Happy hump day my bookish friends. I’m back with my author interviews and I have some amazing ones lined up over the next few weeks. I’m so excited. Today I am welcoming, David Fenne author of OVEREMOTIONAL which I reviewed last week.
Under the Cover is where I interview some of favourite authors and authors I’ve recently read and discovered. I’m trying to refresh my blog and I love interviewing authors and getting an insight into their storytelling, hence Under the Cover was born.
I was lucky enough to see David at a YA panel at CampYA, I finished his book at the end of summer holidays and I loved. It as he says in his interview, it felt safe, comforting and homely. If you haven’t picked this book, then you need to. Perfect for fans of Heartstopper.
So sit back, grab a coffee or tea and delve into the mind of David with an in-depth look behind the scenes of the book and its origins.
Interview with David Fenne
Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb to introduce your brilliant debut Overemotional?
Of course! It’s a YA Urban Fantasy packed full of jokes, gay shenanigans, and mysteries set at the British seaside, with some Stranger Things chucked in for good measure!
It’s a classic question, but one I love to ask debut authors, what started your love for writing?
Before OVEREMOTIONAL, I was an actor, and I still do long-form improv comedy, so I guess storytelling has always been in my bones one way or another! I think studying the Great American playwrights at drama school, like Tennessee Williams and Tony Kushner, really ignited my want to express myself through writing, and the more I fell in love with YA literature, the more I realised it was the perfect medium for me! I’m so desperate to write the books I wanted to read growing up.
I loved the cast of characters in the book, the found friendship trope, between them all was something I really grew attached to in the book. What was it like getting into their heads to write the different POVs?
The four (well, technically five) POV characters have such distinct outlooks on life, so getting in their heads was relatively easy. It was always fun switching around who is narrating to maximise a comedic moment or to get a character insight. It also helped me keep certain mysteries and reveals a secret for the reader until just the right moment in the story.
Also Did you have a favourite character perspective? Mine was Freya, I loved her take on life.
Ah! You’re asking me to pick a favourite child, and I love all my children equally … that being said Troy is my best boy. There’s something so fun about writing a fish-out-of-water character and basically reversing my own experiences from when I studied in the USA. He’s just so earnest and kind, and it’s fun contrasting that with the dry sarcasm of the rest of the bunch.
The modern magic system felt real. I loved the idea behind it, what was the inspiration behind this unique world building?
Part of the inspiration came from conversations with my husband about how his anxiety manifests and him being an “Emotional Sponge”. I found the idea of your emotions physically affecting others to be interesting and began thinking what that would do to a character. Trying to stay happy to prevent others from being hurt wasn’t a particularly juicy concept though – the pursuit of happiness is literally the human condition – so I had the idea to reverse it. What would the pursuit of misery do to someone? That is where Steven came from.
I toyed with a soft magic system for a while but it felt too abstract and easy, so I gave each emotion specific and grounded powers. With a finite toolset, it allowed my characters to get creative and use them in unexpected ways to overcome obstacles. Sort of like D&D characters using their limited actions and abilities to find a way around a puzzle.
What message do you hope for readers to take away from your book?
I don’t know if there’s one prevailing message or thesis I want people to take, but I hope that readers find a home with the characters. Especially queer and questioning young people. You aren’t alone.
What’s your experience been like as a writer so far?
For the most part it’s been a wild and fun ride! I keep having to pinch myself every time I see my book in a bookshop! My husband used to work in publishing so I knew a little bit of how the sausage was made, but being this side of the curtain is very surreal. Making friends with other writers has been a highlight – so much of writing is being by yourself in a home office, it’s nice to connect with others in the same position. Plus everyone’s been so lovely and welcoming!
Did you do any research behind the world-building for your book? Was there anything you learnt or found interesting?
My biggest point of research for OVEREMOTIONAL was definitely the epigenetics. I knew of them roughly, but I was inspired to include them in the book after seeing a theory of homosexuality being potentially caused by certain in-utero epigenetic triggers. I wanted the science to be plausible, so fell down a research rabbit hole looking at genetics and epigenetics. It’s fascinating stuff, and still ever-changing as we learn more and more.
Can you give us a sneak peek as to what’s next for the Ecomancer group?
Book 2 is coming out early next year so you won’t have long to wait! They’ll be heading off to university in London and dealing with everything freshers entails. There are a few familiar faces and some brand-new ones I can’t wait for people to meet. There also might be a few new powers to contend with too …
Finally, if you could recommend 3 books to read, what would it be?
Ooo that is a tough question! Here are three YA books I’ve inhaled lately:
I’m first going to recommend Josh Silver’s Happy Head – a fantastic debut from earlier this year that is like a YA Squid Game with a really sweet gay romance at the centre of this dark, oppressive institution.
If you haven’t read All that’s Left in the World by Erik J Brown, then what are you doing? Go read it immediately – again, a wonderful gay romance in the backdrop of a post-apocalypse.
Taking a detour from gays in dark times, I’ll also recommend Kate Weston’s Murder on a School Night. An absolutely hilarious murder mystery that is super feminist, period-positive, and will keep you guessing right up till the end.
Thank you so much to David and Ink Road Books for being part of my series. OVEREMOTIONAL is out NOW!
