Heather Levy

Heather Levy is a born and bred Oklahoman and graduate of Oklahoma City University’s Red Earth MFA program for creative writing. The New York Times called her Anthony-nominated debut, Walking Through Needles, “a spellbinding novel at the nexus of power, desire, and abuse that portends a bright future,” and the Los Angeles Times called it “a standout for its frank but sensitive exploration of trauma and desire.” Publishers Weekly says her thriller Hurt for Me "delivers both heat and heart." Her novels focus on sexuality and complex women. Levy lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two kids, and three murderous cats.

Levy's new novel is This Violent Heart.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

My first love was poetry, and I've always connected with women poets with complex histories like Anne Sexton. The title for This Violent Heart was inspired by her poem "The Break," which includes a line with the phrase "violent heart." Those words always struck me, and they felt so appropriate for my character Devon Mayes in how she views her bisexuality and her complicated feelings for her best friend Summer. She truly sees her heart as violent in the way it pulls her in opposing directions.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your new novel?

I think my teenage self would've loved having a queer romantic mystery like This Violent Heart to read. I was a teen in the early 90s, and the only queer fiction I had access to at the time were Anne Rice books (and thank goodness for them!). I think I might've been more comfortable in my skin as a bisexual teen had I seen myself in fictional characters my own age. I also think my teenage self would love the spice level of my book (wink-wink).

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

Beginnings, hands down! Although the first sentence I write typically stays the same, I usually rewrite the first chapter several times. As an author, you have so little time to grab the reader and pull them into the story, so those first sentences really have to sing.

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

There are always pieces of me in my characters, whether they be parts of me I dislike or parts I see as my strengths. Devon Mayes is one of the closest characters to me since our stories mirror each other's so much. We were both confused queer teens who didn't always make the best decisions when it came to relationships, and we both grew up in an extremely conservative environment where we didn’t feel safe to come out. I felt a great responsibility in telling Devon's story because so many parts were my own. In many ways, she helped me work through some of my unresolved traumas. I think most writers use their work as a way to better understand themselves and the world they live in. It’s the cheapest form of therapy!

Visit Heather Levy's website.

My Book, The Movie: Walking Through Needles.

The Page 69 Test: Walking Through Needles.

The Page 69 Test: Hurt for Me.

--Marshal Zeringue