Getting to know Tracey Garvis Graves...plus a book giveaway

We are thrilled to have Tracey Garvis Graves back at CLC today to celebrate the publication of The Girl He Used to Know. Melissa A can't stop recommending this book! Check out her review. Tracey has a signed advanced review copy for one lucky reader!

Tracey Garvis Graves is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent nine weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into thirty-one languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, Cherish, Heart-Shaped Hack, and White-Hot Hack. She is hard at work on her next book. (Bio courtesy of Tracey's website.)

Visit Tracey online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

Synopsis:
Annika (rhymes with Monica) Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people's behavior confusing, she'd rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game—and his heart—to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She's living the life she wanted as a librarian. He's a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What was the inspiration behind The Girl He Used to Know?
My inspiration for The Girl He Used to Know was a song called “Same Old Lang Syne” by Dan Fogelberg. It’s the one about running into your old lover in the grocery store on Christmas Eve. It’s one of my favorite songs and whenever I listened to it, I would think, I wish they could have worked it out and overcome whatever it was that drove them apart. Why didn’t they try to find that love again? Why did they both get back in their cars and go their separate ways at the end of the song? My version of the song’s premise is not a literal interpretation—the hero is not a musician and while the serendipitous meeting does occur in a grocery store, it doesn’t happen on Christmas Eve. But I did take a couple who were “old lovers,” reunited them in the present, and then wrote about what unfolded when they gave it another shot.

Since there's already been a lot of buzz about The Girl, what is your favorite compliment about it so far?
I was terrified that I might not do Annika's character justice. I don't have any firsthand experience regarding being on the spectrum, so I had to rely on my research. I have been blown away by the positive feedback from readers -- many of whom are on the spectrum themselves -- about how authentically and sensitively they felt Annika was portrayed.

If The Girl were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Annika - Hillary Duff
Jonathan - Robbie Amell
Janice - Emmy Rossum

What is your favorite thing about springtime?
The fact that summer is not far behind. Spring is my least-favorite season.

Which movie were you hesitant to watch but then ended up loving?
Slumdog Millionaire

Since part of The Girl takes place during college years, what is your favorite memory from college?
Making the Dean's List for the first time. Also, the first home football game my freshman year. Go Hawks!

Thanks to Tracey for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends April 7th at midnight EST