Sit-Down Saturday with Amy Vastine

Today we’re celebrating the March release of The Best Laid Plans.

She planned on falling in love. Just not with him!


Emma Everhart's life is going according to plan. Finish nursing school with flying colours… Check. Get a great job in the ER… Check. Marry a handsome doctor and have two babies, three years apart… Not quite yet. But with a dreamy new doctor joining the hospital staff, she's so close she can almost taste the wedding cake. Now is not the time to let the tall, dark and flirtatious paramedic Charlie Fletcher distract her! He may be the best date and best kiss she's ever had, but he's definitely not part of her plan. No matter how he makes her feel….
Available at:
 B&N


So, Amy, where did you get the idea for this novel?

The Best Laid Plans was inspired by a couple different songs actually - "Not a Bad Thing" by Justin Timberlake and "Say Something" by A Great Big World. Both songs have similar themes but one is definitely a little more heartbreaking than the other. I wanted to write about someone who felt like their love was a bit unrequited but believed he deserved to be loved back. I knew I would be putting Charlie through the wringer but that in the end it would all be worth it! Here's a sample of the happier of the two songs!


How long did it take you to write?

Sometimes I feel like it takes me forever to write books. I have to stop comparing myself to those full-time writers who announce when they meet their 3000-word-a-day goals. Writing is my second job (sometimes third to being a mom) so I don’t have many 3000 word days. It probably took me five months to finish this novel. It took another three months to revise and edit it. It amazes me how much work goes into these things!

What is your favorite scene?

My favorite scene has always been the wedding crash. Emma’s plans for her sister’s wedding are falling apart. She’s totally distraught. Charlie sets out to show her a wedding isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about two people who love one another sharing that love with their friends and family. They crash a wedding and maybe share a kiss! This is where, in my opinion, Charlie is his most swoon-worthy.


Who was your favorite character and why?

100% Charlie. Charlie is my favorite character I’ve written so far. He’s funny and adorable. I love how he treats everyone in his life. He’s just such a good man and his positivity is a true gift. It also helps that he’s tall, green-eyed, and gorgeous. 

If you could pick actors to play the hero and heroine, who would they be?

I have two people that fit Emma’s role. When I originally wrote her in the first book in the series, I pictured her looking like Anne Hathaway. 
When she got her own book, I saw Sophia Bush from Chicago PD. Maybe it was all the Chicago Fire I was watching for “research” purposes! 
Charlie needed to be both cute and goofy. Zachary Levi fit perfectly! 

Check out my Pinterest page to see more inspiration - https://www.pinterest.com/vastine7/the-best-laid-plans/

What do you plan to work on next?


The third book in the series, The Hardest Fight, is all finished and due out in July. So, now I’m working a couple new series - one centered around a country music record company and the other about weddings … or maybe I should say about stopping weddings (think My Best Friend’s Wedding).



Come visit me all over the web!

Comments

  1. Amy, congratulations on Best Laid Plans! I can't wait to read it. I adore your writing and with all you have going on in your life I am a huge supporter---thank you for spending the time you do to grace us all with your vision and wonderful stories. I love the sounds of both your new series!!!

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    1. Thanks so much, Catherine. I appreciate your support more than you can imagine!

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  2. I can't wait to read this one, Amy! I can't wait to meet Charlie, although I think it's going to be tough to top Travis from The Weather Girl. He was definitely sweet and swoony! Congrats!

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    1. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I love Zachary Levi! Good choice!!

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    2. Thank you so much, Christy! I have to warn you, Charlie might steal your heart from Travis. They are somewhat similar but Charlie's sense of humor is my favorite. :)

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  3. Wow, you just sold me and I am sooooooo behind on reading.

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    1. Thanks Pam! I know all about being behind. In everything!

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  4. Amy, reading The Best Laid Plans right now and LOVING it! I am also a Charlie fan, and I want to slap Emma upside the head for not seeing how amazing he his immediately. Which is awesome because that keeps the pages turning LOL! Congratulations! I adore you!!

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  5. Thanks, Carol! I adore you right back :)

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  6. Huge congrats, Amy, on another fab book!! Your actor lookalikes are exactly how I pictured Emma and Charlie! And I think I've already told the world how much I LOVE Charlie lol ;).

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    1. Thank you, Rula! I appreciate how much you love him! Glad the images match up with the ones in your head. I love it when it comes together that way!

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  7. Congratulations, Amy. Sounds like a wonderful book - I love Charlie, and I haven't even read it yet. Anne Hathaway and Zachary Levi sound like a great pair to me. And love the music - something about 'don't worry about falling 'cause you'll land right in these arms.' Swoon.

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    1. Thanks, Muriel! And that song is filled with good stuff. The whole, "Is it too much to ask for every Sunday and while we're at it throw in every other day to start." I love it. There's that feeling that no day is complete without having that special someone in it.

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  8. I love when authors name songs that jump started a story - probably because I have quite a few stories that started with songs! And don't you worry on how long it takes to write books, Amy. Sometimes, I feel that way too, and I have author friends who remind me that writer is just one of many roles I juggle. It's an accomplishment just to finish a book, no matter the length of time. Congrats on this release! :)

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    1. Thanks, Cerella! I would love it if writing was my only job, but right now that's not the case. I do feel proud to be able to do it even if I only manage to write a couple book a year. I suppose some people never finish one!

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  9. Hi Amy. Thanks for telling us all about your new book. It sounds lovely. The male character, Charlie, sounds adorable. I never thought about songs being book material inspiration, but that makes so much sense! Congratulations on the new book and the upcoming one in July. I'm looking forward to reading The Best Laid Plans. ( :

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    1. Thanks so much, Laurie! Music always fuels my plot bunnies. I don't know what it is!

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  10. Love your covers. And the book sounds great. I don't know how anyone writes with a fulltime job. I honestly don't. You're good. :-)

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