Lindsay Hameroff, TILL THERE WAS YOU
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[0:09]I am an author, my latest is blank, pub date March 1st, a novel.
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[0:32]Lindsay Hammeroff is the author of Till There with You, a novel.
[0:37]Lindsay is a writer, humorous, and former English teacher raised in Baltimore, Maryland,
[0:40]and based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
[0:42]Her writing has been featured in mixed-weenies internet tendency.
[0:45]The Bella Donna, weekly humorous to another outlet.
[0:48]She also co-edits frazzled, a parenting humor site.
[0:51]Till There with You is her first novel.
[0:53]Welcome, Lindsay.
[0:54]Thanks so much for coming on to discuss Till There was You, a Novel.
[0:59]Thank you.
[1:00]Thank you so much for having me.
[1:01]It's a funny, I just have a novel coming out, and their chocolate chip pancakes play a big role.
[1:05]So I feel like we should have a pancake mashup meetup.
[1:10]I don't know something, buffet.
[1:11]I have an online idea.
[1:13]I have an online idea.
[1:14]I have to just tell you that.
[1:16]Yeah, I have a bad idea.
[1:18]Tell listeners what your book is about.
[1:20]Please.
[1:21]Great.
[1:22]So it's a romantic comedy.
[1:24]It's a bad chef who is like, you know, culinary school.
[1:28]She's trying to stay focused.
[1:29]She has this big goal becoming a chef in a Michelin Star restaurant.
[1:33]And she says that when again, of course, which, of course, for her means no dating,
[1:38]she's not going to get involved with the guys except one day she's at the bar,
[1:41]blowing off steam.
[1:42]She starts chatting to a guy who's sitting there and he turns out to be the diaphragm
[1:46]musician.
[1:47]And they hit it off and he plays till There was You for Her, because he finds out that
[1:51]she loves showtunes.
[1:52]And then they have like a weekend long fling, and he's like, I'm going to LA to record my demo
[1:57]album.
[1:58]She doesn't think she's going to see him again.
[2:00]And she does it.
[2:01]But then like a year later, he becomes a star with this breakout single that's about the
[2:05]blueberry pancakes she made for him, the morning after.
[2:09]So every time he's like, wow, this song is so sexy.
[2:12]I wonder what it's about.
[2:13]And she's like, I know what it's about.
[2:15]So she's sort of like trying to move on with her life.
[2:19]You know, she's better than culinary school.
[2:21]She's working on her job and she's trying to stay focused and then he shows back up again.
[2:25]And it's like, I need him to stay, you know, kind of ghosting you and I want to give
[2:30]this a try.
[2:31]So then they're just both confronting the challenges of having basically like succeeded
[2:35]with each of their individual dreams and like if they could be together, you know, while pursuing
[2:39]them.
[2:40]Awesome.
[2:41]And where did this idea come from?
[2:43]This idea came from the Hackert style song Carolina, which was quoted in your, what do
[2:50]you call it, epigraph or whatever?
[2:51]Yeah.
[2:52]I put it in there.
[2:53]And during the pandemic, I was listening to that song while I was supporting laundry.
[2:57]And I was like, that's, I wonder if this is a true story.
[2:59]So I looked it up and it was a true story.
[3:01]Like he really did meet a girl one time and wrote this whole song about her.
[3:05]And I was like, wow, I wouldn't be quite a ball of story.
[3:07]But then like it never went any further.
[3:10]Like he never saw her again.
[3:12]It just had this hit song and I was like, what a missed opportunity.
[3:15]Like I'm going to rewrite this story the way that I think it should have happened.
[3:19]Jake, who is my main character is, is not a Harry Styles person.
[3:23]He's like a good old southern boy.
[3:25]I actually ended up also at the same time as listening to, I don't know if you remember
[3:30]Chris Allen from American Idol.
[3:31]It's like the only season of American Idol I ever watched.
[3:34]I watched, I watched the one with like the one of the very first ones.
