We chat with author Donna Ghorbanpoor about Oh My Affogato!, which is a sassy, sexy romp through the Amalfi Coast starring a boy-crazy teenager trying to make something real with her on-again-off-again guy before realizing the best things in life—like love and vacations—can’t be planned for.
Hi, Donna! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, readers! I grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in an Iranian American household with great food and an unreasonably early curfew. Since then, I’ve bounced around the U.S. and lived in seven different cities, but I’ve found my way back to Wisconsin—where, it turns out, I really belong.
A fun fact about me is that I attended Prince’s final ever concert in Atlanta, and I credit that and him with pushing me down a creative path. I spend my days writing, cheering on Wisconsin sports teams, and leaning into my newest hobby: hunting for morel mushrooms in the Wisconsin woods with my husband and two dogs while dreaming up my next story.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
The first inkling that I really loved writing came in the second grade when I wrote a paper on the Egyptian pyramids just for fun and was so proud of it that I tried to bring it into my teacher for extra credit. (My parents very kindly refrained from telling me that if this got out, I’d be at real risk of losing friends.) This trend continued, and in most of my free time I would write short stories, novels, and even comics. I just came across a fifty-page Archie comic fanfic project that I created when I was in middle school, illustrations and all, long before fanfic was ever considered cool!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Your latest novel, Oh My Affogato!, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Sun-drenched, seaside, friendship, lust, and lemons!
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect to be taken on a sensory journey to the Amalfi Coast while having a front row seat to the main character, Soraya, struggling to balance her friendships and her strong desire to forge a romance with her crush from back home. Oh My Affogato is a light and frothy read that should make readers laugh and allow them to escape to the glittering blue waters of the Mediterranean!
Where did the inspiration for Oh My Affogato! come from?
Much of Soraya’s backstory is inspired by my own upbringing, especially the Iranian American influences woven throughout the book. My teenage years were filled with Persian tea, fragrant home-cooked meals, and lively family gatherings—many of the same rhythms that shape Soraya’s world. In Oh My Affogato, her parents run a Persian restaurant, a detail drawn from my college job waitressing at Caspian Bistro, a beloved Persian spot in Minneapolis. I also deeply relate to Soraya’s struggle with the weight of expectations after high school—something many Iranian American teens experience, and something I navigated myself.
For the setting of Oh My Affogato, I turned to my travels in Italy to bring Soraya and her friends’ Amalfi Coast adventure to life. Italy has long been my favorite country, and while writing the book, I even took a “research trip” to the Amalfi Coast (a sacrifice, truly). I indulged in delizie al limone, twirled through endless plates of pasta, and, of course, devoured more affogatos than I can count. My hope is that Italy feels like a character in its own right—vivid, indulgent, and unforgettable—playing just as important a role as the cast themselves!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
There is a scene between Soraya and Nico, the son of the B&B owner, where they are sitting on a bench, eating melon granita and staring over the cliffsides dotted with lemon trees that stretch to the sea. Nico shares the myth that Hercules created Amalfi—that he needed a burial place for his beloved bride, the nymph Amalfi, so he chose the most beautiful place he could find and decorated it with fruit as bright and as fragrant as the sun. This fruit would become known as Amalfi lemons. I loved writing this scene because it’s slow and intentional and hopefully will really set the reader in the moment and locale. It’s a scene that I envision readers wanting to recreate themselves on future trips to the Amalfi Coast!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The struggle of writer’s block is real! I am very lucky to be able to bounce ideas off my co-author, Daphne Ang, and together we can usually overcome any blocks. In addition, a trick I usually fall back on is to envision every manuscript I work on as though it is playing out like a film in my mind. I will buy a monthly desk calendar and use each square to write out each scene of the book. Visualizing a manuscript as a film seems to help me break through any plot stickiness and push on through!
What’s next for you?
I am so excited to announce that I will also be writing the third book in the Vacationship series with my fabulous co-author, Daphne Ang, that will be out in Fall of 2027. I can’t wait to take readers on another fun and immersive escape. Spoiler: the locale will be much different than the Amalfi Coast!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I cannot wait for the new Sarah Dessen YA novel to get released, Change of Plans. It’s her first book in seven years! I also recently ordered the YA comedic mystery Flirting with Murder by Amanda Sellet and plan to read it during my next beach vacation. In the adult space, I love anything that Richard Osman writes and I’m looking forward to his novel We Solve Murders. I find his writing style so light and witty and devour his books in a day tops.
