Kristen Ross is the author of the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series, Alexander Periscopi and the Greatest Adventure Ever Told. Originally from Canada, she has lived in five countries on three continents, including Athens, Greece, and, of course, Venice, Italy. She worked in television both in front of and behind the camera, and as a copywriter for many years, during which she spent as much time jotting down story ideas as she did listening during meetings. A passionate animal and nature lover who has hiked all over the world, her travel writing has been featured in The Globe and Mail, among other national newspapers. In 2017, she graduated from the Odyssey Writing Workshop, after which she promptly began feverish research for this book series. She currently lives on a rugged, windswept Greek island with her beloved rescue pup, Olympia (AKA: Ollie), and travels to Venice as often as she can. Carnevale is her debut novel.
What inspired this story?
(Part One)
This story began to percolate during a very dark period of my life. After suffering a devastating family loss, I decided to run away to Italy, where I spent a semester studying creative writing and Italian cinema in Florence. Truth be told, I don’t remember a lot from that time. Grief can be a lot like walking through a fog and, at the time, I was just doing my best to put one foot in front of the other and stumble through it.
But two things happened during that trip, which would change my life forever.
The first was when my creative writing teacher suggested that we have an outdoor writing class at San Miniato—a beautiful little church across the Arno and up the hill from our school. While there, I spent some time writing in the graveyard (somehow not as morbid as it sounds), where I stumbled across the children’s cemetery.
This was the first time I had encountered a cemetery for children, and I found myself overcome with emotion as I wound my way through the tombstones, reading the names and dates of those who were taken from us so early. One grave in particular captured my attention. It had an enchanting stone statue of a woman bent over the grave of a child. In my mind’s eye, it was clear she was meant to protect it.
At home that evening, I could not erase the image of that statue from my mind. Nor could I forget the children’s cemetery. I began writing furiously, developing a backstory for this beautiful statue, which became the inspiration behind the character of Venethlia.
Two Stories Begin to Intermingle…
It’s fair to say that, over the years, these two very different events (my trip to the cemetery in Florence and my first visit to Venice) began to intermingle and overlap in my mind.
The colors, sounds, and smells of Venice, together with the modest beauty of San Miniato and the crushing reality of a children’s cemetery, birthed in me a story that grew and grew and grew over the years. Geronimo’s character became tied to the element of water, and Venethlia’s character to stone.
And just as Venice became my muse, Venethlia became Geronimo’s.
But you will have to wait until books two and three are ready to discover just how the inspiration behind these stories will reveal itself…
What inspired this story?
(Part Two)
As the statue continued to take up my thoughts, something else extraordinary happened; I made my first-ever trip to Venice.
Some friends and I had decided to visit during Carnevale. Naturally, there wasn’t a single affordable room available in the entire city, so we were forced to stay in a neighboring town and take the train in. Its beauty was so mesmerizing, and my reaction to Venice so visceral, that it almost felt like being slapped across the face.
Then I did (or rather, said) something that I still remember to this day.
As I stood for the first time on the Scalzi bridge, overlooking the Grand Canal, I turned to my friend Mary and announced, “I could spend six months here writing a book.”
Little did I know at the time how prophetic that statement would be. Or that it would be another twenty years until it came true.
In a bizarre twist of fate, that night, a train strike prevented us from being able to return to the town where we were staying (Viva Italia!). An exhausting search for an affordable room commenced—the result of which wound up being the storage room for a three-star hotel’s toilet paper and toiletries supply. We jumped at the chance.
That night, as I drifted off to sleep, surrounded by towering pillars of toilet paper and paper towels, I heard something I had never heard before: the glug of water against the outer wall where I rested my head. The sound electrified me. It was so different, so peculiar for a girl who’d grown up in a landlocked swath of Canada, that it stayed with me long after we bid our hosts farewell.
You May Like to Know…
Who Is Your favorite Charcter?
That’s impossible to answer. But one of the “funnest” characters to write is definitely our resident baddie, Elnora.
Why Did You Spell Carnevale the Italian way?
Early on, I had a young beta reader who was Italian, and he insisted that the title be written in Italian, as a nod to the country that inspired this story. I happen to agree.
When Will Book Two be ready?
As soon as possible! I am currently about halfway finished writing, so let’s just hope that no unexpected characters show up and take me off course!
Will You be in Venice for Carnevale 2027?
You bet! I will be at the Acqua Alta bookstore to sign books during Carnevale. Sign up for my newsletter or check back here to learn more details once dates are confirmed.