Anna Carey

Kind of because like I very much enjoyed writing for young people and like my first few books were like contemporary you know set in the present day about um

teenage girls starting a band, but with a bit of romance in there as well.

So, you know, it was always like germinating in the background.

But then I read a bunch of historical novels, which I am really proud of.

But they involved a lot of research.

That's homework.

There was a lot of homework.

And I would find myself becoming way too pedantic and going like, what's the 16 bus route the same as the 16 tram route in 1912?

And then having to search for it.

And it's just so tedious.

And, you know, it doesn't read tediously on the page, but the work that went into making it entertaining was kind of robbing me of the will to live after a certain point.

And I'm a big fan of romantic comedies and I love reading them.

And I realised I was reading them and feeling jealous about

of the writers and just being like, oh, I wish I was doing this.

Like reading a Varie MacFarlane book or an Emily Henry book or a Sarah Manning book and being like, oh, this is what I wish I was doing.

And then I decided I would just do it.

And it was the best creative decision I think I've ever made.

Yeah, I mean, because I think the, you know, it felt it's hard work getting it right.

You know, when you write these big emotional scenes, I always say just get it down and then get it good.

You know, just get something down there that tells the story of the scene on the page and then hone it and refine it to make sure like the timing and the way they talk to each other feels real and makes sense.