Here, she details how she came into her craft and her favorite moments ofHighway Blue.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What is the first thing ever that you remember writing?
I think it got a B+.
Credit: Joel Fullwood; Hogarth
What is the last book that made you cry?
Ceremonyby Leslie Marmon Silko.
It’s so beautifully written throughout, especially when handling Tayo’s experiences as a mixed-race Pueblo man.
Which book is at the top of your current To-Read list?
Perfume, by Patrick Suskind.
Where do you write?
Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, usually at night.
Which book made you a forever reader?
Jean Rhys is one of them.
And I loved her clean, nuanced prose.
Another writer whose work I can return to again and again is Kurt Vonnegut.
And last, my favorite Hunter Thompson.
Nothing with him is overwritten, nothing is over-floral, everything is spare, wry, punchy.
I have loved their work for many years and will continue to do so.
What is a snack you couldn’t write without?
I’m not much of a snacker when I write because I tend to find it a little distracting.
But I do feel like I need coffee.
If you could change one thing about any of your books what would it be?
There’s also a certain bang out of imperfection that I love.
What is your favorite part ofHighway Blue?
I found that very interesting to write.
What was the hardest plot point or character to write?
