Brenda Janowitz is the best-selling author of The Audrey Hepburn Estate, The Grace Kelley Dress, The Dinner Party and other literary fiction. Now she’s jumping into the YA space, and she graciously took the time to answer my questions about The Introvert’s Guide to Kissing in Europe.
- What prompted you to jump into the YA sphere? How has the process been?
Even though I’ve written eight novels for adult readers, I’ve always wanted to write a young adult novel! I’m obsessed with reading young adult novels, and I think an unexpected joy for me was discovering how easily I could slip into the voice of my seventeen-year-old self. I loved reconnecting with that part of myself and remembering how I felt and how I saw the world as a recent high school grad.
2. Can you describe the dynamic between Emily and her late sister, and how it affects the story?
This story is very much a sister story, as well as a story about found family, and sisterhood in general. Emily goes on her gap year adventure in part to deal with the loss of her sister, but also to find herself and her place in the world. She uses her grandmother’s old itinerary, back from when Grandma Rose toured Europe with her own sister, as part of a 1960 girl group called The Flower Sisters. Along her journey, Emily meets a huge cast of characters who help her discover who she is, where she fits in, and how sometimes your found family can help heal you.
3. Which was your favorite country to write?
I loved researching and writing about them all! Since I studied abroad in Spain back when I was in college, I do have a soft spot for those chapters! (And I may have had a Spanish boyfriend just like the one Emily finds…)
4. What do you hope readers will take away from the Introvert’s Guide to Kissing in Europe?
Most of my writing tends to be highly readable and fun, with heavier themes mixed in. It’s what I love to read, and it’s what I love to write. I think it’s also the way I approach life—trying to stay upbeat and light, while tackling whatever gets thrown my way. I hope that readers will find the book to be like a mini trip to Europe: an escape that’s also a mirror to their own lives.
5. Any other upcoming news?
I have a few projects in the works! I’m working on my next Young Adult novel, while also writing my next novel for my women’s fiction readers.
You can learn more about Brenda and her work on her website: https://www.brendajanowitz.com/
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