Aurora: What was your inspiration behind your most recent novel?
Lynn Painter: Better than the Movies is a rom-com inspired by all the classic rom-coms. I grew up watching them with my mother, like Liz, and the book is kind of a fun play on how someone’s worldview and expectations can be completely skewed – for better or worse – by being raised on a steady diet of happily-ever-after’s.
What character in this novel do you most relate to and why?
I definitely relate to Liz, the main character. Back in the day, she was a dorky, silly-hearted little girl who did ridiculous things like make-up songs and perform them for the neighborhood kids (who SO didn’t care and peppered her with dodge balls while she sang).
But now (senior year), as Liz attempts to convince those same neighbor boys that she’s no longer the “little weirdy” and is actually very normal (and cool), she continuously puts herself in embarrassing situations by trying too hard.
Been there, done that, Lizzie.
Please describe the content of your latest read and what can readers expect from it.
My latest read is The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. It is smart and funny and so full of swoony banter that I cannot stop recommending it. Radio is such a unique setting, and fake-dating always gets a big ol’ thumbs up from me.
Like, seriously – you should read it. Wanna borrow mine? LMK.
I also recently read and loved: Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant, Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, A Lady’s Formula For Love by Elizabeth Everett, Killer Content by Olivia Blacke, If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier and Meet Me In Paradise by Libby Hubscher.
What’s next for you in the bookish world?
My second YA rom-com, The Do-Over, comes out next year (S&S BFYR, May 2022).
Here’s the blabber pitch: Girl gets stuck in a Groundhog Day scenario, where the same terrible Valentine’s Day keeps repeating itself. After endless repeats, girl decides to embark upon the Day Of No Consequences, where she does whatever she wants because it doesn’t count and won’t matter, anyway. Only when she wakes up, it’s Feb. 15th and she has to face the consequences of all the things (tattoo, stolen car, make-out session with school bad boy) she did the day before.
Also, my debut adult rom-com, Mr. Wrong Number, will be published (Berkley) in March 2022.
Here’s the quickie blurb: A romantic text from a random misdial turns into a hilariously hot – albeit anonymous – relationship. But little does the pair know, they already know each other in real life.
Who is your current favorite writer? Why?
No one can touch Christina Lauren for me. They’re great at steamy, sexy romance, but they’re also SO good at funny. When I read a rom-com, I want to laugh-out-loud, as well as swoon, and that Dynamic Duo never disappoints.
Any writing advice for aspiring writers?
It sounds SO cliché, but set aside time to write; schedule it. I’m a mom of five with a day job, and I know just how impossible that sounds. I rolled my eyes for a lot of years when authors would say “make the time,” like it was that easy. Yeah, okayyyy.
But even if it’s at 4am (done it) or 10pm (done it), and even if it’s only for an hour at a time, having that dedicated increment of minutes where all you do is produce words makes all the difference. Trust me. I’m still only able to write for about an hour on weeknights and significantly more than that on the weekends, but those hyper-concentrated time bubbles have allowed me to finish multiple books and not miss a single editing deadline (yet – pretty-please knock on wood).
Also, I strongly recommend following experienced agents and editors on Twitter. Even if you hate Twitter. It never ceases to amaze me how much helpful information they share on the bird app about querying, the submission process, and manuscripts they’re dreaming of acquiring. I wish I’d had the opportunity to sit at their feet and listen while I was still in the trenches (alas, I was Twitterless), because they’re willing to share every little thing you need to know to make it out of their slush piles.
Up next, Jennifer Audette!