[3:38]Maybe the second season with, yeah, I can't remember her name now.
[3:41]This is, well, anyway.
[3:42]Ellie Clarkson.
[3:43]Yeah.
[3:44]No, not Kelly Clarkson.
[3:45]It was like the season maybe after that, like she has like brown curly hair.
[3:49]She's kind of taller.
[3:50]Oh my God.
[3:51]I'll think of it.
[3:52]Anyway, keep going.
[3:53]That's okay.
[3:54]It was like the only season I ever watched.
[3:55]It was like Allen and Adam Lambert at the end.
[3:58]And he had this song that he performed falling slowly, which was a cover from the Broadway
[4:02]show once.
[4:03]And I was listening to that as I was listening to Carolina and then they sort of conflated
[4:07]into this one idea.
[4:09]So he was sort of based on this like good old southern boy, like, you know, who was playing
[4:14]show tunes and they sort of just meshed to become that character of Jake.
[4:19]So I'm guessing, but tell me if I'm wrong that maybe you have some affinity for musical
[4:24]theater in Broadway.
[4:26]I do have in New York this past weekend, two Broadway shows in one day.
[4:32]What have you seen?
[4:33]I saw he needs to have him at the bat night and I saw a merrily roll along at night, which
[4:38]was very cool.
[4:39]I was like, don the girl, don't do that.
[4:43]I do have, and I wrote all of the shows that I like, I just wrote them right into the book.
[4:47]You know, I love the sound of music and my name is Rob and all those more classic older
[4:52]ones.
[4:53]He said in the book when you mentioned that you also wanted to have like six siblings
[4:57]after watching.
[4:58]I totally did too.
[4:59]I was like, yeah, so fun.
[5:00]Oh my gosh.
[5:01]We'd all line up with the whistle and it would be perfect.
[5:04]It's like completely not fitting with my personality, which is like pretty introverted.
[5:08]and I always want to like, well, time for my long time, but I do sort of want that
[5:13]big family like in the sound of music because I just love that movie.
[5:16]Yeah.
[5:17]That was good.
[5:18]That was really good.
[5:19]So you have this scene at the bar which you referenced and of course she's talking to
[5:25]some Jake and she doesn't know it's Jake and she's saying how much she doesn't like musicians
[5:29]and of course she's a musician and I know how he asks her what's on her playlist and
[5:34]she's like only Broadway and he was like, shout to it.
[5:36]Oh my gosh.
[5:38]And she's like, did I not notice the guitar, it must have been sitting there the whole
[5:42]time.
[5:43]Have you had moments like that where after the fact you're just like, oh my gosh, how did
[5:47]I miss that?
[5:48]I can't think of like a specific moment, but I'm like the queen of putting my foot in
[5:52]my mouth.
[5:53]I can't think of anything specific, but I'm always just saying something that I'm like,
[6:00]just look like an absolute, I read some of your humor writing by the way and I loved
[6:08]your letter.
[6:09]Do you're cleaning lady?
[6:10]I was, I was obsessed, you read this whole thing about, it was November of 2020.
[6:16]And you're like, I'm sorry in the apartment such a mess.
[6:18]My boyfriend broke out with me and then you go and lay this whole thing like can I be more
[6:22]of a cliche with the hog and does Chinese take out and oh my gosh, you're really funny.
[6:28]You're a very funny writer.
[6:29]Oh, thank you.
[6:30]Yeah, I started off writing humor before I even like ventured into the book.
[6:33]So oh yeah, let's talk about that.
[6:35]So where did this whole writing career come from and is this what you wanted to do or do
[6:40]you want to be a chef?
[6:41]Like what, you know, do you cook also tell me about your whole life?
[6:44]Sure.
[6:45]I mean, I always wanted to be a writer.
[6:47]I think everyone, you know, it was always like, this was my childhood dream and it was,
[6:51]but I don't know.
[6:52]I couldn't really find the right idea and I didn't like the idea of just being like,
[6:55]I'm just going to go write a book.
