Photo by Iden Ford
Hank Phillippi Ryan is the author of the new novel All This Could Be Yours. Her many other books include The House Guest. Also a journalist, she lives in Boston.
Q: What inspired you to write All This Could Be Yours, and how did you create your character Tessa?
A: It's so much fun to think about this. Have you ever put a Mento into Coke? You know how it absolutely explodes? That's how this idea came to be.
The “Mento” was a mistake! I was on tour for my novel The House Guest, and a bookstore where I was appearing had created a graphic for my event: and it called my book The Hotel Guest. My first reaction was to roll my eyes. How hard can it be to get the title of the book right? I thought. You have the book cover in the very same graphic!
And then I thought wow, actually, that's a pretty good title, The Hotel Guest. I wonder what book there could be about a hotel guest. And my writer brain tucked that nugget away.
The “Coke” came later. Then, later I was signing books at the wonderful Poisoned Pen Bookstore, and I inscribed a book to a reader which said: “So wonderful to see you in Scottsdale!” And then I put the date.
And as I handed the book to the reader, I thought to myself, gosh, that is a perfect alibi! I've just written, essentially, where I am, and where this other person is, and exactly when it happened. Then I started thinking about all the other things I write in novels as inscriptions—Thank you for a wonderful evening. So wonderful to know you. Thank you for all you do. I'm so grateful.
And I thought wow, someone holding that book could impute incredibly sinister or harmful meanings to those seemingly lovely words, right?
And suddenly, everything on book tour became incredibly sinister. And who could stay in a different hotel every night? An author on book tour! The perfect hotel guest. On the book tour from hell. And my idea exploded into this novel!
As for Tessa, she's a wonderful smart strong woman who gets fed up with her soul-crushing job in the corporate world, and live on Instagram, she quits to follow her dreams of being an author. She's successful beyond her wildest imagination!
Problem is, Tessa also has a secret. And, as she learns on book tour, someone is out to tell it. And that could ruin her career, and destroy the family she's left back home.
Tessa must find out who is after her, and what they want, or else everything she loves is in danger. And all the while, she has to appear every night in a different city with a different audience and pretend that everything is fabulous. Which it is! Except for this one terrifying thing.
Q: The Library Journal review of the novel says, “Ryan nails the feel and pace of life as an author, especially trying to balance touring with family while also juggling the business side of writing and publicity.” What do you think of that description, and as a best-selling author yourself, how much did your own book tour experiences influence the writing of the novel?
A: Well, of course, I fainted with delight at that review—it was a starred review! I wanted to have a T-shirt made with that review on the front of it!
And oh my goodness, this book is super personal and super meta. It is so authentic about what it's like to be an author on book tour that I have had my author friends say they were happy they read it when they were already home from their travels—because it would have creeped them out to read it on the road.
So yes, it's absolutely true that many of Tessa Calloway’s experiences come right from my own life. The incredible stress, the relentless schedule, the shockingly early mornings, the interaction with absolute strangers every day, the fear of not knowing if someone is there to help or hurt you, and the intense responsibility that we have to ourselves, and to our readers, and to our families, and, of course to our publishers. It's high stress and high stakes every minute of the way.
And for Tessa, her glamorous national book tour turns into a cross-country cat-and-mouse chase, with Tessa running for her life!
But do remember—book tour is also the most fabulous thing that you could ever do in the entire history of the universe. I wheel my carry-on along the airport corridors humming Magical Mystery Tour! And I adore my readers. And you will see that in All This Could Be Yours as well.
Yes, it's a fast-paced psychological thriller—but it is also a love letter to independent bookstores, libraries, writers, and readers! And everyone who loves books.
Q: How was the novel's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: That is such a fascinating moment! The title was never chosen. I had thought about a writer making a Faustian bargain—what actually felt like a deal with the devil. And my first idea for the novel was not anything like how it turned out in the end, but that's no surprise to me, my books never do.
In this particular case, though, that title, All This Could Be Yours, instantly came to mind. And it never changed. Everyone loved it from moment one.
Because think about it, all of this could be yours can sound so lovely. Hooray! All this could be yours! But if you say it in a sinister way... it's very different. All this could be yours... if only you... what?
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Tessa and her husband, Henry?
A: Oh gosh, they adore each other, they're both smart and funny and wise and cool and have loved each other from the moment they met.
However, Henry is supremely optimistic, supremely easygoing, supremely fun to be with, and supremely incapable of keeping a job. This makes their life very difficult and unpredictable, especially with a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old.
Tessa becomes the sole breadwinner. That’s a tremendous pressure for her—trying to be a famous author on the road, and a good wife and mom via Facetime and Zoom. And she fears, as she is on book tour, that Henry is somehow curating the Zooms and Facetimes—only showing her what he wants to show her.
What's going on at their brand-new house that she could never see unless he shows her? Is he jealous of her success? It's very, very suspicious what he's doing, especially when the gorgeous new neighbor comes to town.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Right now I am writing my next book, and it doesn't have a title! Yes, All This Could Be Yours had a title before the story. This one will have a story before the title!
It's about two sisters who survived the plane crash where their parents were killed. Many years later, the younger sister is babysitting for the older sister’s niece—but the older sister never comes to pick her up. And this all happens on the anniversary of the plane crash.
I am totally channeling Laura Dave and Lisa Jewell. Two of my very favorite authors. And if you can think of a good title, do let me know!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I'm on book tour right now! How hilarious is that? I'll be on book tour for a book called All This Could Be Yours which is a book about an author on tour with a book called All This Could Be Yours. What could go wrong?
I'd adore to have you go on book tour with me, and we can make that happen through the magic of social media! But I hope I will also see you on the road! It would be so much fun to see you all in person—check my website for all my events, okay? And make sure you follow me on Instagram. And we can take this magical mystery tour together.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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