New Adult Book Club discussion

Welcome to the New Year with the New Adult Book Club! We are so excited to have our first Q&A session of 2016 and it's with none other than Monica Murphy!! Monica is the author of such series as the One Week Girlfriend series, The Folwer Sisters series, The Rules series, and more! Her newest book, Never Tear Us Apart releases on the 5th of January!

Leave your questions for Monica below!

I'm so excited about your new book! :) When writing, so you prefer tea or coffee, and do you listen to music or do you prefer the silence?

Hi Monica!!
Did you ever had to research something unusual/weird for your books? If so what?

Hi Monica!
How do you come up with the characters for your books? Are they inspired by real life people or maybe yourself?

Hi!!
How did you get the idée to write Will and Katie story?!
The plot idéa is really particular and interesting on so many levels, did you and what kind of research have you done for this book?!
I mean there is the mental aspect for both of them, the juridic aspect the press and media aspect..
Thank you!

When you come to a hard or sensitive part to write in a book how do you approach it? Like a band aid and just tear into it or chisel it away bit by bit?

What do you love about writing NA stories?

What was the most difficult book to write and why? Thanks!!

Irene wrote: "I'm so excited about your new book! :) When writing, so you prefer tea or coffee, and do you listen to music or do you prefer the silence?"

Hi Irene!

Thanks for the sweet words. :) When I write, I always change up my methods. Sometimes I like music, sometimes I don't. I do like to create playlists on Spotify (here's the link to my profile if anyone's interested - https://open.spotify.com/user/1265567874) and I have one for NEVER TEAR US APART as well as a lot of my other books.

I prefer coffee over tea (though I do love a good cup of tea) and I drink a lot of water. :)

Betul wrote: "Hi Monica!!
Did you ever had to research something unusual/weird for your books? If so what?"

Hi Betul!

I'm always doing weird searches on the Internet related to my writing. I've looked up various methods of killing someone. Recently I looked up how many prisoners have broken out of San Quentin Prison here in California (not very many). For NEVER TEAR US APART I had to look up a lot of kidnap-related type things. Read some gruesome stories. Discovered an entire thread on Reddit about murder mysteries that I found fascinating and now frequent. I've joked often with my husband that if the authorities busted into our house and confiscated my computers, they'd think I was up to no good. ;)

Michelle wrote: "Hi Monica!
How do you come up with the characters for your books? Are they inspired by real life people or maybe yourself?"

Hi Michelle,

A long time ago I read something where an author (and I can't remember who! Wish I could) said that a little bit of themselves appears in every character they create. And I have to agree - things happen to characters in my books that happened to me. Or for instance, in NEVER TEAR US APART, in the beginning of the book Katie talks about her red lifeguard sweatshirt she gets at the amusement park. My daughter got that same sweatshirt when we went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (and that's the amusement park mine in the book is based on).

And yes, sometimes characters are based on people in my life too, though always loosely. I worry when I give my characters such awful mothers that my mom will think I'm writing about her (and I'm not! I love my mama, she's awesome!). Most of the time though, the characters just come from my imagination. :)

Sali Mes wrote: "Hi!!
How did you get the idée to write Will and Katie story?!
The plot idéa is really particular and interesting on so many levels, did you and what kind of research have you done for this book?!
..."

Hi Sali,

I've always been fascinated with murder mysteries, true crime, etc. The initial idea for NEVER TEAR US APART came when I was with my family at an amusement park near the beach much like the one in the book. I thought, this is such a happy place and it's filled with so many teens running around on their own. What would happen if one of them was taken from this place? And then my mind just took off like it does.

Research wise, I read books by kidnap survivors like Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart. I did research on men who abduct and murder young women, trying to understand their motives (and that's difficult). It was a hard book to write at times but overall, I hope I handled the subject matter with enough sensitivity so I don't offend anyone.

Alicia wrote: "When you come to a hard or sensitive part to write in a book how do you approach it? Like a band aid and just tear into it or chisel it away bit by bit?"

Hey Alicia,

Great question. I think most of the time I come at a difficult part like tearing off a bandaid. I don't like chiseling away bit by bit because you can get stuck in the mess if you know what I mean. It's easier to just dive in and tackle it head on.

Michelle wrote: "What do you love about writing NA stories?"

Hi Michelle,

I love writing NA stories because it's such an emotional time of our lives. And it's relatable. Everyone's gone through that messy time in our late teens and early 20s. And if the reader hasn't gone through it yet, they're about to.

There's just so much to explore during this time period/age. Your responsibilities aren't as large as when you get older, but at the time, they feel overwhelming and almost unreal. I remember my new adult years fondly though there are moments I experienced that were rough, I can't lie. We tend to make some bad choices when we're younger and (hopefully) we learn from those experiences. :)

H wrote: "What was the most difficult book to write and why? Thanks!!"

