A Book Addict's Bookshelves : Blog Tour + Interview + Giveaway - The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

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The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: June 9, 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQIA

Synopsis:

Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If

they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her

name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A

condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So

she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in

igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out.

But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse

is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an

irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes

a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun,

complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they

can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance

come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting

one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the

characters actually fall in love… for real.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes& Noble | iBooks

The BookDepository | Kobo | IndieBound

How did you come up with the idea for The Falling in Love Montage?

I have a love-hate relationship with Rom-Coms, a bit like Ruby and Saoirse combined, and my first two attempts at writing were quite dark so I was in the mood to write something fun. I think this idea actually started from a joke between me and a friend and the more I thought about it the more I loved it and wondered what kind of person would try and have a ‘falling in love montage’ relationship.

Did you do any research for The Falling in Love Montage?

Most of the research I did was on dementia, naturally. I was already aware of most of what I wrote about but I consulted with a professional who works in the area for accuracy and I read accounts of family members’ experiences. People of course respond in very different ways to the same challenges so how Saoirse feels is not meant to represent everyone.

Do you have a favourite character in The Falling in Love Montage?

I think my favourite character to write was Oliver. I keep thinking I’d like to write an Oliver POV short story or something. I think that happens with secondary characters though, you can have a bit of fun with them. His relationship with Saoirse makes me laugh, writing their dialogue and text messages was the easiest part of the book.

What was your favourite part of writing The Falling in Love Montage?

As I said above, writing Oliver and Saoirse’s dialogue, but in terms of process I like writing line edits the best. It is the point where everything starts to come together and you’re making sure everything shines. It’s also the point where I get notes from my editor where I can see what jokes land and which lines tug on her heartstrings and which need to be sharpened for more impact.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

My advice is the same as what everyone else says: read, a lot. Watch lots of movies and TV (you have my permission). Think about what you like about those books and movie and TV shows, or what you don't like. In terms of writing craft, my favourite book is Story Genius by Lisa Cron. When I start writing I like to dip into it and remind myself of some of the exercises she describes. It always helps me get a handle on who my character is, and if you know who they are, it’s easier to figure out what they might do.

What's your favourite book/series?

My favourite book of all time is The Bell Jar. I read it when I was thirteen and I must have read it at least twenty times since then. One of my favourite YA books is Beauty Queen’s by Libba Bray. It is genuinely laugh out loud funny and I love how it examines the reality TV show constructs.