The story began as a day in the life of a female Explains Turgeon, “I had no idea how to write a novel, Initially, the tale focused primarily on developing the setting and did not have a clear plot structure. Her first novel, a short story about a fantasy town called Rain Village, began as a modern variation of this story.

Turgeon simultaneously took a class in Italian Literature, where she read three versions of the famous three-ring story cycle. Insists Turgeon dreamily, “It was the most amazing class I took in college.”

Though she majored in Italian Literature at Pennsylvania State, Turgeon was lucky enough to enter an honors Creative Writing workshop taught by Paul West, uncharacteristically offered to undergraduates for the first time. Protagonist Betsy grows up in a small Minnesota town, reading as much as she can, climbing trees, and hoping to become a writer. These books by Maud Heart Lovelace had a tremendous impact on Turgeon’s development as a writer. She says, “I loved being alone in my room and reading.”īy chance, Turgeon’s mother brought home a book from the Betsy-Tacy and Tib series once by accident. Turgeon learned to love reading as an escape from her shy, dislocated childhood. With her long dark hair, complete with shiny streak of navy blue, red lipstick, and big blue eyes, Carolyn Turgeon seems herself to be a high priestess, the kind of magical creature who would be right at home in her sumptuous fantasy worlds. Carolyn Turgeon’s appearance evokes an otherworldly elegance effusive with joy.

Carolyn turgeon