Trish Ryan is a longtime Urban Muse reader and a fellow Cantabridgian. Her first book, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, comes out this week, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for her. Trish and I talked about finding a publisher, favorite authors, and more.

Urban Muse: How did you stay motivated when you were writing your book?
Trish: One of my favorite things about being a writer is that you can edit. So motivation wasn’t too much of a problem, because every sentence I wrote carried (in my mind, at least) the caveat that it wasn’t necessarily going in the book. These were all just ideas I was capturing; I tried not to get attached. This is, I suspect, what it must be like shop with an unlimited budget: you have the freedom to try all sorts of crazy things, then decide later what you’ll actually wear.

UM: Could you tell us about the process of finding a publisher?
T: When I queried my wonderful agent, Elisabeth Weed, she’d just had lunch with Chris Park, an editor at Hachette who’d said something to the effect of, “I’m looking for an edgy book about faith.” So Chris was on Elisabeth’s list when we sent out the proposal. It was pretty much a perfect fit from the start…not at all something I could have orchestrated! But I’m super grateful, as Chris and her team really understood my vision and the story I wanted to tell.

UM: Any tips for first time authors?
T: I’m fairly certain I don’t have anything to offer new authors that hasn’t been said before, but here are my “big three”: Be teachable, Connect with other authors, and Read everything you can get your hands on.

UM: Who are some of your favorite authors?
T: It’s a long list! I have been a voracious reader since I was a little girl (my favorite day of school was when they handed out the deliveries from the Scholastic Book Club) and that continues to this day. I just finished two memoirs that were spectacular: THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelly Corrigan, and REDEEMED by Heather King. Fiction-wise, I’m anxiously awaiting Allison Winn Scotch’s next novel, and Lisa Tucker’s latest, THE CURE FOR THE MODERN LIFE is one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Her creativity amazes me. And Anna Quindlen is a huge inspiration—she does it all.

UM: What are you working on next?
T: My next book will pick up where HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT left off, with stories of figuring out this new stage in my life. It’s been an entertaining few years, and I’ve fallen in a pothole or two along the way (as readers of my blog can attest) so the book should be plenty fun to write!

Thanks, Trish! Can’t wait for the launch party.