#PSILikeYou | September 23rd, 2016
Kasie West spoke to an audience of fans about pen pals, researching contemporary, and how she took the plunge into writing.
The Hicklebee's Teen Advisory Board (TAB) started the evening off with a classic game of this-or-that, where we learned that Kasie prefers Twitter/Instagram/Facebook over Snapchat (we agree!), heels over flats (her husband is 6'8"!), and fall/winter weather (but prefers the beach to the snow). Following the lightning round, the TAB re-lived Kasie's first event at Hicklebee's (which happens to be the TAB's first ever event!) with a speed reading of her books, something they invented at that first event.
In PS I Like You, main character Lily is focused on writing song lyrics for an upcoming competition, meaning the book has several sets of lyrics in it. "People ask me if I write lyrics and no, I don't, but obviously I do since they're in the book! I think of myself as a wannabe poet and I tested out writing lyrics in this book," Kasie shared. On where the concept for PS I Like You came from, Kasie explained how she loves how romantic letters are.
.@KasieWest's husband beta reads her books and tells her how brilliant she is (we agree!)— Hicklebee's Books (@Hicklebees) September 24, 2016
Kasie started writing not because of a degree in writing (in fact, she is a credentialed teacher) but because she loved reading. "I didn't make the connection that maybe I'd be a good writer until I was 30," Kasie discussed, "I loved the process of writing my first book so much that I kept writing."
Kasie creates a dossier of characteristics when she creates her characters, focusing on her strengths and what they're really bad at.— Hicklebee's Books (@Hicklebees) September 24, 2016
On her writing process, Kasie shared that she is more of a "pantser" but needs some structure for the characters. "I have to know what I'm writing to. I'll have a very strong feel of the characters in my head. I'll know the climax and the end, and then I figure out everywhere in between," Kasie disclosed. She writes in her room, when the house is empty.
What does @KasieWest like most about being an author? "You guys! Book people are my people!" *collective awww* ☺️— Hicklebee's Books (@Hicklebees) September 24, 2016
Kasie ended the evening by signing the infamous Hicklebee's author wall.
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