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Book Chat - Tess In Boots
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Kathy
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Dec 30, 2014 05:00AM
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Looking forward to the discussion. I'm four days overdue with our second child (I was sure he'd be here by now!) so hopefully I won't be in labor tomorrow during the discussion. But if I am, I suppose that could be a great distraction. :) Thanks for choosing Tess in Boots!
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Wow, congrats! Hope your little one comes soon and that all goes well!! We did receive a few questions, I had some others I'll have to grab and post later.
What gives you inspiration for your characters and story lines?
Did you help design the cover? So pretty!
Do you have a favorite place to write? Favorite writing snack?
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
Can you tell us about any current projects your working on right now?
These are great questions! Thanks for letting me join in today. And thank you so much to everyone who read the book. I want to encourage you to be open in your discussion. I'm sure having the author join in is a bit strange in a way, but I love hearing all thoughts, even if they're about what *didn't* work for readers in a story. Those are actually the most helpful to me as a writer! Of course I also love hearing what readers love, but that goes without saying.Okay, here are my answers:
What gives you inspiration for your characters and story lines?
I've reflected on this a lot, and I've come to the conclusion that I'm wired to be a storyteller. I love dreaming up different scenarios and characters and imagining how they will play out. Even if I'm recounting a fairly insignificant event that happened during my day, I feel the need to tell the story in the most exciting way possible. (Ask my poor husband, I can take fifteen minutes to tell him about running into an old friend at the grocery store. And that's before I even get to the point!) So a big part of my inspiration comes purely from imagination. With Tess in Boots, there are some specific parts of the story that were taken from real life. For instance, I grew up around grapevines and my family made wine from the grapes we grew ourselves. I also wrote my actual wedding cake into the story. I never saw the cake, because it melted in the July sun before we got to the reception, but now it lives on forever in the book! And of course there's Thatcher. At the end of the day, he's his own character, but he has a certain way of loving Tess that makes this story really unique. He sees the best in her like no one else does, and he's not afraid to speak his mind and challenge her. I can't help but realize that I feel loved that way by my husband. Even though I didn't realize it while I was writing, I know some of his character traits made their way into the story through Thatcher.
Did you help design the cover? So pretty!
My publisher was responsible for designing the cover, but I was allowed to work closely with my very talented cover designer, Kayelle Allen, to convey the concept I had in mind. I admit I was a bit of a pain when it came to getting the boots exactly right! We went back and forth a lot to make sure they were the perfect representation of the boots in the story. Everyone was very patient with me while I hemmed and hawed over this, and I am so pleased with how the cover turned out.
Do you have a favorite place to write? Favorite writing snack?
I wrote 99% of Tess in Boots while sitting in a big leather chair in the corner of our playroom. I say 99% because I did some writing and editing while traveling. (Writers don't take vacations, because vacations provide the perfect opportunity to write!) It's funny, I've been on a bit of a writing break while celebrating Christmas and finalizing things for the new baby, and I haven't sat in the chair while I've been on my break. It's almost as if it's my special writing place, and I can't sit there for any other purpose. No exceptions!
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
Like most writers, I love books in general so it's very difficult for me to pinpoint a single author as my favorite. I will say that this summer, I read my first Catherine Ryan Hyde book, When You Were Older. I was instantly drawn to the way she connects readers with her characters, so I went on a two-week Catherine Ryan Hyde binge after I finished the book. When I feel like I can learn something from a writer, especially when it comes to characterization, I'll often binge-read that particular writer, but it's so tough to nail down a favorite. Just for fun, I'm not ashamed to tell you all that I own every single Babysitter's Club book and I still thumb through them from time to time. :)
Can you tell us about any current projects you're working on right now?
I told myself, "No new projects until March!" The idea was to give myself time to get used to being a mom of two. But I can already tell I'm going to break that rule. I have a sequel to Tess in Boots in mind, and I can't wait to get this story started. It's killing me not to write it! The general consensus among readers and reviewers has been that they want to know what happens next, and I'm very excited to tell them.
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Were you ever in a love triangle?
How did you come up with this idea? Personal experience? I mean the romance part, not the setting.
Who is the sequel about? :)
How did you think up that first meeting? That was hilarious!
Do you share any similar personality traits with Tess?
Did you have to query a lot in order to get published or was it quick and easy?
How did you decide which genre to write? Will you ever branch out and do something besides contemporary romance?
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Katie, I love that this was a favorite for you! Hands-down these are the most personal questions I've been asked so far, which is fun. I'll do my best to be open, yet concise. :)Were you ever in a love triangle?
I have never been in Tess' shoes, where I've felt torn and had to make a tough choice. There were a few things here and there - like girls finding my husband dreamy while we were dating in college, can't blame them - but definitely nothing like this!
How did you come up with this idea? Personal experience? I mean the romance part, not the setting.
