Creative writing professor Vanessa Saunders’ novel questions individual responsibility in political conflict through the lens of the feminist critique, to be released Nov. 12.
“The Flat Woman” is set in a hypothetical future society where the implications of climate change have become a prominent aspect of everyday life. While these issues impact the general public, the government remains in denial of its true cause stemming from pollution. Using elements of magical realism, Saunders creates a world that highlights societal issues in which women are held responsible for the implications of the climate crisis. The overarching corporation in control directs blame onto the female population through fear and misinformation. In this narrative, women are commonly incarcerated for suspected acts of climate terrorism inspired by false accusations, Saunders said.
Saunders said she felt inspired to write a feminist novel using the concept of a flat woman to work as a “narrative void.” The story follows “the woman” who lacks depth, but rather channels her surroundings, acting as a catalyst, illuminating underlying societal struggles. Her overall flatness as a character allows themes based on the feminist critique to take form through her experiences.
“The discussion is a necessary part of understanding it, [and I hope to] make space for someone to think about these things without necessarily giving hard answers,” Saunders said. She hopes for “The Flat Woman” to be discussed in a classroom setting.
Saunders titled her book “The Flat Woman” based on this concept of underrepresented women in media.
“To me, this was a representation of many of the female characters I’d watched in films growing up, many of whom had little to no personality,” Saunders said. “Women were often one-dimensional.”
The project began as Saunders’ thesis in graduate school and was originally written in a poetic format. After hesitance from publishers and advice from an old agent, Saunders said the piece was reworked as innovative fiction. The reworking took two years and resulted in the finished project of The Flat Woman in 2024. Saunders spent seven years molding and revising her original idea from graduate school into the current product.
Saunders said many books involving the climate crisis have depressing messages. She chose to end “The Flat Woman” on a note of ambiguity to inspire conversation.
“I wanted the reader to come to their own conclusions about things,” she said.
Saunders urges aspiring writers to commit to a project they have faith in.
“I think you just have to be really persistent, and you can’t give up,” she said.
She takes inspiration from classes she teaches at Loyola, such as Fairy tales, feminist retellings, and magical realism.
“My class on fairy tales has been a really nice […] extension of a lot of the same stuff I explore in my writing,” she said. “That’s why teaching is so fun. You get to push yourself and kind of learn things alongside the students.”
Saunders will host a book launch on Friday, Nov. 15 at Vino Fine Wines and Spirits. For $5, attendees are offered a glass of wine with a discussion between Saunders and Blue Cypress Books’ Event Specialist, Rayna Nielsen about “The Flat Woman.”
