Ask the Author: Val Emmich
Answered Questions (9)
Val Emmich
Hi Zoe.
Thanks for the kind words and the question.
I don't believe that anything in life is so black and white. What's the truth? Probably something in the middle. Did Connor cross personal boundaries with his sister? Probably. What sibling doesn't? I don't know about you, but my sisters and brother and I did some terrible things to each other that we regret now that we're older. Does that make Connor "bad"? Maybe in those moments he was a negative presence. But I think the book shows, or tries to show, that there were good moments too. No one is just one thing. We are all shades and we all have so-called good moments and bad moments. It's also a matter of perspective. To Connor's sister, he may have felt like a terror at times. But maybe in Connor's mind, he was just trying his best to manage life and lacked the proper tools. I like to think he meant no harm.
I hope this answers your question.
Best, Val
Thanks for the kind words and the question.
I don't believe that anything in life is so black and white. What's the truth? Probably something in the middle. Did Connor cross personal boundaries with his sister? Probably. What sibling doesn't? I don't know about you, but my sisters and brother and I did some terrible things to each other that we regret now that we're older. Does that make Connor "bad"? Maybe in those moments he was a negative presence. But I think the book shows, or tries to show, that there were good moments too. No one is just one thing. We are all shades and we all have so-called good moments and bad moments. It's also a matter of perspective. To Connor's sister, he may have felt like a terror at times. But maybe in Connor's mind, he was just trying his best to manage life and lacked the proper tools. I like to think he meant no harm.
I hope this answers your question.
Best, Val
Val Emmich
Thank you for the question. Suicide has touched my life in a personal way. I lost a friend to it in high school and I have a close family member who attempted suicide several times when I was growing up, coming very close to succeeding, but ultimately they survived. So I've lived through it and I've always wanted to understand it better. What makes a person get to that point. And how are the people surrounding that person permanently changed because of it. I felt like the emotions were easily accessible to me. I just trusted what I was feeling and tried to get it down on the page as best as I could. I'm so glad it seems to have worked for you.
Val Emmich
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind note.
Val Emmich
Thank you so much! Please check out my first book, The Reminders, and look out for my follow-up YA book next year.
So...I deal with anxiety every single day but it is getting better, slowly. I started psychotherapy a year ago and it's helped a lot. (Fun fact: I started going to therapy as research for writing the novel, because I wanted to know what Evan was feeling in those sessions, and then I stuck with it.). I also recently started medication for what is a larger mood disorder that I have. I've always been apprehensive about medication but I'm giving it a try. It's too early to tell if it's working.
Lastly, having a support system helps. A friend to hear you out. Parents, sometimes, although they can be a source of more anxiety. Even a pet helps, I find. Oh, and art: books, music, film, whatever.
Perhaps it will bring you some solace to hear that I am getting past it and you can, too. "The me I am is not the me I was." Hang in there.
So...I deal with anxiety every single day but it is getting better, slowly. I started psychotherapy a year ago and it's helped a lot. (Fun fact: I started going to therapy as research for writing the novel, because I wanted to know what Evan was feeling in those sessions, and then I stuck with it.). I also recently started medication for what is a larger mood disorder that I have. I've always been apprehensive about medication but I'm giving it a try. It's too early to tell if it's working.
Lastly, having a support system helps. A friend to hear you out. Parents, sometimes, although they can be a source of more anxiety. Even a pet helps, I find. Oh, and art: books, music, film, whatever.
Perhaps it will bring you some solace to hear that I am getting past it and you can, too. "The me I am is not the me I was." Hang in there.
Val Emmich
This answer contains spoilers…
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Val Emmich
Hi Laura, I had my own section in the acknowledgements of the book and the creators of the musical had their own separate section. My thank yous were directed to those who aided me in writing the book. I have nothing to do with the musical and have no knowledge of the personnel involved with the musical other than its 3 creators, so your question would have to be directed to the creators of the show. Thanks, Val
Val Emmich
The whole Mindy Love Show part wasn't based on anything that happened in my life. The inspiration for it was probably just all the hours I've spent watching cheap daytime live-audience shows. Story-wise, the Mindy Love Show is a really important moment for Joan and Gavin, both as individuals and as a pair. Hopefully, it's entertaining, too. It's one of my favorite moments in the novel.
Val Emmich
Hi Nicole. Thanks for the request! I don’t personally have extra ARCs but I’ll pass your request along. No promises, but I can try. Thanks, Val
Val Emmich
You're very kind, thank you! The inspiration to write part of the book from a child's perspective came, in 2013, from being a new father and spending time with my first daughter. Seeing the world through her innocent eyes reignited an innocence and playfulness in me. But my daughter is not Joan. I don't know exactly where Joan came from. Certainly she shares many of my own concerns about life and the world. But I don't possess her gift of memory, so she's not completely me. Over the course of writing, she took on a life of her own and I'm thankful--that was the goal.
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Jul 09, 2025 05:28PM · flag