We chat with fan-favourite author Kasie West about her new lighthearted and swoony contemporary YA romance Sunkissed, which follows a girl who finds that a summer spent at a family resort isn’t as bad as she imagined…and that falling in love is filled with heartache, laughter, and surprises!
Kasie spills all things Sunkissed, writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Kasie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Thanks for hosting me. A little bit about me? Let’s see, I write books. 😉 I guess that’s the part people already know. What else? I live in the middle of California nowhere near a beach. I have four lovely, almost all grown-up children. I love to binge watch television and I can’t live without Dr. Pepper (well, that last statement is unknown because I refuse to test that theory).
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
Well, so far, about the same. I live in California so we’re still mostly locked down. I actually got covid this year, my husband still works from home and my kids are still doing all their schooling online. So maybe 2021 is worse? But! I do see an end in sight, so that makes me happy and hopeful. Plus, my husband just got fully vaccinated today (well, by the time this interview is on your site, it will have been a month ago, but my past self’s today)! And I’m next!
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!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is probably the first book I ever remember reading on my own. My dad used to read to me all the time. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is one of the first books that really made me want to write books. And one I can’t stop thinking about? Anna and the French Kiss. I adore that book and go back to it again and again.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve always loved to read. I was a reader first. I read so much in my youth. It was my favorite way to pass the time. But I didn’t know I wanted to or could write a book until I was 30. That’s when I thought of an idea for a book that I couldn’t shake. I basically became obsessed with the idea and decided to try to write it. And that’s when I fell in love with the process of writing. I haven’t looked back since.
Your novel, Sunkissed, is out May 4th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Summer camp (is that one word?), romance (of course), sisters, discoveries, and fun!
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect to laugh and fall in love and want to go on a summer vacation. And maybe readers will be inspired to try that thing they’ve been afraid to try.
Where did the inspiration for Sunkissed come from?
I’ve been wanting to write a summer camp book forever. So just the idea of summer camp helped inspire the book. But I drew some inspiration from one of my very favorite romantic movies as well: Dirty Dancing.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
The pacing of the first half of this book gave me a lot of trouble. I was trying to set things up too much before meeting the boy when really we just needed to meet the boy. Ha! My awesome editor helped me overcome my pacing issue and gave amazing suggestions that helped tighten up that pacing and get us right into the action.
If it’s not too spoilery, were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Avery, the main character. She is a people pleaser and a peace maker and that’s something she had to learn how to navigate in the book to make sure she was being her true self and not just the version of herself everyone else expected. I related to her very much because I felt that way as a teen. So it was fun to watch her grow and to write her growth.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best advice I ever got was that just because something works for someone else (writing wise) doesn’t mean it will work for me. I don’t remember who gave me that advice, but the bottom line is, not to compare yourself to others. Do what works best for you. The worst advice I ever received was to write every day. Some days I just can’t or don’t feel like writing and that’s ok. Take breaks, live, go for walks, try new things. These are the things that will inspire you to keep writing.
What’s next for you?
I have another contemporary romance (title undetermined or at least not official) coming out next year (2022) that I’m working on now. So yes, always working on the next book. I love it.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I just finished reading XOXO by Axie Oh, loved that book. It comes out in July. Miranda Kenneally’s FOUR DAYS OF YOU AND ME was adorable.
You can find Kasie on Twitter and Instagram as well as at her website.
