Get ready to learn more about the book Within My Reach in this discussion with sapphic author Amy Blythe.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Amy Blythe about Within My Reach, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Return to Hometown category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Within My Reach?
Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen novel, and the idea of a queer retelling just kept nagging at my brain – and at my latent bisexuality. I definitely discovered a lot about myself in the writing process! I got married super young, and came from a conservative upbringing, so I didn’t really clock on to my own sexuality until I’d already been married for a decade – married to straight cis guy, whom I absolutely adore… but writing this allowed me to explore parts of who I am that were tied up in knots. Now we both read lots of gloriously gay books and I get to be fully me – in my real life and relationships, as well as in what I’m writing and reading!
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Anna, the main character, is such a people-pleaser, a peacemaker, and it was fun writing her she gets some gumption. She is a little like me – we’re both high school teachers, both eldest daughters, both take charge in a crisis, both forgive a little too readily. And we’re both tragically loyal in love: I waited 6 years to get the one I really wanted – not quite Anna’s 8, but still.
What inspired the idea for Within My Reach?
Jane Austen’s original – or it might be more honest to say the Ciaran Hinds/Amanda Root film version, which led me to the book. There’s something about all the longing, the second chance, the appreciating someone all the more for having lost them, and realising what you’ve lost too late. Gets me every time!
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
The balance of staying true to Persuasion without being a slave to the original. I wanted it to be readable (and enjoyable) for readers who don’t know the Jane Austen. I liked the idea that it might make people want to read the original – Persuasion doesn’t get nearly as much love as Emma and Pride and Prejudice, so in a way this is my fan-girl tribute and sales-pitch to the uninitiated. That said, I suspect my version is enjoyed more by those who do know Persuasion because they pick up on all the easter eggs, the gender flips, the parallels, etc.
What part of Within My Reach was the most fun to write?
The most painful bits for the characters! When they’re forced into each others immediate proximity, after years apart, and all those feelings rush back, but none of the people around them know they used to be together. They can’t reach out to each other, even though they’re so close – hence the title, Within My Reach.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I stole it from the love letter Frederick Wentworth writes Anne Elliot at the end of Persuasion. “I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago.” I toyed with so many phrases from this letter as possible titles, but some have already been used as titles, and I didn’t want something too obtuse – it needed to stand on its own.
How much research did you need to do for Within My Reach?
In the planning stages, I printed out the whole original text and annotated it. There are a couple of medical things I had to check, but most of my research was on Google Maps, refamiliarising myself with the city where I grew up. In some ways, this book is my love letter to Auckland. There are so many places in this book that are full of precious memories to me, especially around Mount Eden – the bookshop is a real bookshop, the walks up and around the mountain, the beaches. Makes me a bit homesick just thinking about it.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
I do have a very rough old draft for an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South – another classic that just screams out for a queer retelling. I have some ideas about how it could overlap with characters from Within My Reach but at present there’s no connection. It would be a great slow-burn.
What is your favorite line from your book?
“If she were someone else, she’d get out of the car… and, while the twins were busy pulling out everyone’s bags, and Frida and Anna were standing in the dark, by themselves, hemmed in by hedges and people, unobserved, Anna might step up to her, kiss her, run her hands through Frida’s hair. As if she could, in a few stolen seconds, remind Frida what they’d once had. As if a kiss could erase years, and arguments, and tears. As if a kiss could mend everything.”
What is your writing process like?
I’m a plotter, but I’m constantly rerouting my plot. I need a plan in order to move forward, but the plan itself is… held lightly, shall we say? Within My Reach was an exception, because I was basing it on a classic. I did take some liberties, adding lots of scenes from their past, so I had wriggle room, and I did write scenes that eventually got cut, relocate whole sequences – the whole New Year’s Eve party bit was a late change. There’s a key scene in Persuasion where Anne overhears Frederick talking to someone else – about her, and about what he wants in a wife (almost a reaction against her, in fact). It’s pretty devastating to Anne, and relocating that whole bit to New Year’s Eve really heightened the emotion.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I have a thrifted old roll-top desk in our wee conservatory. It’s the cat’s room really, I just use a corner. In winter, I curl up in bed or take over the dining table, but three out of four seasons the temperature is good in my glass-walled office. I almost feel like I’m outside but don’t have to contend with the wind and pollen-count! In my writing space, I don’t need much. I can write anywhere really. When my kids were toddlers I’d take them to McDonalds for the free indoor playground and sit there with my icky coffee, pretending I couldn’t smell urine – perfect ambience for writing romance novels! I do have a big whiteboard I put up and stick all my scenes on, but I don’t need that with me at all times. Writing in the library with my writing friends is always fun. A write-in is so motivating – all those other people getting words done is a great kick in the bum for my productivity. But I work full-time teaching, so most of the write-ins I do now are online.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
This is such a mean question. I’d probably go for one I’ve met before so it wouldn’t be starting from scratch. Sophie Jordan came to our romance writers conference in NZ and we got on like a house on fire. If it was someone I’d never met, Melissa Brayden was my gateway drug to Sapphic books, so maybe her. I know Jane Austen seems like an obvious choice, but I suspect it’d be really frustrating and disappointing to meet a historic writer – given the society they came from, odds are there’d be a certain amount of bigotry, racism… and ignorance is bliss.
