Christiane Duchesne’s A Feast Beneath the Moon, and its prequel, A Picnic in the Sun, follows the adventures of Bertie and gang, a group of four friends who never get bored together. Except for the time it rained for four straight weeks. A Feast Beneath the Moon finds the foursome atop Blue Mountain, where they took refuge from the rain and celebrated with a picnic in the sun. As night falls, the gang sets out on another adventure that leads them to the house of a mysterious girl named Alice. We asked the acclaimed Quebecois author to share the inspiration behind the song-filled stories.
What inspired you to write A Picnic in the Sun and its sequel, A Feast Beneath the Moon?
Let’s just say that this project was done in reverse. I had written the songs for both albums about 10 years ago, with no idea that they would be turned into a two-part story. I was looking for the perfect musician to compose the music, and I wanted it to be Jérôme Minière. But at that time, Jérôme was very busy, so I decided to wait.
When the lyrics found their music, we submitted the project to Roland Stringer, The Secret Mountain’s publisher. Obviously, there were too many songs for an album. That’s when he came up with the idea of doing two books and linking the songs to a story.
So the two stories came long after the songs. It’s a completely inverted form of writing. Bertie and friends were already in the first song, so I decided to create adventures for them—an outward journey and a return toward something that was at first blurry, but quickly took shape like a mountain of dreams.
So the two stories developed as a framework where I could intersperse each song and create a new order of things. It was a pleasure to find the place for each one, create and organize the sequence of the songs, invent as we went along, and craft a story as a backdrop on which the songs could somehow find a new meaning.
A Feast Beneath the Moon is dedicated to Lewis Carroll. Was he an inspiration to you as a young writer?
Since I first encountered his writing as a child, I’ve always considered Lewis Carroll the most unpredictable writer. You can never guess which path he will take you on next. In Alice Through the Looking Glass, images and scenarios unfold without us ever being able to predict the outcome. His imagination, power of invention, and rigorous logic fascinate me.
I took pleasure in having a little girl named Alice join Bertie’s gang. Her character helps the gang—and young readers and listeners—discover the incredible power of impossibility, which in the end is never really impossible since almost anything is possible…
What other writers or sources of inspiration shape your writing?
There are many, starting with Alphonse Daudet and his art of storytelling, and Jules Supervielle, who, through his poetry, convinced me at a very young age that writing was the most fabulous thing in the world. My father and my grandmother also were both extraordinary storytellers who knew how to invent a story from nothing, just for the fun of it. Anne Hébert's influence guided me towards writing with rigour—an essential skill in this profession.
And then I’d add that the great legends, Greek mythology, Norse myths, Persian tales, One Thousand and One Nights, and others have played a big role in my way of seeing things and telling stories.
What’s your favourite song from A Feast Beneath the Moon?
In English as well as in French, “Silver Shooting Stars” remains one of my favorite songs. There is something soothing in the rhythm and a little shift from major to minor that’s full of charm. Shooting stars are elusive by nature—they are far and near at the same time, fragile and immense—and they have always fascinated me. Jérôme Minière knew how to capture this quality with his music that’s peaceful yet also surprising in its simplicity, like a star that crosses the sky in silence and disappears without a trace.
Do you read your stories to your grandchildren? How do they inspire your work?
It’s their parents who read my books to them! I make up stories for them on demand, as I did with my sons throughout their childhoods. Afterward, they were able to read on their own. Of course, I often suggest my writing projects to them, and since they are now grown up, they gladly offer to be first readers and give me their comments and suggestions. The youngest is only five, so his turn will come one day…
What would you like readers to take away from A Picnic in the Sun and A Feast Beneath the Moon?
I’m always amazed at how an album, novel, or song can touch and move someone or make a child laugh. The same goes for my adult readers. You can never predict the impact of what you write. It’s like throwing a bunch of balloons in the air and never predicting who will catch them.
What I remember from the feedback I received from parents whose children have listened to the two albums—especially those who have listened a thousand times!!!—is that they are effective since the little ones can very quickly sing the songs by heart.
There is a joyful side to these two albums that makes it fun for the children to sing along. Parents unanimously agree that these albums are essential listening for long car rides. It puts everyone in a good mood, and you can drive for miles and miles in joy!
Christiane Duchesne is the author of more than 60 children’s books, including A Picnic in the Sun, A Feast Beneath the Moon, The Loonies Arrive, and W is for Wapiti. She is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award and was a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.
