This is a special episode: a recording of my virtual book launch for my new novel Thanks, Carissa, For Ruining My Life! My amazing sister & librarian extraordinaire Allyson McAuley chatted with me about the ten years it took to bring this book into the world, crafting multidimensional characters, giving yourself permission to write and read a variety of genres, planning out book structure, and more! I also give a little reading from the book – a part I’ve never shared publicly before. Order the book here and read reviews here! About Thanks, Carissa, For Ruining My Life: The person who ruined their lives just might bring them together... Brad is ready for a perfect senior year: he has a seat at the popular lunch table, a gig co-hosting the school’s morning announcements, and a gorgeous girlfriend. But when Carissa breaks up with Brad, his carefully constructed life comes crashing down. Convinced everything would be perfect if only Carissa would take him back, Brad creates a “self-improvement plan” and vows to re-win her heart. Rose wishes she were having a normal senior year like everyone else, but leave it to her twin sister Carissa to butt in and ruin her life. Carissa secretly nominated Rose for the reality TV show Help Me Lose Weight and Live Again—and now Rose is on her way to Texas for three months of calorie-counting, marathon-exercising hell. Rose already felt overshadowed by her “perfect” sister, and collapsing on a treadmill on national TV is not making things any better. Plus, Rose can’t squash feelings for her sister’s boyfriend Brad (even though she knows he would never see her as anything but a friend.) For fans of friends-to-lovers romance comes a heartwarming novel about self-improvement, identity and acceptance in our image-obsessed culture.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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