There are a variety of books that I've written that were difficult, and it's not so much about the subject matter but more about the timing, what's going on in my life, the characters aren't talking to me, etc. I had a hard time writing TORN, the second book in my Billionaire Bachelors Club series with Avon and it was because that summer was so busy for me with deadlines and business travel that I barely remember working on that book. Another book that was hard was Three Broken Promises because I felt enormous pressure for that book to do well and the main character (Colin) just wasn't talking to me. In fact, he still remains a mystery to me to this day. I talk about them like they're real people but they feel that way to me!

Hannah wrote: "Hi Monica,

How do you find your inspiration? From other novels or are the ideas just swimming round your head?
Also what are your best tips for those wanting to write New Adult Books?"

Hi Hannah,

I'm inspired by all sorts of things. Conversations I hear and have, things I see on TV and in the news, magazine articles...you name it, it inspires me. I have more ideas than time which is a great thing! I'm grateful for all of those ideas and hope that I never run out of them.

Tips for writing a new adult book, hmmm. Well, first of all I'd say put yourself back in that place when you were a new adult. Hang on to that feeling and try your best to infuse your pages with it. I know lots of people feel like everything's been said and done in new adult land, but I still think there's lots of potential there. Try to come up with something different versus the tried and true. Or put your own spin on the tried and true and make it unique. Make it yours.

I will be honest and say that most publishers are steering away from new adult though their digital first lines still seem to be acquiring it for the most part. But self publishing is always an option - and a great one at that! :)

I love all of your books that I have read so far. I can't wait to read this book. Have you ever thought about writing other genres? Are any of the characters similar to you in any way?

Hi Monica,
I've read and loved One Week Girlfriend/Second Chance Boyfriend, found the storyline to be very unique. Do things in your life inspire your stories or is it completely random creativeness?

Hi Monica, I literally got chills when I read that last word in the synopsis for Never Tear us Apart. Where did the premise for this book come from? I can not wait to read it. Thank you!

Hi Monica, Who is your favorite author?

Hey Monica! I am so excited to read your book! The synopsis really got to me! :D

What book was the hardest for you to get through? (Grammar wise, plot wise, emotionally, etc)

Will there be any more from Fable and Drew?

Jackie wrote: "I love all of your books that I have read so far. I can't wait to read this book. Have you ever thought about writing other genres? Are any of the characters similar to you in any way?"

Hi Jackie,

Thank you for the sweet words! I have thought about writing other genres, specifically YA and romantic thriller. I sort of venture into the thriller/suspense part in NEVER TEAR US APART and really enjoyed exploring that side....

I would say that pretty much every character I create has some tiny bit of me in them. I don't think there's a character I've written that's the most like me. I think that some of them can represent the different sides of me though - if that makes any sense.

Melissa wrote: "Hi Monica,
I've read and loved One Week Girlfriend/Second Chance Boyfriend, found the storyline to be very unique. Do things in your life inspire your stories or is it completely random creativeness?"

Thank you Melissa! You know, with OWG and SCB there were many things brought together to make those books happen. I'd created a character named Fable Maguire back in 2009 for a YA that went nowhere. So I saved her name/character for another book. Then I'd always wanted to write a book based in Monterey/Carmel CA. I found old notes just recently of me going on and on about Carmel and how I wanted to write a book set there (it's such a beautiful place - one of my all time favorite places to go!). That happened with OWG.

And then, I knew I wanted to write a NA and was inspired by a story I saw on the news that sparked the idea for Drew's problem with Adele. It all sort of took off from there... :)

Kay wrote: "Hi Monica, I literally got chills when I read that last word in the synopsis for Never Tear us Apart. Where did the premise for this book come from? I can not wait to read it. Thank you!"

Hi Kay,

Oooh, chills. That's what I'm always hoping for with this new book. :) The idea came from my own twisted mind for the most part. I've always loved reading true crime stories, watching true crime shows on TV (Discovery ID is my favorite channel) but I'd never tried my hand at writing something like that. So NEVER TEAR US APART is a meld of those two things I love to read about - murder and romance. What a weird combo right? I try and warn everyone this is an unconventional romance...

Who truly inspired me was the story of Steven Stayner. He was abducted when he was 7 by a pedophile who called him his son and kept him for seven years. Once Steven became too old (so awful), his abductor kidnapped a 6 year old boy and Steven couldn't stand it any longer. He'd endured enough. He wasn't about to let it happen to someone else too. So he left in the middle of the night with the little boy and took him to the police station, fully planning on dropping him off and then leaving. He didn't want the cops to find him but of course, they did and he was saved and returned back to his family (and was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident when he was in his early 20s, so sad).

