Author Interview: If It Makes You Happy

If It Makes You Happy released on Tuesday, and I am so excited to read it! I’m celebrating today with an interview with the author herself, Claire Kann!

Interview with Claire Kann

Let’s begin with a quick intro to your book—what’s your elevator pitch for If It Makes You Happy?

IIMYH is the unofficial book two in my unofficial Summer of Struggle duology.

Winnie is living her best fat girl life. Every summer she visits her Granny to live and work at their family diner, Goldeen’s, in the small town of Misty Haven. However, this year, Winnie is selected to become Misty Haven Summer Queen and it threatens to ruin her entire summer. It’s a story about family, friendship, and the hard lesson of learning how to teach the world to see you the way you see yourself.

If It Makes it Happy is your sophomore novel. How did the writing process change (or stay the same) as when you wrote your debut, Let’s Talk About Love?

My writing process pretty much stayed the same. I use an outlining method that I call Blueprints and it’s served me well for the past few years. The hardest part was juggling so many storylines, making sure everything got wrapped up by The End, and meeting my deadlines.

If you were in a televised cooking competition like Winnie, what would you make?

Nothing because I can’t cook. My spruced up frozen pizza and I would get booed off the stage.

Who are some of your favorite fictional characters that you love to hate?

Love to hate is an interesting concept that I don’t put much stock in. Ultimately, things like that don’t bring me joy and I’d rather spend my energy on things that I love with my whole heart. However, in the spirit of the question, I can say there are some characters that I love and would defend to death, but I haven’t quite figured out why yet—like Henry Deaver & The Kid from Castle Rock and Ohan from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.

Since your novel is called If It Makes You Happy, what are three things that make you happy?

Cats.

Kittens.

Found footage movies.

What’s up next? Can you share anything with us about what you’re currently working on?

I’m currently trying to teach myself how to write short stories. If I’m satisfied with the way the final versions turn out, I post them to my Wattpad account.

On a more traditional front, I’m working on my next YA book with my publisher that will hopefully be released sometime next year.


22718738About If It Makes You Happy

Release Date: June 4, 2019
Find it here: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

High school finally behind her, Winnie is all set to attend college in the fall. But first she’s spending her summer days working at her granny’s diner and begins spending her midnights with Dallas—the boy she loves to hate and hates that she likes. Winnie lives in Misty Haven, a small town where secrets are impossible to keep—like when Winnie allegedly snaps on Dr. Skinner, which results in everyone feeling compelled to give her weight loss advice for her own good. Because they care that’s she’s “too fat.”

Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it’ll go away if they can’t make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn’t want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top?

About Claire Kann

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Claire Kann is the author of LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE and an award-winning online storyteller. In her other life, she works for a nonprofit that you may have heard of where she daydreams like she’s paid to do it. Find out more by visiting her website: www.clairekann.com (and while you’re there, tell her about your cats. She loves cats. A lot.)

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