The time it was about More Than Maybe

Posted July 21, 2020 by Stacee in Blog Tours, Interviews | 0 Comments

When I got the invite to take part of the More Than Maybe blog tour, I said yes immediately. I loved the synopsis and the idea of two characters loving music really excited me. I’m currently halfway through the story and absolutely smitten.

Before we get to Erin’s interview, let’s check out the book!

Title: More Than Maybe
Author: Erin Hahn
Pages: 336
Pub Date: July 21, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Find it: Macmillan | Indiebound | Bookshop | Goodreads

Growing up under his punk rocker dad’s spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn’t in front of a crowd, it’s on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.

Vada’s got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom’s boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil’s music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley’s prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor’s summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

Sounds good, right?

1. Please give the elevator pitch for More Than Maybe.

Two teenaged music nerds, who speak a common language of song lyrics, fall in love while working to save a dive bar.

2. Which came first: the plot or the characters?

Characters always come first for me. I might get an inkling for a plot or a scene, but nothing comes together until I spend time getting to know the characters. I have a lot of unseen pages of inner dialogue from my characters that have little to do with the final story but are just me getting to know what they’re about.

3. Why do you love Vada and Luke and why should we root for them?

Vada is so impressive to me. She’s so goal oriented and bold. Despite the challenges she faces, she’s constantly reevaluating and readjusting to make sure she’s on track to accomplish the future she’s always dreamed of. The girl doesn’t have an apathetic bone in her body. I also love how she seems to wear her heart on her sleeve. She projects this tough and sort of no-nonsense personality, but she’s super in-tune to the feelings of others and is always trying to find ways to stick up for her loved ones.

I actually stole Luke Greenly from an earlier, shelved book I wrote where he was this beloved side character. Which is sort of funny because I think that’s his comfort zone, as the “side” or “background” character. Luke is the complete opposite of smooth and outgoing. He’s a lovely awkward cupcake. He’s creative and thoughtful and stuck in his brain. Meeting Vada makes him bold and I think they’re such a wonderful compliment to each other.

4. What was the weirdest thing you googled for research?

I’m not sure if it’s weird, but I spent a lot of time researching silent discos for this book. I haven’t had the chance to experience one in real life, so I had to watch a lot of videos and read up on the trend to make sure it was represented authentically for the story.

5. Without spoilers, which scene was your favorite to write?

The end! I knew the ending scene almost from the first page, but I can only write in chronological order so there was a whole lot of time for me to build it up in my brain. I don’t want to give it away, but it’s probably my favorite ending I’ve ever written. It hits on all my favorite swoony tropes.

Speed {ish} round:

1. You find out that you’re being published for the first time. Describe the next 5 minutes.

Oh it definitely takes more than five minutes to sink in. Days, probably. Or more. I think I hung up the phone, texted my husband and then went back to making my kid’s lunch like nothing happened.

2. What three things would you take to a desert island?

Some kind of sun-charged music player, my debut, You’d Be Mine and sunscreen.

3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

Heh. I mean. It depends on how long I’m on that desert island! I really do love my first romance. I wrote the story I wanted to read. But, the former Catholic in me acknowledges that I should probably say the Bible.

4. Which book character would you want to hang out with?

Carswell Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.

5. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?

How much of it has nothing to do with the actual writing of the books!

6. You wake up and discover you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently?

Get bit on page one.

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ERIN HAHN is the author of You’d Be Mine and More Than Maybe. She teaches elementary, would rather be outside and makes a lot of playlists. So many playlists in fact, that she decided to write books to match them! She married her very own YA love interest who she met on her first day of college and has two kids who are much, much cooler than she ever was at their age. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, aka the greenest place on earth and has a cat named Gus who plays fetch and a dog named June who doesn’t.