An American girl embarks on a competitive scavenger hunt in England—and along the way, meets up with a bookish British boy who can’t help her with the clues . . . but might make the trip take some unexpected turns.
We chat with debut author Becky Dean about Love & Other Great Expectations, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Becky! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m kind of eclectic, just like the books I write! I love to travel and have been to over 30 countries. I’m a science-fiction and fantasy nerd who also loves Jane Austen, and I enjoy reading and writing but also working out and hiking. I live in Texas now but grew up in Southern California, and SoCal still feels like home (go, Dodgers!). Unlike most writers, I hate coffee, but I can’t do without my iced tea. I’m always up for a good story or an adventure.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve been writing stories since I was about seven years old. Starting in second grade, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said “author.” My parents still have old notebooks with those childhood stories.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
I always struggle with these questions! I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember, and I read so many books as a kid, I didn’t even have a favorite. Books have just always been part of my life, and I would read anything I could find. Lately, the one I can’t stop thinking about is actually a fantasy story I’ve had an idea for for years. The pieces won’t quite come together yet, but it won’t get out of my head, so hopefully one day, I’ll get to write it!
Your debut novel, Love & Other Great Expectations, is out June 14th 2022! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Books, Britain, banter, love, adventure
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a wild ride across Britain, filled with lots of banter, crazy hijinks, and hopefully an inspiring message about finding yourself and learning to dream again. They’ll also find lots of love for the power of stories, with many references to classic British literature. It’s kind of a love letter to books and Britain.
Where did the inspiration for Love & Other Great Expectations come from?
This was the fifth full book I ever wrote. The first four were all some variation of science fiction or fantasy, and I thought I’d give contemporary a try because I enjoy reading the genre. My favorites have always been road trip stories, probably because I love travel and because, as a fan of fantasy books, I love the basic quest model. I combined the road trip idea with my love for British literature, and the concept was born. In terms of the main character, I personally think a trip like this sounds amazing, but I thought it would be much more fun to write—and the scavenger hunt would present more of a challenge—if the protagonist was absolutely not a reader!
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
This book went through a lot! I initially wrote it in 2014, then it was accepted into a mentor contest in 2015 and I signed with an agent. We parted ways and I ended up querying again, and meanwhile, I wrote several more books before signing with my current agent. We had four different books on submission at one point. The biggest challenge was finding the determination to keep going despite the rejections. I’m blessed to have a supportive husband and family, a great group of writing friends, and a tenacious agent who didn’t give up on me. I definitely wouldn’t be here without their encouragement!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I love the side characters of Al, the sarcastic chaperone, and Ms. Carmichael, the sponsor of the contest, who’s loosely based on my favorite teacher from my high school English classes. She passed away several years ago, but I’m so grateful for everything she taught me—the writing skills and also the love for classic books.
There were so many fun scenes to write, but I think my favorite is the one set at the Roman Baths. I got to visit some of the places in the book before I started writing, and I loved the town of Bath. While I was there, I talked with a hilarious guard who ends up making a cameo in the scene because he was just too perfect.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best: keep going! Success in publishing is about perseverance as much as writing ability, and often the difference between those who make it and those who don’t is simply, did they keep trying.
The worst: you have to write every day. I definitely believe in the importance of discipline, having a schedule, and making yourself get words on the page. But restoring your creative well is important, too. Sometimes you have to give a story time to spin in the back of your head, go for a walk, watch a movie, read a book, live life. Those times are critical for me and help make the days I write more productive.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It’s definitely been a long road! I’ve written lots of books and received lots of rejections, but I’m grateful for the journey and especially for the friends I’ve made. I learned a lot about myself and how determined I can, and I definitely wouldn’t be here without the great people in my life.
What’s next for you?
I have three more young adult travel romances coming out with Delacorte Press. The next one, Picture-Perfect Boyfriend, will release in summer 2023. It’s about a girl who invents a fake boyfriend to impress her family and then must play along when a stranger shows up pretending to be him on her family’s vacation to Maui. I also have a YA science fiction series releasing next year (written under the name B.L. Dean) called Shades of Starlight, with Aethon Books. It’s full of smugglers, spies, and space pirates, set in a galaxy full of colorful wormholes during a brewing galactic revolution.
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
I’ve been trying to keep up with my fellow 2022 debuts! There are so many great ones, but my favorite so far has been Only A Monster by Vanessa Len. I always love Kasie West’s books, and her latest, Places We’ve Never Been, fed my love for road trip stories. I can also never recommend the Calculated series enough, and the third in Nova McBee’s series, Activated, released this year, and was even more gripping than the first two.
