We chat with author Stef Ferrari about Pining for You, which sees the classic Hallmark holiday movie gets turned upside down when a teen leaves her small-town Christmas tree farm in pursuit of the city girl who swept her off her feet in this cheeky and cozy rom-com by Food Network competitor Stef Ferrari.
Hi, Stef! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello and thank you for having me here!! And absolutely! If I were elevator-pitching myself…
Stef is a Brooklyn-based author who believes in love and friendship. She’s been a writer most of her life, but is about to embark upon an adventure—releasing her debut novel. Releasing her debut novel is a high-stakes endeavor when there’s a lifelong dream on the line. But with a boatload of supportive friends, a raft of ice cream and snacks, and the best fiancée in the universe, she can’t lose.
Or can she?
(Spoiler alert: she’s already won before the adventure begins.)
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
In second grade, I wrote my first novel. It was called The Neverending Crying Baby and I. I illustrated it (stick figures), turned it in to Mrs. Tenney, and she gave me a red apple sticker. Apparently, that was all the validation I needed to declare my entire future.
What’s the first book you ever remember reading?
Truly picked-it-out-on-my-own-and-read-it-myself? Had to be Goosebumps. Maybe Night of the Living Dummy—but I read as many as I could swap my stashed milk money for at the Scholastic Book Fair.
What’s the one that made you want to become an author?
Oh, I wish I could pinpoint it! I don’t even remember deciding to become an author. It’s just the answer I’ve always given when someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. (See: The Neverending Crying Baby and I.)
Your latest novel, Pining for You, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Romantic. Queer. Chaotic. Hopeful. Yeaaaaarning-y.
What can readers expect?
Adventure! Romance! A lot of holiday references! And snacks. But also a story about friendship and family, fear of change, and the sometimes-challenging path toward realizing that being open to possibility can be an invitation for magic.
Where did the inspiration for Pining for You come from?
Honestly, it’s a bit selfish! I was living in Italy to study in 2020, and like so many people that year, I found myself far from the people I loved during the holidays. I wanted to spend time with them, so I started writing about them instead. Eventually, those people became characters, the story became its own thing, and that homesickness evolved into Pining for You.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I absolutely LOVED writing Johnna Candy. She’s so her—glamorous, theatrical, committed to the bit, but also deeply compassionate and wise. Trying to embody that kind of fabulousness is no easy task for an awkward nerd like me.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
So many. This was my first novel, and while I’ve always been a big reader, understanding the mechanics of plotting and pacing—all those technical aspects—required a totally new skill set. It made revision extra challenging because I had to reverse-engineer the story from a pretty sprawling, loose set of vignettes into an actual story with an arc. I learned SO much, and I have an amazing, gracious, and exceedingly supportive agent who shepherded me through the process.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got so many ideas—and a LOT of stories in progress. What’s next is trying to make some sense of them so I can share them with the world! But first: more Pining for You. September is only the beginning. There’s a whole holiday season to celebrate!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
Oh, I absolutely adored Nina LaCour’s Meet Me in the Garden. I discovered her YA work first years ago, then loved her first adult novel, Yerba Buena. And this book is so full of beauty and love, and so clearly driven by her own curiosity—it’s really a masterpiece.
