Hollyland follows a woman with a passion for the arts and a Hollywood playboy who fall in love and change each other. What was one thing that excited you the most about writing this novel?

I wrote this novel during the pandemic to escape to someplace cheerful, hopeful, optimistic, and full of love. I wanted to remember that there’s always beauty and possibility. The characters in the book are searching for magic—or gold dust—in their lives. They find that magic in each other, in memories of their loved ones, and in the arts. I was excited to follow the trail of gold dust they left along the way.

Was there anything in Deanna and Ryder’s relationship that you pulled from your own life?

Yes. Deanna is an arts researcher. While she’s a fictious character, I did draw from my own experience. In addition to being a novelist, I’ve also been an academic researcher specializing in the arts for over two decades. Beyond that, I absolutely love the arts. My husband does as well, and we spend much of our leisure time at museums, movies, theater, and so forth. Deanna and Ryder also share that love of the arts. Some of the places they visit and specific nods to the arts come from my own life. For example, there’s a scene at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that happens in front of a painting I’ve been lucky to see many times.

What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?

There are two. The big restaurant scene, which takes place in LA and involves a bunch of celebrities, a director, and the head of a Hollywood film studio. That scene unfolds over two chapters and was a blast to write. My other favorite is when Deanna and Ryder exchange special gifts. I don’t want to give anything away, but the gift he gives her is my favorite moment in the book. I cried a mess of happy tears writing it.

What were some ideas that you wanted to explore in this book?

There can be love after grief. The real movie stars in our lives aren’t necessarily famous, but are those we hold most dear. Art matters. Always live and love with passion. Gold dust may be right around the corner.

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