1--What is the title of your latest release?
GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
In New York, 1930, a young dancer, Grace, has to take her twin brother’s place working on the construction of the Empire State Building. She must impersonate him as a riveter, to save their family from financial ruin and prevent them all from becoming homeless.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I always knew I wanted to write about New York in this time period, the late 1920s or early 1930s, and I also wanted to use a very specific moment in history for this novel, so when I discovered that the iconic Empire State Building was constructed in 1930, it was the perfect fit.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
She is only twenty-one, so I’m not sure she’d want to hang out with me! But if we existed in the same time and place and were a similar age, then yes, absolutely. Grace would be a good friend to have.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Brave, caring, and loyal.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Answer: There were so many things – I had to essentially learn how to build a skyscraper, so discovering that whole process was fascinating. I learned that the construction of the Empire State Building used ten million bricks, which is mind-blowing to think about, and that the building has 6,514 windows. My brain is now full of these facts! When I was first deciding if I could even attempt to write this book, I learned that the Empire State Building opened on May 1st, 1931, and May 1st is my birthday. It seemed like a sign to give it a try, so without that coincidence, this novel may not have been written at all!
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I try to just keep going until I get to the end. I’ve normally written some notes before I start, so I know where I’m heading, and then I want to stay in the flow and get the story out of my head and onto the page. I will write every day and tend to just read over the last page or so to get back into the story and then keep going. I find that’s the best way for me to keep the tone consistent, and then I will put it away for a little while before I read it back and see what I’ve got.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I do have a sweet tooth, so most of my writing is fueled by some form of sugar! I love a pastry and coffee when I sit down to write.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I have recently moved, so at the moment I have a small, but very clean and tidy space. Just a desk, a chair, my laptop and a pile of sticky notes, with a pile of research books for a future novel idea currently acting as a foot stool!
10--Who is an author you admire?
There are so many, but I adore Liane Moriarty. I read her books for pleasure and then go back and look at them to try and see how she does it. The way she seems to so effortlessly and brilliantly describe the minutiae of life and relationships dazzles me.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I was a voracious reader as a child, and I read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee when I was very young, seven or eight, I think. It opened my mind up to the world in a way that no book had before at that age. I probably didn’t fully understand it, but I remember the feeling of reading it, as it was the first time I realized that a novel could be more than a story, and teach you something important.
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.
I was lucky enough to have several of these moments. My agent called me from London Book Fair to say there was interest from Germany and it was going to auction, which was a surreal and thrilling moment. That was my first ever book deal. I then got my UK deal, and a couple of months later, the very exciting call, when I was on a train, to tell me that it was also going to be published in America. This was a huge moment for me, as a debut British author, especially as the book is set in America.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I read widely. I do love historical fiction, but I also read a lot of women’s fiction, although I would argue it’s just fiction, and everyone should read women’s stories. I also love getting my teeth into an interesting non-fiction book for research purposes.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
The Shawshank Redemption…only kidding. That’s what everyone says, isn’t it? As good as it is, my actual favorites are Singin’ in the Rain, and A Knight’s Tale. I will stop what I’m doing and watch them whenever they are on. A Knight’s Tale is my comfort watch, I have seen it so many times, and it can still make me laugh and cry.
15--What is your favorite season?
I can’t choose! I know this is cheating, but I love them all for different reasons. Spring makes me think of exciting new beginnings, but I adore sunshine and long summer evenings. I love wrapping up warm, and the colors of autumn, and then winter brings Christmas, which is my favorite time of the year. I just enjoy the whole year, which I think is a pretty good approach to life.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
With friends and family. The company is more important than anything else, but I do like to take the day off work and go out for lunch, or to the theatre, to mark the occasion.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
The Bear is my favorite tv show of the last couple of years, it’s so good. And I always recommend Betty by Tiffany McDaniel to all my friends. It’s a tough read at times, but it is so beautifully written.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love Italian food. There is a scene in my book of a big Italian family meal, and it was my favorite chapter to write. I could eat nothing but pizza, pasta, and tiramisu for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
Like most writers, I love to read whenever I get a free moment. I don’t think a day ever goes by without me grabbing at least a few moments to read something. I also love to travel. New Zealand is next up on my list; I have always wanted to go. Whenever I travel, I get so many ideas for novels from the things I see and learn about each place, so I’m forever furiously scribbling notes to use in future projects.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
My next novel is set in Boston in 1942. It’s another fictional take of a real-life historic event, and again has strong women as the central characters, dealing with a life-changing moment and how it impacts each of them and brings them together.
In this breathtaking debut novel, a daring dancer must take her twin brother’s place as a riveter high atop the in-progress Empire State Building to save her family from ruin.
After the death of their father, it’s up to Grace O’Connell and her twin brother Patrick to support their family as the Great Depression takes its toll on New York City. When Grace is laid off from her dancing gig and Patrick is injured at work on the construction of the Empire State Building, desperation leaves them only one solution: Grace must disguise herself as Patrick and take his place on the half-built skyscraper.
She soon proves herself as capable as any man on the steel, and her affection for the loyal men around her—especially Italian immigrant Joe—grows by the day. But when a terrible accident happens high above the city and Grace is the only one capable of saving her stranded colleague, she must make a split-second decision to risk everything or live with her conscience forever.
Set against the backdrop of a city at a crossroads, this electrifying story is full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.
Women's Fiction Historical [Gallery Books, On Sale: January 28, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9781668056943 / eISBN: 9781668056967]
Gemma Tizzard has a degree in American studies, and a particular interest in untold women’s stories. She has written rom-coms and was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Comedy Women in Print (CWIP) Unpublished Novel Prize. Grace of the Empire State is her debut novel.
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