Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son. Find out more about Jennifer Echols on her website.
Tacos or Burritos?
Enchiladas verdes!
Nashville or The Vampire Diaries?
Because of my new book release, I’m going to say Nashville, OBVS. But I don’t watch a lot of TV, and I’ve never seen either of these shows.
Harcopies or Ebooks?
Hard copies forever! I get annoyed with having to turn the page on e-readers, and I forget what’s stored on the device. I like to hold books in my hands and look at them on my shelves. Don’t tell anyone.
Can you tell us about your upcoming book, Dirty Little Secret?
It’s about Bailey, one-half of a bluegrass duet with her sister, who tries desperately to hold her life together after her sister is given a huge recording contract and Bailey is hushed away. Then she meets charismatic Sam, who is determined that Bailey is just what he needs to get a contract for his own band—and he will do anything to convince her.
What made you choose Nashville as your setting?
Originally the book was going to be set in honky-tonks in Atlanta because I was born there, I’ve lived there as an adult, and I just know it better. Sometimes I need my editor to say really obvious things to me like, “YOUR COUNTRY MUSIC BOOK SHOULD BE SET IN NASHVILLE.”
What was your favorite scene to write?
Oh, the awkward, romantic first time with Sam.
What was the most difficult scene to write?
My editor asked me to rearrange, take out, and fill in some scenes at the beginning, when Bailey plays in a string of strange tribute bands. It’s always hard to see a book through someone else’s eyes, but the story is better with those revisions.
No. If they infuriate you, you’re seeing them from Bailey’s point of view, which is what I intended. But if you look at the situation from their perspective, I think you can understand why they react to Bailey the way they do. At the beginning of the novel, Bailey is able to communicate her fury but not the love behind it.
Will Bailey or Julie get another book, or are their stories finished?
I like to write about one couple per book, so Bailey won’t get another, but I would love to write a book about Julie.
A large part of Dirty Little Secret surrounds music. How much research did you have to put into that?
Not very much, honestly. When I was growing up, my dad was listening to a lot of country music, watching Hee-Haw on TV, and teaching himself to play the banjo. I was actually a music major in college before I switched to English, and for years I’ve researched music stars in all genres because I’ve been fascinated about how they got started. So I already had the building blocks to write the book. I just double-checked my facts about the musicians I mention, picked out the chords on the piano (I don’t have perfect pitch like Bailey), and took a trip to Nashville to make sure a night in one of the Broadway bars was as fantastic as I’d imagined (it was).
What are you working on next?
Biggest Flirts, the first YA romantic comedy in my new series for Simon Pulse, is coming out next May, and I’m currently writing book two.
What is currently in your To-Be-Read pile?
Weirdly, a lot of sci-fi! Every week I listen to a fantastic podcast called Writing Excuses, and I’ve gotten interested in reading books by the speakers—Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Mary Robinette Kowal—and some of the authors they recommend, like John Scalzi. I have no plans to write sci-fi, but I’ve always loved reading it. A good story is a good story.
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