[6:57]I wanted to like extend a career.
[6:58]So I ended up becoming an English teacher as one does, so I could just spend forever talking
[7:04]about books.
[7:05]I kept trying to come up with ideas, nothing ever really stuck, and I got really stuck
[7:09]in this idea as an English major of like literary fiction and I was like, it's not really
[7:15]what I write and I remember being in this like, I wasn't like a class in college where
[7:19]we wrote short stories and I wrote like what I thought which is pretty much what I write
[7:22]now, like a pop culture celebrity story with like dark humor and everyone's like, what
[7:26]is this nonsense?
[7:27]So that sort of like put me off of it for a little while and then during the pandemic when
[7:33]I had all this time, I was on maternity leave.
[7:35]I was teaching, I was on maternity leave and then the pandemic happened and then I ended
[7:38]up never going back, but I was reading all of this romance, I couldn't read any more Stephen
[7:43]King.
[7:44]I was like, this is not the time to read the stand, uh, during the pandemic.
[7:48]So I visited to romance and I was reading all this stuff, I was reading the after series
[7:52]by Anatad and I was like, this feels like a parody of Twilight, which feels like a parody
[7:58]of the sheeshy.
[7:59]So she was like, it's like, I thought it and I ended up writing about it like I wrote
[8:04]a parody piece about it and then I got published and I was like, that was fun.
[8:08]And then I got like really into writing humor.
[8:11]So when I did that, I started getting on Twitter, which is when I started connecting with
[8:14]other writers and you know, like literary agents started following me and I was like,
[8:18]maybe this is something I could actually do, you know, maybe I really could write a book.
[8:22]It didn't seem as, you know, impossible as it did.
[8:26]You know, it was just like a vague idea, like it was really anomalous, like, but it started
[8:31]to feel when I was publishing humor, which I really loved, that it was like a possibility.
[8:35]And so I took, I did a writing workshop with catapult, just fun.
[8:40]So it was like, um, anomalous and six of us and we were working on it and I worked on
[8:44]till there was you and then it just, it just weirdly worked out.
[8:48]I wrote one book.
[8:49]I signed with an agent.
[8:50]I sold it, like, which I have since learned is like not common.
[8:54]Yeah, not usually the case, but good for you.
[8:56]And so I was just like, oh, no, I was just kind of like waiting for the shoe to drop
[9:00]all the time.
[9:01]I'm not, I like to cook.
[9:03]And this is also funny too because you just like don't know anything when you start writing.
[9:07]I originally imagined Lexi being a teacher because I was a teacher and I was like,
[9:13]if I make her teacher, everyone's going to think I wrote a book about myself, which is so silly.
[9:17]Because it's what people do.
[9:18]I was like, how's could she be?
[9:19]It's like, you know, she could be a chef.
[9:21]I didn't know anything about it.
[9:23]I interviewed a chef.
[9:24]I read a few books.
[9:25]I never even worked at a restaurant.
[9:27]It just did a lot of research, which I have been told went well.
[9:31]Just like this is right.
[9:33]I know like excellent.
[9:33]I've never had the pandemic.
[9:36]So I couldn't like shadow anybody.
[9:38]Nice job.
[9:39]I feel like chefs have been getting a bad rap lately in particular by, I don't know if it's
[9:45]them, you know, the bears have, you know, all the shows.
[9:48]And I don't know the exacting nature and how hard it is to succeed under a chef.
[9:54]And I don't know, I just I watched this silly show called migration.
[9:57]And it's movie for kids with my kids.
[10:00]you did. You went. We went to a theater that like reclined. And I was like, oh, this is great.
[10:09]I'll just take a nap. And then I was like, I forget that it is so loud in the theater. You know, so
[10:14]yeah, yeah. Yes. What do you think? Anyway, there was a very mean chef in the, in the things.
