Book info:
Title: Let’s Talk About Love
Author: Claire Kann
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: January 23rd, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.
But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).
When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood.
Author Interview:
What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start? Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)? If you plan it out, how do you do that? Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
I am an intense plotter who uses multiple word documents because I’m loyal and refuse to jump ship to Scrivener. Usually, I start with a flow of consciousness, where I write down all of my ideas about the plot, characters, and distinct story parts. From there, I sort through what I have and begin to group the portions into sections with headers:
Characters
Story Outline/Beats
Themes
Uncategorized Extras
Once that’s all filled out, I start writing. Writing is rewriting so I’ll have anywhere from 3-6 drafts of a story before I consider it finished.
How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
I belong to the there are no original ideas left camp. Everything comes from and is inspired by something else. My story ideas usually come from asking, “What if X met Y?” or “What would happen if X got thrown in with Y and then Z showed up to the party?” Occasionally, I’ll have a personal eureka moment and say, “Wow, this terrible thing is happening to me—I should make a sci-fi story with aliens about it because aliens from another dimension make everything better. Or worse.”
How long have you been writing?
My creative anniversary is January 1, 2014. That was the day I decided I would give life to the stories in my head by using written words and turn them into books.
What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
Work hard and stay humble.
Keep your eyes on your manuscript, but it’s also okay to add someone else’s achievements to your list of goals/dreams.
If you need to say no to social obligations to stay home and write, then do it.
Go at your own pace—publishing isn’t going anywhere.
Listen to good music, eat good food, and don’t forget to enjoy your life.
What are your favorite:
Books/authors/genres:
My favorite books are the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.
I am a big fan of Brandy Colbert and Rainbow Rowell.
While I love most genres, I adore romance. All of my favorite stories usually have some kind of romantic plot or subplot.
Movies/TV Shows
I don’t think I have a favorite movie of all time, but I do watch a lot of TV. I love The Good Place, Fringe, Living Single, and Futurama. I also have an undying love for Sailor Moon and Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.
Music
Music is in my blood. I love just about everything except for country music and am always on the lookout for my next favorite song. My all-time favorite musicians are My Chemical Romance, Michael Jackson, SHINee, and Whitney Houston.
Food/Writing snack
Apples! Eating crunchy foods helps me concentrate. While I love Funyuns and Chili Cheese Fritos, it’s not a good idea to survive on those for hours at a time. I also make a divine coffee/hot chocolate mix every day before it’s time to settle in for work.
Author Bio:
Claire Kann hails from the glorious Bay Area where the weather is regrettably not nearly as temperate as it used to be. She has a BA in English/Creative Writing from Sonoma State University, works for a nonprofit that you may have heard of where she daydreams like she’s paid to do it. LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE is her debut novel.
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