Tag: Woman Author

You can get The Side Project on Amazon here.

How did you research your book?

There wasn’t a huge amount of research involved, but I did need to read up on the type of brain tumors teenagers are most likely to get. I’d already spent a lot of time in Bemidji, but I convinced my family that I should take a road trip up to Bemidji on my own, just for the night, so I could walk around taking pictures and imagining my characters’ lives there.

What’s the hardest scene or character you wrote—and why?

The last scene between Rylee and her mother, Summer, was difficult to write because finally, they were being honest with each other and dealing with their grief. It was a challenge to find the right level of emotion and to give each of them their own unique voice.

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

That’s so hard, because I often forget the compliments I receive, unlike the criticism, which is always tattooed on my brain. But last night I received this message from a huge BookTok influencer, after she finished reading The Side Project: “I just finished!  Man, I’m crying happy tears. This was so different… and it was SO good.”  I can’t overstate how happy that compliment made me!

Do you write every day? What’s your schedule?

Sometimes, if there’s a lot of laundry or grocery shopping to do, I skip writing on Sundays. Otherwise, I write every day, in the afternoon and/or early evening.

Any quirky writing rituals or must-have snacks?

My favorite writing quirk is when my cat, Toffee, snuggles up next to me while I sit on the couch with my laptop. When I get stuck, I’ll pet her and ask for her advice. She always has great ideas!

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

I’ve always felt that northern settings where they wear a lot of flannel are romantic. When I began writing The Side Project, I’d just finished an MFA program in Creative Writing. I liked the idea of exploring how writers can be sort of snobby toward each other when it comes to writing genre fiction, especially romance. And there’s definitely a stigma when it comes to self-publishing. The Side Project is not self-published, but Rylee is a secret self-published romance author and afraid to let the people in her life know this. So The Side Project is a combination of several topics and settings that are close to my heart.

If your book became a movie, who would star in it?

Winona Ryder (at 23) as Rylee

Andrew Garfield (at 27) as Carson

Jessica Chastain (at 27) as Dana

James Van Der Beek (at 27) as Jack

Which author(s) most inspired you?

This answer is specific to romance writing, but Emily Henry and Carley Fortune inspired me in a huge way. After reading their novels, I was ready to transition from writing women’s fiction to contemporary romance. I love how they use the expected romance tropes that readers love, but they also write layered stories with complex characters and lyrical prose.

What are you binge-watching right now?

My fifteen year-old daughter and I have moved on from Beverly Hills 90210 to Dawson’s Creek. We’re on the first season, where Pacey gets involved with Tamara the teacher. It’s amazing how problematic that storyline is! My daughter is all, “She’s grooming him!” She’s also furious at Dawson’s mom for having an affair. It makes me happy that my daughter is so smart about this stuff.