[10:20]Yeah, without even any words, just knives and, you know, puffy chest and a humunk of budget for
[10:27]chef to have a private plane that you could chase all the birds around. Right. What was that
[10:31]with that crazy helicopter? And then like flew itself. Anyway, oh my gosh. Anyway. So yeah, chef's
[10:37]bad rap, but great food. So there you go. Are you writing another book? I am. I just, I'm getting
[10:45]ready to turn in my second, my second book to my editor this week. It's Ali's story. So it's like
[10:50]a companion novel. Perfect. Yeah, that one I had to do with research for because I realized I didn't
[10:56]have to make it so hard on myself. I could write things I knew about. So excellent. So this is great.
[11:02]So are you still an English teacher or did you quit your right full time? I never went back. So
[11:06]I'm back after the pandemic. My son during the pandemic was diagnosed with autism.
[11:12]And he needed a lot of therapy. It was all home therapy. And I really needed to be at home with him for
[11:17]her. And so now he's in full time school. But I just now just like now I'm writing. So yeah,
[11:23]started doing that full time. How old is he now? Five. Five. Okay. Yeah. Well, that's amazing.
[11:30]So you have all the skills to need to have. I know everything. All an unexpected journey that's
[11:37]sort of led me to where I'd always sort of wanted it to be. I don't know if I would have done it had I
[11:42]not had this pandemic. And since I noticed this, and I think I probably would have just stayed
[11:46]teaching and stayed comfortable, I know lots of people are teachers and they write just never was
[11:51]something that I was able to do. Yeah, you know different different times of life too, right?
[11:56]Yeah, for sure. And what are you reading these days? Right now I'm reading a love song for Ricky
[12:00]Wilde by T. Williams. I am like, it is so good. It is so good. I keep like going back to
[12:07]reread parts because it's just like like even on a line level, it's just so beautiful. And then
[12:11]it just kind of proved for a few neck out like things. So I'm excited about that. I have like
[12:15]happy meeting him coming down the line. Just a good choice. It has new book, The X Bell. So
[12:20]like you're trying to squeeze in thrillers, but
[12:24]ought to make it up sometimes. Obviously, I keep having all these thriller ideas. And I'm like,
[12:28]what am I doing? I don't even know what I even start to write a thriller. I have like a thriller
[12:34]idea. And I'm like, I don't know if this is something I'm capable of doing. Right. That's how I feel.
[12:39]It percolates all day long. Like I'm like, should I give it to someone else to do?
[12:44]I want to take it away. Yeah. And then I'm also like, I also just envision people being like,
[12:50]no, that wasn't good. Like, yeah. There hasn't been done before a hundred times. But since I
[12:55]don't read that, I think thrillers. I don't know. But yeah. And I have a tail. It gets you so far.
[13:00]Like I was like, what if I wrote a book about a celebrity and a normie? Like I bet that's never been
[13:04]done. Like, I think Julie was kind of like my thought process. And I think that's what's
[13:09]going to happen with the thriller. Like what if it was like about housewives? Like no one's ever written
[13:13]that. Did you read romantic comedy? Yeah. Yeah. You have to like an SNL. Yeah. Exactly. Very fun.
[13:23]Yes. There's also when moms get involved with boy bands, there's, did you read? Yeah. I've had
[13:28]the idea of you. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Before I really like, was the Harry Styles band. I got into
[13:36]Harry Styles from the after series. Because I kept being like, let me visualize Harry Styles
[13:42]and it's like a ploy about my Kindle until eventually. I just was ready to, you know, get married.
[13:46]I do love the idea of the mom with the younger. Yeah. Kind of fun. Yeah. I was actually on a plane
[13:53]once with Harry Styles. And I didn't even know who he was. It was a long time ago. I know. Yeah.
