Welcome! Welcome to the bottom of the rabbit hole. I will be your host as we tour this Reading Wonderland together. Here’s your magical elixir for the journey:
First stop, YA Romance and the adorable YA RomCom. As a genre, YA books (and truthfully, stories on the whole) are so much about identity and relationships, that a category of finding love and acceptance while discovering self is paramount. Our author on today’s blog, Lisa Brown Roberts, is a veteran writer with six titles to her name, the most recent being a RomCom called The Bookworm Crush that came out in 2019.
In The Bookworm Crush, Amy loves reading and books - especially romance novels - but she doesn’t see herself like the brave heroines she reads about. Toff, on the other hand, is an anti-reader, but an incredible surfer ready for the pro-circuit. When Toff rescues Amy from an adventure that perhaps is on the verge of going awry, Amy realizes he’s the perfect person to help her win a competition to meet her favorite author, because he is, after all, a winner. What Toff doesn’t realize, however, is that by agreeing to work with Amy, she’s going to push him to face some spaces in his own heart he’s been avoiding. Told in alternating perspectives shared by both Amy and Toff, readers get to go on a ride with them that is laugh-out-loud funny, gorgeously sweet, and wonderfully poignant leaving the reader satisfied and buoyant.
I’m so excited that Ms. Roberts agreed to be interviewed to dish about The Bookworm Crush among other things that make reading magical.
CL WALTERS: The Bookworm Crush, the companion novel The Replacement Crush (both YA RomComs), was released in 2019. What were one or two real-life experiences/observations/inspirations that contributed this story?
LISA BROWN ROBERTS: The Replacement Crush- I love bookstores (don't we all) and thought how fun it would be to essentially grow up in one, and work there recommending books and running a book club. It was fun to create that life for Vivian, the heroine. Vivian's mom (Rose) is an author/bookstore owner, and making her an author was pure selfish indulgence on my part. I gave Rose some of my own traits, and incorporated my son's embarrassment about how flaky I can be when I'm in the middle of writing a new book.
The Bookworm Crush - Instagram is my favorite social media space, and I really love bookstagram. Incorporating that into a novel was so much fun. I'm so thrilled with all the positive feedback I've received from book bloggers and bookstagrammers who loved that aspect of the story. I love all of the amazing bookstagram photos of this book, too! It's very "meta." :)
CLW: You already know that I adore Toff (and I know I am not alone in that swoony adoration); I have posted about him enough. Did you make a Pinterest board for his character and what other elements inspired this adorable prankster?
LBR: Ah, Toff...I had so much fun with him! My books are always created characters first, plot second. Toff just appeared fully formed in my mind when I wrote The Replacement Crush. Some characters reveal themselves more slowly to me, in layers, but he just *boomed* onto the page, ready to party!
It was hard not letting him take over The Replacement Crush. I knew I had to write his story and I was so happy that Entangled Teen wanted to publish it. I had to give Toff his first real romance, and Amy had crushed on him forever, so...happily ever after for them and for me as an author!
I think we all know those guys – the life of the party, the ones who bring the fun, who charm themselves out of trouble…I certainly crushed on more than one as a teen.
I do create Pinterest inspiration boards for each book. I keep them private until the book is published and then I make them public. Sometimes I continue to add to them after the book is out. The thing is, I love the idea of Pinterest, but I don’t have much time to use it as much as I’d like to.
CLW: The interesting Instagram/Bookstagram world is almost a character in this book. What were things you researched to flesh out this facet of The Bookworm Crush?
LBR: I started following the bookstagram world a couple of years ago and was astounded at the passion readers have! The #shelfies amaze me - so gorgeous and unlike my messy bookshelves. I love #BookfaceFriday and knew I had to incorporate that into the book (side note- I had to explain #BookfaceFriday to my editor since she'd never heard of it). Basically, I do a lot of stalking on bookworm accounts, but not in a creepy way. One of [the] best reader emails I've received was from a girl who was so inspired by Amy that she started her own bookstagram account. That made [me] so happy.
CLW: The Bookworm Crush is your sixth book (Congratulations!). Do you have a standout experience with a fan you’re willing to share?
LBR: My favorite part of being an author is interacting with readers. Social media is great, but meeting readers in person is fantastic. A couple of years ago, I attended a reader event in Atlanta that was mostly geared to adult romance readers. Lots of fun, but not much action in the YA author area, so I was thrilled when a sweet teen girl approached my table holding copies of all my books. She said she’d come to the event to meet me. Nothing tops that!
CLW: Do you have a favorite #otp (While #bonnieandclyde should make a list maybe a different one)?
LBR: Just like Amy in The Bookworm Crush, I love Lizzie and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. I’ve written my own P&P retelling (like so many other authors) and hope to publish it someday. Barack and Michelle Obama are a real-life #otp for me, along with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Also, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan are a fabulous BFF #otp.
CLW: One of my favorite scenes in The Bookworm Crush is when Amy becomes the victim of an incapacitated Toff. Was there an event that inspired this particular scene or perhaps specific things that inspire your process in writing scenes filled with romantic tension?
LBR: I’m glad you liked that scene! It was added during the revision process with my editors. We cut one scene and needed another. I’m not really sure what inspired it, though I wanted a scene where Toff and Amy were “trapped” together, which this was. When I wrote it, I wasn’t sure if it worked. I couldn’t tell if it was funny or just weird. My editors loved it, so I trusted them, and hearing from readers that they like it, too, is a relief!
Writing the scenes with chemistry and romantic tension are my favorites. They usually grow organically from the characters. For instance, in the #BookfaceFriday scene, I knew Toff would be ridiculous and bossy and flirty, but I didn’t know exactly how until I started writing and he took over. Again. ☺
CLW: What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
LBR: I can’t pick just one!
Writing a first draft is my favorite part of the writing process. Actually, getting that “ah ha” feeling when I come up with an idea that I’m excited to write is my first favorite part, then capturing the feeling of the story and wrangling my characters into a draft is my second favorite part of the process. I turn off my internal editor for that first draft, and it’s so fun and freeing to write everything I want to. I worry about cutting later.
Opening my box of author copies is another highlight, especially after going through multiple rounds of revisions. Holding the finished book always causes happy tears.
Hearing from readers once the book is out in the world-that is the best. I love when readers see themselves in my stories, and find the characters relatable and real. Those are the highest compliments. Well, and when they fall for the love interests, too. That’s always good. ☺
CLW: Which specific authors or specific books - YA and otherwise - have inspired your own author’s journey?
LBR: Here are a few of the bigger influences:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – my favorite book as a kid, along with her nonfiction that I love as an adult.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, of course
All of Judy Blume’s books
Julie Anne Peter’s books. Julie was my first writing mentor, and she’s a brilliant author. Her books are fierce and brave. She was one of the first big LGBTQ authors in YA, and her book Luna, featuring a transitioning character, was nominated for a National Book Award. She’s also hilarious and kind, and she’s the reason I didn’t quit writing.
CLW: The theme is YA Romance. What books make your top-five list in no particular order?
Really tough to narrow down, but here are five of my favorites:
Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
CLW: What are you working on now?
LBR: This very moment, it’s hard to write because of COVID. My day job is super busy, and when I’m not doing that, I’m spending my time with my family trying to stay upbeat and getting sunshine as much as possible.
However, once I resume writing, I’ll get back to a couple of YA rom-coms that are in various stages of creation and revision.
CLW: Where can readers find you?
LBR: I’m most active on Instagram, semi-active on Facebook, and usually avoid Twitter, but pop on once in awhile ☺