A timely and hilarious millennial women’s fiction novel about two friends who decide to give up their search for a perfect man and devote their lives to each other—but their careful plan soon begins to unravel with unexpected consequences.
We chat with author Leslie Cohen about her latest novel My Ride or Die, book recommendations, writing, and more!
Hi, Leslie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Let’s see… I live in Manhattan with my husband and two-year-old daughter. I’ve lived in New York my whole life, except after college, when I moved to a ski town in Colorado to write about music for the local newspaper. I… may have seen Almost Famous too many times. My favorite movie of all-time is Clueless. Favorite book is Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk. I will travel almost anywhere for a compelling enough sandwich. I once booked a trip to Italy in order to acquire a panini.
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
It’s better, but still spending too much time indoors with my husband, daughter, and mother. This has led to a lot of ridiculous arguments. For example, I just got into a fight with my mom because she was standing too close to some sweet potatoes that I was roasting. I actually said the words: “You already micromanage my life, must you micromanage my sweet potatoes?” That’s pretty emblematic of how it’s going.
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!
Charlotte’s Web was the first book I remember reading. The last line of that book still kills me: “It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” It’s so simple yet so poetically describes the character. It reminds me of the first line of Goodbye Columbus, which I also love, and can never stop thinking about: “The first time I saw Brenda she asked me to hold her glasses.”
The book that made me want to become an author is The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. It’s a great book, but more important was the timing— I read it during a very pivotal point in my life. I had just graduated from law school but didn’t really see myself as a lawyer and reading it reminded me of how much I love books. The main character is this really overly analytical, emotional, English major in college and she reminded me a little bit of myself at that age. I’m not sure what happened exactly, but reading it cracked open something inside of me that had been dormant for a few years. Ironically, the book was recommended to me by a partner at a law firm with whom I was interviewing for a job. I think he was trying to deter me from practicing law, which ultimately worked. It was so disheartening at the time, that he didn’t want to hire me but rather send me away to read some novel— but now I’m extremely grateful.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I used to have a journal, that was more like a very long document on my computer, and for about ten years, I chronicled everything that ever happened to me. Oh man. A lot of feelings. However, it wasn’t until college that my love of writing became something more concrete. I was in the undergraduate creative writing program at Columbia, and I was also an English major, so I was constantly analyzing literature and deciphering poetry and writing some extremely brooding stories of questionable value. In my twenties, I started to lighten up, came to realize that I would never be Faulkner, and that’s when I hit my stride, creatively.
Your novel, My Ride or Die, is out April 20th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Female friendship, you will laugh
What can readers expect?
Lovable characters and a relatable, engrossing story that they won’t want to end. Also to appreciate their friends more and to maybe miss the ones that they haven’t spoken to in a while.
Where did the inspiration for My Ride or Die come from?
I loved the idea of flipping the script on the usual romantic comedy, and taking the friendships, which are usually ancillary to the main story, and giving them center stage. Also, my friends certainly inspired me. I wanted to create something that felt true to female friendship as I have experienced it.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I rewrote the first chapter of this book an unreasonable number of times. I think I spent about two months just pouring over that chapter. It’s a bachelorette party that goes awry and it was difficult to have it all seem fun and appealing but also somewhat ominous. I got over it by tinkering with it until it hit all of the right notes. Also yelling profanities and throwing things.
If it’s not too spoilery, were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
My favorite moments are the more humorous, ridiculous scenes. But I don’t want to spoil them. One involves a chinchilla. Another— a bird on the loose. I will never not laugh at a scene where there is a bird on the loose.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best: don’t run from your strengths. Sometimes you might be tempted to write something in a certain way because of how you see someone else do it, but it might not work for you. Learn from others but trust your own instincts.
The worst: put it in a drawer or, in other words, take a break from it. I don’t want to take a break! I want to get things done! People… am I right?
What’s next for you?
My next novel will be another romantic comedy, but with a sexy, European vacation feel to it. And that is, at least in part, because— this author would like to take a sexy, European vacation right now.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I just finished Who Is Maud Dixon? By Alexandra Andrews, which I found extremely absorbing. Most of the book takes place in Morocco, a place I’ve never been, but was fun to explore via literature. I hate to fly, so this is a great alternative.
