Get ready to learn more about the book All the Oceans in this discussion with sapphic author Polly Emorie.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Polly Emorie about All the Oceans, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Forced Proximity category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write All the Oceans?
I’ve been a writer all my life, and I’ve always wanted to write a book. I was explaining to an online friend of mine that I planned to start writing when I retired, and she laughed at me. Why not now? She asked. She was right. Why not now?
I fumbled around with a few ideas before I decided on Alex and Lilly—two ambitious women who don’t have time for love. Put them on a Ferris wheel, break the ride, and have them stuck at the top for hours. I’m not fond of amusement park rides (neither is Alex!), so having Lilly settle her down and flirt with her as a distraction seemed like a fun story to tell!
Who is your favorite character in the book?
My favorite character is Lilly’s 7-year-old little sister, Lacey, because she’s got an attitude. I love writing kids into my stories.
My favorite main character is Alex. She’s a lot like me in that she’s a STEM nerd and a language geek. Like for Alex, super smart women are a huge turn-on for me. We both have aspirations to make the world a better place (albeit in different ways), have huge hearts that want to continually give, and have an eye for pretty women. Like me, Alex is not a fan of Ferris wheels, but at least I have the backbone to stand up to my friends and tell them I’ll keep my feet on solid ground. 🙂
We’re different in some ways as well. I have a supportive family around me, but Alex needs to rely on her friends for support because her parents aren’t part of her life. She has a more solid group of friends around her than I do. Another big difference between us is that she’s a runner (with the body to prove it!). Me—not so much! LOL
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
This was the first time I ever wrote a book, so the whole process was a huge challenge. Oddly enough, the writing part came pretty naturally after I got started, but the whole editing and publishing process was a huge learning curve!
As far as writing this particular story, I think my biggest challenge was keeping Lilly and Alex together toward the end, because another potential love interest wheedled her way under Alex’s skin. That’s the basis for the second book in this poly series (which is available), so if you like that kind of thing, check it out.
Actually, it wasn’t hard to keep Alex and Lilly together—they’re meant to be, but it was a challenge to figure out how to do it in a way that honored their relationship while also respecting the fact that Alex has real feelings for someone else.
What part of All the Oceans was the most fun to write?
Oooey, gooey, sticky cinnamon rolls.
But seriously. (Please. Don’t ever take me seriously!) I think the most fun I had was with Alex and Emma. The deliciousness of their strong, platonic friendship inching into potentially romantic territory was forbidden, but omg, it was hot!
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
The sequel, the second book in the series, is already available. It’s a sapphic poly romance, where Emma finds her true love, but both Alex and Emma still have a hard time letting go of their feelings for each other.
What is your writing process like?
I’m a relatively new author. By that, I mean I wrote seven books before I published this first one. Since I started writing for myself and no one else, it took binge listening to a podcast (Lesbians Who Write, I’m looking at you!) to convince me that other people might actually enjoy my stories, too, and I should share them with the world.
I totally pantsed this book. I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going with it. That might have contributed to my learning curve on editing. LOL. I don’t have anything specific that I do in my process, other than sit down at the same time every evening to write, keep my butt in the chair, and stare at the blank page for a long time.
If I get stuck, I walk around the block, “plot thinking” and talking to myself. You won’t be surprised to find out that it made some of my neighbors very nervous to see the same person walking past their house over and over again. I had to stay close to home, because when inspiration hits… (Don’t worry, I’ve since explained to them how crazy I am, and they really have nothing to worry about!)
I’ve tried plotting, but it’s hard for me to get into my characters’ heads if I know exactly what’s going to happen, so I’ve landed on a middle ground now. I typically have the theme and overarching plots loosely planned out, but I have no idea how we’re going to get there. That’s part of the fun!
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Since naming TB (from the above-mentioned podcast) would seem a little bit fangirl-y, I’ll refrain myself, other than saying it would be really cool to pick someone’s brain who is frighteningly like me (from what I gathered listening to the pod, anyway).
