Q&A With Evelyn Skye 

Today’s Q&A is with New York Times Bestselling author Evelyn Skye. Some of Evelyn’s many famous books are The Crown’s Game, Damsel, & coming out on August 1^st is The Hundred Loves Of Juliet. 

Q: Evelyn, would you like to tell the readers of the blog a little bit about The Hundred Loves Of Juliet, and how did you come up with the idea for the story?

A: The Hundred Loves of Juliet is like The Time Traveler’s Wife meets Romeo & Juliet. It’s my adult fiction debut.

What if Romeo never died but Juliet did, and she’s reincarnated over and over? In every lifetime, he finds her, falls in love, and has to watch her die again. But fast-forward to modern day, and this time, Juliet’s reincarnation refuses to believe in their tragedy. Can they break the cycle this time?

It’s hard to say how ideas come to me… Sometimes a spark flickers in my head and then I start brainstorming and all of a sudden, it lights aflame.

Q: How long did it take to write The Hundred Loves Of Juliet? How long does it typically take for you to write a book?

A: This idea came to me years ago, but then I set it aside because I was working on other books. Usually, though, it takes me 2 – 3 months to write a first draft. Then I go through a couple rounds of revision with my editor. A manuscript needs to be completely finished one year in advance of its publication date, since the publisher has a lot of behind-the-scenes things to do, like copyediting, layout, cover design, and marketing and publicity.

Q: When did you know that being an author was what you wanted to do? 

A: When I was on maternity leave from my job as a lawyer, I read the Twilight series and decided I wanted to try writing myself. I’d always loved writing when I was younger, but I never seriously considered being a novelist until I was 30 years old.

Q:  Who in your family and friends were your biggest supporters of your writing goal and saw your talent? 

A: My parents have always been huge supporters of my writing, even when I was a kid. And when I decided I wanted to try writing a novel, my mom and dad took over baby care during the daylight hours so that I could go to the local library to write. They will always be my number one fans!

Q: If you’re writing a new book now, can you reveal any details about it? 

A: I just turned in my manuscript for another adult fiction book that will be published in 2024! But it’s a secret… sorry! 

Q: What is the writing process like when you create characters and fictional worlds? Do you do a mish mash of using bits of reality mixed with imagination? 

A: Most of my characters come from scratch, although there is often a piece of me in each of them—at least the main characters. The settings are usually made-up, but I will sometimes find inspiration from real places I’ve visited. I love traveling, and it’s wonderful to be able to include a seed of the real world as I grow a new fictional setting.

Q: I heard your book Damsel was made into a movie for Netflix. Are any of your other books including The Hundred Loves Of Juliet optioned? The entertainment industry really needs new material. 

A: Damsel is a collaboration with Netflix; they were really great to work with. The film version stars Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, and other incredible actors. 

Film and TV options are on hold right now, because of the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strikes. But I’m very happy for The Hundred Loves of Juliet to make it into book lovers’ hands first!