Welcome to the 5 Minutes Series. Each week, I’ll ask five questions of some of my favorite authors, editors, publishers, and other industry professionals. This week I’m talking with Nan Campbell whose debut novel, The Rules of Forever, just won a Lammy.
You KNOW my first question is going to be how on earth did you react when you found out you were a finalist for, and then THE WINNER of a Lambda Literary Award?
I honestly couldn’t believe I was a finalist. My debut novel had just been released when I saw that the deadline was approaching for submitting to Lambda Literary. I entered on a whim. I figured it was a Wayne Gretzky you miss all the shots you don’t take type situation. Then when I got the email saying I was a finalist, I believed I had no chance of winning. I was up against some amazing books, including titans of the genre like EJ Noyes and Aurora Rey! Since the ceremony was in New York City where I live, I decided to go and soak up all the audacious vibes of being in the same room as all that amazing queer talent. Perhaps enjoy the open bar a bit. I didn’t prepare any remarks. Why would I? I wasn’t going to win.
But then they called my name. How in the world had that happened?
Somehow I found myself on the stage, standing too far from the microphone, biffing my way through an acceptance speech, and forgetting to thank my wife. It was glorious. It’s still sinking in that something I created with my brain, hands, and heart has been recognized in this way.
So the lesson here is that Gretzky knew what he was talking about, and you miss all the shots you don’t take can sometimes lead to walking out of a New York City ballroom holding an award in your hands.
Tell me about The Rules of Forever? What was the inspiration?
The Rules of Forever is a Sapphic contemporary romance set in New York City. Cara, a public school teacher, bumps into her unrequited crush at her ten year high school reunion. Lauren is a museum curator starting her dream job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after a long time away studying in Europe. She vaguely remembers Cara from their high school days, but they traveled in different circles. Sparks begin to fly when they share a ride back into the city after the reunion.
When I was teaching high school English in the Bronx, my favorite part of the year was the week-long period every January and June when students sat their Regents exams, New York State’s standardized tests. There was something about the empty mindlessness of proctoring exams that really made my imagination run wild. The plot for The Rules of Forever began taking shape as I wandered the aisles of a silent classroom while students were sweating over Algebra II or Living Environment or US History. And it’s probably why one of my main characters is a NYC public school teacher. (Ed. Note. This book is spectacular. Please get it.)
What was the publication process like for you?
I had done my research and also had the benefit of my classes in GCLS’s Writing Academy. After working with KG MacGregor, my WA-appointed mentor, and polishing my draft another seventeen times (only a slight exaggeration), I had a manuscript I felt was ready to be seen by someone other than me, KG, and my critique group. Querying agents sounded painful and possibly protracted. I decided to forego that process and submitted directly to Bold Strokes Books in June of 2021. I heard back in September that they had accepted it—I was so grateful, my first choice! Over the following year, I worked with two excellent editors, Jenny Harmon and Cindy Cresap, and many other skilled staff members at BSB. The Rules of Forever was published in September 2022.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a writer?
Have I mentioned you miss all the shots you don’t take?
But seriously, my first bit of advice is to just get it out there. What I mean is…you could potentially keep polishing forever. At a certain point, maybe after you’ve gone over it that seventeenth time, get your draft in front of some different eyeballs, or choose an agent to query, or go over those submission guidelines for your publisher of choice, or look into KDP if that’s the way you want to go.
The Writing Academy, its instructors and my fellow students, gave me the courage to finish my manuscript, attach it to an email, and send it off to a publisher. Ultimately, my desire to know if it was good enough to publish outweighed my fear of being told no. And I’ve learned so much about the process and about good writing since then. It was scary, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Secondly, if you’re even considering putting your work out there, start building up your social media yesterday. I had no experience with social media before publication and I’m fumbling my way through it now. It may surprise new writers how much time is necessary to devote to promotion.
What are you working on now?
My second novel, The No Kiss Contract, came out in April, so I’m busy trying to sustain interest in that on the promotion front. It’s a trope-tastic enemies-to-lovers and second chance romance, with a fake relationship thrown in for good measure.
I’m also in edits on my third release, titled Like They Do in the Movies, which will be out in December. It’s my take on a good old fashioned Hollywood romance.
Bonus question: Have you ever taken a picture of a weird bird?
No, just a regular bird.
You can catch up with Nan on the web here, or follow her on Twitter here.
Finnian Burnett 