The love story between my two main characters was so much fun to write—the characters seemed so real to me almost from the first page, and the chemistry between them was palpable on the page. It almost felt like I got to just sit back and watch them interact with each other.
Dallas Woodburn – 21 April 2020
The Back Flap
For fans of Everything Everything and The Love That Split the World comes a breathtaking new love story about living each day as if it were your last…
“A poignant and gripping heart-tug of a page-turner filled with heart and hope. I couldn’t put it down. Magic.” —Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe
After her parents’ bitter divorce, family vacations to the Big Island in Hawaii ceased. But across the miles, eighteen-year-old Tegan Rossi remains connected to local Kai Kapule, her best friend from childhood. Now, Tegan finds herself alone and confused about how she got to the Big Island. With no wallet, no cell phone, purse, or plane ticket, Tegan struggles to piece together what happened. She must have come to surprise-visit Kai. Right?
As the teens grow even closer, Tegan pushes aside her worries and gets swept away in the vacation of her dreams. But each morning, Tegan startles awake from nightmares that become more difficult to ignore. Something is eerily amiss. Why is there a strange gap in her memory? Why can’t she reach her parents or friends from home? And what’s with the mysterious hourglass tattoo over her heart?
Kai promises to help Tegan figure out what is going on. But the answers they find only lead to more questions. As the week unfolds, Tegan will experience the magic of first love, the hope of second chances, and the bittersweet joy and grief of being human.
About the book
What is the book about?
The book is a young adult speculative fiction novel set in Hawaii, with a love story and a dash of mystery. It takes place over the course of a week, unfolding from Monday to Sunday. The story begins when the protagonist, Tegan Rossi, wakes up in the lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii with no memory of how she got there from her Pennsylvania hometown. Her best friend, Kai Kapule, is thrilled that she finally kept her promise to come visit—Tegan doesn’t tell him the part about losing her memory—and, as the week progresses, the two of them grow even closer. It is the vacation of Tegan’s dreams… except she can’t escape a niggling uneasiness in the back of her mind. When her memory does ultimately return, it changes everything.
When did you start writing the book?
August 2016
How long did it take you to write it?
About a year
Where did you get the idea from?
The idea for this book came differently than my ideas for previous novels and stories, because I typically begin with character: getting to know a character and letting the narrative evolve by asking what my character would do in certain situations. What is my character struggling with? What does my character want to say? For The Best Week That Never Happened, the idea sprung up in my head out of nowhere: “What if, when you died, you got to relive the Best Week of your Life?” The characters and story came quickly from there.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
It took me a little while to get the beginning right—there is some shifting between past and present, and I wanted to give the necessary backstory for my characters but not bog down the present-line story.
What came easily?
The love story between my two main characters was so much fun to write—the characters seemed so real to me almost from the first page, and the chemistry between them was palpable on the page. It almost felt like I got to just sit back and watch them interact with each other.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
My characters are entirely fictitious, although there are elements of myself in all the characters I write. Tegan was also inspired by my dear friend Celine who passed away in a tragic car accident—while I was writing this book, I was thinking of Celine a lot, and her bravery, vibrancy and beautiful heart definitely found their way into Tegan. Kai was inspired by my husband, who like Kai is sweet, kind, funny, and can do a lot of damage to a bag of sour gummy candy.
Do you have a target reader?
My book is in the young adult genre so it is geared for teenagers, but I have heard from many adults who have loved the book as well.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I write on the computer, usually at home at the kitchen table while my daughter naps, or sometimes at a coffee shop if I’m able to get away from the house for an hour or two. I always have a mug of tea on the table beside me, that (ideally) is growing cold as I forget about it, lost in the world I am writing. I generally have a vague sense of where the story is headed, but it might change a great deal as I go along. Writing a novel seems to me like swimming across a giant body of water—I can barely make out the shoreline on the other side. All I can do is keep swimming, keep writing, and try not to focus on how much farther I still need to go.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I don’t write a detailed outline. For this novel, since it takes place over a week, I had a sentence fragment describing what I planned to have happen on each day.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I typically start a new writing session by re-reading what I wrote the day before, and doing a little bit of editing as I go—but I try not to get too bogged down in editing when I’m powering through a first draft. For me, the first draft is always the most exciting yet also terrifying part of writing a story. I feel more comfortable editing when I have a first draft down on paper the whole way through.