What’s your favorite writing snack or drink?
I go for light snacks when I’m trying to focus – if I eat anything substantial I get sleepy. Seasonal fruit (blueberries at the moment – it’s mid-summer here) and “skinny dipped almonds” (covered in dark chocolate and dusted with dehydrated raspberry dust), some pretzels or popcorn. To drink – my favourite is a lime and soda with heaps of mint straight from the garden. Keeps me awake and hydrated so I can keep going!
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
Oh, I suck at this. I’ve written maybe 20 books now, and knowing all the work that is still to come on later drafts really takes the celebratory wind out of my sails. My husband will get bubbly if he knows I’m finishing up, and maybe we get takeaways or something. A little dance in the kitchen, perhaps. When it’s finally-and-actually-final-draft finished, I’m more likely to initiate the bubbly and boogie.
Is there a particular genre you would love to write but only under a pseudonym?
My latest book has a murder mystery thread. I can see myself going that way one day. I really enjoy a well-woven mystery plot with a cast of colourful characters and some slow-burn pining between the unlikely detective and the slightly more (or less) unlikely detective. I’m not sure I’d bother with a pseudonym. My current author name is a pseudonym because I teach high school and write sexy romance novels – I can’t make it too easy for my students to find my books (they do anyway, but I have plausible deniability!)
Do you have any odd writing quirks?
I hand-write all the way through the process – is that an odd quirk? My debut book was entirely drafted by hand because we were on a big road trip around Europe with small children, and a notebook was portable – I could even write while we were driving (smooth highways compared to New Zealand!) When I came to type it up, my kids had scribbled all over some of the pages. That doesn’t happen so often now (they’re 11 and 13) but I still write out scenes, plans, snippets of dialogue, brain-dumps… I type so much faster, but I always go back to handwriting when I’m stuck or uncertain.
Do you have a pet who helps/hinders your typing?
Chloe, the giant fluffball cat, whose bedroom is my office. I’m allergic to her, but love wins right? So I take antihistamines and try to avoid direct contact. She was a stray we took pity on – probably an earthquake runaway (according to my vet friend). Chloe is pretty old now, sleeps most of the day, and sheds everywhere (despite the fact she hardly moves from her bed).
What animal or object best represents you as an author or your writing style?
Probably a bee. Always busy, dipping in and out of all the pretty flowers, jumping from project to project (or that’s what it looks like) but actually it all adds up. I’m a plodder – I just keep going, gradually, and things happen. It comes with working full time and having kids. A lot of my writing happens in the evenings and weekends, and doesn’t feel like progress, but the honey… it gets made. Bit by bit.
What are three words that describe your personality?
Earnest. It’s not cool, but there you go. I tend to be (too?) honest and value that in others. I don’t like games and one-upmanship, false charm and pretenses. I find them exhausting – especially in arts circles, among other writers. The creative communities that give life and joy are the ones that reject snobbery and allow everyone to love what they love.
Hopeful. I’m generally quite optimistic, always looking for the upside even when things are bad. That said, I can’t stand platitudes (see above: earnest) and I see the state of the world – keeping hopeful is hard, but I think necessary. I love to find the beauty in things. When it all gets too overwhelming and negative, my coping strategy is to narrow my focus to the things I can do, the places I can reach, and find the good stuff there – or make it better.
Creative. I’m always making stuff – food, poems, mosaics, visuals for social media, improvised songs for my kids. I used to paint and play musical instruments, and I expect I’ll go back to those things when life is less busy.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
Just keep swimming. Dory. Lol, but to put it more articulately Neil Gaiman’s Make Good Art speech is so full of gold. Some of my favourite bits are “I wrote, and I became a better writer the more I wrote, and I wrote some more, and nobody ever seemed to mind that I was making it up as I went along,” and “If you have an idea of what you want to make, what you were put here to do, then just go and do that.” And this one: “If I did work I was proud of, and I didn’t get the money, at least I’d have the work.” And this one (which I put on my classroom wall): “I hope you’ll make mistakes. If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something. And the mistakes in themselves can be useful.”
What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
I get discouraged and full of self-doubt when I read reviews (even the mostly good ones). But I’m a self-published writer and have to read the reviews in order the quote the good ones in my promo stuff. It’s a vicious cycle. The imposter syndrome is strong with this one. Now I get someone else to check my reviews and send me only the good quotes. The other big struggle is, of course, time. Working full time – and teaching doesn’t exactly leave me full of energy at the end of the day – means I have a safe and steady income to support myself and my family, I have job security and a lot of joy from students (plus an endless supply of great character names, hilarious one-liners, wonderful colleagues, and an invaluable dose of hope for the future because young people are actually awesome). But I don’t have a lot of time to write.
