Words Composed of Sea and Sky is a modern summer romance set on Cape Cod featuring two young adult poets divided by centuries.
We chat with debut author Erica George about all things Words Composed of Sea and Sky, the best and worst writing advice she’s received, and so much more!
Hi, Erica! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m so happy to be joining you. So I’m an author of young adult novels, an ELA teacher, part-time Cape Codder, MFA candidate at Vermont College of Fine Arts, human to a German Shepherd, and a lover of British drama.
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
It is much much busier than the one we’re never mentioning again. But busier in a good way. I’m getting ready to launch my debut, Words Composed of Sea and Sky, I’m doing revisions on my second YA novel, The Edge of Summer, and I’m even drafting something new (which I’m super excited about)!
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 book I remember reading (on my own) is The Golly Sisters Go West by Betsy Byars (I’m really impressed with myself for remembering that title, btw), the book that made me want to be a writer was The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, and the book I can’t stop thinking about is The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner. I read it a while ago, but it’s stuck with me. It’s my go-to recommendation!
Your debut novel, Words Composed of Sea and Sky, is out May 25th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Strong girls reclaiming their words.
What can readers expect?
Oh, all kinds of things. Cape Cod summers, poetry, dual timelines (one present day, one in 1862), sweet baseball players, brooding sea captains, whales getting revenge.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced along the way and how you were able to overcome them?
The biggest challenge to writing this book was the poetry that’s included, for sure. I’ve never really considered myself a poet, though I love other people’s poetry, and I had no idea where to begin. Luckily, one of my advisors at Vermont College of Fine Arts, Liz Garton Scanlon, helped me not only to jump into poetry, but to find the two very different voices of both my protagonists. While Michaela lives in the present day and has a much more modern sound, I studied mid-19th century poets like Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman to make sure Leta in 1862 sounded authentic, as well.
Were there any favourite moments or characters that you really enjoyed creating and writing?
My favorite character to write was Michaela’s little sister, Mellie. She’s so smart and spunky, and she made me laugh on several occasions.
This is your debut! What was your publishing journey like?
I signed with my agent, Liza Fleissig, in 2014 with a YA fairy tale retelling that never really went anywhere. Words Composed of Sea and Sky is the fourth novel I wrote and the first to be published, and The Edge of Summer is the second novel I wrote, and also second to be published.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best piece of writing advice that I’ve received is to make sure you always have something to work on. Writing (especially the publishing end of writing) is a lot of waiting on things that are out of your control, and the only thing that gets my mind off of that anxiety is focusing on a new project that is one hundred percent within my control. The worst advice I’ve ever received is to write every day, to make sure you get words down on paper. This isn’t realistic for me, and I’ve also come to realize that writing isn’t always words on paper. Sometimes it’s going for a walk, or daydreaming, or reading, or watching a movie, listening to music. You have to fill your creative well!
What’s next for you?
My sophomore YA novel, The Edge of Summer, comes out with Little, Brown BFYR summer of 2022, and also takes place on Cape Cod. It follows high school senior Coriander Cabot as she completes a marine biology internship over the summer all while coping with the unexpected death of her best friend, first love, and rescuing a humpback whale from entanglement.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
There are so many amazing middle grade and young adult authors debuting this year! Some recents that I’ve loved are Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau, The Verdigris Pawn by Alysa Wishingrad, Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft, and Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay.
