What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve always loved music, and I’ve always loved writing rock-star love stories—this is my third one. I was already toying with the idea of doing another one, and then my friend Jenni told me how her mom suggested she should get a sugar daddy to get her through college, and I was like, “Pardon me? Also, tell me more.” She didn’t end up going for it, but the idea of someone suggesting that and a person following through with it tickled me, but only if I could do it in my usual fun, zany way.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?
I’ve got to go a little tongue in cheek—River loves shiny things and has zero impulse control, so for him, it’s "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande. But Jem’s has to be "Basic Being Basic" by Djo. The single was released when I was writing, I think, chapter five? Right before River and Jem’s first date. Instant earworm. It completely shaped the trajectory of the story after that, which is pretty ironic considering Jem is absolutely afraid of being "cheugy" (a word I had to look up because I’m old).
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I love a romcom, but my actual favorite genre is so specific it’s ridiculous. Give me a humorous, satirical, magical realism/fantasy mystery. (Everyone who has read the Night Watch subset of Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett is nodding; everyone else is like, “a what?”) Anyone who can make meaningful observations about the world that are both cutting and objectively hilarious while writing nuanced characters and a fun plot has my full attention. Unfortunately, Sir Terry is no longer with us, so I’ve been starved for this particular genre. Yes, I am taking recommendations!
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
This is so embarrassing, but the TBR pile is empty. The TBWritten pile is kind of all-consuming at the moment—Morgan James and I are working on two new series, and there’s a novella I want to get out this fall. But I have ADHD, so A) I’ve forgotten 90 percent of what I meant to read, and B) when I get a mind that I want to read something, I do so immediately. So if I get any good leads from the favorite genre question, I will absolutely screw up my writing schedule so I can read that right now!
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
This is such a hard question. There’s so much great banter and dialogue in this book, and that’s kind of my favorite thing to write. Jem is so delightfully bitchy, and all of River’s friends love to give him a hard time. But I think my actual favorite scene to write was River watching Jem listen to records and just soaking in someone else’s music, and realizing that he wants Jem to take his music inside himself. He has so many feelings he has to lock himself in his studio and write half an album about it, and when he finally resurfaces, it’s to Jem offering to make him dinner in his own house—and that’s it. River’s done. TKO.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I don’t know if I’d call it quirky, but I’m a lot more focused writing when I am at my day job rather than at home. No soft puppy snoozing on my feet to lure me into napping, no enormous piles of craft supplies to distract me. Fortunately, I have a lot of downtime at work!
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
I do! "We’re here for a good time, not a long time." If I’m not having fun writing my books, I’m doing it wrong.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Oh, this is so easy. It’s Jem’s ice-cream-date speech to River. “And it boils down to the same thing, doesn’t it? Things that are cringe or things that are basic. The root of it all is that at some point, society decided that it wasn’t cool to like things except ironically. Which, like—that’s fucking bleak, man. When did being passionate become something to be avoided? Why is it more important to be edgy and different than to be happy?” It’s something that really hit me while writing the book—for me, this is the most meaningful part, the part where you stop and think, “I have to stop being afraid of who I am and what I like and what other people might think about that, and just enjoy being me, even if that means figuring out who that is.” Personally, I have been loving figuring out who I am at 40. I am having a great time. I want other people to experience that joy.
