PVA magazine (Mars-Avril 2020)

A word on Brexit as a Franco-English citizen?

j’ai des fans, surtout aux Pays-Bas et aux États-Unis.

ans, who were expelled from the capital. They did manage to save the church and a few streets. This is why the Rue de Rennes, which was to end at the banks of the Seine, ends at the Boulevard Saint-Germain. The capital’s cultural wealth is immense. Do you take advantage of it? I go to the Musée Jacquemart-An- dré to see every new exhibit. This beautiful mansion near the Boulevard Haussmann has a unique history. The Jacque- marts were great art lovers who planned the building to house their collection. Last year they had an excellent exhibition of the Danish painter Vilhelm Hammer- shøi’s work. What’s the first thing you would do if you were mayor of Paris? I would prohibit scooters from the sidewalks! She’s a former surveyor whose love life leads to a form of depres- sion. She starts writing late in life after discovering the novels of Romain Gary and Virginia Woolf. She lives in a building reserved for writers and artists of different nationalities. Then robots invade the world and everything gets complicated. You are bicultural. How does your dual culture enrich your work? I grew up with both languages. I write some books in French, oth- ers in English. I find it impossible to translate my own work. But for The Flowers of Darkness , I opened two pages on my screen and wrote both versions at the same time. I was retracing the paths walked by Romain Gary and Virginia Woolf, who both committed sui- cide. I’m interested in the traces we leave; they allow me to find answers to my own questions. Tell us about Clarissa, the heroine of your latest novel.

I can’t really understand what’s going on and what’s going to happen. I studied in England, my maternal grandfather was a staunchly European ambassador. It’s a bit like losing my roots. I once knew an open, tolerant coun- try. I think it has changed. Authors will exist as long as there are booksellers who open their doors to meet readers. Our books are appreciated internationally. I am translated in 40 countries; this gives me strength. Since Her Name Was Sarah came out, I have fans abroad, especially in Holland and the United States. I began by posting on a literary blog. I continue on certain net- works to talk about books and defend causes that are close to my heart, like Le Refuge (an organ- isation that fights isolation and suicide in LGBT+ youths). I started posting photos of my family and my house but felt I was going too far, exposing myself too much. It’s not a place to tell your life story. You have to be careful and think carefully about each click! What relaxes you? Music! I love to dance. There is a disco queen sleeping in me. I was even a punk once. What is your favourite place? I have a house in the South of France. There’s no cell phone con- nection, the mistral blows. It feels good to be in the garden near our old linden tree. It’s like a wonder- ful friend. What is your dream? To take tea with the Queen of Eng- land. How do you see the future of books? You are very active on social networks.

Vous êtes très active sur les réseaux sociaux.

J’ai commencé par publier sur un blog littéraire. Je continue sur cer- tains réseaux à parler des livres, à défendre des causes qui me tiennent à cœur, comme Le Refuge (associa- tion qui prévient l’isolement et le suicide des jeunes LGBT+). Jeme suis ensuite mise à poster des photos de ma famille, demamaison et j’ai senti que j’allais trop loin, je m’exposais trop. Ce n’est pas un endroit pour raconter sa vie. Il faut être prudent et bien ré échir avec le clic! Qu’est-ce qui vous détend? La musique! J’adore danser. Il y a une reine de la disco qui sommeille en moi. J’ai même été punk. Quel est votre lieu préféré ? J’ai une maison dans le Sud de la France. Le portable ne passe pas, le mistral souf e, je me sens bien dans le jardin près du vieux tilleul. C’est comme un ami magni que. Quel serait votre rêve? Prendre le thé avec la reine d’Angleterre. Tatiana de Rosnay in a few dates 1961: Naissance le 23 septembre à Neuilly-sur-Seine. / Birth on September 23 in Neuilly-sur-Seine. 1971: Premier roman, Une petite lle nommée Carrie , jamais publié. / First novel, A Little Girl named Carrie , never published 1984: S’installe à Paris, devient attachée de presse puis journaliste. / Moves to Paris, becomes a press attaché and journalist. 2000: Scénariste pour la télévision. Screenwriter for television. 2006: Elle s’appelait Sarah triomphe, il est adapté au cinéma en 2010. / Her book Sarah’s Key is a triumph (adapted for lm in 2010). 2020: Les Fleurs de l’ombre chez Robert La ont/Héloïse d’Ormesson et coscénariste du lm Ei el avec Romain Duris. / The Flowers of Darkness, to be published, and co-writer of the lm Ei el with Romain Duris. Tatiana de Rosnay en quelques dates

(1) Aux éditions Robert La ont/ Héloïse d’Ormesson, 336 p., 21,50 €.

MARS -AVRIL 2020

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