends. She’s invited her long-lost love, Sophie, who she hasn’t seen since their devastating break-up 40 years ago, but has no idea if Sophie will show up at the party before time runs out…
The book explores a possible vision of our climate-changed future, and imagines what millennial retirement (surely an oxymoron!) might be like. It’s full of hope, and lots of queer yearning. Think The Notebook, but with octogenarian lesbians!
Where did the inspiration for Palm Meridian come from?
The resort itself was actually inspired by a real-life Disney World resort in Florida called All-Star Music that I visited with my family on a family vacation when I was five. Especially as a little kid, it was a totally over-the-top fever dream of a place, with its brightly-coloured bongos and xylophones three-stories tall! My nostalgia for that time has taken that wild energy and turned it into a fictional Florida resort that feels just a little bit surreal. On happy accident, Palm Meridian ended up being set in 2067, exactly 70 years after I first set foot in the state all those years ago.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Apart from the protagonist, Hannah, my favourite character is Hannah’s closest friend Esme. She’s one of those larger-than-life personalities who lifts up everyone around her and is always making everyone laugh! I also have to give a special shout-out to small Eileen (one half of The Eileens, a married couple who share the same first name). She’s an unsung hero and I think one of the funniest people in the book.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Writing is really an endurance sport, and I think the biggest challenge is always keeping up your energy when you’re many, many drafts in. There are moments when you feel like you’ve completely lost track of your own feelings about the project – is this wonderful? Is it terrible? At those times, I find it’s helpful to remind myself why I’m writing in the first place, and what makes the story most exciting for me. Finding fun in writing is the only way, I think! And writing is always worth the effort.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It’s been a very winding road, with plenty of rejections and near-misses! While this is my debut, it’s actually the sixth novel I’ve written. The others are much lesser projects and wil remain firmly locked in my desk drawer! But I’m so thankful for what they taught me about writing. They represent fifteen years of practising and hard work that toned my writing muscles and shaped my voice, and that’s all culminated in Palm Meridian, a book I’m really proud of.
What’s next for you?
I’m in the very, very early stages of my next project, and am really enjoying returning to that “anything goes” mindset of being back at the drawing board! Just a place of total freedom and fun.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I just finished On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (I was years behind on picking this up!) and it made me ugly cry in my back garden – one of those books where you read lines out loud because they are complete, stunning perfection. Next up for me is Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan, who was one of the wonderful authors to blurb Palm Meridian – a completely wild privilege! Bellies is a favourite of mine, so I can’t wait to dive into this new story.
