Natasha’s Guide to Getting Over a Breakup

In the book, we see Natasha at a place in her life where she’s exploring who she is outside of being with Jackson. Everyone goes through breakups. They can be messy. They can be mutual. It’s the getting-over-it part that can be tough. Here is a list of things that might help:

1. Allow yourself to cry. Bottling up all that emotion isn’t healthy, and it will only come out at the most inappropriate moment. So, cry. You’ll think more clearly afterward.
2. They say eating ice cream and binge-watching your favorite shows in bed is out? Well, it works. Grab a pint of your favorite flavor and put on some Project Runway.
3. Talk it out. This is where your friends are a must. Don’t shut them out. Welcome their concern after you’ve had time by yourself to cry.
4. Change your look. Time for a new haircut! Add some color. Have fun with it.
5. Retail therapy helps too.
6. Take that new look and new outfit out for a spin. Find the nearest party, and dance the night away. Bring your friends along. Endorphins are good for you.
7. It’s time to unfriend, my friend. Purge that person from all your social media.
8. Learn to be single again, and enjoy it. Do what you like to do. Watch that movie you’ve always wanted to watch. Go to the museum. Whatever. Just enjoy yourself.
9. Don’t shut out love. Just because it didn’t work out with that person doesn’t mean you’ll never find someone again.
10. Lastly, the pain does fade. Believe in that.

 

Jackson’s Guide to Grand Gestures

Jackson plans elaborate grand gestures to win Natasha back big-time. He uses stopping time, defying gravity, and bringing down the stars as starting-off points. Of course, in the book, his plans are over the top, but there are still ways to surprise your special someone that isn’t a typical date idea. Remember, it’s the thought that counts.

Stopping Time: Plan a Picnic

This is a simple and easy way to hang out with your special someone that shows your planning skills. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Pick a private, secluded spot. Someplace where the two of you can be alone without distractions or interruptions.
2. Find the perfect picnic basket. You can always ask your friends and family if you can borrow one. If you can’t find one or prefer not to buy one, a regular bag will do.
3. Fill the bag with a meal for two. Think of the favorite food of your loved one. Nothing with mayonnaise because it can spoil easily. Sandwiches from a local deli are great. Cubes of cheese. Don’t forget the crackers. Oh, and grapes. Just to name a few. Personalize. That is the key. It shows that you’re thinking of what he or she might like instead of what you might like.
4. Pick a day. Make sure the weather is nice. But a little rain isn’t so bad either.
5. Send your invitation. Not a text, mind you. A proper invitation with the time and place. Think romantic. It also doesn’t hurt if you deliver the invitation yourself.
6. Enjoy the day. Spread out the picnic blanket, serve the food, and share each other’s company. Put away your phones, and just talk. You’ll eventually see that it’s like time has stopped.

Defying Gravity: Indoor Trampoline Park

If jumping out of a plane isn’t your style, but you still want to defy gravity, search for the nearest trampoline park in your area. It’s a great way to bond and is so much fun. I’m pretty sure it will have the both of you laughing in no time. There are so many activities to try.

You two can open jump or join an ultimate dodgeball game, or you can even swim in a sea of foam. It’s all about out-of-the-box thinking. Having fun in a way that isn’t the usual dinner-and-a-movie dates. In the book, it’s about spending as much time as possible together, showing that person how you feel any chance you get.

Bringing Down the Stars:

Meteor Shower or the Planetarium

Check your local newspaper or the Internet for any news about meteor showers happening in your area. You can even combine the picnic idea above with this one, but make sure to bring a small telescope too. Imagine the two of you lying on the ground on a blanket and some pillows and just staring up at the open sky at night. It’s a wonderful experience to share with the one you love.

 

A Coffee Date

between author Kate Evangelista and her editor, Holly West

All About YOU

Holly West (HW): Who is your current book boyfriend/girlfriend?

Kate Evangelista (KE): I’m swooning over Oz from Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry. I really have something for guys on motorcycles. So hot.

HW: What’s your favorite childhood memory?

KE: It’s a Halloween memory. My mother bought me a jack-in-the-box costume. It was the bulkiest thing ever, but I had so much fun trick-or-treating that day.

HW: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

KE: A doctor. I really thought I was going to be too because I got into an honors medical course where you’re a doctor in just five years. But then I realized every time I thought about the symptoms of a disease I automatically thought I was sick. Not good.

HW: What was your first job, and what was your “worst” job?

KE: My first job was teaching junior and senior high school English. It was the best and worst job. I loved the teaching aspect of it, but the paperwork was killer.

HW: Do you have a breakup/makeup story of your own you are willing to share?

KE: I have one, but it’s so heartbreaking that sharing it here might bum you and the readers out way too much after a Happily Ever After.

On Being a Swoon Reads Author

HW: What is the oddest thing a fan has ever said/done?

KE: Readers keep wanting to give me cats. Like kittens and a whole host of cats. I wish I could adopt them all.

HW: This is your third Swoon Reads novel. Have you got the process down now, or is it different every time?

KE: It’s different every time, depending on the characters and the scenarios in the book. But I’m also understanding the process better and learning how to get to the story faster.

HW: This was the last book in the Dodge Cove Trilogy … What are your feelings now that the series is over?

KE: Bittersweet. I love Didi and Nathan and everyone. I’m going to miss them terribly, but I also know that they will all be okay.

HW: What question do you get most from your fans, and what question do you wish people would ask you?

KE: “When is the next book coming out?” And what I wish they would ask me? Well, what my favorite movie of all time is. It’s American President, by the way.

Living the Writing Life

HW: How does the revision process work for you?

KE: At first, I get over the nervousness that initially comes when I see an edit letter. I read the letter several times and make notes. Only then do I dive into the process. I appreciate the direction because I don’t have to doubt myself.

HW: How has your writing process evolved since publishing your first and second books?

KE: It’s become more open and informed. I have more control over the words and the characters inside my head. Is this what growing up feels like?

HW: If you could change one thing about your writing habits, what would it be?

KE: Less doubt, definitely. I hate second-guessing myself. I’m working on building my confidence, and that starts with being more open about who I am to myself and accepting that, yes, I am a writer.

HW: What writing advice do you have to share with the world?

KE: Finish. There is nothing to edit and publish if the novel isn’t complete. Don’t strive for perfection in the first draft. Just get it done.