Velvet Was the Night

1970s, Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of Secret Romance. While student protests and political unrest consume the city, Maite escapes into stories of passion and danger. Her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, seems to live a life of intrigue and romance that Maite envies. When Leonora disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman—and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents.

More by Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of the novels Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow. For contact information and photos head here.

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Illinois Libraries

An online discussion organized by Illinois Libraries.

26 Jan

Literary Lions

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5 Mar

News and updates

Velvet Was the Night out today

Posted on August 17, 2021

Velvet Was the Night hits bookstore today. This …

Velvet Was the Night out today Read More »

The Beautiful Ones is out today

Posted on April 27, 2021

The Beautiful Ones, originally released four years ago, …

The Beautiful Ones is out today Read More »

Velvet Was the Night

Posted on February 4, 2021

My upcoming novel, Velvet Was the Night, has …

Velvet Was the Night Read More »

Coming out 2021

Posted on November 28, 2020

I’ll technically have five books out in 2021. …

Coming out 2021 Read More »

Mexican Gothic TV adaptation

Posted on August 11, 2020

Mexican Gothic has been optioned for TV. Hulu, ABC Signature …

Mexican Gothic TV adaptation Read More »

Sara Bardi, snake

Mexican Gothic haunts bookshelves

Posted on June 25, 2020

Next week is the release of Mexican Gothic. You …

Mexican Gothic haunts bookshelves Read More »

On Instagram

Francis, named after horror film director Freddie

Francis, named after horror film director Freddie Francis (The Skull). At twenty-five, he is the youngest member of the Doyle family. Pale, fair-haired, studious and kind, he contrasts both with his cousin Virgil and with the men Noemí Taboada generally fancies. A budding botanist, he prefers sweaters and more comfortable clothes to the slick suits of his cousin. Francis's pursuits are both scholarly and artistic, a trait he shares with Noemí. He is the only Doyle at High Place who speaks Spanish, having learned it from his father before he passed away. ⁠
Although Francis is far from the playboys Noemí toys with or her masculine ideal of dashing 'Pedro Infante' types, she finds him interesting. Francis, in turn, seems to grow more sure of himself as he interacts with Noemí. ⁠
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I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris (@kelley.mcmorris.art) to create six portraits of the characters in Mexican Gothic. Because the portraits are intended to promote my Patreon (https://patreon.com/silviamg), backers at any level are able to see all the portraits right away. Backers at the $25 level were able to get postcards with the artwork but please note this tier has now sold out! All the portraits will be shared on social media every few days, so don't feel like you need to back up the Patreon if you don't feel like it. ⁠
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#mexicangothic #silviamorenogarcia

Sweet and dreamy, Catalina grew up with grand idea

Sweet and dreamy, Catalina grew up with grand ideas about love, gleaned from fairy tales and romantic Gothic novels. Her uncle chased away her most ardent suitor, finding him inadequate for his niece. Although shy and well-behaved, she essentially eloped with Virgil Doyle, causing a rift with her family and hinting at a stronger personality than most people give her credit for. She has long brown hair, a pretty face, and a gentle disposition. Named after Catherine from Wuthering Heights, she represents the archetypical young bride of Gothic fiction.⁠
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I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris (@kelley.mcmorris.art) to create six portraits of the characters in Mexican Gothic. Because the portraits are intended to promote my Patreon (https://patreon.com/silviamg), backers at any level are able to see all the portraits right away. Backers at the $25 level were able to get postcards with the artwork but please note this tier has now sold out! All the portraits will be shared on social media every few days, so don't feel like you need to back up the Patreon if you don't feel like it. ⁠
⁠
#mexicangothic #silviamorenogarcia

Florence, niece of Howard Doyle. Named after write

Florence, niece of Howard Doyle. Named after writer Florence Marryat (who wrote 'lurid stories of seduction, murder, insanity, extramarital sex, incest, and the exploits of the demi-monde.'). Her severe dresses and expression prematurely age her. Florence left High Place, the Doyle's remote estate, in her youth to find herself a husband. Her husband, a smart, talkative young man, met a tragic end, as do most people who visit High Place.⁠ She runs the house and upholds its rules.
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⁠
I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris (@kelley.mcmorris.art) to create six portraits of the characters in Mexican Gothic. Because the portraits are intended to promote my Patreon (https://patreon.com/silviamg), backers at any level are able to see all the portraits right away. Backers at the $25 level were able to get postcards with the artwork but please note this tier has now sold out! All the portraits will be shared on social media every few days, so don't feel like you need to back up the Patreon if you don't feel like it. ⁠
⁠
#mexicangothic

