Q&A With Kate MacIntosh 

I am delighted to be doing this Q&A with Kate MacIntosh whose debut historical fiction novel The Champagne Letters which will be released on December 10^th! 

Q: Kate, would you please give a brief description of The Champagne Letters?

A: The Champagne Letters is a dual timeline story. Half of the book is based on the real-life woman, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, who founded the premier champagne house Veuve Clicquot. Veuve means widow; at that time in history the only way a woman could run/own a business in France was if her husband had passed away. Barbe-Nicole dealt with business competitors, the Napoleonic wars, motherhood, and the occasional pirate. 

The other half of the book tells the tale of Natalie who runs off to Paris after her divorce. She finds a book of letters from Barbe-Nicole and uses the advice within to begin her new life. And she’s going to need that advice, because it will turn out not every aspect of her French vacation goes according to plan. 

It’s a book about learning to trust yourself, the power in starting over, and telling your own story before someone else does it for you. And it’s also about wine, art, and amazing food. It is France after all. 

Q: I enjoy reading historical fiction and it’s obvious you enjoy writing it! What made you want to have your debut novel to be a historical fiction novel? 

A: Historical novels have always been some of my favorites. History fascinates me and I enjoy learning all sorts of odd little details and facts. I’m that weird person you invite to dinner parties who says things like “Oh, did you know….” And then launch into a story about the history of pockets in women’s clothing. This could explain why I don’t get invited to more parties. Historical novels are the best of both worlds, great stories that include an opportunity to learn.

Q: How long did it take you to research & write The Champagne Letters? What lessons & emotions do you hope readers learn and feel after reading The Champagne Letters? 

A: This is an interesting question because the answer depends on when you start the clock ticking. Over twenty years ago I lived in Europe and went to the Veuve Clicquot champagne house. I wrote down in a journal what a great character I thought Barbe-Nicole would make, even though I’d never finished a novel at that time. Around twelve years ago, I read the non-fiction biography, The Widow Clicquot by T. Mazzeo and was reminded of the Widow’s story. Then I went through my own divorce and traveled to France in 2019 and started thinking about how travel can help a person change and heal. All those ideas and experiences started to come together in my head. Once I started the process of researching and putting words on the page, it took a little over a year and half for me to finish the draft. 

Most of all I hope the book is a wonderful escape for the readers and an enjoyable way to spend their time. I also hope it leaves them feeling hopeful for their own ability to move their life in a direction that gives them joy and empowers them to tackle hard things. 

Q: If you can reveal any details, what will your next historical fiction novel be about?

A: I’m writing a new book about another real woman from history who many people may not know. It takes place in the mid to late 1800’s and involves early photography. I’m interested in the concept of beauty. What does it mean to be beautiful, or not? How do we decide what is beautiful? How do we handle it when we age, and society tells us that our value from appearance is gone/diminished? It is also about the importance of art and allowing ourselves to express ourselves. 

Q: If/when The Champagne Letters were to become a movie or a miniseries, who would be your dream cast to play the characters you created?

A: This is where I admit having a huge crush on Ryan Reynolds and wanting to cast him strictly so I could meet him. He could play any part he wanted if I got to hang out with him on set. 

Once I get past my desire to run away with Ryan, I would cast Reese Witherspoon as Barbe-Nicole. She was the person I saw in my mind when writing as she matches some of the historical descriptions (petite, blond, feisty.) The character of Natalie would be played by Melissa McCarthy, someone who women could identify with, who could play that sense of being awkward but also someone who is willing to try to do brave things. As for Sophie, the woman who works at the hotel, I would think of someone sleek and sophisticated, and Emile Clarke or Nathalie Emmanuel. 

I would also love to hear what other people think! I can picture them all so clearly in my own mind, but it’s always interesting to me how others see them so differently. 

Thank you so much for having me and giving me a chance to talk about my book. I hope everyone’s life is full of good books and good friends.