A short while back I had the pleasure of reading a little novel called My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend. It’s written by Elodia Strain and it has the weird quirk of having been a film BEFORE it became a book! Both the book and the movie are great and are different enough from each other to not be annoying! So, obviously, I was intrigued about the coming about of it so when Danielle set up an interview for me with Elodia, I was thrilled! Here’s the results (and it’s pretty awesome, I have to say as Elodia is one of the nicest authors ever!). Enjoy!

1. Would you please describe My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend for us in five words?

Fun, unique, uplifting, surprising, sweet.

2. Are you currently working on a new novel? If you are, can you tell us anything about it?

I am! It’s another Chick Lit novel. It takes place in Seattle and covers some topics that are very of-the-moment. And it’s full of comedy. The main character is quirky and fun, and she gets herself into some pretty interesting scrapes. I’m having a lot of fun getting to know her.

3. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about why whomever it was (I can’t find anything that says if it was yourself who wanted to do it, or the publishers, hence why I can’t clarify) wanted a book version of My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend? Obviously books-to-movies happens, but rarely is there a movie-to-book!

This book came to be in the most amazing way! The acquisitions editor at my publishing house attended a film festival to see if there were any films that the company might be interested in distributing or adapting. She saw the movie and immediately fell in love. Soon, my publisher struck a deal with the writer and director of the movie, Daryn Tufts, and unbeknownst to me gave him my name and my previous books to read. A week later, I got an email from the acquisitions editor asking if I’d be interested in adapting the movie into a book, and I haven’t looked back since!

4. How did you become the writer they chose to write My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend?

All the stars aligned somehow. I think the editors felt like my writing style meshed well with the vibe of the movie, and I am so thankful they did.

5. Did you have to watch My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend: The Movie to write the novel, or did you receive a copy of the script so you could transcribe the parts you wanted to keep in from the film?

The day I got the offer, I watched the film, and took copious notes on what really hit me. Then after the contract was signed, I got the script from Daryn Tufts. We talked at length about the project, and I asked him how he felt about me using direct quotes from the movie (some of which were in the script, and interestingly, some of which were ad-libbed by the actors) because I felt like some of them just had to be in the book. He was good with that, so that’s what I did.

6. Was it fun to be able to add your own characters and twists to things, whilst still keeping to the main themes of the movie?

Oh my goodness! So much fun! I had done a bit of research into movies that became books and saw that readers didn’t want to read just a book version of the script. They wanted to see more. So I made sure to take that into consideration. And I was kind of blown away by how naturally it all happened. I really connected with Jesse and felt like the book was a chance to get deeper into her thoughts and her story.

7. There was a lot of humour in My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, and it seems your previous two novels follow suit. How important is it for you to make your readers laugh?

It’s my highest hope when I write. In my early twenties, I was working writing ad copy when I was diagnosed with a painful debilitating illness. Suddenly, I was turning to books for comfort like never before. And the books that helped me the most? Humorous Chick Lit novels. That’s when I knew I had to write books, and what kind of books I had to write. Humorous fiction changed things for me. And I wanted to pay it forward.

8. Did the writers/producers/directors of My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend get to see your novel before it was published?

I sent Daryn Tufts a galley before the book went to press. I’ve never been so nervous about anyone reading my work! I so wanted him to know how much I adored his story and wanted him to feel I had treated it correctly. When I got his stamp of approval and read his blog post about it, I actually got teary eyed.

9. When you’re not busy writing your own novels, what books do you enjoy reading? Are you a Chick Lit fan?

I think I might be Chick Lit’s #1 fan [Ed note: YAY]. For humor, no one beats Sophie Kinsella and Sarah Mlynowski. And for the more poignant stuff I love Emily Giffin. But I’m also kind of a nerd. I’ve been known to get lost in a book about medicine or psychology. And I love a good women’s magazine in the bath. I subscribe to pretty much all of them.

10. How did your original book deal come about with Cedar Fort?

As I worked on my first book, I looked into the publishing houses I felt were a good fit. Cedar Fort was at the top of my list. I remember boxing up my manuscript and dropping it in the mail like it was yesterday. A few months later, I got an email from an incredible editor who believed in me and in my writing vision. I will never forget that moment-it was one of the best of my life.

11. What’s the best thing about being a published author?

The readers! I think Chick Lit readers are the coolest people in the world. If I were stranded on a desert island, I would want to be there with a Chick Lit reader. Some food and water probably wouldn’t hurt either.

12. Finally, which is better: the movie version or your book version of My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend?

Ha! What I really love about the movie and the book is that they go together in this amazing way that I never could have imagined when I started writing. They bring each other to life. It’s so cool! I have to give props to Daryn Tufts though, the twist in the book that no one sees coming, that was all him.

Thanks so much, Elodia!

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