We are so thrilled to chat with Gariné Issasi, author of Start With the Backbeat, coming this April! Here, Gariné shares a few fun facts about her and the five books that have inspired her writing most!
Too many books! – Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving, Big Magic by Elizabeth, Gilbert, Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, The Road Home by Kathie Shoop, Unfaithful Music by Elvis Costello, Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart, Humans of New York-Stories (photography book) by Brandon Stanton
I don’t read fast enough to read all the books I want to read!
The desk in my bedroom/office.
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
In my view, Tom Robbins is the first major 20thcentury author who wrote “chick lit.” The details in this book follow the attitude and the struggles from a woman’s point of view without perpetuating two-dimensional stereotypes of womanhood. And he does it with a lot of humor.
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
This book makes a point to illustrate the absurdities of real life, while remaining uplifting. That has always been part of my goals as a writer.
The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (all five books of the ‘trilogy’) by Douglas Adams
I often reread these books to take in the flow of Adams’ writing style. While the story lines are imaginative and poignant, the way he plays with words is comedic poetry.
A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The changing points of view in this novel and the real way she describes the effects of music on people helped to inspire me to write about music.
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
This book inspired me to really take pen to paper to start my novel because of how incredibly relatable the story is. The emotional tenor isn’t overly dramatic, but remains a real exploration of the intricacies of family relationships and the drive to pick yourself up after failure.
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