If you could tell your teen self anything, what would it be? What advice would you give a teenager today?
I would tell her to relax, enjoy life, and take chances. I’d also tell her that everything changes, but that’s not a bad thing. I’d tell teenagers today the same thing. That and put down your phone—life isn’t on that screen. (I have to tell myself that same thing sometimes.)
The setting of New York City is a rich part of Mia and her friends’ story. What parts of the city inspired their stories?
When I’m in New York City, I walk everywhere. I’m afraid if I ride the subway, I’m going to miss something. Mornings always start with a trip to Zabar’s for a bagel and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Then I go exploring. I love the tree-lined streets uptown and the funky shops in SoHo. And I love the bridges that tower over everything, inviting you to travel to new places. Museums are part of every trip. I love going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with its Tiffany stained glass and huge marble sculptures. I also enjoy the MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History as well. And no trip would be complete without pizza and cupcakes, which are both featured in We Were Beautiful. I confess that I have yet to go to Coney Island, so the scene with Cooper and Mia was created with online research, but it’s definitely on the list for my next trip.
Which part of We Were Beautiful was the most challenging to write? What was your favorite scene to write?
The most challenging scene for me to write was when Mia remembers everything from the night of the accident. I wanted to make sure it was clear that she was put in an impossible situation. I also wanted Mia to really experience it all over again. I think that moment is when she finally releases her pain and allows her heart to be open again. My favorite part was the scene at Coney Island. The beach, the Ferris wheel, the giant cotton candy, and of course Cooper. What could be better?
What does the title mean to you?
We Were Beautiful has a wistful quality to it. It’s as if someone is remembering a time before an event when she was beautiful. But what I hope is that it will be clear by the end that they are all beautiful now and always will be.
How do you celebrate when you’ve finished writing a book?
It’s always different, but when I finished We Were Beautiful, my son and I were living in a cabin on a lake in Maine (just like Mia and her family). We packed our dog into the car and drove into town. We bought pie (coconut cream) and then headed out to the beach to eat that pie, run around, and watch Daisy, our blue heeler, chase the waves.
Connect with Heather Hepler!
www.heatherhepler.com
: heatherheplerwriter
: @heatherheplerwriter
: hlhepler
www.goodreads.com/author/show/121420.Heather_Hepler
Heather Hepler is the author of Frosted Kisses (Scholastic, 2015), Love? Maybe (Dial, 2012), The Cupcake Queen (Dutton, 2009), Jars of Glass (Dutton, 2008), Dream Factory (Dutton, 2007), and Scrambled Eggs at Midnight (Dutton, 2006). Heather has been making up stories in her head for as long as she can remember. It was an amazing day when she realized she could use her talent for good instead of evil. Now instead of making up outrageous stories to explain why her hands were dyed purple, what happened to the last cookie, or why she decided that spending twenty dollars on a talking fish was a good idea, she pours her creative energy into her novels, which she fills with whatever captures her attention: outer space, cupcakes, Renaissance Fairs, bacon truffles, Disney Princesses, sea glass, and love potions have all made the list. Currently she is fascinated with aliens and fruitcake. Her writing has received many awards and accolades, and she has been told more than once by her son that when she writes, she makes weird faces. You can contact Heather at [email protected].
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