[13:58]I would lead with that anytime I met somebody. I feel like I'm more in the camp of your character
[14:05]here who's like not up on all the things. You need it. That's where I've come up with it too. Like
[14:10]whenever people are gaining music, I'm like, yeah, I turn around listening to the labels that are
[14:14]up soundtrack. I'm not listening. I definitely know who he is now. But back then it was, you know,
[14:20]well, my husband did know. So he was like pointing and I was like, what? Yeah. I was teaching middle
[14:26]school at like the height of the one direction era. So I knew they were like a poster in the hallway
[14:30]that said like with like a one direction poster. We used to tell the kids like line up facing one
[14:35]direction. Like, I knew who he was, but I was not really like into that music. So what is the secret
[14:43]to good pancakes? Well, for the blueberry pancakes, I think you have to have the lemon juice.
[14:47]I think that's the secret. I actually like that is a true part of the story. I actually did,
[14:52]when I did not know how to cook it all, I did find this blueberry pancake recipe at a
[14:56]people magazine. And it was like the first recipe I ever mastered. And I did not go on to culinary
[15:00]school. But I've seen a lot of blueberry pancake recipes and I've never really seen the lemon juice
[15:04]one. I do think that helps. Excellent. I tend to add vanilla. I've never had a vanilla. That sounds
[15:11]good. Yeah. So I stole it from my husband. So I can't really claim it. But yeah, yes, get the right
[15:16]side of blueberries too. Because if they're too big, it like rises too much. You can't really get
[15:21]that right consistency. Yeah. The other day, I was like, I'm basically just making you guys cookies
[15:25]on a pan. I mean, I'm basically making you a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast on a pan.
[15:30]Yeah. I think it's a pan. But anyway, I know didn't stop me. I like them. It's not, they're not
[15:38]my favorite breakfast too. Like I'll eat them if they're there. And I do think them all actually
[15:42]has been a my children love them. What's your favorite breakfast food? Like a secret breakfast
[15:46]person. Like I kind of have like, you know, like eggs with salsa. Okay. I think we're like that realm.
[15:54]Nice. Amazing. Okay. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
[16:00]I mean, I could talk about food with you forever. I think the best advice I got. And I got this
[16:06]when I was taking I took a few humor right classes. Like with the second city, they were great. And
[16:11]I think the best advice I got from there that I have, you know, moved on with is like, you should
[16:16]write to entertain yourself. You know, I think it's very easy to sort of like chase what's trending
[16:22]in the market. You know, or, you know, to write what you think people want to read. And I think
[16:27]when you write when you're your own fan and you're writing what you want to read, like you will
[16:31]find your readers. And that was sort of a difficulty. You don't want to write humor. You don't
[16:37]really feel like this is funny. But you know, like, you feel like that's a trending topic.
[16:41]Usually try to write political stuff. And I was like, okay, but it wasn't really like my,
[16:46]you know, niche sort of interest. And I think that's true. You know, especially the second,
[16:51]the first one on the second book. Like I just wrote what I like, you know, and I think that that
[16:56]when you do that, you know, you're going to have fun writing it and you're going to have fun reading
[16:59]it. And it's going to come through. I think it's the most important thing. I remember trying to
[17:05]come up with book ideas and it just wasn't what I would necessarily want to pick up.
[17:11]Yeah, I had this writing coach session once and they were like, okay, write the jacket flap
[17:16]copy. And I wrote it and I was like, well, I wouldn't want to read this book.
[17:20]Exactly. Like if you're not going to want to pick it up, it's going to be hard to put your
[17:23]heart and soul into it. Yeah, 100%. It's a good tip. All right. Well, congratulations, Lindsay. And
[17:29]thanks so much for coming on. Thank you so much for having me. It was nice to meet you. Thanks
[17:34]to meet you, too. All right. Take care. Bye. Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening to this episode of
[17:41]Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram at zibi Owens and
[17:46]at Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. Also sign up for my newsletter at zibiowans.com and sign
[17:51]up for my virtual book club and meet lots of authors on Zoom every other week. Thanks so much
[17:55]to Steve and Ryan in fact, texture sound for the sound editing. And thank you to Morning Moon
[18:00]Productions for providing this fantastic intro and now trim music.