We chat with author Camryn Garrett about In Between Days, which is an epistolary novel told through diary entries, text messages, and book reviews, and explores queerness, grief, and families—both ones we are born into and ones we create.
Hi, Camryn! Welcome back! How have you been since we last spoke for the release of Friday I’m In Love in 2023?
I can’t believe it’s been that long! I’ve been okay! Trying my best!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Oh man, I was really little. I remember keeping a composition notebook where I wrote a sequel to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, which I’m pretty sure I saw in theaters in 2005 or 2006. So for that long! A lot of teachers encouraged my love of reading and writing, which just encouraged me to do it more.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
- The one that made you want to become an author: Percy Jackson or Ella Enchanted
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I think about the Princess Diaries series a lot. I thought about applying to Sarah Lawrence because that’s where Mia wants to go.
Your latest novel, In Between Days, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Funny! Raw, emotional, nuanced, complicated.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a really heartfelt and emotional story about family, both ones you’re born into and the ones that you make, explorations of grief, and a sapphic love story set in a bookstore!
Where did the inspiration for In Between Days come from?
I actually wrote a screenplay version of this story years ago in college for one of my screenwriting classes. My professor gave me a lot of compliments on it, but the voice didn’t really feel like me, I think because of the rules of screenwriting. Mira seemed like a really internal character, which was hard to get across in a screenplay, and I really wanted to be inside her head. A book seemed like a great way to do that, especially an epistolary one where we see all her thoughts in her journal.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing this story through Mira’s journal. All of my YA books are from a first person point of view, so I’m usually very close to the character, but this was the closest I’ve ever been. I was trying to figure out how Mira would react to things right away. It was really fun to write her with a lack of a filter in a way.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
My own father passed away almost eight years ago, and even though the circumstances in the book are completely different from my own, writing so deeply about grief was difficult for me. It could be really emotional. I felt like this is the book I really had to write, since I had so much to say about grieving as a young person, and feel like it can be so lonely to lose a parent or someone close to you when you’re younger. Not only is our society in general not really sure how to handle grief, but young people generally haven’t experienced that type of loss, so your friends don’t really relate to you. I wished that I had a book like this when I was going through my own grief journey, so I thought about that whenever I found it difficult to keep going.
Your books incorporate a diverse range of themes and topics, such as In Between Days exploring queerness and grief. Has your process for approaching emotionally heavy or personal themes shifted throughout your career?
I honestly think I’m more daunted to do it the more books I write. When I was younger, I knew that I was approaching big topics, but had a lot of confidence about my ability as a writer, in my research, and also in resources like sensitivity readers and interviewing people I knew to help me tell the stories well. I think that writing has generally gotten harder as I’ve gotten older, since I have higher standards for myself, and I know what I want and what I don’t. I also think there’s more gravity to big topics like grief! I’ve taught writing classes and done a lot of school visits, so there are faces to my readers now in a way there wasn’t necessarily earlier in my career.
So basically, I think about it a lot more, fret a lot more, and check in with my friends and critique partners more, and make a lot of notes for my editor to go over with me to make sure I’m telling the story in the best way possible.
What do you hope your readers take away from In Between Days?
Oh man, several things! One thing that was really important to me was showing that it’s not just possible to have friendships and mentorships with older queer people, but also really cool! I think we have so much to learn from older queer people in our communities, but they’re also just cool people, and it’s really rewarding to have connections with people who are older than you. Richard and Mira’s relationship is so special, and I hope that inspires people!
I also want people to have more empathy for each other. Mira learns to be more empathetic to other people, both inside her family and out, and the people she makes connections with learn how to be empathetic about the grief she’s struggling with. My experience of losing a parent has been really difficult, but I’ve formed a lot of bonds with people since then – I’ve joined a grief group, bonded with older people in my community, and even formed tighter bonds with family members I didn’t speak to frequently. I hope readers look at who needs some empathy in their own lives and try to help out.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on my next YA book, due in 2028! And what I said about every book being harder to write is very true. Wish me luck!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I’m really excited for Seventh Period Girl by Joya Goffney, Behind Five Willows by June Hur, and This Must Be the Place by Kelly Quindlen! So far this year, I’ve really liked The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller and Love by the Book by Jessica George.
