"I had no idea what I was doing and just went for it."

Debut author Stephanie Booth on scrapping a manuscript, wrestling down impostor syndrome, and her heartfelt novel, LIBBY LOST AND FOUND

Check out the collection of past Words With (Author) Friends, wherein I g-chat with an author and you get to read over my shoulder, and order Stephanie’s big-hearted debut, out October 15!

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Stephanie: Hello, Andi!!!

it's so good to chat with you. You're still one of my favorite editors ever.

Me: Aw, thank you! I think you were the first freelance writer I EVER assigned a story to...at Self magazine in...2009, maybe? Does that track?

Oh my gosh, really? I'm so flattered. :) I still look back fondly at those meaty Psychology Today stories you assigned me.

A Slew of Suspects | Psychology Today

It's like you knew what was coming lol

HA! Never made that connection before but oh yes, thrillers are ALL about "everyday paranoia"

Those were the days! And at the time I had NO idea you would go on to write novels! (...or that I'd be doing this either!)

It's been so fun to watch your career as an author take off. And as a reader, I can't wait for book 5

Aw, thank you! And huge congrats to YOU on your debut!!

Can you share a little about LIBBY LOST AND FOUND?

Thank you!

Btw I should mention that I'm a gushy person. I think sometimes that can come across as a little gooey in texts. But I mean it!

Oh I love goo! We could all use more gushing in this soul-crushing industry (not to scare you, lol)

Sooooo.... 40-year-old Libby Weeks writes the best-selling fantasy series in the world. (In terms of popularity, think Harry Potter + Game of Thrones x 100.) When she finds out she has early-onset dementia, she asks her biggest fan -- an 11-year-old girl -- to help her finish the last book.

Such a fun and original idea! Where'd the idea come from?

Right before the pandemic, I was just about finished with a completely different novel. I'd worked on it for years, revised it a million times and shown it to my agent, but I still wasn't happy with it. I kept asking myself why I didn't feel transported by the story like I had as a kid when I read my favorite books. Only 2 parts of it made me feel that way. One was a little girl named Peanut, and the other was this secondary character who wrote these ridiculous fantasy books that people could not get enough of.

At the same time, I felt like so many people I was interviewing for freelance articles were sharing their experiences about caring for a loved one with dementia, and my heart just broke for them.

Long story short, the idea hit me out of the blue. I scrapped my novel and started over.

Wow! How did you go about shaping a story around two secondary characters?