Tethered Hearts | ✓ | Books 1 & 2

Answers to the Q&A

A/N: I wrote this Q&A before I wrote the last chapter of Tethered Hearts. Please keep that in mind.

Author Questions

1. How did you come up with the whole plot?

I started off wanting to write a story about a girl who's previous boyfriends die or go missing in mysterious ways. Right away, I knew I didn't want it to be magical. I kept thinking about that concept though. It then dawned on me that maybe it had to do with a drug-lord who's also her father, harming the boys who broke her heart. That initially meant her dad had to be out of the picture because I didn't see how they could coexist in the same household. I wanted the main character to be blind sided by her father's double life because a lot of the time criminals do hide their life of crime from their loved ones.

The story kind of grew from that point. Very early on, I knew I wanted it to be set in the 90s because of the 1993 crime bill President Clinton signed. Crime in America was very high around this time. I know people like to think crime is getting worse, but if you look at the numbers nothing compares to the crime rate from the late 80s and early 90s in America. A lot of it had to do with drugs and gang wars from Florida to California (hence why I made Bryce a coke dealer). The peak of the crime in this country was 1991 and we've never reached that level.

Also, I freaking love the 90s. I've always adored the movies, shows, and music that was produced in that time period. I didn't like the political climate from that time period...but that's a discussion for another day. I do plan on adding more historical details from that decade once I go back do the re-writes.

Lastly, I wanted to make Sophia partly Afro-Latina, but couldn't find an actress who fit the part. I'll probably try and find a way to add that in during the re-writes, as well.

2. What shows do you like?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Quantum Leap are my favorite TV shows of all time. I highly recommend Quantum Leap. Both of these shows are on Hulu. They used to be on Netflix, but I think they removed them.

I also really like Insecure, Stranger Things, Living in Color, A Different World, Black Mirror, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Girlfriends, The Bold Type, Misfits, the Office (US version), Inbetweeners (UK version) Friends, Martin, and a few other shows.

3. Other than writing, what else do like to do?

Hanging out with friends, photography, sometimes filming, and pretending that I can sing.

4. Which scene was your favorite to write and were there any emotionally difficult scenes to write?

Favorite scene has got to be Sophia's birthday at the carnival or when Bryce proposed to Sophia.

I had a hard time writing the chapter where everyone thinks Kelsey is about to die. Especially when I thought up the line where Conner tells Kelsey "I love you, in ever sense of the word." I really did want to kill her off but decided I couldn't go through with it lol

fun fact, if I would've killed Kelsey off, I was planning on making a spin-off of Brooklyn getting with Conner, but he clearly hates her at first but eventually falls for her, but I decided that would never happen in reality and I shouldn't force a relationship where it doesn't seem genuine.

5. Favorite song at the moment?

That's really difficult because I listen to A LOT of music...I'll settle with five songs for the moment.

Space Song by Beach House