Hello fellow Nerds! I’m coming at you today with an author interview. I had the pleasure of interviewing Maria E. Andreu, author of the upcoming book Love in English. She tells us the story of 16-year-old Ana, who has just moved to New Jersey from Argentina, and is having trouble with learning the new language around her. All she longs for is to go home, until she meets and befriends a couple of boys that seem to be interested in being more than friends. The rules of language, much like love, are ever confusing, and we’ll see Ana try and figure it out, realising there are no rules when it comes to romance.
Hello Maria! Thank you so much for letting me interview you for The Nerd Daily! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and about your upcoming book, Love in English?
Thanks for the invitation! Love in English is the story of Ana, a sixteen-year-old poet and lover of language who moves to the U.S. without speaking much English and has to find her way in her new home. It was inspired by my own experiences of moving to the U.S. and feeling lost as I struggled to learn English. Plus there is love, 80s rom-coms, a trip up to the top of the Empire State Building and some other fun times… hopefully it’s a light but illuminating read.
What was your path to becoming a published author like?
Long! I have a diary entry from when I was twelve that reads, “most of all, I want to be a writer.” I absolutely loved books and couldn’t think of anything cooler. But one of the hallmarks of being a new immigrant is not knowing a lot about how things work and not having deep ties to a network that can help guide you. So I had to kind of stumble around to figure it out. I’m so happy to finally have gotten here.
What was your process like for writing Love in English?
It was a lot of fun, actually. The questions that Ana grapples with – why is spelling so weird in English? What do these idioms mean? – are things I’ve asked myself all my life. So it was cool to spend some time revisiting my early experiences with English. Plus love stuff is always delish to write about.
Were there any challenges that came up for you while writing your book? How did you handle them?
I think there’s always a place in the middle where you look at how far there is to go and how much editing needs to happen and you ask yourself: what did I get myself into? But then you push through. Talking to writer friends helps because it’s such a universal experience.
Can you talk about the inspiration for this book and for your characters?
I asked myself the question: what happens when you lose something fundamental about the way you define yourself? Ana’s way of experiencing the world is through language. But when she loses some of that capacity when she moves to a place where she doesn’t speak the language and can’t communicate the way that she’s used to, she’s got to tap in deeper to find her resilience. Plus, as a non-native speaker, I wanted to share what the experience of that is like. I sometimes wonder if native English speakers understand how confusing and maddening (and, yes, wonderful) English can be.
As you got further into writing the relationships in this book, were there any that were difficult to write about?
Keeping the tension between the two boys that Ana interacts with was a fine balance, and there was a good bit of editing to get it right. There was one scene I absolutely loved set in a “pre-prom” celebration which was fun and over the top, but which ultimately didn’t serve that balance and had to go. I’m still mourning that one!
What has been your favorite part of the publishing experience for Love in English?
Honestly, it’s all been amazing, from the kind reviews to the notes from early readers. One that’s front of mind happened just this morning. I got my pre-publication copies of the hardcover and there is shiny pink foil on the spine under the dust jacket. It was like unwrapping a Christmas present.
If it’s not too spoilery, what’s one of your favorite scenes in the book, or something that you’re looking forward to your readers seeing?
I really enjoyed writing the funny, awkward, “did I just really say that” moments. There’s a scene at a fast food drive through that was a real hoot to write. I wrote it early and it survived through every draft. I find drive through speakers to be almost completely impossible to understand, and adding a language barrier to that was fun. Plus the scene has a sweet ending, so I don’t leave the reader just sitting with the awkwardness.
What’s next for you?
My next book will be out in 2022. It’s a bit early to talk details, but I am so in love with the premise and the characters and I can’t wait to share more about it. It’s also a love story that taps into some of the same feels as Love in English although it’s an entirely different story with all new characters. As a reader I also really love fantasy and I’ve got a couple in the works, so stay tuned!
