We chat with author Matthew Norman about Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon, which follows a sentimental advertising creative and a blunt, no-nonsense bar owner find a second chance at love while binge-watching iconic holiday movies in this poignant and heartwarming romance.
Hi, Matthew! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hey there. I’m a novelist, husband, and father of two teenage daughters. I live just outside of Baltimore, MD, and Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon is my sixth novel. I have two dogs, I’m allergic to cats, and I grew up in Nebraska.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Some of us stumble into writing as adults, others figure it out right away. I fall into the latter category. I used to write little stories in pencil and read them aloud to my parents when I was in kindergarten. This isn’t the only job I’ve ever had, but it’s the only job I’ve ever wanted to have.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- The one that made you want to become an author: Pet Sematary by Stephen King
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Straight Man by Richard Russo
Your latest novel, Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon, is out October 14th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Widow/widower healing through holiday movies. (I’m counting that as five words. Slashes have that grammatical power.)
What can readers expect?
I’ve never written a title that lays things out so clearly. I’m considering that my big literary win here. Readers can expect a slowburn romantic comedy with just a hint of melancholy set against a marathon of some of the most iconic holiday movies ever made.
Where did the inspiration for Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon come from?
I’ve thought a lot about holiday movies over the years—particularly their nostalgic, comforting effect and how the classics have become universal touchstones of popular culture. For example, quote the movie Elf in a crowded room and I bet most people will know what you’re talking about. A few years ago, I started thinking about what it would be like to go through something deeply personal, like the loss of a spouse, while also going through something as collectively joyful as the holidays. A widow and widower binge watching holiday movies seemed like a good way to dramatize that.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Speaking of…there’s a moment in the book in which a bunch of strangers in a bar watch Elf together. Characters recite their favorite lines of dialogue aloud and laugh in unison. It was one of the earliest scene ideas I had back in the outlining phase, and it ended up playing out just as I’d hoped. That was a fun scene to write.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was how to strike the right tone between grief and comedy and joy and melancholy. I fretted a bit at first, but then I decided to just go for it. Readers are sophisticated enough to roll with that kind of emotional complexity. It’s the smile at a funeral. The cathartic laugh just after balling your eyes out.
What’s next for you?
Another novel! It’s still in that delicate phase where it could all fall apart at any second, so I won’t go into too many details. I’ll say this, though. After setting three of my last four novels squarely in Baltimore, I’ve sent my characters out to sea this time. The change of scenery has been delightful so far.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I absolutely loved The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu and Three Days in June by Baltimore’s own Anne Tyler. I’m looking forward to Catherine Newman’s new one, Wreck, which is out in a few weeks. And I can’t wait for Emma Straub’s American Fantasy, which is set for April.
