Get ready to learn more about the book Not Too Old in this discussion with sapphic author Ann Tonnell.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Ann Tonnell about Not Too Old, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Growing Older category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Not Too Old?
Most romances are geared to the under 40 crowd. Aging women are pretty much invisible in life and in literature. It certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Growing older gives one a unique set of life skills. It often gives a unique set of ways to accommodate the physical changes of getting older. But by golly, we deserve the same romantic encounters as young folk! As they say, “Aging. Everybody’s doing it!”
Who is your favorite character in the book?
The main character, Sam, is a main character for a reason. We had a lot in common: declining mother, loving family and cycling on the same beach roads. But if I have to pick a favorite character, I guess it would be Sam’s mom, Bea. As in my own life, my mother was a special lady.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title pretty much came up on its own! It’s the second of the Mountains to Coast Romances; the first being Not Sorry. Given that the book is about finding love as an over 50 lesbian, Not Too Old couldn’t have been more appropriate.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Lucky for readers, Not Again, book three of the Mountains to Coast Romances is out already. It follows Sam on her journey, involving characters from my first novel, How Sweet the Sound, as well as usual suspects from the other M2C Romances.
What is your writing process like?
I’m pretty satisfied with my process. I start with an overall story arc, but let the characters dictate if things need to change. I kept hoping that Scrivener would help me better organize my stories, but alas, I found an Excel spreadsheet with pages for each book was my ticket.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I can’t have interruptions for sure. I like it quiet. Typically, I try to find a place away from the fam when I’m writing in earnest. That goes for the original manuscript and the edited one.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Anaïs Nin. What beautiful language! Wouldn’t it be great to hear her explain her process for those sensual stories. If someone wanted a look into her erotica (of the 30s and 40s, mind you), I suggest Delta of Venus.
Is there a particular genre you would love to write but only under a pseudonym?
Hahaha. In high school, I won fifty bucks in a poetry contest. When I look at it now, I think, simple. But it was judged by the nearby university’s literary magazine staff. But for sure poetry. I have gotten away from reading it in adulthood, but when I do, I always enjoy it. If I’m writing it though, for sure under a pseudonym, and not the pseudonym I currently use! Don’t worry, if I do start to write it, I’ll keep it to Haiku and limericks.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
I have Stage 4 Imposter Syndrome; it’s incurable. At some point someone told me that I had written a book, and most people can’t even dream of that. The organization, coming up with characters and dialogue, and putting it all together. And now I’ve written five, and they’ve all been published! Just possibly that advice gave me the years needed to write the other four books.
Have you ever cried when writing an emotional scene?
Lord have mercy, yes! Every book has at least one place I’ve cried no matter how many times I read it. But, full disclosure, I come from a family of expert criers. From my brothers to my mom, aunts and uncle, and grandmother. My brother and I have even embarrassed my (at the time) eight-year-old niece at the World of Coke by crying at their five-minute-long advertisement before they release you to the exhibits. Folgers commercials, long-distance phone providers’ (when there were long distance services) ads. Oh yeah.
Have you ever fallen in love with one of your characters?
Every. Single. Book. For me, I almost take the part of one of the main characters as I write. So falling in love with the other character becomes a necessity. Now, sure, I hate them all by the fifth post-editing read-through, but sure, I’m in love with somebody in those books as I write them.
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
It’s changed quite a bit over time. Currently I read more lesbian romance than other genres, but that’s because I want to validate that I’m providing the HEA appropriately. I had written two of my novels before I ever read even ONE romance (save for Patience and Sarah). I decided I’d better read one to get an idea of what would be expected in the manuscripts. As a young person, I enjoy sci-fi, then horror or non-fiction serial killer books. I grew up as Charles Manson was killing, and it made a real impression. Then I graduated to textbooks, mostly throughout college, though I enjoyed quite a bit of poetry, and the mandatory Shakespeare and 19th century literature. I’ve always had an episodic reading tendency. I’d go for years without reading anything but newspapers and work-related journals or textbooks. But I’ve enjoyed Barbara Kingsolver, Malinda Lo, and other popular fiction recently. Recently, I’ve also picked up a few of the classics I had never read as a teenager or college student.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
The only book I’ve read more than once is Goodnight Moon. And I’ve read that only in adulthood, and many times. The simplicity of the book and the attention paid to each item in a room says something about the way I look at life. If we don’t notice these little things, put off “going to sleep” if you will, we’ll miss some of the most precious items we’ll ever know.
Have you ever thought you’d hate a book, but ended up loving it?
I was highly suspect of Demon Copperhead. One, it’s thick. And once into it, it was so negative. How many bad things can happen to someone? However, it is rich and tragic and hopeful, and it is written beautifully. How could I have doubted it? It is Kingsolver.