When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
I re-read the lead up. I mutter to myself. I journal about all the things going on for the characters, all the warring voices in their heads, the emotional baggage, the ways I could make things so much worse by tweaking location, timing, action, etc… And then I shut the door on the world and head-down write it out.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
Journalling is so helpful for me. When I do my morning pages, I often hash out a character’s situation, all the contributing factors, the past, the future, all of their conflicting desires and fears and needs. I find journalling helps me a lot – primes the writing pump so that when I do get time to write, I’m ready to go.
If you could be mentored by a famous author (living or not), who would it be?
Maybe Courtney Milan – she writes across a lot of the genres I do, she’s a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in her writing communities, and I enjoy her work.
What author in your genre do you most admire, and why?
Tessa Dare slaps – everything I’ve read of hers has me feeling the feels and laughing out loud. She balances deep and difficult topics with hope and humour. I was going to say Alexis Hall, but that would require a wider definition of genre – and see how I’ve sneakily mentioned them anyway…? Another writer whose every work sings.
Have you ever cried when writing an emotional scene?
I’ve come pretty close in a couple of my regency romances – they’re not published yet, so I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s a miscarriage in one and in another her friend’s husband is killed. Both those scenes were really heartbreaking to write.
Do you feel bad putting your characters through the wringer?
I feel it. I don’t know if I feel *bad* as such. I always give them happy endings, and the highs are sweeter for the lows.
Have you ever hated one of your characters?
In Within My Reach, Anna’s dad and brother are thoroughly enjoyable to loathe. Honestly, one of the highlights of the book is how fun it is to hate them.
Have you ever fallen in love with one of your characters?
I think fall in love with all of them – my main characters at least. Most of my books are M/F, and it’s so easy, as a bi woman, to fall for both protagonists as they fall for each other. A particular favourite is the Catholic priest character in ‘What’s Irish for Encore?’ – he so desperately wants to do the right thing and it’s kind of heartbreaking.
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
Romcoms with dark centers and spicy bits. The humour off-sets the serious and difficult stuff, and I do like my romances to have a decent bit of conflict – real stakes, reasons NOT to be together. The more they have to overcome, the more convinced I can be of their happily-every-after.
Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
Marian Keyes and Jane Austen, I’d say, set me on my path. Marian Keyes is a master of that combination of comedy and dark/difficult topics. And Jane Austen because delayed gratification and the beauty of subtext – all that unstated but potent feeling. I love it! I think I’ve been chasing the feelings I got from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice for coming up 30 years now…
What books did you grow up reading?
Lots of classics actually – Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre… Lots of writer characters, women going against the grain of society’s expectations, and there’s definitely a common thread of a slow-burn with queer AF undercurrents. Yeah.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
Little Women, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion innumerable times. I’ve become an audiobook addict in recent years and a lot of my favourite classics have stunning fully-casted audio productions. There’s something so relaxing about a book that you know will satisfy. Most recently, I’ve re-read Alexis Hall’s ‘A Lady for a Duke’ which I think has one of the best premises of all time. The tension is stunning – these two characters have so much skin in the game and it just burrows into my chest and bursts into flames.
Describe your favorite reading spot.
On the porch, feet up, right at the start of the school holidays. It’s sunny, but I’ve got my head in the shade, and a cold drink. Lady Sings the Blues is playing. It’s late afternoon and I’ve got nowhere to be. Bliss!
Do you only read books in one genre or do you genre hop?
I’m constantly genre-hopping. I teach English Literature in Aotearoa, so I read a lot of New Zealand authors (Witi Ihimaera’s backlist is all over my TBR at the moment). I go through phases of speculative fiction (Octavia Butler, omigosh) and cozy murder mysteries (Thursday Murder Club – book 3 audio narration is done by Fiona Shaw!) I always come back to romance – generally regency or contemporary. I love to learn, so I lap up books that transport me to a world I don’t know. That said, there are some stunning NZ romance writers – I guess it’s a place I know in real life, but it’s so rarely captured in films and books that reading my own country is still a discovery.
Have you ever thought you’d hate a book, but ended up loving it?
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan – I was hesitant because Jodi Picoult is kind of famous for books that will break you, and the story starts with the death of a trans girl – and I just think there are too many tragic stories about young trans people… but it is a great read. Jennifer Finney Boylan is a trans author, which adds some credibility, and its cool that Picoult (a BIG name) gave her more of a platform with this. I was given the book for Christmas and we were away on holiday – so I was in the right head space to give it a go, but my expectations were low. I learned a lot, and it really drew me in. Proper good twist ending, too.