VELVET WAS THE NIGHT is on the longlist for the 20

VELVET WAS THE NIGHT is on the longlist for the 2022 CBC Canada Reads. This is a simmering noir about two very different characters -- an ordinary secretary with a love for comic books and a hired thug who attacks political activists -- on parallel quests to find a woman who has gone missing in the turbulent Mexico of the 1970s.⁠
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#silviamorenogarcia

Howard Doyle, the patriarch of Mexican Gothic is n

Howard Doyle, the patriarch of Mexican Gothic is named after Howard Phillips Lovecraft and Arthur Conan Doyle. Described as "bleached of color" with "startling blue eyes," Howard wears "an old-fashioned cravat, his neck-hidden under a mound of fabric, a circular silver pin upon it as a decoration, a large amber ring on his index finger." An eugenicist who clings to outdated ideas, he once oversaw a thriving silver mine in the mountains of Hidalgo. ⁠
⁠
+++⁠
⁠
I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris (@kelley.mcmorris.art) to create six portraits of the characters in Mexican Gothic. Because the portraits are intended to promote my Patreon (https://patreon.com/silviamg), backers at any level are able to see all the portraits right away. ⁠
⁠
Backers at the $25 level were able to get postcards with the artwork but please note this tier has now sold out! ⁠
⁠
All the portraits will be shared on social media every few days, so don't feel like you need to back up the Patreon if you don't feel like it. ⁠
⁠
#mexicangothic

To amuse myself I ran a 'hot or not' poll yesterda

To amuse myself I ran a 'hot or not' poll yesterday showing this illustration of Virgil (created by @kelley.mcmorris.art). In Mexican Gothic, Virgil (named after artist Virgil Finlay and intended as a play on the prototypical Byronic hero of Gothic romances) is described as an extremely handsome fellow and the notes I sent Kelley indicated she should create a "gorgeous specimen of a man." I mentioned Alain Delon as an inspiration for the looks of the character.
Kelley concluded the final version of Virgil actually looked like William Shatner (he was very cute when he was a young man and a Canadian to boot, so thumbs up).

But, anyway, the question remained... is Virgil attractive? The poll was essentially evenly split at the end, with about half of all respondents saying hot and the others declaring not. Several people commented on the poll indicating:

* Although handsome on the outside, Virgil is too nasty on the inside to be in any way hot, despite his polished good looks. His personality trumped his appearance.
* Some people said that personality be damned, he is indeed hot. They wouldn't mind a dance with the devil.

Finally, some folks said they had pictured Virgil as other actors, including Alexander Skarsgard or Henry Cavill.

What can we determine? Although good looks can get you many things, they can't by themselves give you an automatic seal of hotness, seeing as half of respondents thought he was not attractive.

Does that mean Francis has a chance of being labelled hot despite his less hunky appearance? Who knows. Stay tuned to this Instagram as more pictures of the characters from Mexican Gothic pop up in the following days. And thanks for brightening my days with your comments. It's been super cold here in Vancouver and I've been living essentially locked up inside, like a mad woman in the attic.

#mexicangothic #silviamorenogarcia

I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris @kelley.mcmorr

I asked illustrator Kelley McMorris @kelley.mcmorris.art to create six portraits of the characters in Mexican Gothic. Because the portraits are intended to promote my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/silviamg), backers at any level are able to see all the portraits right away.

**Note: Backers at the $25 level were able to get physical postcards with the artwork but this tier has sold out.**

The first portrait to be revealed is Virgil. Every few days a new portrait will go up on Instagram and Twitter. Or, as I said, you can see them all right away as a backer.

That's it! I hope you like the illustrations and have a great 2022.

#mexicangothic #silviamorenogarcia

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