Audrey Ingram is the author of the new novel The Summer We Ran. Her other books include The River Runs South. She lives in Virginia.
Q: What inspired you to write The Summer We Ran, and how did you create your characters Tess and Grant?
A: I worked on a gubernatorial campaign in high school and fell hard for the drama and passion that surround elections. Nostalgic for shows like The West Wing and Scandal, I began weaving together an unlikely love story between opposing candidates forced to confront their past.
In The Summer We Ran, Tess finds herself pitted against the first boy she ever loved in the race to become Virginia’s governor. As the election nears, secrets from their teenage summer romance threaten to shatter their families, futures, and the love they once shared.
Q: The writer Annabel Monaghan called the book a “perfectly nostalgic story of love, loss, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.” What do you think of that description?
A: I loved that description! I’m such a fan of Annabel Monaghan’s books so it was especially surreal to hear her kind description of The Summer We Ran.
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Tess and Grant?
A: This novel is about the experiences that bind us together and the differences that tear us apart as two people navigate the tension between love and ambition.
To be loved is to be seen but for Tess and Grant, the person they love sees the world very differently.
I believe that stories are bridges, a way to find humanity, connection, and even love with the people with whom we disagree. Our backgrounds, families, experiences, fears, and dreams all swirl together to shape who we become.
Tess and Grant’s relationship is plagued by the secrets they hide. It’s only when they reveal the truth that they find a path forward.
Q: Why did you decide to set the story amidst a Virginia gubernatorial campaign?
A: I’ve lived in Virginia for 11 years and love my adopted home. I started writing this novel four years ago after a summer spent exploring the Virginia countryside with my children. We hiked the Blue Ridge Mountains, discovered quaint small towns, and cooled off in local swimming holes.
On those drives home, I knew this beautiful state was the perfect backdrop for a sweeping romance about first loves turned political rivals.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m in the early stages of working on a new novel. It’s an emotional love story with elements of a cat-and-mouse mystery set between the deep woods of West Virginia and the marbled hallways of Washington, D.C.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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