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| Amy Neff (photo: Sylvie Rosokoff) |
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Amy Neff's debut novel is The Days I Loved You Most (Park Row, July 30, 2024), a stunning love story and immersive family drama set in a New England beach town. Neff lives in Connecticut with her husband, two sons, and their rescue dog.
Joseph and Evelyn are genuine, fully developed characters, their marriage a remarkable example of lifelong devotion. Were they inspired by real people?
That means so much to hear, thank you. Joseph and Evelyn are completely works of fiction; their story is not my family story, although their setting is inspired by my family place. That said, I was lucky to have great examples growing up which have informed my definition of love. My grandparents had a beautiful marriage for over 50 years, until we lost my grandfather swiftly and unexpectedly to cancer. The years my grandmother lived without him always struck me as bittersweet, seeing grandchildren marry and snuggling great grandchildren, but not being able to share those happy moments with the one she loved most.
Jane refers to her parents' relationship as "impenetrable, a united front to a fault." What is the cost of this exceptional, almost exclusionary, marital bond for the rest of the family?
Their great love affects each of their three children in different ways. Jane, their oldest, is disillusioned by a damaging relationship in her past, and bristles against the idea that you need another person to be complete. Thomas is extremely private and guards his emotions, prioritizing his career over his marriage. Violet, their youngest, idealizes her parent's relationship as a fairy-tale romance, and the reality of her own marriage always pales in comparison. Their children have always understood that if forced to choose, their parents would choose each other, and that devotion turns into the catalyst for Joseph and Evelyn's unthinkable decision.
Stonybrook is a fictionalized version of the New England beach town where your family summered. Which aspects of your own experiences did you incorporate into the book?
I wanted to explore all that comes with committing not only to another person, but to a place. I grew up spending summers on a shared lot with my extended family. The two cottages were revolving doors of cousins, aunts and uncles, and my summers were filled with sun-soaked beach days and big family dinners with people shouting over each other to be heard. It was the most beautiful chaos and an idyllic childhood. It is a very special place to me, and the sense of calm and belonging I feel along the shore imprinted on me so deeply I wanted to capture those feelings within the pages of this book.
At its core, The Days I Loved You Most is a captivating love story with Joseph and Evelyn as the primary narrators, but it also includes the perspectives of their three adult children. What made you decide to add Jane, Thomas, and Violet?
When I set out to write this novel, it was important to me that it remained first and foremost a love story. Originally, and for many drafts, the only two points of view were Joseph's and Evelyn's. An editor I worked with along the way made the case for hearing from their children, because as much as it is a love story, it is also a family story, and the decisions made between them don't exist in a vacuum. I loved writing those three chapters because they give crucial context and alternate perspectives to explore. I had spent so much time with the family that their voices came easily, as though they had been banging on the door, relieved to finally be let out. I'm so glad they got to speak for themselves.
You mention that The Days I Loved You Most has been a lesson in novel writing. May I ask you to expand on that and share insight into the challenges of breaking into the publishing industry as a debut writer?
I have always been an avid reader, so I had a sense of what worked, and had been writing all my life. But I embarked on this journey blissfully naïve, for the fun and challenge of it, and followed where it led. I learned a lot about structure and pacing as I went, but I think some of the magic for me was the not knowing. I wasn't trying to hit certain beats, or follow a formula. These things can be incredibly helpful, and certainly is more efficient. But the meandering was all discovery and play. When I took the novel as far as I could on my own, I worked with editors that brought out different elements, and I learned so much from each draft. Breaking into the industry was much harder. It took me five years of querying this book to get a literary agent. Each batch of rejections, I revised again. I dug in deeper, uncovering layers to the characters, their motivations and fears, and the book was better for every year spent working on it.
How would you describe your creative process?
I am very disciplined. I like yellow legal pads and notecards and carving out overly ambitious schedules. To revise, I'd break down the weeks or months it would take, and then divide the number of chapters based on that timeframe. For the better half of my writing journey, I was pregnant and/or raising babies and toddlers full time. I don't write every day. It's not possible for this phase of life, at least for me. But I made time where I could, in early mornings, late nights, during the short-lived era of naptime, and in the rare stretches I could steal away thanks to sitters and grandparents. I took my self-imposed writing schedule seriously, long before there was anyone else holding me accountable. I found a way to move forward, even if I only had minutes. And there were stretches when I didn't touch the book at all. There are chapters that I wrote in one sitting, and ones that have been reworked and threaded throughout, and many scenes that were written and cut completely. I wrote far more than what ended up in the final version, and that helped me understand my characters on a far deeper level.
Do you have advice for fledgling authors launching their writing life while navigating the demands of raising a family?
Be patient with yourself. There is such an emphasis on getting published quickly, and getting your book out there fast. Don't buy into this. My journey was 10 years long. I started querying before I had children, and my children are now three and nearly five. It's not a race, and it's okay if it takes longer than you expect. My book is better for the years spent in revisions. Outsource what you can, ask for help. Take your writing seriously. Carve out time, but remember this season with your family is precious and fleeting, too. It's okay to not write every day. Stick with whatever you can commit to. The only one who can write your book is you, but give yourself grace when inevitably someone throws up, or your perfect flow is interrupted by someone needing to be wiped. As long as you keep going, you'll get there. --Shahina Piyarali