I was simply mesmerized by The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen. It took me four days to write the review, and the story still refused to let me go. I was inspired and filled with questions, so I went straight to the source. Enjoy this interview with Sarina, and be sure to read the review.
Reading Frenzy: You’ve had success with a variety of genres: adult contemporary romance, new adult, LGBTQ, and romantic comedy. What made you decide to try your hand at writing for young adults?
Sarina: I just love YA! My favorites are Sarah Dessen, Huntley Fitzpatrick and Rainbow Rowell and Gayle Forman. I always wanted to write for this age group.
Reading Frenzy: How did you come up with the idea for The Accidentals?
Sarina: I wrote half a novel a couple of years ago before realizing that two secondary characters–Rachel and Frederick–were more interesting than the adult novel I was writing! So I set that other thing aside to write this.
Reading Frenzy: How long did it take you to write the book?
Sarina: A really, really long time. I have heavily revised the book since its first iteration, with the help of many beta readers. It’s the story of my heart so I had to get it right!
Reading Frenzy: What was the most challenging part about writing this story?
Sarina: Putting myself in that 17-year-old headspace.
Reading Frenzy: The book is told from Rachel’s perspective. Did you consider telling the story from multiple points of view?
Sarina: Not this time. It’s really Rachel’s story to tell, and she has so much going on in her life that if I let another character tell his story, too, the book would be a bazillion pages long. 🙂
Reading Frenzy: How did you select the names of your characters? Haze, Rachel’s best friend, is an unusual name, and Frederick doesn’t seem like the name of a hot rock star.
Sarina: I don’t even know where I got Haze’s name. It just ejected from my brain onto the page. Frederick is the name his parents gave him. Rock stars are made, not born.
Reading Frenzy: Did you always wanted to be an author?
Sarina: Since the 3rd grade. Is that always?
Reading Frenzy: You are a writer who has published books independently as well as through a traditional publishing house. What are some advantages and disadvantages of being an indie author?
Sarina: I currently have a dozen publishers on four continents, but I love self publishing. The fun of self publishing is that a project is never over and done with. You can tweak the marketing. You can change the cover. The story is never over.
Reading Frenzy: Do you read your book reviews? If so, how do negative reviews affect you?
Sarina: The answer is: sometimes. An author has to be in the right headspace to learn from bad reviews. So if I’m three days from a major deadline, I shouldn’t be reading reviews. They will only make me doubt myself. But during quiet moments it’s possible to learn wonderful things from reviews, even the negative ones.
Reading Frenzy: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read?
Sarina: I read a little of everything! Women’s fiction, YA, romance.
Reading Frenzy: What was your last 5-star read?
Sarina: Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas.
Reading Frenzy: What was the first concert you attended?
Sarina: Oh dear. This is very embarrassing. The first concert I attended was for Corey Hart. (“I Wear my Sunglasses at Night.”) The first good concert I attended was the Rolling Stones at Shea Stadium.
Reading Frenzy: What type of music do you typically listen to?
Sarina: I’m on a 90s grunge kick, including Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When I was writing The Accidentals I listened to a lot of a cappella. And I decided that Frederick would sound something like a more cynical Jack Johnson.
Reading Frenzy: Can you sing or play any musical instruments?
Sarina: I love to sing! But I don’t have an instrument, no.
Reading Frenzy: Do you have any projects in the works?
Sarina: So many! I’m working on the sixth novel in my contemporary romance series True North.
Reading Frenzy: Thank you so much for participating in this chat!
Sarina: Thank you so much for having me!
The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen Published by Tuxbury Publishing LLC on July 10, 2018
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
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A YA novel from USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.
Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.
I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.
My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.
When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost.
Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul.
There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.
My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.
"With intense, honest depictions of hope and rejection, The Accidentals will break your heart. Highly recommend." - Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan
About Sarina Bowen
Sarina Bowen is the award-winning author of more than thirty contemporary novels. She has hit the USA Today bestseller's list nineteen times and counting. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.
Sarina is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. She lives with her family on a few wooded acres in New Hampshire.
Sarina's books are published in over a dozen languages on five continents.
Great interview! Loved The Accidentals and Sarina Bowen too! ❤️
Thanks so much! It’s definitely one of my favorites so far this year.