Unexpected encounter with Frédérique Le Teurnier

"Rendez-vous au point zéro", éditions Récamier, is the first novel by Frédérique Le Teurnier, whom we met at the latest Hyères book fair.

J’ai débuté ma carrière en tant que comédienne. J’ai créé ma compagnie de théâtre à Paris en 2007. Quelque temps après, je me suis tournée vers la radio pour animer des petites chroniques « version théâtre », sur France Bleue Normandie puis France Bleue nationale en collaboration avec un journaliste. Aujourd’hui, installée à Montpellier, je travaille à France Bleue Hérault. Il existe des lieux qui nous interpellent, qui nous appellent et nous rappellent. Pour ma part, je l’ai vécu avec La Grande Motte. C’est une ville très clivante. On adore ou on déteste. Pour moi, ce fût un coup de foudre. Ma mère nous y avait emmenés quand j’avais 8 ans. Mon compagnon, originaire de l’Hérault, a redécouvert cette région avec moi, région que je voulais revoir et en particulier La Grande Motte. J’avais un roman dans la tête et La Grande Motte est le point de départ de ce roman.

Tell us a bit about yourself? Frédérique Le TEURNIER. I started my career as an actress. I created my theater company in Paris in 2007. Some time later, I turned to radio to host short "theater version" columns, on France Bleue Normandie then France Bleue nationale in collaboration with a journalist.

Today, living in Montpellier, I work at France Bleue Hérault. Your book takes place in La Grande Motte. Why? FLT.

There are places that speak to us, that call us and remind us. For my part, I experienced this with La Grande Motte. It is a very divisive city.

You either love it or hate it. For me, it was love at first sight. My mother took us there when I was 8 years old.

My partner, originally from Hérault, rediscovered this region with me, a region I wanted to see again and particularly La Grande Motte. I had a novel in my head and La Grande Motte is the starting point of this novel.

What did your mother, Françoise BOURDIN, pass on to you? FLT. A love of reading... As a child, I had access to everything and particularly to a library. I could read whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. She passed on this taste for reading and writing to me. My mother was a wonderful person and she was a wonderful writer.

A beautiful tribute and a nod to life? FLT. My mother was able to read the beginning of my manuscript and she encouraged me to continue. At the time of her passing, I was halfway through writing the novel. I made it my duty to finish it. I found a lot of pleasure in it and I am sure she would have been happy to read it and see it completed.

How do you write a book? FLT. I have a skeleton for the main outlines.

Sometimes, I get surprised by my characters. I take a lot of notes while writing, which help me put down on paper what is in my head. Before typing the dialogues and the text on the computer, I jot down fragments of sentences in a notebook.

I cannot write without paper or a pen.

When did the writing of the novel begin? FLT. The writing started in 2022. It took me 9 months to write it, which is quite funny because, like a baby, it's a gestation. The book was released in October 2023.

A few words about the story? FLT. Three periods coexist in the book: 1999-2009-2019.

I wanted the story to start at a turning point in life. My hero in the book is 17 in 1999, we find him again in 2009 at 27, then in 2019, he is 37. The story describes missed appointments.

These are questions: Why do we return to a place when we have moved on? What did we leave behind? What remains of our 17 years?

And what about the choice of the hero's first name? FLT. My hero is named Cyril. What I didn't remember is that the hero of the book "De vagues herbes jaunes" written by my mother, when she was in her twenties, was also named Cyril. It's a wonderful nod... All the heroes bear names typical of 17-year-old kids in 1999.

Why éditions Récamier? FLT. éditions Récamier is a choice of heart and reason.

You can discover a soundtrack at the end of the book that corresponds to the different eras mentioned in the book. Reading the book can be done with the 3 musical periods. My hero is a graffiti artist, 3 drawings are present in the book, they were made by my partner. It is a complete book combining music, drawings, and story.

With a change of horizon? FLT. I left Paris because I fell in love with the South. After some difficult moments in my life, the passing of my mother, a professional career change, I told myself that now was the time! Life's big decisions can be made in 15 days.

So, ready to dive into the heart of this story that spans 3 decades, all set to the rhythm of pop and rock music? You can find Frédérique Le Teurnier on the social networks Instagram and Facebook.