We chat with debut author Erin Baldwin about Wish You Weren’t Here, which brings the summer vibes through its camp backdrop and enemies-to-lovers romance!
Hi, Erin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi there! I’m Erin, and today I’m feeling like more of a chair for my cats than anything else. But most of the time, I’m a nurse and a writer of whimsical contemporary stories! My debut, Wish You Weren’t Here, releases on June 4th, and it is also occasionally a chair for my cats.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Very early! I started reading and writing about the same time, somewhere around third grade, and I just fell in love with them both as a way to step out of the world for a little bit.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
- The one that made you want to become an author: Two Princess of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Your debut novel, Wish You Weren’t Here, is out June 4th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Queer Disney channel original movie
What can readers expect?
No coming out trauma, no third act break up, no miscommunication trope—just a few goofballs trying to find themselves in the woods and maybe eat some gorp while doing it.
Where did the inspiration for Wish You Weren’t Here come from?
I was working in hospitals during the brunt of covid and just became really burnt out on media that made me sad. I wanted to recreate the leveity that I had last felt in the summer before the pandemic, while working at camp.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Is it cheating to say all of them? Characters are my bread and butter, and truly there is not a single character in Wish You Weren’t Here that I didn’t love learning about. One that really sticks out to me is Eleazar, a minor character who only appears in a few paragraphs toward the end. Something about his section just feels very real to me.
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Long. 😭 I’ve been writing for a long time, and began pursuing publishing back in 2017 with a dark YA fantasy heist. After tons of passes from agents, I shelved that book and I didn’t write or read for two years until I came back and started from scratch with what is now Wish You Weren’t Here (but was Greetings From Bummer Camp originally). But ultimately, I do think Wish You Weren’t Here is the right debut for me, and all of the rejection along the way was just redirection.
What’s next for you?
I’m not allowed to talk about my next book yet, but it’s not a WYWH sequel! It’s going to travel to some very exciting locations and I can’t wait to announce it.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
As always, Emily Henry ate with Funny Story. I finally gave in and started The Wall Of Winnipeg and Me and I’m loving it! Because I’ve been working on my book two, I haven’t gotten to read much this year, but I can’t want to catch up on all the incredible debuts. At the top of my TBR are That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally, Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung, and The Husbands by Holly Gramazio.
