2024 – Alexandra Larochelle | She has been writing for young people since she was a child

Although she is only 31 years old, author Alexandra Larochelle is celebrating her 20th career anniversary this year. The pen behind the youth series Fear stuff And First Date recently released the highly anticipated sequel to Until it bangsa young adult novel that deals with toxic love relationships. Discussion of his current, past and future projects.

Maélia loved Olivier to death. It was an intense first love. But after months of swimming in happiness, the fifth-grader discovered a narcissistic and manipulative side in her lover.

In Until it bangsFinalist for the Montreal Libraries Youth Book Award 2023, we witnessed the disintegration of the couple of Maélia and Olivier. The sequel, The universe can only be born onceshows the wounds that an unhealthy relationship can leave behind even after it ends.

“What Maélia is experiencing is called gaslighting [détournement cognitif]explains Alexandra Larochelle. Every time she talks to Olivier about something that isn't working, it backfires. He tells her: “You make me sad when you accuse me of this or that.”

In her relationship, the heroine often feels “stupid” and “inadequate.” “Walk on eggshells. Don't make things worse. Don't say anything stupid,” becomes her mantra until she decides to end this destructive relationship.

If she wanted to highlight these kinds of toxic relationships in a young adult novel, it's because everyone can face them at some point. “The younger you are exposed to these kinds of dynamics, which are very insidious, the more likely you are to notice them as you get older,” she believes.

In both volumes we also find the character Martin, who is beaten by his lover. “I liked the idea of ​​the parallel between very obvious violence and more insidious violence,” admits Alexandra Larochelle.

Although Maélia's story is not inspired by her own experience, the author admits that she was already “in a dynamic that was psychologically toxic.” At the time, when she heard horrific stories about abused women in the media, she began to trivialize the consequences of her own relationship, just as her heroine does. “When we compare ourselves, we console ourselves,” the saying goes. “There's no point in thinking like that. Just because it's not physical doesn't mean it's not devastating,” she says indignantly.

“Romantic violence knows no gender and no age,” the author would like to remind us, stressing that Maélia’s story holds a very special place in her heart, even though she is proud of all her projects.

Back in 2004

And that's saying something, because the 31-year-old author has written over thirty books to date. Titles aimed at primary school children, teenagers and young adults.

Alexandra Larochelle has published her first book, Volume 1 of the series Beyond the Universein 2004, when she was only 10 years old.

The story caught the attention of other media outlets… and publishers. “I received many offers. […] “It was really crazy. That time of my life was pretty crazy. It lasted five years. I published six novels that sold 130,000 copies,” she still raves today.

In the photo archive of The pressWe found a photo of the young author at the Montreal Book Fair in 2005. What memories does she have of that day? “I remember the crowds. There were so many people. It was crazy!” […] There was a queue in front of me that lasted two or three hours.”

This year she has been to a lot of book fairs, but never so many, she says with a laugh.

In the coming months, she will launch two new series: one that explores romantic relationships in the style of First Date and another that immerses young readers in the world of video games.

She will also release a children's album inspired by the very first story she wrote… at age five. “I can't wait,” she says.

The universe can only be born once

Alexandra Larochelle

Editions of the Bagnole

From 14 years