A Conversation with Nina Kenwood - author of People Skills

Hi Nina, thank you so much for chatting with us about your newest release, People Skills.

We absolutely loved this story - you’ve set the bar extremely high for what to expect from a romcom going forward. It was laugh-out-loud hilarious as much as it was swoonworthy, and we can’t wait for it to finally release on October 6th so that we can talk to EVERYONE about it!

It’s such a privilege to feature you in this Q&A, and we’d like to extend a huge thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. 

 

1. Can you first start by giving us an elevator pitch for your new novel, People Skills?

[NK] The Devil Wears Prada meets Emily Henry’s Beach Read in this romcom about a personal assistant attempting to cure her boss’s son’s writer’s block.

2. We’re Melbourne-based, so the setting of People Skills painted a very vivid picture for us outside of the hustle and bustle of the centre. What made you decide to move away from Melbourne and set this story coastal?

[NK] I grew up in a small coastal town about an hour and a half outside of Melbourne, and I always wanted to use my hometown as inspiration for one of my books! I love small beach town settings, and from a craft perspective, a small town is also a useful way to keep all the characters together and interacting.

3. Follow-up question: if you had to flee home for a long weekend and go somewhere to escape and unwind, where are you choosing?

[NK] As much as I love a beach setting, I have been dreaming of booking myself a weekend away to write in a cosy country town like Daylesford or Castlemaine or Woodend, so that’s my pick! 

4. Hillary has retired (hard to believe, but go with it), and now it’s up to you to coordinate the literary festival. You get to decide the lineup for your festival - so who would you put on it?

[NK] Oh, this is such a fun question. Let’s pretend I have a very large budget. I would have Ann Patchett in conversation with Elizabeth Strout, Rainbow Rowell talking to John Green, Mhairi McFarlane and David Nicholls on a panel, I would have Jenny Han talking to Emily Henry about adaptations, Sally Rooney in conversation with Claire Keegan, Curtis Sittenfeld in conversation with Lily King, and I would have a whole day of fun romance panels and games featuring an array of Australian romance writers - Jodi McAlister, Steph Vizard, Brooke Crawford, Anita Heiss, Karina May, Patrick Lenton, Melanie Saward, Josh Hortinela, Leesa Ronald, Rachael Johns, Olivia Tolich, Bridie Blake, Holly Brunnbauer, Amy Matthews, Clare Fletcher, Shailee Thompson, Emma Mugglestone, Darcy Green and more!

Also I would have an extensive children’s and YA day, so many literary festivals have reduced or dropped their children’s programming, and we need to be engaging young readers more than ever.

5. We’re visual learners at Booxies, and the biggest fans of a book-to-screen adaptation. Who are you casting as Charlotte, Xavier and Hillary? (We could see Nicole Kidman nailing the role)

[NK] This is tricky, because I really love a lot of adaptions that have complete unknowns (to me at least) in the roles, such as The Summer I Turned Pretty, Off-Campus, One Day, etc. and I often think that works best. So, I think Charlotte and Xavier are unknowns, (although I’d love Maia Mitchell for Charlotte!) and Cate Blanchett or Rachel Griffiths for Hillary.

6. It’s apparent that Charlotte has a methodical approach to her creative processes. How does your own approach to the writing and editing of your work compare?

[NK] A lot more chaotic, in part because that’s how I fit writing into my life at the moment – I have to write when and where I can. I used to be organised and methodical but motherhood has turned me into a much more Type-B kind of person!

7. Xavier goes through every author’s worst nightmare - aggressive writer’s block. Has the storyline, and more specifically, the way Charlotte manages to combat it, stemmed from any experience you have had?

[NK] Definitely! The more time I spend scrolling on my phone, the less creative my brain feels. Social media can be incredibly entertaining and joyful and interesting, but sometimes I can actually feel how the addictive nature of the scroll and short-form videos negatively affect my brain. So getting away from screens is important. Exercise is always going to help. And reading, reading, reading. I always have to remind myself that when I’m stuck, nothing will free me like books will.

8. After a book as loved as The Wedding Forecast, was there a version of Xavier's follow-up pressure that felt familiar while you wrote People Skills?

[NK] It definitely adds pressure, but in other ways it’s freeing. Because I could tell myself, well even if everyone absolutely hates People Skills, I still know there are a bunch of readers who enjoyed The Wedding Forecast and nothing can take that away. But really, you have to get out of your own head to write the next book and not think about any of this stuff.  

9. When you’re deep in the edit stage, what are your go-to rituals or treats to keep you sane?

[NK] Coffee is my only non-negotiable. And I guess my other ‘treat’ when on deadline is allowing myself to guilt-free ignore the mess in my house or pressing life admin and emails, and just focus on the work.

10. Edits are done for your next book, so you’re headed down for a drink and a game of chess at Simone’s wine bar to celebrate - what’s your order?

[NK] I’m not actually a big drinker, so my true focus would be on the food -- a big platter of delicious breads, dips, olives and cheese.

11. On a Saturday morning are you team sunrise swim, sunrise coffee stroll, or skip sunrise for a lie-in?

[NK] I’m a Gemini, so within me are two people. One is a night owl who will stay up late and always choose to sleep in, and the other loves the virtuous feeling of being out early for a beach walk or run.

12. In the spirit of Charlotte’s ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ attitude, if you could believably pass off any book as written by you, which would you choose?

[NK] Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, or, wait, if we can somehow involve time travel, then all of Jane Austen's novels.

13. Your understanding of publishing and the world of books is a real force behind this story. If you could give a snippet of advice to someone who wanted to start out writing their first story, what would it be?

[NK] Finish what you start, be prepared to redraft many times, never stop reading, success usually comes from the right combination of luck, timing, and talent, let go of the things you can’t control, when in doubt go back to the page and work on the next book, and the more informed you are about the industry, the better (go to events, follow people on social media who have reading taste that appeals to you, listen to bookish podcasts, I have learned so much from podcasts).

Thank you so much for taking the time for us, Nina. We’re officially counting down the days for People Skills to be on our shelves!

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People Skills releases October 6th, grab your copy here to read about Charlotte and Xavier's story!

The perfect romcom now that we're heading into warmer weather, why not add it into a Build Your Own Booxie for the ultimate treat for yourself or a lucky someone?

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Blurb:

Thirty-year-old Charlotte is working hard to reinvent herself after her career as a book editor went up in flames. She’s moved to a coastal town and landed a new job as a personal assistant to well-known media personality Hillary Hobbs. Hillary is launching a writers festival, and Charlotte is determined to prove herself capable of meeting her boss’s every need.

When Hillary’s son Xavier arrives in town, Charlotte has a new problem to solve. A one-time-bestselling author, Xavier hasn’t written a word for years and now he’s broken up with his girlfriend and has nowhere to live.

Charlotte finds herself not only offering Xavier her spare room, but also promising Hillary she’ll get his life back on track.

But the more time Charlotte and Xavier spend together, the more an undeniable attraction develops, complicating everything…