We chat with author Amber Smith about The Way I Am Now, which is the much anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Way I Used to Be that explores how to move forward after trauma—in life and in love.
Hi, Amber! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
The essentials: I’m an animal-loving Libra, a dark chocolate and spicy food enthusiast, and every time I visit a new city I try to go on a haunted history tour—it’s my favorite way to get to know a new place when I’m short on time!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I cannot remember a time when stories didn’t enchant me. Even as a little kid, I would spend hours making my own picture books by stapling pieces of paper together. For a long time, I actually wanted to be an illustrator—art was my first creative love—but it wasn’t a far jump to writing books instead.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers
The Way I Am Now is the much anticipated sequel to The Way I Used To Be and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Emotional. Intimate. Romantic. Complicated. Real.
What can readers expect?
More than a love story. This book leans into the romance element, much more than in the first book. But it’s a love that is complicated and messy at times. I really wanted to show what healing from trauma could look like through the lens of this relationship between two people who each have their own healing to do, both together and separately.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
In this book, we get Josh’s POV, which we were never able to see in The Way I Used to Be. I LOVED getting to expand on everything we learned about him through Eden’s POV in the first book; exploring his fears and motivations, his thoughts, and the baggage he brings to his relationship with Eden.
What do you hope readers take away from The Way I Am Now?
If I could have readers take away one thing it would be that love heals. And I’m not just talking about romantic love, but any love. The support that love brings, the empathy, the compassion, and the understanding that comes with love are so powerful and important. But someone else’s love can never merely stand in for the love we have to find in ourselves—for ourselves—first. That’s one of the lessons Eden and Josh grapple with in this book.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a couple of top-secret ideas—okay, they’re not that top-secret—I’m just not sure which will be coming next! I can say that they are both young adult novels, though.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to hitting shelves in 2024?
Kathleen Glasgow just announced a new book coming in 2024 called The Glass Girl, which has instantly gone to the top of my list! Some others that I’m also really looking forward to are: Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver, Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino, and The Redemption of Daya Keane by Gia Gordon.
