Q&A with Andrea J. Stein

 

 

 

Andrea J. Stein is the author of the new novel Dear Eliza. She also has written the novel Typecast. Also a book publicist, she lives in New Jersey.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Dear Eliza, and how did you create your character Eliza?

 

A: I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of receiving a letter from someone after they’ve died, especially pegged to a specific event – like a dying mom who writes letters to be given to her children on their wedding days.

 

I lost my dad when I was 24, and my mom lost her dad when she was 10. Having heard about her experience, and living my own, definitely influenced my creation of Eliza—though, of course, she is very much her own person.

 

I knew Eliza was devastated by her mom’s death, and that it had a ripple effect on her ability to trust others and her relationships with them. I was also interested in exploring how Eliza’s mom’s death affected the entire family, both as individuals and in terms of how they related to one another.

 

The other thing that impacted the creation of Eliza was my own mom’s death, which occurred while I was writing the book. As I mention in the acknowledgments, Eliza’s story and mine are completely different, but I think there’s a universality in grief, and working through Eliza’s with her became part of my own grieving process.

 

Q: The writer Colleen Oakley said of the book, “Andrea Stein deftly dances the line between grief and love--keeping the story upbeat without shying away from the depths of emotion.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Oh my gosh—when Colleen sent me that endorsement I was beyond thrilled—and moved.

 

I don’t know about other writers, but I find that, when I write, I’m so immersed in the story that I often don’t know how it may affect others when they read it. I was so “in” Eliza’s head and just living her life with her, I truly didn’t think about “dancing that line.” I was just in the headspace of helping Eliza to survive. So to have the story perceived that way was deeply moving to me.

 

I also think that that’s what life is—full of emotion and hardship and tough times—and that the way through it is to try to find the bright spots, and the humor, while figuring out how to manage the sadness, grief, disappointment, and anger we will inevitably feel.  

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: Yes and no. I’m definitely a “pantser”—in that I write by the seat of my pants! I always knew the outcome of Eliza and Josh’s relationship, but I didn’t know when I started how Eliza’s other relationships would resolve. It took me a while to get a handle on Ross—both who he was as a person, and how he and Eliza would interact.

 

I also made some adjustments to Eliza’s relationship with her best friend Mo, thanks to feedback from my writing group. They recommended that there be some tension there, which I thought added another good layer to the story and to Eliza’s growth arc.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: I hope that they take away that relationships are hard, but worth working on and fighting for. That human connection is essential. And that grief and loss are lousy but inevitable parts of life, and we need to be gentle with ourselves when dealing with them.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I just started my next novel, so it’s very much in the nascent stage—especially given that, as I said, I’m a pantser!

 

It’s women’s fiction, and I anticipate that, like both Dear Eliza and Typecast, it will be a blend of family drama, romance, and the main character’s own development.

 

It’s about a woman, Jules, who is compelled to move back to New York City, where she grew up in a non-traditional family arrangement, temporarily. She has a lot of baggage around those relationships—and growing she needs to do.

 

Meanwhile, Jules is looking forward to reconnecting with an old friend—but when she meets her friend’s brand-new fiancé, it turns out he and Jules have a history…

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I love interacting with, and meeting, authors! I have a bunch of events scheduled at libraries, bookstores, book clubs, and synagogues—mostly in person, but some via Zoom. If people would like me to visit their groups, I’d love for them to reach out via my website: http://andreajstein.com 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Andrea J. Stein.