We chat with author Marissa Eller about Joined at the Joints, which follows baking-obsessed Ivy who meets a super-hot boy who shares her rare diagnosis, sparks fly outside of the kitchen for the first time in her life!
Hi, Marissa! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a debut author from Hickory, NC, which is a place no one knows. I kind of like it that way. I write young adult romance novels featuring characters that are either chronically ill, neurodivergent, or both. Outside of writing, I work as an academic consultant. My weird hobbies and interests are varied depending on the day, but I spend a significant chunk of time watching my favorite YouTubers, running my cat’s Twitter account, and listening to Taylor Swift.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’m not 100% sure I know. I’ve always been a devoted reader, and I guess I was good enough at writing in school. I never really cared about it until high school, when I started using it to fix the endings to my favorite TV shows. Whatever I found broken in those shows, I ended up having to mend. I found a solace in it, and I dove in voraciously. Then, I learned I could create my own characters and write about my own experiences, and I haven’t stopped since.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Something by Dr. Seuss. Probably a One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish board book that I chewed on.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Calculations of You and Me by Serena Kaylor just came out and I haven’t stopped thinking about it yet.
Your debut novel, Joined at the Joints, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Let’s see. This is difficult, because one thing authors don’t like to do is tell people what our books are about. I’ll go with sweet, affirming, balanced, realistic, and (hopefully) fun.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a romance between two chronically ill characters where no one dies. That’s not really a given in this subgenre, but it is with me. They can expect a portrayal of things like chronic illness and social anxiety that I hope are nuanced and thoughtful. Besides those things, this book is stuffed with things I love, like baking and baseball.
Where did the inspiration for Joined at the Joints come from?
Me! I have rheumatoid arthritis, and most of the medical aspects of the book are based on my experience. There’s such a growing array of chronic illness and disability representation in publishing, and I wanted nothing more than to be a part of that.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
In terms of characters, I loved exploring Ivy’s whole family and each member of the support group. They’re all so important to me, even though they’re supporting characters in the novel. In terms of moments, I had a lot of fun (and also a difficult time) with several moments in Ivy’s journey with her illness. It reckons with what it means to be an adult in a medical context, and things get complicated. It was both interesting and challenging to explore that.
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was a long road! I got my debut book deal 27 months ago – in April 2022. So, that’s how long it took once the book was already written and on submission to editors. Working backwards from that, I signed with my agent in 2020, and I started querying agents in 2018. Lots of books and lots of rejection in between!
What’s next for you?
I’m not sure what I’m allowed to talk about…but my second book should be announced soon! It’s also a young adult romance, but it explores things like neurodivergency, academic rivalry, and gifted kid burnout through the lens of a literature obsessed senior and the scientific-minded boy she can’t decide if she hates.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I’ve enjoyed so many books this year. We have a group called the 2024 Debuts, which is a huge Slack full of authors releasing their first books this year. It’s been amazing watching those books come to life since I joined in 2022. I’ve loved The Last Love Song by Kalie Holford, Time And Time Again by Chatham Greenfield, and The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford. The book I’m most excited to get my hands on is Ne’Er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti.
