The dianense, Verónica Mengual, began her career as an author last October with a novel released in Argentina, Lady V. does not want to marry. Now, four months later, he publishes his second book, the first in Spain, which will be presented this Saturday, February 15, at the Dénia Public Library, at 12 noon.
Verónica Mengual is a journalist by profession and her fondness for letters and her passion for writing has made her enter the world of literature with period romanticism as the central axis of her stories of the English Regency of the nineteenth century.
After the bet of the publishing house Vestals with his first work, he comes now, from the hand of Romantic Editions, based in the Balearic Islands, A Colonel for Lady Briana, a novel with which the author hopes to reap the good reception she has already had in the countries of South America with her first paper work.
-What can you tell us about this first book you publish on paper in Spain?
It is a story where a military man goes to battle against Napoleon's troops and where a young woman, who has spent much of his life in love with him, is declared. Upon returning from the war we will know what happens to them both, their love story, which will be loaded with misunderstandings, comic situations and a lot of romanticism. I am very happy because at last I have a novel that my relatives will be able to enjoy, since the first one I launched has not arrived in Spain, although I do not lose the illusion that some great publisher can export the rights here.
It is a series of books, which despite being initially thought of as a triology, it will surely be four or five self-closing volumes, that is to say, to enjoy each novel, it is not necessary to read the others, although it is more enjoyable.
-What expectations do you have with this story after assessing the first novel?
The sales figures of Lady V. does not want to marry what my Argentine publisher has sent me indicate that we have sold about 300 books since it came out in October and until December 31. The truth is that I consider them magnificent figures and I hope that Briana's story is as pleasing as Valerie's, which is what my other female protagonist is called.
-Do the two books share similarities?
I try to do different things when I write, but the common thread is always the relationship between the couple that make up a man and a woman. The setting I create is a time where counts, dukes and great ladies abound. Keep in mind that we are talking about a very sexist moment where women's rights are barely non-existent, they are the property of men. In my books it is also like that, but they are not going to be docile or submissive, so reading should be done in a feminist key, because they are strong protagonists with clear ideas. They are risky books, since that society is in public of correct and rigid morals, in private it was something else, but the ladies lose their reputation even sometimes because they are touched and discovered; and then they are repudiated and set aside as stunk.
Big projects for the future
Mengual is also part of the staff of writers of Penguin random house, since with the digital seal Selecta has published another work of current theme and it is expected that from February a total of eleven short novels of romantic historical genre will be released.
Currently, the Dianense is working on a new project, a biology that is likely to be released in 2021 by Grupo Romance Editorial.
I understand that all the novels, the 22 you are going to get, if I have counted them well, are romantic, why this genre?
Yes, you have cost well, Vestales will get 4 books (maybe some more). Romantic Editions, another four, the twelve that go with Selecta and the two that I will sign shortly with Grupo Romance Editorial. Having said that, I must point out that romanticism is a highly criticized genre, some call it even a subgenre of the narrative. It is what I like to read the most, that tension that occurs in conflicts between couples and that is why I love to write.
I have two readers 0 who are advising me, Tania del Arco and Nuria Savall and they assure me that they enjoy the romantic stories that I devise in my mind. We will see what the rest think.
- How have been the comments and criticisms of the people who have read it?
For tastes the colors, as the saying goes, but still in the portal of the Corner of the Romantic Novel that is an axis to take into account, good words about my work are being collected. I have discovered that the scores of the books go according to the stars they give you in goodreads, for example, and about the book of lady v I've had people who didn't like history, and others who enjoyed it.
At the end of the whole journey, I think the important thing is that they read your story, if they don't like it later, perfect and if they like it, better than better, but what I want is to be read and given me a chance. We don't all like the same things, right?
-What led you to write and when did you start this facet?
I am the daughter of a family of printers, my parents have run a printing press for many years and maybe this made the lyrics inspire me. Since I was a child I have been among inks, papers and printing machines. I knew that I liked to write and that's why I decided to become a journalist. I started writing fiction about a year and a half ago and since then many publishers have contacted me to be interested in what I write.
I am a novel author who arrives wanting to gain a foothold, and above all, that people enjoy what I do.
-About your literary tastes, what can you tell us about your favorite and thematic authors?
As you may have deduced, I am a fan of the historical romantic. I read contemporary, but I enjoy these stories that happened in the past. My favorite authors, of course Jane Austen, and in a more modern key Lisa Keyplas or Julia Quinn. In fact, the Netflix platform will shortly release a series based on the books of the latter writer entitled The Bridgertons.