A writer friend of mine describes editing as trying to get to an “equilibrium on the page.” I love that way of thinking about the editing process, because to me a story never fully feels “completed”; it always seems like I can delve back in and rewrite more and more. Eventually, you have to let go and move on to other stories, other characters, other explorations. I typically go through at least four or five revisions for my stories. This book evolved over more than three years of revising, with wonderful insights from my writing friends, literary agent, and editor, and I am proud of the way the novel grew with me as I gained confidence in my voice and grew into my own self as a writer.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Three of my writing friends read early drafts and provided feedback, and I worked with my agent and then my publisher on multiple rounds of edits.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes—I normally tune out after the first couple songs, but music definitely helps me get into the “writing zone.” I create a different playlist for every book I write. You can listen to my playlist for The Best Week That Never Happened at https://www.pinterest.com/dallaswoodburn/the-best-week-that-never-happened-playlist/
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I found my wonderful agent, Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group, through an online “pitch fest” through Savvy Authors. I had never before participated in anything like a pitch fest—whenever I queried agents it was through their website, by sending an email or, occasionally, even mailing an old-fashioned printed letter—but I figured all I had to lose was a couple hours of my time. Mark caught my eye because it seemed like my novel manuscript was exactly the kind of book he was looking for based on his agent statement. I spent a good hour rephrasing and honing my three-sentence pitch. Within a couple days, I received an email from him expressing interest and asking to read my entire manuscript. Within a week, he called me, said that he loved my book and told me in detail why and what he loved about it. I could tell right away that Mark “got” my book—and not just that one book, but my writing style as a whole. That’s when I knew he was the right agent for me.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
My agent submitted my book to a variety of publishers, and Month9Books was the first publisher to get back to us with an offer. The first time I spoke with the founder, Georgia McBride, on the phone, I felt an immediate connection. I could tell that she really loved and “got” my book, and I was impressed by her intimate knowledge of the publishing industry and the way she made me feel so welcomed and “part of the Month9 family.”
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My publisher hired a professional designer. I am so thrilled with how it turned out!
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I am fortunate to have so many people who have supported my writing dreams over the years, and who are championing my book to all their friends and family. I am doing a blog tour and also an in-person book tour, with events at local bookstores in California where I live. I’m also visiting some schools and book clubs virtually over Skype and in person. This book has lived so long in my head and my heart, that I am absolutely delighted to talk about it with anyone who asks!
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Elizabeth Berg once told me this advice when I met her at a writers conference, and I now have it on a post-it note on my bulletin board: “First, please yourself.” Yes, it is important to get feedback from others along the way, to help you make your book the very best it can be—but at the heart of everything, I believe you must stay true to your own voice and vision for your book. Take joy in the journey of writing, not only the final stop of publication.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Ventura, California.
Where do you live now?
The San Francisco Bay Area.
What would you like readers to know about you?
My dream as an author is that my writing resonates with people, making them feel understood and connected to the world.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the first draft of my next YA novel, which is similar to THE BEST WEEK THAT NEVER HAPPENED in that it is realistic fiction with a touch of fantasy and romance. I also recently launched a podcast called Overflowing Bookshelves where I interview an author every week. It’s been such a fun endeavor! You can listen to episodes at www.anchor.fm/dallas-woodburn or wherever you like to listen to podcasts.
End of Interview:
For more from Dallas, visit her website, like her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.
Get your copy of The Best Week the Never Happened from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
