Interview with Bess Hendrick, Author of Mind of Milya

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Mind of Milya?

The process of writing Mind of Milya has been full of surprises. I’d set out to write a love story that compared how Milya’s choices around relationships were different from those of her mother’s generation, but an unexpected portion also became about Chris’s experience of growing up male in today’s world.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Mind of Milya, what would they be?

I Did It My Way.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Literary fiction is my favorite genre, especially books by authors like Kristin Hannah and Barbara Kingsolver, who often feature a love story as part of the novel.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Island of the Sea Women and Remarkably Bright Creatures.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

One of my many favorite scenes to write was the one in which Chris compares the vast beauty of the Olympic mountain range with his love for Milya, minutes before he finds out that she is taking a job hundreds of miles away in Anchorage.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I do my writing in a small cabin tucked among the trees and mountains surrounding our property, often accompanied by a snoring dog or two.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Live and let live.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

There are many ways to be in a relationship, each with its own benefits. The ability to make choices around that is essential to a fulfilling life.

Bess Hendrick is the author of the new book Mind of Milya

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