Interview with Dahlia Adler, author of upcoming novel GOING BICOASTAL

 

Today's interviewee is none other than Dahlia Adler (she/her)! She is the author of several queer books including Home Field Advantage which I loved and upcoming book Going Bicoastal.

In this interview we talked about the research that went into Bicoastal, her favorite scenes, and what her writing process looks like.      

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When did you first start writing?

I've been writing for just about as long as I can remember; I was even in a "special" reading group in first grade where we started writing a story, about which I remember almost nothing. But the first novel I ever finished was something I think I started in high school.

I'm very curious about that reading group, but that makes sense! Seems like a lot of writers have been writing since they were kids.

What does your writing process look like?

It's changed a lot as life has gotten busier; right now it's just chaos and squeezing things in when I can. I used to do a lot more outlining, beat sheeting, collecting research neatly, etc. and now literally everything is just "do it as I go." I don't even have a set writing window. Like I said-chaos. That's what happens when you have a full-time job, a couple of side jobs, and two little kids!

Wow! Yeah, definitely sounds chaotic! I don't think I could manage to do that, but I'm glad that it seems to be working for you right now!

How do you come up with the ideas for your books?

I'm usually inspired by some other piece of media-a song, a photograph, another book I've read where I really liked a plot point and wanted to use it in a different way. I used to use personal experiences more, but now they inform details much more than they inform actual plot points.

Solid! That definitely makes a lot of sense!

Which usually comes first for you: the characters or the plot?

Characters, for sure. I'm a big character person. I'll usually have a plot point to begin on, but beyond that, the plot happens as I go while the characters are generally established from the start.

I like that! The characters leading the way through the story!

Your newest/upcoming release is Going Bicoastal. What was the process like getting the title and cover for this book finalized?

Both were incredibly easily, thankfully! Going Bicoastal is the title I submitted, and it was never questioned. The cover-which I am obsessed with-also underwent almost no changes from the initial version I saw. I requested the basic idea, but the art Petra Braun delivered was just so beyond anything I could've imagined. Kerri Resnick is a master at cover design and has done all my recent novels, and I don't think there was one design element I requested be changed.

Oh, awesome! I'm glad that both seemed to be great right from the beginning!

Do you have a favorite scene in this book(or any of your books)?

This book has so many scenes that are meaningful to me that it's hard to pick just one. The big Dinner Party scene is definitely one of them, as that's based off something I do with my friends, and I always love talking about food. There's also a scene in a car where Natalya tells Adam what it's like to be both bi and Jewish, and that's a really, really meaningful one to me. And it's really hard to pick a favorite with Elly, but I do love when they say goodbye on the street after Shabbat dinner.

Those scenes sound amazing! I look forward to getting to read them! And to everyone else's reactions when they read them as well.

What research did you have to do when writing this book (or any of your books if you'd prefer this question to be more general)? I specifically ask about this because of you mentioning food and Poe puns on Goodreads.

I went to high school in Manhattan and I've spent a lot of time in LA, so this one didn't require a ton of research for me except about basic stuff like food truck laws in Los Angeles and, of course, looking into lots of different kinds of food, which is certainly not a challenge for me! I'm very proud of the Poe puns, but I'm pretty well versed in Poe, so for me that's more of a nod to my anthology His Hideous Heart than anything else.

Looking at food is always the best kind of research!!! I do it sometimes when I get bored! I also need to read this book because of the Poe puns!

Are you working on anything else that you can talk about?

I'm currently working on my next novel, My Name is Everett (which will probably have a different title by the time it comes out), which is a book I actually wrote over a decade ago and am massively reworking. It's a sunshine-grump contemporary romance starring a girl assigned to a boys' dorm at a New England boarding school, and it's all about exploring "good" and "bad" and the mistakes we make when we're just trying to grow up and be seen.

That sounds really interesting! I love that it's a story that was originally conceived so long ago! I hope the reworking is going well for you!

Thank you so much to Dahlia Adler for agreeing to do this interview! It was a wonderful experience and I am very grateful! Thank you also to the readers who read this interview! Make sure to check out one of Dahlia's books and let me know your thoughts!

If you like what I do, consider giving me a follow on my social media or consider sharing or donating my GCLS GoFundMe. I appreciate any help or shares that I can get! Every little bit matters. Thank you for reading!!

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You can find Dahlia Adler on her Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

You can buy Dahlia Adler's books from RJ Julia Independent Booksellers and Books of Wonder. Books of Wonder currently offers personalized copies of Going Bicoastal and signed copies of Home Field Advantage. Act fast if you want to get them!

If you can't buy her books but you still want to read them, consider requesting them to your local library or suggesting them on Overdrive!