Zoë Coyle is a natural born storyteller. Her career in corporate speaking and presenting has taught many around the world how to communicate choice and improved strategy. Her two novels, Where the Light Gets In & The Dangers of Female Provocation have brought her writing and creative industry talent, feminist power and years of experience to the page.

Welcome Zoë, to Mel Reviews Her Books 🌸🎙

Zoë WOW – what an edgy, powerful and fierce novel you’ve created. Tell us, what was the turning point for you to start putting pen to paper?

Thank you, that’s a lovely thing to say. The book sprang from several tributaries, one being an acquaintance’s husband had an affair. He was absolved with astonishing totality and speed – I wondered what would need to happen for him to actually repent and evolve. Another source was growing up female. Another is being the mother to two teenaged daughters and two little boys, observing how the world they navigate is so different due to their genders. I also wanted to pour some petrol on the conversation around marriage and like so many before me, set a match to the bullshit of patriarchy.

Was there a particular reason for picking 6 couples to span Odessa’s female rage and educational methods?

I like balance and I thought that 6 was the right number of characters for Odessa to unleash her mission of reeducation. Anymore would have been confusing and any less would have offered fewer computations. Each relationship shows another dimension of Odessa’s love, hurt, bravery and rage.

The central question of the novel is not monogamy or non-monogamy (weirdly some men have reflected back to me that they think it is), but to intentionally explore how is it we can turn up for love, platonic, familial and sexual in whatever shape we courageously co-create to live beautiful, purposeful and compassionate lives. Then, if that love comes to an end or changes shape, it is a powerful teacher for us if we are brave enough to learn. In the book as in life, good people do bad things, why is that? Though more interesting to me is when people have the courage to stand in accountability – what beauty can grow from that?

Paloma! What a companion! Did Paloma represent anything in particular within The Dangers of Female Provocation for you? Do you have your own Paloma in real life?

I don’t have a Paloma because in truth, I’m quite afraid of cats. I do however have a beloved miniature dachshund named Solace, but I loved the idea of a cat as Odessa’s companion. Cats always strike me as complicated, calculated, independent and elegant – much how Odessa is. Paloma ended up being one of my favourite characters I’ve ever written.

Odessa’s marriage, familial relationship breakdown and grief have such influence over the decisions she makes in this period of her life. Did you always plan on making Odessa such a complex and layered character? Additionally, was Odessa always your lead voice in the story?

Yes, Odessa was always the central voice. I aim to write characters that I would like to read; complex, contradictory, valiant, weak, love filled, damaged, learning, all the things. What The Dangers of Female Provocation explores is how dishonesty to self and others, erodes belonging, and our sense of selves. That when we do the hard work of garnering self awareness, integrating our trauma and family of origin story, we don’t lash out and damage. Hurt people hurt people.

That moving towards clarity is the sacred integration that Odessa the main character undertakes. She is propelled by traumatic events, and is painfully waking up to her actualised adult self. All the wealth, brands and conventional power were a mirage. What is truth is the art of loving and being loved. Where there is courage, there is vulnerability and we must resolve our demons or they own us.

Describe to us how different the writing and publishing experience was for you with The Dangers of Female Provocation, compared to your first novel, Where the Light Gets In.

My first novel was a labour of love. Exploring issues that I have thought about deeply and that have upended my life. I found The Dangers of Female Provocation much easier all round. From the writing, which was so much fun, through to the editing as I had two amazing women editing me. Alex Craig from Ultimo Press and Nadine Davidoff. It fulfilled every hope I’d ever had of being edited. As for the process of being published, it is surreal and so vulnerable. I have a dear writer friend who says that the writing is the thing, the rest is just crazy making. Of course we write and publish to find readers, and that has mostly been really beautiful.

Thank you Zoë for your time, thoughts and responses on the blog! I look forward to seeing your next novel 😊💫🌸

You can find Zoë’s books available via this link & my review for The Dangers of Female Provocation here.