Hey everyone! Today, I'm hosting an interview with the amazing Katie Sise, author of The Boyfriend App! There is an excerpt and giveaway (Philippines only) at the end of the post. Enjoy!
Read my review of The Boyfriend App HERE.
The Interview:
Alyssa: Hi, Katie! Thank you so much for joining today! Are you excited?!
Katie: So excited!
Alyssa: So! How does it feel to have your DEBUT almost out in the world?!
Katie: Oh my goodness. Very, very exciting. And so nerve wracking!
Alyssa: When you first saw your book’s cover, what were your thoughts? Did they do your book justice with the cover? (I personally LOVE it)
Katie: They definitely did the book justice—I love it too. And wait until you see the hardcover! I love the galley’s cover, too, but I was blown away by the hardcover. There’s this gorgeous iridescent quality to the phone’s screen. I gasped when I opened the package from HarperCollins and saw it for the first time.
Alyssa: Did you have any say in your book cover’s design? The title?
Katie: I was lucky that HarperCollins involved me in the cover process the whole way. The cover is the publisher’s jurisdiction, so it always makes you feel great when they include you. The book designer, Alison Klapthor, let the reader know with the heart design of the app that there will be romance, and then the black background gives a little feeling of suspense, too.
The title often changes in the time between when a book is bought and published, but for this book, the title stayed the same.
Alyssa: That is so nice! I'm glad you got to keep your title! Anyway, let’s talk about the book! Is it part of a series, or a standalone?
Katie: There will be a companion book coming next. And who knows—maybe if people really connect with The Boyfriend App, I could write some kind of direct sequel. But the companion book is what I’m working on right now, and it’s a lot of fun!
Alyssa: You seem to know a lot about codes and programming hacking. Is there something we should know…? :)
Katie: Ha! I wish. But I had to learn it all to write this book! I had an incredibly talented programmer who taught me about coding. He really brought me into this secret world. He was so adept at explaining complex concepts in a way that I could understand. And he never rolled his eyes at my questions. He broke everything down for me until I started thinking that maybe I, too, could hack… But then reality sets in when I can barely even save my documents correctly.
Alyssa: What kind of research did you have to do, besides the codes and programming and hacking and whatnot?
Katie: I had to learn about War of the Worlds for Nigit. That was the most fun. As far as for the character of Mrs. Condor, I leaned heavily on one of my best friends who is a school social worker, to make sure I was depicting her correctly. But the majority of research was for the computer programming.
Alyssa: How long did it take to write the book?
Katie: It took four months to write a first draft. Then about three months to edit. All the good stuff happens in the editing. I’ve learned to have patience.
Alyssa: On that note, how long did it take you to get contracted?
Katie: The Boyfriend App sold in about a week of being submitted. (I know firsthand it doesn’t always happen that easily!)
Alyssa: How did you decide on the point of view of the book?
Katie: It was always Audrey. She felt like the only one who could really tell this story. I later wrote several pages from Blake’s POV, but that was more to make sure I was understanding where she was coming from. And I’m always tempted to write a book that takes place at the same time, but from Aidan’s POV. That would be fun! I love Aidan…
Alyssa: ME TOO! He is fantastic. Like, in a mega-awesome, HOT way. But I digress. Describe to us the process of choosing your characters’ names?
Katie: Funny you ask this question: I obsess over my character’s names! Names are so important. They have a feeling to them. When I hear Audrey—I think of Audrey Hepburn. And even though my Audrey is so different, there’s a pixie quality to both of them that I love. The name Aidan feels quiet but strong—just like Aidan in the book. Lindsay feels fun. The name Nigit feels—well, Nigit just always felt very Nigit. I felt like he and I were friends in another life. And Blake: as Audrey says: “My dad’s boss, Robert Dawkins, and his wife, Priscilla, gave my ex-best friend a head start by naming her Blake, the figurative equivalent of stamping her birth certificate: I’m a Huge Deal.”
Alyssa: I agree about the names. I think it's great when authors pick names that have specific associations with the characters.
What are you currently working on?
What are you currently working on?
Katie: I’m working on the companion novel to The Boyfriend App. And I like to keep busy writing other fiction projects, even if they’re just for me to read. (Or my sister, since I make her read everything!) Writing in other genres helps stretch my imagination. Plus, it’s a fun break from contemporary to try new things.
Alyssa: Thank you so much for joining me today, Katie! You ROCK :)
The Excerpt:
The Giveaway (tour-wide):
(Philippines ONLY - sorry everyone! I don't make the rules)
I think the concept is great and I can't wait to read it and find out if I'm right.
ReplyDelete