What really struck me was that he didn't want to turn himself in. Just the boy. He was a victim of this pedophile too but he didn't consider himself one I guess. And that was incredibly sad and powerful to me, all at once. Why wouldn't he want to turn himself in? What were his real plans? Was he going to go back home or just run away for good? My imagination was set on fire. So Steven Stayner is the basis for Will/Ethan.

Crystal wrote: "Hi Monica, Who is your favorite author?"

Crystal, I cannot answer that question - I have too many favorites! And I'm sort of all over the place too with various genres, etc. So to name just one would be impossible. ;)

Jessa wrote: "Hey Monica! I am so excited to read your book! The synopsis really got to me! :D

What book was the hardest for you to get through? (Grammar wise, plot wise, emotionally, etc)"

Thanks Jessa! I hope you get a chance to read NEVER TEAR US APART. :)

Hmm, there is no one book of mine that was the hardest to get through. I've had some books that I thought would be easy turn into a challenge, and ones that I thought would be hard that were totally easy. So much of it depends on my mental state, what I have going on at that particular time in my life, and how much stress I'm under. I can thrive under pressure but sometimes, all the pressure can render me useless. When they're easy, I think the reader can tell because the book reads easy. At least, I hope it does.

Writing a book is never easy but some just flow better than others. I connect with the characters, the plot, etc. Some books I don't connect with. That happened with Three Broken Promises and I know why - I didn't connect with the hero (Colin) and my life was super stressful while I wrote it. That was a tough book to write....

Sharon wrote: "Will there be any more from Fable and Drew?"

At this time Sharon, I don't plan on writing another book about Fable and Drew but I can never say never because...you just don't know! Something could strike me and I might be inspired to delve back into their story. I know so many readers love them. I love them too. It's hard to let D+F go. :)

Hello! :)

I love hearing about authors' processes while writing…
Do you have a particular ritual you go through, like a fresh pot of tea or favorite slippers?

Hi Monica!

Does music play a role in your writing process?
Do you make playlists for each book you write?

Hi Monica,

I would like to know how did you come up with the storyline for Never Tear Us Apart.

Hi, Monica! LOVE your books <3
If you could spend one day with one of your characters, who would you pick and why? :)

Hi Ms. Monica! How do you come up with the character names of your book?

Thank you :)

Hi!
If you could be any book character for a day - who would you choose and why? :)

Alice wrote: "Hello! :)

I love hearing about authors' processes while writing…
Do you have a particular ritual you go through, like a fresh pot of tea or favorite slippers?"

Hi Alice,

I'm all over the place when it comes to rituals - meaning I constantly change it up. I don't always do the same thing when I write a book. I have an iMac and a laptop so some books are written at my desk and others are written wherever I can find a cozy seat. I do pretty much live in yoga pants and when I'm under a tight deadline I tend to guzzle more caffeine than I should. ;)

Brittany wrote: "Hi Monica!

Does music play a role in your writing process?
Do you make playlists for each book you write?"

Brittany, I don't make a playlist for every book I write but for most of them I do. Here's a link to my Spotify profile if you want to check it out. There are a lot of playlists on there including the one for NEVER TEAR US APART: https://open.spotify.com/user/1265567874

Tanja wrote: "Hi Monica,

I would like to know how did you come up with the storyline for Never Tear Us Apart."

Hi Tanja,

Here's the explanation I gave to someone else who asked the same question (easier for me to copy/paste for you to read):

The idea came from my own twisted mind for the most part. I've always loved reading true crime stories, watching true crime shows on TV (Discovery ID is my favorite channel) but I'd never tried my hand at writing something like that. So NEVER TEAR US APART is a meld of those two things I love to read about - murder and romance. What a weird combo right? I try and warn everyone this is an unconventional romance...

Who truly inspired me was the story of Steven Stayner. He was abducted when he was 7 by a pedophile who called him his son and kept him for seven years. Once Steven became too old (so awful), his abductor kidnapped a 6 year old boy and Steven couldn't stand it any longer. He'd endured enough. He wasn't about to let it happen to someone else too. So he left in the middle of the night with the little boy and took him to the police station, fully planning on dropping him off and then leaving. He didn't want the cops to find him but of course, they did and he was saved and returned back to his family (and was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident when he was in his early 20s, so sad).

What really struck me was that he didn't want to turn himself in. Just the boy. He was a victim of this pedophile too but he didn't consider himself one I guess. And that was incredibly sad and powerful to me, all at once. Why wouldn't he want to turn himself in? What were his real plans? Was he going to go back home or just run away for good? My imagination was set on fire. So Steven Stayner is the basis for Will/Ethan.

