An Interview with Amanda Waters, author of With You

Amanda Waters is a former journalist-turned-librarian, and author of the feel-good romance novels You Again and With You. She’s a midwestern girl currently living in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their two children. When she’s not writing or hiding from the humidity, you can find her reading, drinking way too much coffee, or playing endless games of UNO and Exploding Kittens.

Learn more and buy With You here.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I like to credit my dad for getting me started writing. I had a terrible time sleeping as a kid, and Dad would always tell me to just make up stories while I lay in bed. As I got older, I became a voracious reader, and a lot of my “first-love” books inspired me want to write my own stories, books like Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and the Ramona series. I’ve also always been really inspired by music. I’m in awe of songwriters who can tell a complete story within the structure of a song. A song will often spark my imagination.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve been a newspaper reporter, a barista, and a librarian. The newspaper I worked at was a weekly suburban paper, so we mostly wrote about hyper local news: school districts, local business news, and human interest stories. One of the most fun stories I got to write for the newspaper was an exposé on a local travel company that was scamming people. It was a “movie moment.”

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

The first time I saw my book cover and held my book in my hands was absolutely surreal! It was a dream come true.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

“Wild Angels” by Martina McBride; “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty; “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves; “Canary” by Joy Williams; “Steady Love” by Ben Rector; “Happy Forever” by Jess Ray.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope readers finish my book feeling like they just spent time with good friends.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The first time a stranger read and liked my book was one of the most profound and meaningful experiences, and it’s something that never ceases to feel special.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I’m re-releasing an updated version of my first novel, You Again, in January, and am also working on another novel about a hopeless romantic and a curmudgeonly cynic.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.