My Interview with Stephanie Casher

Stephanie Casher, author of When Love Isn't Enough, agreed to answer some questions for me. I hope you find her answers as enjoyable as I did.


Was there a specific incident that gave you the idea for When Love Isn't Enough?
I suppose I can confess that the story is loosely based on a past love affair, the first time I experienced the pain of losing someone who I was certain was “The One.”

Have you ever known two people who went through the heartache that Tony and Samantha did?
Yes, intimately. ;)

Was it your intention to write a book that didn't have a fairytale ending? Or did it surprise you when it turned out that way?
The non-happy ending was very intentional on my part. I grew up reading romance novels and watching soap operas, and am definitely a romantic at heart, which I think is why my first real heartbreak was so devastating. I bought into all that prince charming / fairytale stuff, and it left me ill-prepared to deal with the loss of love. As a result I felt compelled to tell the story of what happens if you DON’T get your happily ever after, and how to heal, move on, learn, and grow from those experiences. Those are important messages to convey, especially for young girls.

When did you realize that you wanted to write?
Writing has always come naturally for me, and been my preferred mode of expression. I wrote in my journal pretty much daily from the 7th grade on (I tapered off after I turned 30 when I started blogging), and started my first “novel” when I was a sophomore in High School. I never intended to publish any of the stuff I wrote until a man I was dating read some of it and convinced me that I had a gift. So I decided to give it a try and see if I could actually finish a book and get it published. It took five years, but with a lot of hard work and persistence, I eventually got there. :)

Do you plan out the entire book before you begin writing? Or do you just sit down and write?
I usually have an idea of the general story arc -- core characters, setting, themes, etc. But every novel I’ve written has veered off on some unexpected tangent midway through the writing process, and when that happens, I try to just go with it. When my characters start talking to me, I listen.

Do you have a set time that you write each day? Or do you wait to be inspired?
Oh, I wish had enough “free” time to be able to write every day! I need to get away from all distractions in order to really engage my muse, so I usually head down to the beach or to a hotel when I want to get some quality writing time in. But once I find the space, the writing flows. My challenge has always been about finding the time.

How long did it take you to complete this book?
Including all the edits and revisions, about two years. I’m also a freelance editor, so when I’m working on a project, it’s very hard to take off my editing hat, silence my inner perfectionist, and stop messing with the manuscript.

How much research, if any, did you have to do for this book?
I didn’t have to do much research for this novel because it’s set in the town I live in, at the university I attended, with characters who bear a striking resemblance to some of my friends and family, lol. If I researched anything, it was more stuff on the craft of writing, i.e. character development, how to write strong dialogue, pacing, etc. I’m always trying to improve my writing -- I feel that’s very important.

How did you choose the names for your characters?
The Gabe and Faby characters are actually named after my two best friends in college. Megan, my sister in the book, is my best friend in real life. I like to name characters after people who are important to me, kinda like a literary shout-out. :)