Q&A with Georgia K. Boone

 

 

 

Georgia K. Boone is the author of the new novel I'll Be Gone for Christmas. She lives on the West Coast.

 

Q: What inspired you to write I’ll Be Gone for Christmas, and how did you create your characters Bee and Clover?

 

A: The Holiday is absolutely one of my favorite holiday films – after all, who doesn’t love Kate Winslet? But very few classics prominently feature black or queer characters with struggles, hopes, and desires of their own, so I thought that would be fun to explore.

 

With Bee and Clover specifically, figuring out their storylines and backgrounds became quite the puzzle; I found I could relate to Bee more, as a girl who was always shooting for the stars but ignoring how her own light was dimming from the constant pressure of productivity.

 

On the other side, Clover and I are both queer, and I wanted to tap into what that coming out experience might be like for someone who has always had the path of her life laid out for her, knowing her first love from childhood, inheriting her family’s farm, and staying in a town that most people don’t plan to leave.

 

Clover was especially hard to write, because I wanted her to come into her own without it specifically being a typical “coming-out” narrative, and I had to balance the complexity of her old (male) love being Bee’s new love. It took several rewrites to get her story to feel strong and authentic, but I'm so happy with where she is now!

Q: Why did you choose San Francisco and Salem, Ohio, as the settings for the novel, and how important is setting to you in your writing?

 

A: I was inspired by two of my friends from college – one who lived in San Francisco at the time and worked in tech, and the other who lived in North Carolina at the time, and worked at a nonprofit.

 

I don’t know much about North Carolina, but my family is from Salem, Ohio. As a city girl myself, I wanted to give a shout-out to my family’s small-town roots.

 

In all my stories, setting always plays an important role to me – your environment, in my mind, is part of what shapes you. People are often different people depending on the backdrop of their stories – someone might be grumpier if their commute is often interrupted by stalled trains, or sunnier if they skate five minutes to their jobs.

 

I’ve lived in so many different kinds of cities, and know that I’ve been shaped tremendously by them all, so that’s reflected in my characters.

 

Q: The Library Journal review of the book said, “With dual settings, interconnected storylines, and endearing characters, Boone’s debut offers a fast-paced, warm holiday romance with wide-ranging appeal.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: That’s a great description! I do believe this book appeals to everyone – it’s got people of diverse racial backgrounds, diverse romantic identities, big city vibes, small town vibes, different religious beliefs… I think that if you’re a reader looking for something cozy, quick, and sweet, this is probably exactly for you.

 

Q: What are some of your other favorite holiday-themed novels?

 

A: In terms of what I’ve read most recently, probably Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, and The Bluest Christmas by Deja Elise!

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m currently hammering away at a romance that centers on a surprise heir, a multi-million dollar scandal, a hard-working single mom, and the hot family lawyer she can’t take her eyes off of.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: If I’m not writing, I’m probably watching reruns of Elementary, catching up on the various offshoots of the Star Trek franchise, or chasing my rescue dogs – all of which inspire me daily.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb