Once upon a time, Denyse Delcourt, a UW associate professor of French, listened to fairy tales as a child, which would later give her inspiration for her debut novel.

Delcourt is scheduled to do a first-ever reading of her novel Gabrielle au bois dormant tomorrow at Elliott Bay Book Co. at 7:30 p.m. The French version of Sleeping Beauty, entitled La Belle au bois dormant, was a direct inspiration for Gabrielle.

Delcourt has taught courses on old French literature at the UW since 1990. Her classes offer in-depth literary analysis of the Middle Ages, medieval romances and fairy tales.

“When I went back to read fairy tales as a scholar, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so rich,’” Delcourt said. “It wasn’t until later that I saw their complexity.”

Old French literature feeds the imagination of contemporary writers and filmmakers, Delcourt said.

“They’re still using the kind of imagery that’s very prevalent to medieval romances, like a knight, swords, princesses and so on and so forth,” she said. “It’s still here in that sense. It’s a source of inspiration.”

Delcourt said she prefers the original French version of Sleeping Beauty to the one that has been popularized by American storytellers.

“The French version is more complicated and troubling than the American version,” she said.

At her reading, Delcourt plans to share passages from both the French original and the English translation of her novel, Gabrielle and the Long Sleep into Mourning.

“I want people to hear the French version, even if they don’t know French, to at least [give them] a sense of the rhythm and how it works,” Delcourt said.

Her novel, published in 2001, was a finalist for both the Prix Anne-Hébert and the Prix Marguerite Yourcenar awards. The Anne-Hébert award is given in Quebec to the best first work of fiction in French, while the Marguerite Yourcenar is awarded to French fiction written by French authors published in the United States.

Delcourt is honored by the opportunity to share passages from her novel with friends and colleagues.

“When you publish a book, there are so many books being published [that] you don’t know if your book is ever going to be reviewed; you don’t know if your book is going to be read,” Delcourt said. “It’s just a little book in a sea of books. And just to have this book being read and appreciated is just wonderful.”

Her novel, set in Quebec, tells the story of a reunion of old childhood friends. In a non-linear fashion, these friends tell the life story of Gabrielle, a friend who died at the age of 16 under very mysterious circumstances. Through their recollections, the friends slowly piece together the puzzle of the past and what really happened to Gabrielle.

“I think it’s a book that anyone can enjoy,” said Albert Sbragia, chair of the UW French and Italian studies department. “It is written in a very crisp and poetic language, but at the same time gives all the pleasures that a good novel gives.”

Sbragia is very pleased with Delcourt’s accomplishments inside and outside of the department.

“We as her colleagues are very happy for her,” Sbragia said. “Most of the work we do is literary analysis, and I think a special tingle goes down our spine when one of our own actually finds that creative vein and writes a piece of literature that is touching people. It’s like crossing over to the other side of what we do — wearing the clothes of the people who normally we analyze.”

[Reach reporter Sara Bruestle at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]