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Behind A Feast Beneath the Moon with Christiane Duchesne
Christiane Duchesne’s A Feast Beneath the Moon, and its prequel, A Picnic in the Sun, follows the adventures of Bertie and gang, a group of four friends who never get bored together. Except for the time it rained for four straight weeks. A Feast Beneath the Moon finds the foursome atop Blue Mountain, where they took refuge from the rain and celebrated with a picnic in the sun. As night falls, the gang sets out on another adventure that leads them to the house of a mysterious girl named Alice. We asked the acclaimed Quebecois author to share the inspiration behind the song-filled stories.
What inspired you to write A Picnic in the Sun and its sequel, A Feast Beneath the Moon?
Let’s just say that this project was done in reverse. I had written the songs for both albums about 10 years ago, with no idea that they would be turned into a two-part story. I was looking for the perfect musician to compose the music, and I wanted it to be Jérôme Minière. But at that time, Jérôme was very busy, so I decided to wait.
When the lyrics found their music, we submitted the project to Roland Stringer, The Secret Mountain’s publisher. Obviously, there were too many songs for an album. That’s when he came up with the idea of doing two books and linking the songs to a story.
So the two stories came long after the songs. It’s a completely inverted form of writing. Bertie and friends were already in the first song, so I decided to create adventures for them—an outward journey and a return toward something that was at first blurry, but quickly took shape like a mountain of dreams.
So the two stories developed as a framework where I could intersperse each song and create a new order of things. It was a pleasure to find the place for each one, create and organize the sequence of the songs, invent as we went along, and craft a story as a backdrop on which the songs could somehow find a new meaning.
A Feast Beneath the Moon is dedicated to Lewis Carroll. Was he an inspiration to you as a young writer?
Since I first encountered his writing as a child, I’ve always considered Lewis Carroll the most unpredictable writer. You can never guess which path he will take you on next. In Alice Through the Looking Glass, images and scenarios unfold without us ever being able to predict the outcome. His imagination, power of invention, and rigorous logic fascinate me.
I took pleasure in having a little girl named Alice join Bertie’s gang. Her character helps the gang—and young readers and listeners—discover the incredible power of impossibility, which in the end is never really impossible since almost anything is possible…
A Feast Beneath the Moon is available on Bookshop, Bookmanager, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other stores.
What other writers or sources of inspiration shape your writing?
There are many, starting with Alphonse Daudet and his art of storytelling, and Jules Supervielle, who, through his poetry, convinced me at a very young age that writing was the most fabulous thing in the world. My father and my grandmother also were both extraordinary storytellers who knew how to invent a story from nothing, just for the fun of it. Anne Hébert's influence guided me towards writing with rigour—an essential skill in this profession.
And then I’d add that the great legends, Greek mythology, Norse myths, Persian tales, One Thousand and One Nights, and others have played a big role in my way of seeing things and telling stories.
What’s your favourite song from A Feast Beneath the Moon?
In English as well as in French, “Silver Shooting Stars” remains one of my favorite songs. There is something soothing in the rhythm and a little shift from major to minor that’s full of charm. Shooting stars are elusive by nature—they are far and near at the same time, fragile and immense—and they have always fascinated me. Jérôme Minière knew how to capture this quality with his music that’s peaceful yet also surprising in its simplicity, like a star that crosses the sky in silence and disappears without a trace.
Do you read your stories to your grandchildren? How do they inspire your work?
It’s their parents who read my books to them! I make up stories for them on demand, as I did with my sons throughout their childhoods. Afterward, they were able to read on their own. Of course, I often suggest my writing projects to them, and since they are now grown up, they gladly offer to be first readers and give me their comments and suggestions. The youngest is only five, so his turn will come one day…
A Picnic in the Sun is available on Bookshop, Bookmanager, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other stores.
What would you like readers to take away from A Picnic in the Sun and A Feast Beneath the Moon?
I’m always amazed at how an album, novel, or song can touch and move someone or make a child laugh. The same goes for my adult readers. You can never predict the impact of what you write. It’s like throwing a bunch of balloons in the air and never predicting who will catch them.
What I remember from the feedback I received from parents whose children have listened to the two albums—especially those who have listened a thousand times!!!—is that they are effective since the little ones can very quickly sing the songs by heart.
There is a joyful side to these two albums that makes it fun for the children to sing along. Parents unanimously agree that these albums are essential listening for long car rides. It puts everyone in a good mood, and you can drive for miles and miles in joy!
Christiane Duchesne is the author of more than 60 children’s books, including A Picnic in the Sun, A Feast Beneath the Moon, The Loonies Arrive, and W is for Wapiti. She is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award and was a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.