Aleksandra wrote: "Hi, Monica! LOVE your books <3
If you could spend one day with one of your characters, who would you pick and why? :)"

Hi Aleksandra,

Well, I've been asked this question before and it's so hard! I love so many of my characters and usually I say Fable from ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND because I'd want her to be my friend in real life but I think this time around I'm going to go with Katie from NEVER TEAR US APART because I'd want her to be my friend in real life too. She's strong and sweet and lonely. I'd take her to lunch and maybe we could go shopping afterward. She needs retail therapy LOL.

Beatrice wrote: "Hi Ms. Monica! How do you come up with the character names of your book?

Thank you :)"

Hey Beatrice,

Well, that's always tough. I want the name to be both current for the time the character was born (and I look up names on the Social Security website for inspiration) and sometimes I'm struck by an unusual name for a character and stash it away for later (that's what happened with Fable from ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND - talk about an unusual name. Totally fit her too).

I've wanted to name a character Katherine/Kate/Katie for a long looong time and I've been saving that one. I wrote stories back when I was a teen with characters named Kate. I think I was saving it for that special character who deserved one of my favorite names and that ended up being Katie from NEVER TEAR US APART.

I have a list of names in a notebook that I refer to. My kids go to school with other children with great names and I stash them away for future use. I've always loved a good name (or a weird one). :)

J. wrote: "Hi!
If you could be any book character for a day - who would you choose and why? :)"

Hmmm well this is a tough question. I'm going to have to choose being Katie from Jill Shalvis' book INSTANT ATTRACTION. It is one of my all time favorite books ever because of the hero Cameron Wilder. And if I'm Katie that means I get to have Cam all to myself so....I choose Katie. Cos I want Cam. Ha. :)

Sorry if you were already asked this. I didn't see it posted already (but I may have missed it) How often do you find time to read? And when you do. Do you explore new to you indie authors or do your tend to remain with friends and larger names. Can you tell us your top 5 reads for 2015

When writing what is your absolute 'must have'?

Hi, Monica. I'm Elisa from Italy :-) I want to ask you if when you write, do you have all the plot in mind or do you chance while writing it? xx

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Terrie's wrote: "Sorry if you were already asked this. I didn't see it posted already (but I may have missed it) How often do you find time to read? And when you do. Do you explore new to you indie authors or do yo..."

Terrie, this is a great question! I sneak read whenever I can. I firmly believe reading is important to a writer and it's a shame when writers stop reading because they're too busy writing. I get it, I really do. But Sylvia Day gave a keynote speech at a conference I was at last year where she encouraged all writers to keep reading (and gave an excellent example of what happened to her when she stopped - it made her crazy). Reading is inspiring! Sometimes after I finish a particularly good book, I end up thinking, "I am a CRAP writer." Then I want to go write something immediately. I'm always looking for ways to up my game. :)

I love giving new authors a try, both indie and traditionally published. I've also been delving more into different genres lately. I've been reading a lot of thrillers, both adult and YA and I love them! More women's fiction too. I like to change it up.

I do have stand by authors though who I adore and love and read everything they put out. I just recently finished Tessa Dare's latest historical novella and it made me realize how much I miss reading historical romance. Tessa is a must read in my opinion. Her books are sooooo good!

Truly, I'm just a fan girl at heart. ;)

Cassie wrote: "When writing what is your absolute 'must have'?"

Hmm, lately it's my little desk heater on because it's cold! I always need something to drink. Whether it's water or coffee or a soda or even booze (though that's very rare, just wanted to throw it in there LOL), I like having something to drink.

Usually my dog is sitting by me too. Though I swear if I raise my voice even the slightest bit, he slinks out like he's in trouble. Silly dog.

Elisa wrote: "Hi, Monica. I'm Elisa from Italy :-) I want to ask you if when you write, do you have all the plot in mind or do you chance while writing it? xx"

Hi Elisa!

When I write I don't always have the entire plot thought out in my mind. I will have an outline. I know where I want to go but I don't quite know how my characters are going to take that particular journey. When I plot too much it takes all the fun out of the story for me. I prefer not knowing. So when you as the reader are surprised by something that happens, it usually means I was surprised as well. :)

Irma wrote: "As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?"

Hey Irma,

For most of my growing up years, I wanted to be a teacher. Or a flight attendant. LOL When I was in high school I was on the newspaper staff and realized hey, I want to write. So I was a journalism major in college. I read a ton of romances during most of my teen years and thought, Hey, I want to write these types of stories! But I never really did anything serious about it until 11 years ago, when I first started writing toward publication.

Monica wrote: "Irma wrote: "As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?"

Hey Irma,

For most of my growing up years, I wanted to be a teacher. Or a flight attendant. LOL When I was in high school I was..."

Thank you, Monica <3

Where do you get your ideas from