When I was dreaming up this story, my goal was to bring the reader to a point where they were absolutely agonizing about which way the story would head. I hope I accomplished this. I tried to get the reader to root a certain way but still experience genuine doubt/fear that the story would head in the other direction. I didn't want this to be a black and white, clear-cut situation, and it was important to me that the characters be blameless. When you look closely at the story, no one did anything wrong. Tess didn't do anything wrong by getting to know Thatcher. And Thatcher didn't do anything wrong, either. Logan is a little clueless, yes, but he isn't a villain by any means. Once I established that I wanted to create a difficult choice for my main character, and that I didn't want to appoint a villain among these three, it was all a matter of creating the right scenario that would bring them to this impossible situation while maintaining an element of surprise for the reader.
Who is the sequel about? :)
My lips are sealed on this one! I'll say this: I want readers to know more about Thatcher before and leading up to when he met Tess. I also want readers to get an update on what happens next with Tess and Thatcher, while getting to know a semi-familiar character better. This character has an amazing love story of their own that I can't stop thinking about. Can't. Stop. Thinking. About!
How did you think up that first meeting? That was hilarious!
A long, long time ago I was going through a brief but distinct rebellious phase (it was like a bad haircut, it didn't suit me) and I got myself into a similar situation. This situation was actually pretty scary, but it turned out okay in the end, and so I always emphasized the humor in it when I recounted the story. I tend to do that, relate to the world around me in a humorous way. It seems like everyone has that one friend who is always getting themselves into wacky scenarios. I don't have that friend, because I am that friend. Growing up, my mother would shake her head and say, "I guess God must want you to be a writer." Here is a fun blog post I wrote about one such foible, if you're looking for a laugh today: http://www.courtneyricegager.com/2014...
Do you share any similar personality traits with Tess?
Yes! Tess is extremely type-A and organized, and yet she struggles with clumsiness and a bit of chaos in some areas of her life (her purse, for example). This is the story of my life! It's like a constant battle between these two sides of myself. It felt good to put this struggle into a character, and I think it helped to make Tess more dimensional.
Did you have to query a lot in order to get published or was it quick and easy?
A lot. I spent five months focusing solely on querying, and I think even that is considered getting off easy as a writer. I had a lot of interest, a lot of requests for my full manuscript, and a lot of rejection. But all the rejection I received was very encouraging, and toward the end of the process I took a month to revise my manuscript based off the feedback I received. I queried Anaiah Press with the revised (stronger than ever!) manuscript in February 2014, and it resulted in my first official publishing contract.
How did you decide which genre to write? Will you ever branch out and do something besides contemporary romance?
I didn't realize I was writing contemporary romance when I wrote this story. I'm sure that makes me sound like such an amateur, but it's the truth. I just wrote the story and let myself fall in love with it. The genre-fitting happened during the editing process. The agents and editors who initially read my manuscript were the ones who categorized it for me. (Note to other writers: this worked out for me, but I don't recommend it. Do better research than I did!) I think contemporary romance is my comfortable place to write in, and I love that there are readers out there who are specifically looking for clean romances. I firmly believe that we need more good, clean fun when it comes to books and movies. I plan on sticking with this genre for a few more titles, but someday I'd love to branch out and maybe try middle grade, or more serious women's fiction.
I have one more question. Would you have made the same choice as Tess as to who you ended up with?
Hmm. I fear that I wouldn't. I would like to say yes, but knowing myself, I don't believe I would have the guts to actually do what Tess did. Thankfully I haven't been in this situation in real life!
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I wish I had written some notes when I read this book so I could have better comments to make. I remember getting a message from Katie saying I had to read this book and I trust her judgment 100% and waited patiently for the book to come out. The day it was published I grabbed it and dove in. One of the reasons I gave this one five stars was because I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. I was never 100% sure who Tess would end up with, normally that drives me nuts, but it was well done in this one. I liked not knowing exactly how things were going to play out. I am a sucker for romance and wouldn't have minded a bit more interactions between Thatcher and Tess and like Katie I wanted him to show up and break up the wedding or do SOMETHING. I wanted to see him fight for her a little more. I loved the setting and side characters. Just a fun story and when I was finished I wanted our book group to get a chance to read it to.
Courtney,
Thanks so much for participating! I love hearing your answers and getting more insight into the characters. Definitely makes the book more fun!
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You can vote for it here.
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How long do we have to wait for the sequel...because I'M SO EXCITED? :)
Will there be more than just two books?
Do you always know the ending to your stories before you write them down on paper...or does the story just come to you as you write?
Thanks for sharing your talent!! I thoroughly enjoyed every page!
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I loved this book! I wish I would have written down some thoughts after I read it, it's been a while, but the characters have stuck with me ever since. I was in a book slump when I picked this story up and it was the perfect book to remind me why I enjoy reading so much. Each of you have summed up my thoughts nicely. I also wanted Thatcher to sweep in and fight for love, but it showed his true character to hold back and let Tess figure out what she wanted.
Getting a little glimpse of the authors thoughts and writing process always help endear a book to my heart even more. Thank you for taking the time to share with us and enjoy that new addition to your family.!
Great questions and answers. It's been great actually "talking" to the author during our discussion. I loved Tess' story too. It kept me up to late,a me skipping dinner :).I loved the story behind Tess' boots, but it did make me wonder. How did the older lady in town recognize their significance? I understand her sister-in-law knowing, because she'd read the letter, but I was puzzled about the other character (and I can't remember her name).
