Mireille Pluchard, a novelist in the Cévennes

All her books, such as Le Mas de la Sarrasine (2012), Les Couleurs du destin (2021) and A l'ombre de la capitelle (2024), published in the Terres de France collection by Presses de la cité, are punctuated with notes on history and, above all, the Cévennes.

And from her writer's desk in her home town of Alès, Mireille Pluchard continues to take us on a journey through time and events.

Your literary adventure began in 2002 with your very first novel. What triggered you to start writing?

It was the genealogical research I did over many years that gave me the material for my first 3 novels. The result was La Tresse d'Or, Les Diamants and Un parfum d'amour éternel.

How did you work on the plot and choose the story for your first opus?

The historical backdrops completed the framework of the locations, which were then mapped out. All that was left to do was to draw the characters, little by little, and give them new life... in a way by respecting what I knew about them from the archives I consulted and the notarial minutes.

You draw your inspiration from the Cévennes, its architectural, historical and economic heritage, as well as its social fabric. What is your working method between research, writing and finishing?

Research always comes first, along with visits, whenever possible, to places that speak to you and the characters in your novels. The writing comes next, set in the historical context of the period chosen for the story.

You undoubtedly have a small panel of close reviewers, in addition to your editor. How do you arrive at the final touches?

Proofreading is an essential part of the writing process. You constantly have to go back to the way people feel. That's for the content.

As far as the form is concerned, I make a point of reading aloud to listen to the musicality of the sentences and the sound of the notes.

The editor only intervenes to correct historical errors, syntax mistakes, etc.

You're a prolific writer, no doubt you're already in the process of starting a new story. What subject have you decided to tackle this time and why?

At the moment, I have set my sights on another facet of industrialisation in the Cévennes in the 19th century, in particular the Tamaris steelworks and forges.

After having written about the world of mining with Le Puits Sans-Nom, and another about the construction of the railway line, Les Chemins de promesse... a third one was needed, which was at one with the two previous ones. Same period, same objective, same workers' struggle.

Would you like to add anything else for our readers?

It goes without saying that the themes of my books, apart from the fact that they speak of and enhance the Cévennes, are simply the backdrop for family sagas that bring humanity and tenderness to what can sometimes be a harsh world.

I look forward to meeting you and my readers on the pages of my new novels!

Many thanks to Mireille Pluchard for her contribution to this article.