Slam Book with Jennifer E. Smith (a.k.a. The Proudest Moment of My Life)

[dropcap]I[/dropcap] can't tell you how excited I am about this latest Slam Book interview. The last Slam Book I posted was for Jacqueline Patricks and that feels like eons ago. Now, it's back and with a BANG!!! Because I've interviewed one of my favorite authors ever. YAYYYYYYYYY!!!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="379"] Jeremy Renner sums up what I'm feeling right now.[/caption]

If you don't know it already, let me just say that Jennifer E. Smith is awesome and I love her. One of her books, The Geography of You and Me, is finally coming out in paperback (I've waited a long time for this because I already have two of her books in paperback) this March 3, 2015 (although I have yet to check if it's the same date for our local bookstores here in the Philippines). Aside from that, her latest book, Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between, is set for release on September. And as most of you probably know, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is on its way to the big screen. So to celebrate all these accomplishments, Jennifer is here to answer my slam book!

Here we go!

---

About the Author:
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her writing has been translated into 28 languages.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

NICKNAME: Jen
AGE: 34
ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS: nerdy, genuine, creative

FAVORITES
COLOR: lavender
ACTOR: Colin Firth
ACTRESS: Meryl Streep
SONG: Shelter from the Storm by Bob Dylan
BAND/SINGER: The Beatles
BOOK: Harry Potter
MOVIE: The Shawshank Redemption
BOOK-TURNED-MOVIE: The Devil Wears Prada
BOOK/MOVIE QUOTE: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
FICTIONAL CHARACTER: Jo March from The Little Women
FOOD: Tacos
HOBBIES: Traveling
GUILTY PLEASURE: Too much TV
PET PEEVES: People who are thinking about the next thing they want to say instead of listening to what you’re saying.

THE REAL STUFF...
1. I've read three of your books (Statistical, Geography, and Happy) and I love all of them. The thing I love most about these books is the ending. It's happy, but not fireworks-blasting-in-the-background happy. It's more like, calm-and-lazy happy. Is this something that you consciously incorporate in your novels?
Yes, absolutely. I get a lot of questions about what happens to the characters later, since the books are a little bit open-ended. I always joke that they end with an ellipses instead of an exclamation point. But I think it’s more realistic to leave things on a happy and hopeful note, rather than a sweeping, fireworks-blasting, eternal-love kind of note, so that’s just what I tend to do. (Though as a reader, I always appreciate the fireworks-type of endings, too!)

2. Speaking of endings, do you believe in happily ever after?
I’m an optimist and a romantic, so yes!

3. I know this is like picking a favorite child, but I hope you can indulge us. Who's your favorite character from all of your books and why?
This is always such a hard question! But I’d have to go with Oliver, only because he was so much fun to write. He’s funny and charming and full of great banter, and definitely not the worst person to be stuck with on a long flight. (I'd go with Oliver, too! - Joy)

4. Last I heard, Hailee Steinfeld is set to star in the adaptation of Statistical. Any other updates? Have they picked a guy yet? I know he's supposed to be British (squeal!) and uber charming. Do you have someone in mind? :)
No updates yet, but hopefully soon!

5. Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between is coming out in September (lovely cover, by the way) and I am so excited. But I'm also a little bit scared because I can relate to the situation the characters find themselves in. So... can we expect a happy ending? And, my friend Laila asked, was this book inspired by actual events?
Thank you – I’m looking forward to it, too! It’s about a couple that’s been together for two years, and it’s their last night before they leave for separate colleges, and they’re still trying to decide whether or not to break up. It wasn’t inspired by real events in any sort of obvious way – I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time I was leaving for college – but that night has always stood out really sharply in my memory, so a lot of the smaller moments and emotions are very much based on my own experiences.

6. If you can go back in time (like, maybe 10, 15 years ago) and talk to your old self, what would you say?
Chin up! Just keep working hard, and good things will happen…

---

I'm in tears, you guys. I can't believe Jennifer E. Smith is actually on my blog.



Thank you so much, Jen, for answering my Slam Book. I know I can speak for other readers when I say that we enjoyed reading your responses and that it's so nice to know that you love Harry Potter, too. :D

Make sure to get the The Geography of You and Me paperback (this book's really good) and Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between once it comes out. I know I will.

Want to see your favorite author answer my Slam Book? Drop a comment!