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It Goes Like This by Miel Moreland
Published by: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: May 18th 2021
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Young Adult

In Miel Moreland’s heartfelt young adult debut, It Goes Like This, four queer teens realize that sometimes you have to risk hitting repeat on heartbreak.

Eva, Celeste, Gina, and Steph used to think their friendship was unbreakable. After all, they’ve been though a lot together, including the astronomical rise of Moonlight Overthrow, the world-famous queer pop band they formed in middle school, never expecting to headline anything bigger than the county fair.

But after a sudden falling out leads to the dissolution of the teens’ band, their friendship, and Eva and Celeste’s starry-eyed romance, nothing is the same. Gina and Celeste step further into the spotlight, Steph disappears completely, and Eva, heartbroken, takes refuge as a songwriter and secret online fangirl…of her own band. That is, until a storm devastates their hometown, bringing the four ex-best-friends back together. As they prepare for one last show, they’ll discover whether growing up always means growing apart.

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5 Things I Researched

1. The music industry.

That’s a given, right? I started my research on Tumblr, when it was just “being a fan” and not formal research at all. Of course, the elements I paid the most attention to—the “business corner of fandom,” in which Eva plants herself in the novel—became foundational. Then, for a year or so, every time I was on a plane I was assiduously taking notes while listening to music podcasts. Finally, I read books about the industry, most notably, All You Need to Know About the Music Business. My research spanned everything from record contracts and pop music history to fan charity efforts. I didn’t write off my 2018 Niall Horan ticket on my taxes, but there’s absolutely a moment in the book’s reunion concert that was inspired by a fan initiative during his tour.

2. Songwriting.

I didn’t want to assume I knew how to write a song just because I was a music fan, so I did some research here, too. I am by no means an expert songwriter now, but I learned some key tips along the way. The podcast Switched On Pop, along with the book Writing Better Lyrics, were go-to resources.

3. Previous flooding in Duluth.

This was far less enjoyable to research than Tumblr tagging conventions, but more important to get right. In the time between the initial idea and final edits, there was actually another significant flood in Duluth. Since the novel’s timeline was bumped from 2017 to 2021, I had to make a change to reflect this.

4. Minnesota driver’s license rules.

The band has Steph’s sixteen-year-old brother chauffeur them, and getting his personal timeline to match with the rules regarding non-family passengers was trickier than expected! The logistics of passengers vs. length of license was one part of my teenage life I had definitely forgotten.

5. California real estate.

Eva has a home in the Los Angeles area, and I needed to make sure her house and neighborhood felt accurate for her ex-pop-star status. (Yes, I have watched every season of Selling Sunset.)

Author Bio

Miel Moreland was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With time spent in California and France, she has a Midwestern heart but wandering feet. When not making pop music references and celebrating fandom, she is likely to be found drinking hot chocolate and making spreadsheets. She currently resides in Boston, where she works in higher education. It Goes Like This is her debut novel.