An Interview with Andrea Casanova
Andrea Casanova is a Hispanic author from South Texas. Her love for writing came after her third-grade teacher, Ms. Bolado, assigned a creative writing paper for Halloween. One page was all it took for her to become obsessed with storytelling. Years were spent filling in composition books and carrying around USB drives so she could write on any computer she could get her hands on.
It wasn’t until middle school that she discovered her love of reading because she was able to explore different genres more freely.
Her two loves, reading and writing, followed her to college, where she majored in English with a minor in secondary education. After earning her degree, she decided to pick up that dusty old dream of becoming an author. She worked on several drafts of her manuscript in her spare time, and finally, in 2023, she received an offer for publication. A year later, her novel made its debut into the world, and she’s been living out her dream ever since!
What inspired you to start writing this book?
Honestly, writing has always been a very emotional outlet for me. I first began writing the rough draft while going to therapy. I had a few wounds that were stubborn to heal, so I used writing as a form of treatment. I wrote in hopes of getting my own pain out of my head. Imprisoned to the page, I realized I had written something that felt important: emotional abuse within romantic relationships.
Afterwards, I looked around my personal library and noticed most of the stories I was enthralled by at the time did have elements of abuse and oftentimes were romanticized. Now, there is nothing wrong with a fun, dramatic, romantic plot, but I say that as an adult who knows what is healthy and what is not. Right then and there, I had the idea of writing a book that perhaps younger me could have benefited from.
From then on, none of what I’ve written or published is factual to anyone’s life, let alone mine, but the emotions are as true as they were felt. I’ve always believed writing starts with your own heart. The rest can be fiction, but you must start with something real.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
It took forever! Early on, I had the absolute worst titles. They were too plain or too corny. It was simply named Inked for a while. I could not get it right for the life of me!
Funnily enough, I dug through my personal journal where I had written, “I want the title to be reflective of my main character and the repercussions of her relationships.”
*Ding!*
My gaze latched onto the sentence. A little rearranging here and there, and I settled on The Repercussions of Us.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write changes. I bounce from my office to my comfy living room couch, or sometimes I lug my laptop out to the backyard and write until those pesky mosquitoes get to me. (If you’ve ever experienced a hot, humid Texas summer, you’ll understand.)
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Remember that failure doesn’t exist as long as you’re trying. Every step taken is better than being at a standstill. Also, remember, you’ve always felt like your voice is the loudest when it’s on a page. That’s special. Use it!
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope readers leave my story knowing that love is oftentimes a consequence and a celebration of yourself. When I say love is a consequence, I don’t necessarily mean it is a bad one, but if you don’t feel celebrated, you’re not where you’re supposed to be.
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.
Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.