Shelby Van Pelt Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

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Shelby Van Pelt

Shelby Van Pelt Biography

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Shelby Van Pelt lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. Remarkably Bright Creatures is her first novel.

Shelby Van Pelt's website

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Interview

Shelby Van Pelt discusses her novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, in an interview with Kelly Fernandez for Write or Die Magazine.

Tell me about writing from the perspective of an octopus. Easy aspects? Challenges? Takeaways?

Writing Marcellus was so much fun. His voice came naturally to me. I'm not sure what that says about me, but it was as if I had this cranky little fellow living on my shoulder, and I loved it!

Consistency and logistics were a challenge, though. Marcellus is obviously fictional, but I wanted him to feel real. The things he was doing needed to be within the realm of possibility, even if a stretch. I think that's one of the things that makes Marcellus so entertaining. Like, an octopus could never do that…or could they?

What was your inspiration behind your various characters' personalities and their relationships?

Well, I steal character quirks from real life and real people, like most authors. And it's boring to read about perfect people, so my characters are always a bit messy. From the scratch-and-dent section. Solid frame, but in need of repairs.

Tova, my primary human character, is loosely based on my late grandmother. Like Tova, she was this tiny little Swedish lady who was tough but also incredibly kind and loving, and she had this stoic shell around her. Always stayed busy. Rarely let her emotions peek through, even after my ...

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Books by this Author

Books by Shelby Van Pelt at BookBrowse
Remarkably Bright Creatures jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for Shelby Van Pelt but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
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