The FAQ

You’ve got questions? I've got answers.

What are you working on now?

The next book! ‘Tis a secret. Wish I could be mores specific, but this is one of those times that I get to be vague and mysterious. I get this rarely in my life, so let me have this win.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I feel very like Mr. Darcy on this one— “I was in the middle before I knew I had begun.”

I was always telling stories as a kid. Writing was a way that I learned largely in school. I remember at an after school program, I literally cut and pasted and re-wrote (and typeset, because I was a determined child) a comic about Camelot because Guinevere didn’t do anything in the story.

But really, on some level, I’ve always been doing that. Re-writing the old stories and making them reflect the world around me, the things I knew to be true. I think I’ve been doing that since I picked up a pencil and started scribbling in very bad cursive.

How long does it take you to write a book?

I’m getting better and better at dialing this in but— from start to finish book one took seven years. The second book took about ten months, with a solid six to draft. Book three was similar. Book four was a pandemic book and therefore, time lost all meaning.

Every book is its own and the process changes with each time, sometimes in big ways and sometimes in small ones. Books are written one word at a time until they’re done. Much like anything that takes a long time— keep going. Don’t give up. You’re not racing against anyone, not even yourself.

What’s your favorite part of writing? Your least favorite?

My least favorite is drafting. My most favorite is editing. I love re-working and sculpting words. I love taking what is already there and making it better, perfecting it as I can. I hate blank pages.

What’s your process like?

Every book is different! My first book was a lot of revisions. My second book I had a synopsis like outline to follow, though so much changed while I was actually drafting. Writing from two POVs change structure in ways I hadn’t predicted. The four book was written during lockdown and then during cancer treatment. That was its own brand of mayhem, as I’m sure we’re all loathe to remember.

The best advice I can give you on process is: if it works for you, use it. It if it doesn’t, no matter how famous the author is who uses that process, throw it in the garbage bin. Use what works for you to get the book done. Everything else is just noise.

Who are the writers who inspire you?

I’m a big fan of Jane Austen, as anyone who has had a conversation with me about books that last longer than forty-five seconds can attest. I love the voice that Dodie Smith uses in I Capture the Castle. I am in awe of the way Zora Neale Hurston taught me how to find the emotional heart of a story with Their Eyes Were Watching God. The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler was particularly formative, as was Harriet the Spy, the Nancy Drew books, and lots of Golden Age mysteries.

I also love film. The first screenplay I ever read was Patricia Rozema’s adaptation of Mansfield Park. I think about the tracking sequence at the end of Somewhere probably more than is healthy. I think I’ve always loved stories that are about character and the ties that bind.

What’s the one piece of advice that you would give any aspiring writer?

Just start. And get all the way to the end. So I guess that is two pieces but— start now. And finish the project. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to be good. It just has to be finished. You’ll learn so much by just doing that, I promise.

What are your favorite films?

I grew up on 2000s rom-coms like 10 Things I Hate About You. I am also a fan of girl gang flicks like Clueless and Heathers and Mean Girls. I love the Fast and the Furious franchise and almost any good heist. I love old Hayley Mills movies. My first Hindi-language film was Kal Ho Naa Ho, which I will always have a soft spot for. I can almost always watch The Mummy and The Mummy Returns.

In classic films— I love Marilyn Monroe doing comedy, Liz Taylor doing literally anything, and Kate Hepburn shouting, “She sure is yar.” I believe Hello, Dolly! might be a perfect film.

Where do you get the ideas for chapter titles? Which ones are your favorite?

I get my ideas for chapter titles from all of the pop culture that I love! And one of my favorites is still: “You Can’t Just Ask People Why They’re White.” But a newer favorite is: “The Boys are Back Inn Town,” which I still cannot believe my editor let me put in a finished book. Turns out, some parts of growing up aren’t so bad after all.

Are your books standalone or are they connected?

As of right now, they all stand alone! I like to think of all of my books as existing in the same world of stories. So maybe one day they will cross paths, maybe not. I have yet to find a way to work the stories together that feels natural to me. I am always so impressed with writers who are able to do this so that the easter eggs feel fresh and fun as you read.

And finally, for those of you who would like something cheering—here is a Pallas cat:

Thank you for stopping by and reading! If any more questions pop up, I’ll be sure to answer.