Interview with author Amanda Pennington

1 – Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I’ve wanted to write books for as long as I can remember! Even before I could read, I would take books off my parents’ shelves and pour over each page; even before I could write, I would fill notebooks with scribbles and pretend I was writing stories.

2 – Did you write a book and decide not to publish it?

During my teen years, I wrote several novels – and they’re terrible! I still have them, each one handwritten and saved in a binder, and I hope nobody ever sees them! That said, they were incredibly useful learning tools. I can look back at them and see how my writing grew between the first book and the last. Practicing and trying new styles, all without the pressure of an audience, definitely helped me with my writing!

 3 – Is there a topic you will never write about? If so, what is it?

This is an excellent question, but I can’t say with absolute certainty. Anything is possible with writing!

4 – Where did you get the inspiration for the stories?

For me, inspiration comes from being curious about everything. I thought of the idea for Book Smart when I came across a list of dating advice from the 1950s and wondered, “What would it look like if someone used this dating advice today?” All my other ideas so far have been along the same lines: what would ______ look like?

5 – Who is your favorite couple you wrote about?

So far my favorite couple is in my second book, which should be published spring 2023. I can’t say more than that yet!

6 – How long does it take you to write one book?

It takes me about six or seven months total (three to five months for the first draft, one month for beta revisions, one month for final edits). But if I didn’t have hard deadlines, I would take years to fuss with my writing. I get obsessive with every little detail!

8 – What is your favorite genre to read?

I love reading everything – thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, nonfiction, and anything in between. Romantic comedies are so much fun for me, and they bring me the most joy, which is why I chose to write in the sweet rom-com genre.