I at all times knew it was gonna be a few screenwriter and a novelist who had recognized one another in highschool, and the archetypes of who they had been in highschool. I didn’t need to do any analysis as a result of I used to be busy on the time, so it was simply going to be about adaptation.
However wanting again, I used to be spending a lot time studying Emily [Henry]’s books and enthusiastic about what resonated with me in them, and I used to be like, What shared wounds do Emily and I’ve? The issues that I resonate with in her work are the methods grief and friendship, and all of these items that aren’t essentially the nice and cozy, blissful components. So I type of needed to have a look at what sort of shared wound I may give this novelist and the screenwriter, the place they’re each coming on the similar harm from totally different angles.
New Jersey is a large character within the e book. Inform me extra about that—you grew up there, proper?
Partially, I did, sure. I used to be born in China, once I was three we moved to Wichita, Kansas, and once I was eight we moved to New Jersey, after which we type of hopped round totally different suburbs of New Jersey, I feel as a result of my dad and mom had been making an attempt to ship me to the most effective public college for every grade. So I moved so much. I really feel like folks ought to romanticize New Jersey a bit bit extra.
What about New Jersey felt proper as a setting for this novel?
I knew I needed it to be like an East Coast, West Coast type of tradition conflict. I principally determine as being initially from the East Coast, and I feel that once I first got here out to LA, there was a type of a tradition shock for me. I keep in mind going to an interview in a full J.Crew go well with that I had spent cash on, as a result of it was an necessary interview for me, but it surely was so not the vibe! And so I needed to make use of that geography to separate them a bit bit extra.
What do you assume the 2 characters see in one another?
Grant compels Helen as a result of he’s what she shouldn’t be able to. He is ready to transfer simply on the earth. I at all times take a look at folks which are simply wildly charismatic golden retrievers. I imply, Emily Henry can be a fantastic instance, proper? I take a look at how straightforward it’s to fall in love with Emily Henry, and I’m like, Oh, my God, what’s that? So I really feel just like the compelling a part of Grant is how a lot he has that. However then additionally, at his core, he’s type of a tragic boy, and I at all times really feel like at any time when folks have a second layer to them, and so they reveal that vulnerability to you, that’s at all times very deeply compelling. And I feel he’s simply excellent at his job, and competence is at all times horny, proper? For Grant, Helen is someone who is aware of what she needs, and is superb at getting it. And so it’s very flattering when someone like that wishes you.
