Book Tour | A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy | Author Interview

A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY

Author: Brian D. Kennedy

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Pages:

Publishing Date: May 31st, 2022

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

Emmett Maguire wants to be country music’s biggest gay superstar – a far reach when you’re seventeen and living in Illinois. But for now, he’s happy to do the next best thing: Stay with his aunt in Jackson Hollow, Tennessee, for the summer and perform at the amusement park owned by his idol, country legend Wanda Jean Stubbs.

Luke Barnes hates country music. As the grandson of Verna Rose, the disgraced singer who had a famous falling out with Wanda Jean, Luke knows how much pain country music has brought his family. But when his mom’s medical bills start piling up, he takes a job at the last place he wants: a restaurant at Wanda World.

Neither boy is looking for romance, but sparks fly when they meet – and soon they’re inseparable. Until a long-lost secret about Verna and Wanda comes to light, threatening to unravel everything.

Will Emmett and Luke be able get past the truths they discover…or will their relationship go down in history as just another Sad Country Love Song?

Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound

Author Info:

Brian D. Kennedy writes books for young adults. Born and raised in Minnesota, he occasionally elongates his vowels still. He now lives in New York City with his husband and their very photogenic dog. When he’s not writing, Brian can be found working at the LGBTQ Center, sitting in the audience at a Broadway show, or out buying more books—despite the stack of unread ones he has at home.  

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours, Netgalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy to read (My review). This in no way, has influenced my thoughts on the book. You can check out the other posts on the tour here.

Interview:

Q1: Hi there Brian! I am so happy to have you here with us! Before we begin, do tell us something about yourself!

Thanks for having me! I was born and raised in Minnesota and have lived most of my adult life in New York. Maybe that geography doesn’t scream “country music fan,” but I’m huge one. A Little Bit Country is my love letter to Dolly Parton and her music.

Q2: I could almost imagine Emmett singing the songs, they were amazing! What was the
songwriting process like?

Songwriting is brand new to me! I watched quite a few tutorial videos on YouTube, which were helpful in trying to get a general grasp on what rules (and tricks) people use to write lyrics. Then I studied some of my favorite country songs, and tried to take inspiration from their style.

Q3: Congratulations on your debut novel! What is a piece of advice that you’d give to your past writer self? 

Thank you! I would remind myself to always back up my work. (RIP to the chapters I’ve lost along the way.) But for a more serious answer, I’d tell myself to keep at it, and don’t worry about how long it takes. From when I first decided to pursue publication more seriously, to when my book is now being published, it’s been close to ten years. Even through all the rejection, I loved writing too much to ever quit trying.

Q4: Country music is one the main themes of the novel. What are some of your favourite country music artists? 

Well, Dolly Parton will always be my first choice. But some of my other favorites include Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Lori McKenna, Brandy Clark, Maren Morris, Hailey Whitters, Margo Price, The Chicks, The Highwomen, Yola, Tanya Tucker. (To name more than just a few!)

Q5: Without any spoilers, what scene in the novel was your favourite to write?

Wanda Jean Stubbs is the fictional country music icon in my novel, and I probably had a little too much fun coming up with her dialogue and outfits. But for a favorite scene, I have to go with Emmett and Luke’s first date. I imaged what the perfect summer night in small-town Tennessee would look like, and let their romantic feelings run wild in that environment.

Q6: Lastly, what do you hope readers will take away from this novel?

That it’s okay to be yourself, and that you’re allowed to do that in whatever way works best for you.
Not everyone who identifies as queer is going to have the same experience, and I hope A Little Bit Country illustrates that.

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