Cameron Lund, the author of The Best Laid Plans, has written another fresh voiced, hilarious rom-com perfect for fans of You Have a Match and The Rest of the Story. We chat with author Cameron Lund about her latest novel Heartbreakers and Fakers, book recommendations, and so much more!
Hi, Cameron! Tell our readers a bit about yourself!
Hi! I’m Cameron Lund, author of The Best Laid Plans, and the upcoming Heartbreakers and Fakers! I’m also a singer/songwriter and a once-theatre kid who can never seem to stop singing.
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!
The first books I can remember reading on my own were Roald Dhal books—James and the Giant Peach, the Witches, Matilda. I loved how weird and fun they were.
The first book I was obsessed with and that made me want to write was Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine! It’s such a great mix of fairy tale whimsy and delightful romance (Ella and Char’s slow progression from friends to more I think ignited my interest in the “friends to lovers” trope from a very young age!).
The book I can’t stop thinking about is Damsel, by Elana K. Arnold. The ending of this book was so cathartic that I burst into tears on the bus.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I started writing when I was very young! I still remember waking up early on Saturday mornings and going down to the family computer to type my stories on Microsoft Word. I was also really into writing Shel Silverstein-style poems as a kid and then discovered a love of songwriting around 4th grade. As soon as I could read I knew I wanted to write.
Your latest novel, Heartbreakers and Fakers, is out June 8th, 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
- Messy
- Dramatic
- Mishaps
- Banter
- Kissing
What can readers expect?
This book has everything I love in a contemporary story: high concept romance, a lot of angst and pining, complicated female friendships, and imperfect characters that have to learn and grow throughout the story. I love a good character arc—someone who maybe starts out not very likeable at the beginning of the book but then you learn that maybe the reasons for their actions all stem from a deep insecurity or a longing to belong. I love a mean girl with a hard candy shell and a soft center.
What inspired Heartbreakers and Fakers?
I love modern teen movie adaptations of Shakespeare stories (ie Ten Things I Hate About You, She’s the Man, Get Over It) and I wanted to write something that had a similar feel but was my own original concept. So Heartbreakers and Fakers is my version of a Shakespearean comedy-of-errors where every character is romantically matched with the wrong person at the start of the story. It’s also purposefully very trope heavy—it’s a fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, there’s only one bed, grand-gesture bonanza because I wanted to try turning some well loved and expected tropes on their heads in a unique way.
Also key to the story is the fact that Penny starts out by making a lot of mistakes. I didn’t always make the best decisions in high school and it was important to me to write a character that messes up but is still redeemable after she puts in the work to make things better.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I wrote most of this book during the pandemic so that was especially challenging. There are already so many struggles that come with writing and publishing your second book, and so many of those doubts and anxieties were exacerbated by being in lockdown. So I’m really proud of this book and the fact that I made it through!
In terms of actual content, I definitely challenged myself a bit more with Heartbreakers and Fakers and the fact that I decided to write it in two alternating timelines. But I think the story had to be told that way! At one point I printed out all of the scenes and rearranged them on my floor to try to figure out what sequence to put them in. Seeing the whole story laid out visually made it much easier to navigate and move things around!
Were there any favorite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I love writing the moments of tension between the two romantic leads—the kind of scene where maybe they’re both starting to feel some feelings towards one another but they have to resist. There’s a beach scene in this one that was particularly fun to write. But I love the silly moments too. I can’t seem to ever resist a good pun and there’s a scene in this book with a bunch of goofy whale puns that I found myself giggling over as I was writing.
What’s the best and worst writing advice you have received?
The best writing advice I’ve received (and which I’m not always great at listening to) is the concept that a first draft doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be done! Sometimes you just have to throw mud at the wall and see what sticks. A lot of times I come up with my plots as I’m writing them so I have to force myself to keep going through it to find the right path. But on the flip side, I don’t think you have to write every single day! There’s so much shaming of authors about the so-called “right” way of doing things. Writing should always be fun! If you’re not feeling it that day, it doesn’t make you any less of a writer for taking a break.
What’s next for you?
Next I am following my own advice and taking a bit of a break! This year has been exhausting in so many ways. But then I have the inklings of another YA rom com that I’m excited to work on.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I will always recommend The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, by Mackenzi Lee, since that’s one of my all time favorites. Also The Royal We, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, if you want to laugh, Red White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston, if you want to swoon, The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis if you want to rage, and The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro if you want to cry.
