When I created my young adult Cecily Taylor Series, I knew I wanted to give a teenage girl all the things she’s ever dreamed about like her dream career (acting) and a chance to date her favorite singer/songwriter, Andrew Holiday. I thought it would be interesting to see how Cecily would react to getting the life she thought she wanted and how she would actually handle it. Honestly, who hasn’t thought about what it’d be like to date their celebrity crush?

When writing the books, I imagined a realistic way where Cecily could not only meet Andrew (at an audition) but develop a relationship with him while on the music video set. Writing those early scenes where Cecily is falling for her pop star crush, while still trying to act normal was a lot of fun. She’s gushing and freaking out on the inside but trying to appear calm and cool on the outside. On a date, she slips and reveals she recognizes a watch that she’s seen on social media that is his grandfather’s, and then she feels like a complete stalker when she realizes she’s outed herself as a mega fan. I kept imagining how a date with my favorite singer would go and I realized it would be awkward knowing so much personal history about him. Where is that line for Andrew between a fan and a person he could see himself really dating?

As a kid I was obsessed with George Michael, and you can definitely feel George’s influence in Andrew Holiday. However, recently my mom reminded me of a crush I had when I was a toddler! Yes, you read that right, I said toddler. I was laughing as she told me I would sit in my toddler car seat bopping along to Andy Gibb. It’s not important who else I had a poster of on my wall next to the Holly Hobbie pictures…ahem. I went on YouTube and looked up some old interviews of Andy, and you can definitely see his influence as well. Readers always tell me they see Shawn Mendes in Andrew and while he wasn’t on my radar when I first started the series, I can see what they mean. As I’m working on book three in the series, (Cecily in the City will be out in March), I have been listening to Shawn and reading his interviews.

While writing the books, I always make a playlist that goes along with the story. Some are songs I listened to while writing or editing, while others are ones that came out after the books released and they work so well with the storyline. Some of the artists on the playlist include: Ed Sheeran, George Michael, Mac Miller, Matt Pokora (his music inspired some scenes in the upcoming book), Shawn Mendes, Kasey Musgraves, Jon Connor, Marina, Clark Manson, Kylie Minogue, Lauren Alaina, and Johnny Gill among others.

George Michael’s song, “Waiting for that Day,” is just one of the George songs I imagine Andrew singing that Cecily relates to. In fact, the box set of Andrew that has all heartbreak songs on it about exes which Cecily refers to as paying “Fifty bucks to hurt my own feelings,” is based on an album of his that I got as a kid! “One More Try” is another of his songs that inspired me while writing. Clark Manson’s “Track 9” is another song that’s perfect on the playlist for the book. Marina’s song, “Flesh and Bone,” inspired a scene in In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Action and well as scenes in the upcoming book where you see Andrew and Cecily both dealing with being in the public eye.

Kasey Musgraves’s Star-Crossed album has been in the background while I’m working on book three and it was also the soundtrack as I worked on the updated version of my other book, Dating the It Guy. Jon Connor’s “Every Other Word” is one I have on repeat while working on book three, too. Lauren Alaina’s “Painting Pillows” is also in rotation as I work on book three, so stayed tuned.

Here’s a link to the playlist on Spotify. Let me know what you think! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GGJxscWXWZsbuVV6jCclk

Find the bestselling series here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VYS5G3S

About the Author

Krysten Lindsay Hager is a bestselling author of YA and contemporary romance. Krysten writes romance because she loves bringing people swoony moments & hope-filled happily ever afters. Her books are known for making you laugh, cry, & swoon. Along with romance, her novels deal with self-doubt, finding where you belong, true friendship, & soulmates.

Website: https://www.krystenlindsay.com/
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/

Years ago, I was in high school reading an article about John F. Kennedy Jr. and started wondering what it’d be like to deal with that level of scrutiny. As it was, I felt very judged in my hometown, so it threw me into imaging what he must have felt in his everyday life. Later in college, I wrote a short story imagining a teenage girl who was dating a guy who was basically a high school version of JFK Jr. I kept thinking about all the focus that had been on his wife, Carolyn, and I decided to turn that short story into a novel. I read (and watched) a lot of biographies on John and Carolyn and got a feel for what their lives were like behind closed doors. I read about insecurities they had, the opportunities he couldn’t take because of his family name, and what it was like living in a fishbowl with strangers watching you grow up and having an opinion on everything you did.

I really got into what it would be like to grow up where every move you made was watched, so then I imagined this teenage girl, Emme, who already has insecurity issues after being in a bad first relationship. I had Emme find a soulmate connection with this popular guy named Brendon who is also a well-known senator’s son. Brendon is trying so hard to live up to the family name and be the perfect son and student, but he is overwhelmed by the pressures on him. In my short story, I had given him a love interest that was his opposite, so I made Emme much more carefree and laidback. I pictured Brendon being on all these school committees and clubs and worried about grades and getting into his dad’s former college, while Emme is busy just being a normal high school student and trying to get on the school newspaper staff.

Then I thought about how important family ties were to JFK Jr. as I felt that connection with him as John passed shortly after I lost my grandpa. I wanted to include what my family had gone through with my grandfather’s dementia, and I thought I could have both Emme and Brendon dealing with grandparents with health issues which winds up cementing their bond even more. Brendon and Emme became more real to me as I was writing, and I almost felt bad giving this couple so many relationship obstacles on their path to true love. Notice I say, “almost.”

I re-released the updated book, Dating the It Guy, this April and since so many readers had asked if I’d do a sequel, I thought instead I would write an epilogue of what happens to Emme and Brendon couple years later after they graduate from college. In one way I was giving the readers a look into the future, but it was also a way for me to give my characters a happily ever after since it’s always been so sad that John and Carolyn’s lives were cut short. I learned a lot about John and Carolyn in my research and came to admire them both.

You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Y2RFRM7

Clip of me reading an excerpt of the book on Book Notes: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2134241629925807

About Me

I write novels about friendships, crushes, hope, dealing with self-doubt, finding where you belong as well as your soulmate. My sister says my books are an airing of my grievances, but I like to think I’m just working through issues via my characters to help my readers work through theirs. Either way, the bumps along the road gave me a lot of material.

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but my mom made me show her I was serious about it my senior year when she signed me up for writing conferences to see if I’d sink or swim. Who knew I’d finally feel like I fit in somewhere…well, fit in-ish. I love reading, TV shows, watching strangers’ IG stories, and lipstick.

Website: www.krystenlindsay.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay