1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE DAVENPORTS
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now it's 1910, and the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they’re not supposed to.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
In my research, I found Chicago to be the center of many instances of Black success and entrepreneurship following the Civil War and Reconstruction period. At the time, several Chicago newspapers claimed the corner of State and Madison Streets, known as the “Great Central Market,” to be the busiest corner in the world. The city was a hub of African-American culture and business, as well as a major tourist destination. It provided the perfect backdrop to display the opportunities and resources available to Black people at the turn of the last century while hinting at the challenges to come.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonists in real life?
Yes! Each of the four leads—Olivia, Helen, Ruby, and Amy-Rose—are strong, determined, and funny young women with exceptional fashion sense. Their interests are so varied that I’d never be bored.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonists?
They are loyal, passionate, and strong-willed.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
The instances of Black success, the Black Wall Streets, were far more common than I realized. Key inventions, organizations, and civil rights activists were born from this time of transition between the Reconstruction era and the rise of Jim Crow and the Black codes. The ingenuity of the people I read about helped bring the characters of The Davenports to life. For example, Madame C.J. Walker helped inspire Amy-Rose.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I go. I prefer editing to drafting and will sometimes give in to the temptation of editing what I have so far. I wish the ideas and dialogue in my mind would appear in a document, ready for editing. I found leaving notes for myself helps keep the momentum to draft going, so now I’m putting my notebook collection to work!
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Red velvet cheesecake. It’s my favorite.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I do a lot of my writing in a spare room. Lots of natural light, few distractions, and ample floor space to spread out. (I have a lot of notebooks).
10--Who is an author you admire?
Dr. Barbara Mertz, under the pseudonym Elizabeth Peters. She earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, and the heroine of her Amelia Peabody series is one of my favorites in literature. Peabody was a woman before her time, a crime-solving archaeologist who challenged gender roles and allowed me to live vicariously through her. I grew up with Peters’ novels and the way she wove history, romance, and adventure… chef’s kiss.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
The Dear America series was a favorite of mine in elementary school. My school library had a shelf of them. I remember that I read them one after the other. The series covered a wide range of topics and events in American history from the perspective of young girls in a journal or diary format. They dealt with heavy topics such as war, civil rights, slavery, immigration, racism, western expansion, and industrialization. By the end of that school year, I’d read them all and developed a love of history.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It started with a missed call. I was driving home from work, and saw that my agent, Tamar Rydzinski, had called. It was after 8 pm, which was out of the ordinary. The Davenports had been on submission for about a week. It felt like it was too soon to hear anything back, so I thought she was doing a wellness check. (Of course, I’m not obsessively checking my email.) I returned her call from my car once I pulled into the driveway. She asked if I was sitting down! It was surreal and wonderful. I’m so grateful to share this story.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I love reading sci-fi/fantasy. Being transported to an unfamiliar land that doesn’t follow the rules of our world is thrilling. You can see so much of humanity and what we encounter every day reflected in creative worldbuilding. The possibilities are endless and can be thought-provoking in unexpected ways.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Jurassic Park. I am a huge science nerd. I majored in biology, and I’ve always been interested in how things work and evolve. The DNA molecule describing the de-extinction (is that a word?) of dinosaurs left an indelible impression on me. The child-like wonder of the scientists as they saw the creatures, living, and breathing, felt so real. The movie is funny and thrilling, and larger than life.
15--What is your favorite season?
Growing up in New England, I think it’s easy to be “over” the changing of the leaves, but I look forward to fall every year. The colors are beautiful. It’s still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors. The air smells like pine and charcoal, and everything is so cozy without the threat of snow. Usually.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Brunch! I love a lazy day and breakfast with friends or family.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Firekeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ginny and Georgia, and of course, Bridgerton… I can keep going.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I’m not sure if I have a favorite. I love seafood and pasta and most things spicy.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I love reading and traveling to local indie bookstores or museums. Day trips to Boston and New York are fun too. You never know what you might discover!
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I am working on the sequel to The Davenports!
The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they’re not supposed to.
There is Olivia, the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married . . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter, Helen, is more interested in fixing cars than falling in love—unless it’s with her sister’s suitor. Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid to the Davenport sisters, dreams of opening her own business—and marrying the one man she could never be with, Olivia and Helen’s brother, John. But Olivia’s best friend, Ruby, also has her sights set on John Davenport, though she can’t seem to keep his interest . . . until family pressure has her scheming to win his heart, just as someone else wins hers.
Young Adult Romance | Historical [Dial Books, On Sale: January 31, 2023, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593463338 / eISBN: 9780593463352]
Krystal Marquis happily spends most of her time in libraries and used bookstores. She studied biology at Boston College and University of Connecticut and now works as an environmental, health, and safety manager for the world’s biggest bookseller. A lifelong reader, Krystal began researching and writing on a dare to complete the NaNoWriMo Challenge, resulting in the first partial draft of The Davenports. When not writing or planning trips to the Book Barn to discover her next favorite romance, Krystal enjoys hiking, expanding her shoe collection, and plotting ways to create her own Jurassic Park.
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