I did love the way that Tess and Thatcher met, and how it kept coming back to embarrass her.
I couldn't believe that Jake and his wife were pushing Tess back to Logan, or that Tess would accept him. I can see how she would feel railroaded by all of those plans, but I hoped that she or Thatcher would have stopped that wedding sooner. I like the idea of Taylor Swift's Speak Now blaring as Tess' exit song!
I can't wait to read your next book Courtney, and good luck with your upcoming little one!
This was a wonderful book. Thank you for the questions and answers. It was fun to read.
I am loving these comments and questions. Sorry for leaving the discussion, I went to the hospital and had my son shortly after my last post! (There's a pic on my twitter feed, here: https://twitter.com/courtneyrgager I'm pretty obsessed with him!) I'll curl up with some tea and answer our few remaining questions sometime over the weekend hopefully. Thanks again, everyone!
He is adorable! You're right to be obsessed! Congratulations!
Thanks! I'm (finally!) back to wrap up the remaining questions. Here goes:I found myself really feeling bad for Logan by the end though (not bad enough to ever want her to go through with the wedding mind you...but just sad.)...and I'm kinda actually pulling to hear his story.
I hear this a lot! It's surprising/interesting to me how many people want Logan to have his happy ending, even though they weren't necessarily rooting for him this time around. I guess the Logan's of the world need to find love, too! :)
How long do we have to wait for the sequel...because I'M SO EXCITED? :)
Hopefully not *too* long. Once I fall in love with a story, I tend to immerse myself in it and the writing process goes pretty quickly. I'll be sure to keep you posted, and I'm excited that you're excited!
Will there be more than just two books?
There are more than two untold stories, that's for sure! So, I'd say it's very possible/hopeful.
Do you always know the ending to your stories before you write them down on paper...or does the story just come to you as you write?
What an awesome question. With Tess in Boots, I knew. At least, I thought I did. But as the story and characters developed, things got complicated. Motivations of certain characters changed, for instance, and I found myself weaving more mystery into the story to keep readers on the hook. The ending became more and more layered as I progressed through the editing process. So I'd say, for me - it's like a normal day in real life. You set out with a general idea of what you're looking to do and where you're planning to go, but you never know where the day might take you!
I loved the story behind Tess' boots, but it did make me wonder. How did the older lady in town recognize their significance? I understand her sister-in-law knowing, because she'd read the letter, but I was puzzled about the other character (and I can't remember her name).
I don't want to give too much away for those who may stumble across the discussion before reading the book, so I'll give you this hint. You'll find the answer in chapter 20, when Ms. Betty is reminiscing about the past, and her relationships with certain people. The answer is implied but not directly stated, because of course Ms. Betty is trying to cover her tracks, too. If you still have questions feel free to message me. :)
I like the idea of Taylor Swift's Speak Now blaring as Tess' exit song!
I love Taylor Swift and have a playlist of my favorite Swift songs - yet I hadn't heard this one. Just took a listen and I love it. Awesome idea! (Confession: I totally have a Tess in Boots playlist for when it becomes a huge box office hit. It's good to dream, right?)
Ok, I think that covers the remaining questions. Thanks so much again, everyone. Please keep in touch on Twitter, Goodreads, etc. Looking forward to reading and discussing with you in the future.
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Kathy wrote: "Those were awesome, thanks! I thought of another question... If you were casting the movie version of Tess in Boots who would you cast?? :)"Okay, so - I am really bad at celebrity recognition/awareness. I once confused Alec Baldwin with Alex Trebek while making small talk at a wedding (not kidding, but wish I were). So I'll just cast Tess and Thatcher, and even that's cheating a little because I would want Thatcher to be a debut actor. His character is too unique and important to have people be distracted by remembering him in another role. I'd say Rachel Bilson for Tess. Now that I'm up a lot at night with the new baby, I've been trying out some new shows on Netflix. I just started watching Hart of Dixie (very cute, by the way) and the main character reminds me of Tess.
I loved this book and too would love to read more about some of the other characters.
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I found myself really feeling bad for Logan by the end though (not bad enough to ever want her to go through with the wed..."
He is soooo cute!! Congrats!! Just another quickish question: What's on your playlist for this book?
I was hoping you'd ask!1. Lost in My Mind - The Head And The Heart
2. Shut Up and Drive - Not the song by Rihanna. This is a country song by Chely Wright that was popular in the nineties. One of my favorite break-up songs!
3. Home - Phillip Phillips
4. Flake - Jack Johnson
5. Otis Redding - Sara Evans (I feel like this is a lesser-known song. If you haven't heard it, it's catchy and worth listening to. I picked this one for the pizza scene at the cottage.)
6. Boot Scootin' Boogie - Brooks & Dunn
7. [Kissed You] Good Night - Gloriana
8. Something To Talk About - Bonnie Raitt (bonus fact: this is my go-to song if I'm singing karaoke)
9. Famous in a Small Town - Miranda Lambert
10. Give In - Sara Evans
11. Need to Be Next to You - Sara Evans (can you tell I love Sara Evans?)
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