Ten years ago, I had the best summer internship ever. I lived on an island off the coast of Seattle, boarded in a farmhouse with a view of both the beach and the woods, and spent my entire summer reading. Oh, and I had an amazing mentor who not only furnished me with manuscripts to read and edit but also took me to farmers’ markets, writers’ groups, and two writers’ conferences.
At the time, my mentor, Andrea Hurst, was a literary agent focused on matching clients like Dr. Bernie Siegel to major publishing houses. Next thing I knew, Andrea had published her own novel, The Guestbook, and become a bestselling author.
Andrea has just released her fifth novel, Summer of Second Chances, and she was kind enough to take the time to answer a few of my questions about how she approaches writing and publishing.
1. You’ve experienced almost every part of the publishing industry, including acting as editor, agent, and writer. What made you decide to try your hand at your own story with The Guestbook (Madrona Island #1)?
At the time, the world of publishing was changing very swiftly. Self-publishing was just getting popular and without stigma. It looked like a promising venture to explore. I thought it would help me learn that side of the business for myself and my clients. I had been writing my first novel, The Guestbook, and this was my chance. I love creating stories of hope and second chances, with beautiful settings readers can escape to! My goal was to do moderately well and hope at least ten people enjoyed the book. I was greatly surprised with the success of my first book in the Series.
2. Now that you’re publishing your fifth full-length novel, do you feel like you have an established process? Or does your creativity change each time?
Summer of Second Chances, my latest release, is my fifth full-length novel. I had a much better idea of how I wanted the process to go this time around. When planning any book release, I like to first plan backwards and set an “ideal” release date. This way, I’m able to clearly create deadlines for myself and have goals to look forward to along the way. Editorially I used the book Save The Cat Writes a Novel as a plotting tool and found it help immensely. I learn something new with each writing experience. I also had an amazing team behind me that helped keep me on track every step of the way!
3. Your books are always full of multiple senses. For example, when I think of The Guestbook, my mouth starts watering from the baked goods that were described. When I think of Always With You, I remember the scene of Cathy driving with the window down listening to ‘Me and Bobby McGee.’ How do you get to know your characters and decide what sense experiences to include?
Before starting any book, I always have an idea of my characters. At first, it’s typically one or two characters that I can see and understand most clearly. I do character sheets with pictures I find on Pinterest and ask multiple questions about each character. Multi-layered characters make the most interesting read.
During my outlining stage is when I flesh them out, build their backstory, and understand their motives and goals more.
4. Without spoiling anything, what scene from Summer of Second Chances are you most excited for your readers to discover?
That is a hard question. In this book is more about what I hope my readers take away at the end: A feeling of hope and that it is never too late for second chances.
5. What is your advice for aspiring writers in 2020?
Never stop writing or reading. Use your life experiences as a way to inspire your stories. Motivation isn’t as constant as you might think, so creating goals that can keep you excited is important. Be open to finding your own way and style of writing that is unique to you. Allow yourself to grow and get better throughout this journey. Do not be discouraged by a not so great first draft.
With all of the technology we have surround us, it’s important to use it to your advantage to sharpen your blade and increase your skills. Look for writing resources and even (virtual) communities and groups to join. It’s helpful to have a support system filled with like-minded people in different areas of their writing journey to bounce ideas off of and network.
6. What are you reading right now?
When We Believed in Mermaids. It’s great.
Thank you to Andrea for taking the time to answer my questions! If you’re looking for a sweet story about summer, love, and a good helping of cute dogs, check out Summer of Second Chances. If you want a feeling for what it was like to live the perfect summer on Whidbey Island, check out her first novel, The Guestbook.
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Andrea Hurst
When not writing, Andrea enjoys meeting fans at signings and working as an editor for other authors. She writes hopeful books in charming settings that take readers on uplifting journeys and leaves them with lasting impressions. She lives with her rescue poodle, Ellie, near Raleigh, North Carolina.
Her published books include the Amazon bestseller, The Guestbook, Tea & Comfort, and Island Thyme Café. Two novellas have been added to the Madrona Island trilogy, including Madrona Island: B&B and Christmas on Madrona Island. Her other publications are Always with You, The Lazy Dog’s Guide to Enlightenment and Everybody’s Natural Foods Cookbook, and she co-authored A Book of Miracles: Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude, and Love with Dr. Bernie Siegel.