I have an incredible post for you guys today! I contacted Jennifer E. Smith, author of "The Statistical
Probability of Love at First Sight," (among other amazing books) and she was willing to answer some of my questions! I recommend any book by her, and her newest, "This is What Happy Looks Like," is definitely on my summer reading list. Below is an interview I conducted with her via email. Enjoy!
1) What was your favorite book when you were in high school? Why?
I really loved To Kill a Mockingbird, and I still do -- it's a book that only ever seems to get better with each reading.
2) Where do you get ideas for your books? Are you ever inspired by real life experience or your favorite authors?
Most of my books are sparked by something that happened to me in real life, and then they go spinning off into fiction from there. For example, with my newest one, This Is What Happy Looks Like, the idea came about because I have a very common name, so email intended for me often go astray. Of course, I don't usually get responses from famous movie stars!
3) How do you write? Do you have any rituals or favorite places to write?
I'm lucky enough to have a big window in my apartment that looks out over a beautiful park. So I tend to write there, which is usually great, though it can sometimes be tough to be productive on a gorgeous day when everyone else seems to be outside -- it's a good test of willpower!
4) Do you have any advice for high school writers?
Read a lot and read widely. The very best way to understand how to write a book is by reading a whole lot of great ones.
Many thanks to Jennifer for making this interview possible! If you want to learn more about her books, visit http://www.jenniferesmith.com/. I am so excited we get to have it on our blog!
Happy Reading,
Alice
