We chat with debut author Becky Hunter about One Moment, which is an emotional, heart-wrenching and uplifting story about friendship, love and sacrifice, perfect for fans of David Nicholls and Holly Miller.
Hi, Becky! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m Becky, I’m 34 and One Moment is my debut novel. I live in the UK. I’m currently in Bristol but I move around a lot! I’ve lived in London, Cornwall, Wales – and even Mozambique… I work as a freelance book publicist, which is perfect because it means I get to read lots of books and meet some brilliant authors. I have two little rescue ponies, and regularly dream of the day I’ll have my own house so I can have various other rescue animals…
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have loved stories for as long as I can remember. I was that kid who stayed up after bedtime, using a torch under the duvet to keep reading, and as a teenager I stayed at home reading rather than going out an embarrassing number of times… I first wrote a book when I was eleven. It was called THE GHOST and was, obviously, about a ghost. I think there was a triangle necklace and a love story involved. We’d just got a computer and I couldn’t type, so I made my older sister type it all out for me – and then accidentally deleted the whole thing. She was furious. When I was twenty-one, I first seriously thought about being an author. I can’t really remember why – I think I just wanted to write, because I loved reading so much. I wrote a YA Fantasy novel – which I still have somewhere – and was convinced it was brilliant. What I didn’t realise was how much I had to learn! It took over ten years and around five completed novels, before I had the idea that would become One Moment. I think the only reason I didn’t give up is because I love stories so much – something I’m sure most authors will tell you!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Ooohhh, maybe The Very Hungry Caterpillar? And shout out to all the Animal Ark
- The one that made you want to become an author: There isn’t just one! Maybe Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, or This Charming Man by Marian Keyes.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I know a lot of people will say this, but I LOVED Fourth Wing… It was so ridiculously good I reread it in the space of about two weeks and still am constantly talking about it, trying to figure out why it was just so good…
Your latest novel, One Moment, is out March 12th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Emotional. Friendship. Love. Moments. Uplifting.
What can readers expect?
One Moment is the story of Scarlett and Evie, who have been best friends since they were seven. They have the type of friendship that’s built into foundations of who they are. When Scarlett gets her first job in fashion, Evie is the one she celebrates with. And when Evie is diagnosed with MS, Scarlett is the one who is there for her.
So when Scarlett dies, on the morning of the day that is supposed to make or break her career, because she stops to help a stranger, Evie completely falls apart. She cannot contemplate her life without her best friend – and she certainly can’t forgive Nate, the man she blames for Scarlett’s death. But Nate keeps popping up, catapulting Evie’s life in directions that, because of her illness, she never would have dreamed possible. Evie can’t deny the growing attraction to Nate, but it would feel like a betrayal to Scarlett, to let anything happen between them.
But unknown to Evie, Scarlett is still lingering after her death – forced to watch as her loved ones try to live without her. And her story isn’t over yet. She finds herself pulled back to defining memories of her life – forced to relive them exactly as they played out, even if she notices things she didn’t at the time. And what she doesn’t realise is that these memories are building to something – a choice she will have to make.
One Moment is in many ways a classic love story, with a speculative element thrown in, but at its heart it is a love letter to female friendship, and to the people that make our lives better just by being in it. It’s a nod to the fact that it can take one moment for our lives to change completely…
Where did the inspiration for One Moment come from?
ONE MOMENT was, in part, inspired by a friend of mine, who died very suddenly at the age of 28. Sophie was one of my very first friends when I moved to London for work in 2014 – and she made my London life bearable at a time when I was floundering, trying to adapt to a new city and a new job. I remember getting the call to say that she’d died when I was abroad, and completely breaking down. It still feels impossible to me that she’s gone and I still think about her a lot. The story isn’t about her, but sometimes writing Evie’s grief of losing her best friends was something that was painfully familiar – and something I’m not sure I could have written without Sophie.
I wanted to celebrate female friendship in ONE MOMENT, too. It is a love story, yes, but it is written from the point of view of two friends, and that is the main love story in so many ways. It was a deliberate decision – I think you hit a point in your life, often in your thirties, where there is a lot of pressure to settle down and find ‘the one’, and that can feel really daunting and stressful for some people. And yes, the romantic leads in our lives are important, but the one doesn’t necessarily have to be someone romantic – it can also be the person that is there for us, no matter what.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really loved the structure of it, with Scarlett narrating parts of the novel after her death, which meant I could be really creative and have an almost ‘omnsicent’ style at times. I also loved Nate – the love interest! In the first draft of this novel, I actually had three points of view – to include Nate. I ended up taking him out as a pov character after some feedback from my agent where we decided it was more about the two best friends, but it was a brilliant way to get to know him and as a result I found myself loving get to know him over the course of the novel.
What do you hope readers take away from One Moment?
I hope they feel the love of two friends, and I hope that, although it might be emotional, they might feel hopeful and uplifted!
What’s next for you?
My second novel YOU MAKE MY HEART STOP comes out next year – I’ve just seen the first cover designs, which is exciting! It’s about Emery, who is born with a heart condition that means her heart could quite literally stop at any moment. The people around her know what to do – if they act quickly enough there will be no lasting damage, and Emery’s heart can be restarted. But when this happens, she is briefly technically dead.
Each time Emery’s heart stops, she meets Nick. His purpose is to help people adjust to the fact that they are dead, to help them say goodbye, before they move on entirely. He does not usually meet people more than once – but with Emery, he is able to make a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her. As Emery’s life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds that a part of her is longing for those moments when her heart will stop – so that she can see Nick again.
It’s the story of two fated lovers who long for each other, but are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments – because if they were to be together, it would mean the end of Emery’s life.
Lastly, are there any releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
I was lucky enough to read an early proof of THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE by Kirsty Greenwood, which I loved, so much, and urge everyone to buy. It’s brilliant. I’m also really looking forward to FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry – I adored HAPPY PLACE!!
