Interview with Miel Moreland: It Goes like This (Blog Tour)

Author: Miel Moreland

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Publishing Date: May 18, 2021

Content Warnings: primary trigger warning – Misgendering and none of it is done maliciously (although it’s still obviously harmful to the non-binary character) and hospitals / Minor mentions of: biphobia, homophobia, substance addiction, eating disorders/body image, grief/loss of a parent.

In Miel Moreland’s heartfelt young adult debut, It Goes Like This, four queer teens realize that sometimes you have to risk hitting repeat on heartbreak.

Eva, Celeste, Gina, and Steph used to think their friendship was unbreakable. After all, they’ve been though a lot together, including the astronomical rise of Moonlight Overthrow, the world-famous queer pop band they formed in middle school, never expecting to headline anything bigger than the county fair.

But after a sudden falling out leads to the dissolution of the teens’ band, their friendship, and Eva and Celeste’s starry-eyed romance, nothing is the same. Gina and Celeste step further into the spotlight, Steph disappears completely, and Eva, heartbroken, takes refuge as a songwriter and secret online fangirl…of her own band. That is, until a storm devastates their hometown, bringing the four ex-best-friends back together. As they prepare for one last show, they’ll discover whether growing up always means growing apart.

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Interview

Q- Hi! I’m so honored that you’re doing this interview with me. We’ll start this Q & A off with some basic things about you so just tell us a little bit about you in general, some favorites, things you love, things you like to do, etc.?

A- When I’m not writing, I’m probably making a spreadsheet (whether for my day job or my personal life), dancing to pop music, or reading. Chocolate is a must, always, and like Elizabeth Bennet, I’m very fond of walking! I’m a Midwestern writer at heart—it’s where I grew up—but I’ve lived in Southern California, France, and now in Boston.

Q- Where did you come up with the idea for It Goes Like This?

A- It Goes Like This is really like a full chord, or maybe a complex harmony, of several threads of inspiration. I was circling writing about queer love, broken friendships, and fandom, and after trying out a few short stories, I realized how to bring them all together by centering the band.

Q- Are you a planner or a do-it-as-it-goes kind of person? Do you think out and plan every aspect of a book or do you come up with a basic idea and just see where it leads you?

A- For IT GOES LIKE THIS, I started with the basic premise and a few key moments along the way. Funnily enough, though, I had a massive spreadsheet of what each of the characters was doing each month for five or so years before the main action starts. So while the present timeline, and the actual story, fell under “we’ll see where it goes,” very quickly after I started writing, I knew I needed to nail down exactly what was in the characters’ pasts, even though much of it is never detailed in the novel.

Q- We’d love to know a little bit about the people behind-the-scenes. Who motivates you to write and is your constant support system?

A- I’m lucky to have many strong friendships in my life, some with writers (not necessarily of fiction) and many with non-writers. One of my critique partners in particular is constantly fielding my questions and offering song recommendations!

Q- If I’m not wrong, It Goes Like This is about friendship, growing up, discovering yourself and music of course. So are you a music fanatic yourself? Who’s your favorite band?

A- Yes, I love pop music! I mostly listen to individual singers—think Taylor Swift, Halsey, and Sara Bareilles. My favorite band specifically has to be One Direction.

Q- Are the main characters in your book, Eva, Celeste, Gina and Steph, inspired by anyone in real life or are they completely the products of your imagination?

A- They’re not inspired by anyone!

Q- It Goes Like This is an incredible and meaningful book and I can’t wait to see what else you come up with! So are you currently working on anything else right now and can you tell us anything about it if you are?

A- I am working on a few projects now! I’m hoping to be able to share more about one of them later this summer. For now, think more queer kids, but high school, not Hollywood.

About the Author:

Miel Moreland writes character-driven contemporary Young Adult novels. Born and raised in Minneapolis, she has a Midwestern heart but wandering feet. When not making pop music references and celebrating fandom, she is likely to be found drinking hot chocolate and making spreadsheets. She currently resides in Boston.

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