What what inspired you to set the book on Martha's Vineyard? Did the plot come first or the setting?
So setting always comes first to me while writing. I really like my settings to feel like their own character. For example, my debut book it's set in a boarding school. I went to a boarding school and collected a lot of memories there that I wanted to put on the page. I knew I wanted to write about Martha's Vineyard next because my family has been vacationing there for over two decades. The Farm is a real place. I did change the name, but we do call it The Farm. I just I knew there was a story to tell there.
Are there any personal connections or experiences that you have with some of the places that you mentioned in The Summer of Broken Rules?
Yes, so, as you know, there are multiple towns on Martha's Vineyard. My family really gravitates toward Edgartown. I think because we’re very close to Edgartown distance wise. I always drop a small fortune at Edgartown Books so I had to include that. The hike Wit and Meredith take, my sister, and I have hiked it together. There are so many other experiences, I wanted to put in there, but I had a word limit and, of course, other things, to talk about.
Can you talk about the Taylor Swift references in the novel?
There are 15. I exclusively listen to Lover and Fearless while I was writing The Summer of Broken Rules, then she released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) right around the time the book was published and I was like thank you.
Where do you think everyone should go if they're on the Vineyard for a day?
If you're a reader, Edgartown Books. They just have a beautiful store that is beautifully curated. From their specific beach read section to their local interest section and the staircase with the hand painted books and genre names. I take a new picture of it every year. It's the same but it's so beautiful. You should go to Murdoch's Fudge and Backdoor Donuts as well just because it's fun to stay up late and wait in the line and then they're straight out of the oven. You should also jump off the Jaws Bridge. I know they got interrupted and didn't do it in the book, you need to do it. It’s such an adrenaline rush.
What is your favorite book that takes place on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket?
I’ve read every single one of Elin Hilderbrand’s books. The Perfect Couple, her murder mystery, and The Blue Bistro where she just goes to town on the food descriptions. There is also a YA book called Nantucket Blue. I think it was published several years ago I like that one too. There was a sequel, Nantucket Red. They are two hidden gems.