Loren Kleinman (LK): You recently released Break My Fall, a New Adult (NA) novel about a young girl named Leah. When her ex-boyfriend Kevin betrays her in a horrifically public way, she leaves town to spend her last summer of college in a place where no one knows who she is or what happened to her. All she wants is a little peace of mind and some good surfing so she can regroup before returning for her senior year. Is Lea an archetype, a prototype for the many leading female characters in NA, romance? If so, how?
J.T. Cameron (JTC): I like to think of Leah as more of a prototype. I tried really hard to give her unique characteristics, personality, and as much realism as I could. One thing I dread most as a writer is creating characters that don’t resonate with people. I hope readers will like Leah (and Drew).
LK: Talk about the New Adult genre. What is it? What does this genre allow you to do that are different from the rules of Young Adult, or romance? Or is it a combination of all three?
JTC: The New Adult genre allows writers to explore the worlds of younger characters (most people say 18-25) and all that goes along with that phase of life, from college and career choices to relationships and sex. Those are things that wouldn’t typically be found in Young Adult or the adult romance, simply because of the age range. That’s really what I find fascinating about the genre. Having written a YA novel and adult romances, I was able to compare all three genres, and NA is by far my favorite to write. That is an immensely tumultuous time in anyone’s life, and considering what I put Leah and Drew through, it was all that more interesting to me. I hope readers will feel the same way.
LK: I love a good love story. Why do you think readers or our culture as a whole connects with stories of love so intimately? Where do we attempt to go with fictional love where we can’t go in reality?
JTC: I think people seek love stories because it’s the most powerful force in the world. There is nothing that can replace love. When it comes to fictional love, writers and readers are able to explore all the dark corners of loving relationships from a safe distance, something we can’t do in real life. And, of course, in fictional love there is almost always a HEA waiting at the end of the road.
LK: If you could spend the day with one the characters from Break My Fall, who would it be and why? Who would you rather never hear from again? Why?
JTC: As a writer, I feel like I spend every day with the characters I’m writing about, and since they really do take on a life of their own, I don’t have much of a choice who I spend time with. That sounds kind of sarcastic, and maybe like I’m trying to avoid your question, but it’s true. You can make up characters in the beginning of the journey, but they absolutely become their own people as you go. I do not have a favorite character from the book, although I do feel closer to Leah and Drew because they’re at the center of the story. Readers might expect me to say I would rather never hear from Kevin again, but I am interested in exploring his character more (and seeing him get what’s coming to him, even more so than he does in BREAK MY FALL).
LK: Talk about craft. What’s your writing process look like from start to finish (outlining, sketching)? How long to you take to outline, if you do? How many revisions did this book go through before you felt it could be released?
JTC: I begin with short character notes and a very general idea of where they are in life when the book starts. Then I work out a way to have their lives intersect. That aspect of the process can take anywhere from a week to a couple of months. Once that’s in place, I begin a loose outline, and that usually comes quickly. I like knowing what I’m going to write each day when I wake up. That’s not to say the writing won’t take an unexpected turn (that’s part of the fun) but as I write, I pretty much know where the story is going. BREAK MY FALL went through four revisions before its release.
LK: I recently read an article on Federico Lorca and the duende. Smith writes, “Unlike the Muse or Angel, which exists beyond or above the poet, the duende sleeps deep within the poet, and asks to be awakened and wrestled, often at great cost.” Now, I get that she writes about the duende in relationship to poetry, but as I’m writing fiction (traditionally a poet), I find that this place still exists. Do believe Lorca’s definition of this place as true? Does the same “place” exist when writing fiction?
JTC: Sure. It’s basically all about evoking emotion, a response, and that certainly happens in my as I’m writing. The hope is that it will translate on the page (or screen) and connect with readers.
LK: Delilah S. Dawson writes, “Writing a crappy book is hard as hell, and that’s the easiest part of the process.” How do you interpret this?
JTC: That sounds like a riddle of some kind. At first glance, it seems like she’s saying writing is hard, even if you’re producing crap. Which I guess is true, if you just consider how difficult it is to write something of that length. That reminds me of a joke I heard (and can’t remember who said it): “I’m writing a book. I have all the pages numbered.” Or something to that effect…
LK: Let’s go back to Break My Fall. Series or no series? Why do you think readers enjoy a series so much? For me, there’s something mysterious about wondering what happens to the characters. Sometimes I like the “unknowing.”
JTC: BREAK MY FALL is the first in a series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone. There is no cliff-hanger at the end that will make people smack their foreheads in frustration. However, there is still much more about Leah and Drew that can be explored, and I definitely plan on doing that. I have two more books featuring them currently swirling around in my brain. Nothing on paper yet, but it’s going to happen soon.
LK: What’s been the reaction to Break My Fall? Why do you think NA has gotten so popular?
JTC: My view on the popularity of NA is pretty well summed up in my answer to question #2. One thing I’d add is that I think it’s great that NA is starting to see its own categories online. I don’t know how long Amazon has had a specific category dedicated to NA, but I’m thrilled that it’s there. The reason to BREAK MY FALL has been great so far. As we do this interview, it has only been out for one week, so we’ll see what happens!
LK: What’s next for J.T. Cameron?
JTC: I will begin working on the next book featuring Leah and Drew very soon. They’re constantly on my mind and I can’t wait to get back into it.