If I could choose one author to spend a day with, I think it would be Robert Jordan. I’m a huge fan of his Wheel of Time fantasy series because of all the seeds and intricate threads he plants throughout his books and the way he weaves them in and out of his plots. This makes the series infinitely re-readable. (I’ve only read all 15 books three times, and every time, I see new things.) He rambles on more than necessary sometimes (and he’s definitely not for everyone!), but there are so many things about his writing that I would love to ask him about.
My favorite books in the series are The Shadow Rising (#4), The Gathering Storm (#12) and Memory of Light (#14). Also, kudos to Brandon Sanderson for finishing off such a beloved series after RJ passed away.
Is there a particular genre you would love to write but only under a pseudonym?
I would love to write popcorn thrillers (ala Freida McFadden). The genre is so formulaic ( Polly, like romance isn’t??), but I love the heart-thumping, page-turning need to read JUST ONE more chapter. I have a dozen different ideas for popcorn thrillers in mind, and will probably try my hand with them one of these days.
Why? Besides the fact that I enjoy reading them, there’s a shadow side of my mind that loves to explore the darker side of the human mind. When I write, I get deep inside my character’s head, so I’m a little afraid that I might turn to the dark side if I do that. But humans are such fascinating creatures!
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
“If you enjoy your stories, maybe someone else will, too.” An author friend of mine who writes straight romances tried convincing me for nearly two years to share my stories with the world. I kept convincing myself there was very little market out there for poly sapphic romances, so what would be the point? There’s a huge market for poly romance with men, but with all women?
One day, I just decided to heck with it. I’d invested in editing it and creating a good story, so worst case scenario, no one else reads it. (Um, Polly, that’s what happens if you don’t publish it, too!) On a whim, I created a REALLY bad cover for it in Canva and hit publish. I’ve since invested in a professional cover, but if you want to see the original, it’s still hiding on Goodreads.
Finally publishing gave me confidence that I can do this. I am a writer, I craft great stories, and readers will fall in love with my characters. It took me long enough, but now you can’t stop me. 🙂
Have you ever fallen in love with one of your characters?
Embarrassingly, yes. To be fair, since I get into my characters’ minds so deeply when I’m writing, I fall in love with all of them temporarily, but the one that lives rent free in my head is Emma. There’s something about her that lights up all the pleasure centers of my brain. Smart. Sexy. Gorgeous cheekbones. Her arm muscles. (Excuse me while I go wipe the drool off my face.)
Besides her physical attributes and her brains, I think another part of it is her accent. She has just the slightest accent to her otherwise perfect English. (She’s from Nigeria, but was raised in Florida, where both books 1 & 2 take place.) There’s something utterly sexy to me about a woman with a hint of an accent.
What book do you wish you had written?
The Winter Garden, by Kristin Hannah. I’m a huge fan of her books. This one is a horribly heartbreaking historical fiction set in Russia during hard times. However, of all her books, this is my favorite. (Numerous others could just as easily take this spot, though.)
It’s not so much that I wish I had written this particular book, but I wish I had this author’s skill with words to craft such a beautiful, moving story. The prose is beautiful, but in a way that enhances the story rather than pulling you out of it. Authors always hear “show, don’t tell.” This author doesn’t show – she completely and totally immerses you in her characters. You experience what her characters do. I aspire to have even a fraction of that talent when I grow up!
Have you ever thought you’d hate a book, but ended up loving it?
Every single popular book ever. There’s a part of me that is a total rebel. If everyone else likes something, I will resist and push back against it. Every damn time! 🙂
I’m embarrassed to admit this. Have you ever heard of the Ice Planet Barbarians? One of my writer friends told me about them last year. We were talking about finding a new niche and tapping into it. She told me about this series BLEW UP. So I tried it. I think I read the first few chapters and put it down. Nah. Not for me.
Then I found out my library had the audiobook, so I put it on one morning while I was getting ready for work, and… Um. I kind of got hooked. I think I listened to a dozen of them within a week or two. Why? I still have no idea. From a writer’s perspective, it was fascinating to study her craft, though.
When one of the characters in my book started growling and scratching at her partner, I made the wise decision to walk away. Put the book down, Polly. Walk away.
