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What inspired you to write this book?
I'm going to be honest, I don't remember! I wrote Behind The Scenes in 2014, and I think as my reading taste began to grow past YA, so did my writing taste, and I wanted to try a bit more of a mature/end-of-college aged story.
Tell us a little about how this story first came to be. Did it start with an image, a voice, a concept, a dilemma, or something else?
I really wanted to write a story about a young single mother who had gone through problems with her family and was doing the best she could. I think this story actually went through a few different titles originally because I can vaguely remember making the original cover over and over again, but Behind The Scenes just clicked once I had the lead male as a famous actor.
What's the strangest thing you had to do to create this story?
Honestly, not much, since I didn't do much research for stories back then (I've learned since then), but I do remember going on the UCLA website (the university Zoe transfers to) to make sure I was getting facts about her program correct :)
Who is your favorite character in Behind The Scenes, and did you get inspired by a real person?
Abbie (Zoe's cute daughter). And she wasn't inspired by anyone, but I loved the times when I got to bring a kid's perspective to scenes.
What is something about your hero/ine that only you know?
I honestly haven't gone back to these characters since maybe 2016 when the spin-off of Behind The Scenes was completed, so I honestly can't say much about them other than their names at this point. Readers know more than me!
Did you struggle writing the book? Did you experience writer's block, and how did you overcame it?
I don't typically get writer's block, so much as I just don't write. While writing this story I was in my first year of university, so as I alternated between my school term and work term (my degree had four months of classes, four months of full-time work) I would write while on work terms :)
How did you come up with the names of the characters?
Baby name sites... isn't that how everyone names their characters? :')
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
I hope they see Zoe (the lead protagonist) pushing through with her own life and making that just as much of a focus as making sure her daughter has a good life. Sacrifice is all well and good, but sometimes, you also have to find a way to get the best of both worlds and compromise to get to where you want to be.
Were there scenes you ended up cutting you wish you could've kept? Describe them and the decision-making process.
100% I had planned on bringing Zoe's ex into the story when I first started making notes about the plot, but then by the time I was 2/3 into the story, I realized it didn't fit. At least not in the drafts I have written. If I ever revisited this story, that's definitely a possible direction to take things.
Does this story have a soundtrack? A playlist that inspired you while writing it?
Yes?? I don't have access to it anymore because I believe it was on 8tracks, but I figure it was a lot of Taylor Swift and pop songs from 2014.
What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
I remember reading a lot as a kid, and I read a lot more fantasy/not contemporary stories (Magic Tree House, HP, Gallager Girls) so I can't say any actually shaped me as a writer. By the time I started writing, I was reading Nicholas Sparks and getting into adult/YA contemporary stories that more shaped my writing.
What do you think makes a good story?
A well-balanced combination of story structure, plot, characters, and of course, romance. If one of these isn't on point (sorry to other genres, but it's rare I'll get into a story that doesn't have at least a romantic subplot), the whole story falls apart for me (ESPECIALLY STORY STRUCTURE!)
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you all so much for sticking with me, even as I begin to post for short-form stories on Wattpad as I hope to publish my adult romance content traditionally :)
