New Adult Book Club discussion

We are pleased to have Lex Martin with us for a Q&A. Lex is the author of the Dearest Series which includes Dearest Clementine, Finding Dandelion, and Kissing Madeline. Please leave your questions below.

Helllllo! Okay, so...what is your favorite characteristics in a Hero? And do you have a specific writing process?

Jabberwocky wrote: " Helllllo! Okay, so...what is your favorite characteristics in a Hero? And do you have a specific writing process?"

Hi! My favorite characteristic in a hero is loyalty. And I love a guy who knows what he wants and goes after it.

As for my writing process, I spend a LOT of time getting into my characters' heads, writing down their backgrounds, coming up with playlists, and finding images that reflect who they are. Once I figure that out, once I know their motivations and strengths and weaknesses, then I'm ready to write. And that's basically me plopping my butt down in front of my laptop first thing in the morning before I go to work, when I get home, and every spare moment in between to write.

Thanks for your questions! :)

Hello!

First, I just wanted to say that I LOVED Dearest Clementine. I read straight through it and then regretted finishing it so fast!

My question - Did you read any books in particular that influenced your writing style or more specifically how you wrote the Dearest series?

Samantha wrote: "Hello!

First, I just wanted to say that I LOVED Dearest Clementine. I read straight through it and then regretted finishing it so fast!

My question - Did you read any books in particular that in..."

I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading!

That's a good question. I was devouring new adult books at the time, maybe a book every day or two. I fell in love with Colleen Hoover, Jennifer Armentrout, and Monica Murphy. But the biggest influence was probably reading the Hunger Games earlier that year. I loved how aloof Katniss was and thought she'd be a really cool girl if she were in a contemporary setting. So I combined her detached persona to a lot of my experiences attending Boston University, and the amalgamation was Clementine. Except Clem is probably way bitchier! lol.