I wanted to write about a young woman who knows what she wants and goes after it, no matter how bizarre it might seem to everyone else.

Do you identify with any of the characters, and why?

I recently had a health scare with my two-year-old son. We found a lump on his shoulder that turned out to be a soft-tissue tumor. An anxious few weeks passed while he underwent a variety of tests, some invasive and under general anesthetic. It was the most helpless I have ever felt, being unable to control either events or the outcome. I couldn’t swap places with him no matter how much I wanted to, and I couldn’t promise him that everything was going to be OK. As his mother, I feel it is my job to keep him safe and protected, and to have that ability taken away from me was just horrendous. Thankfully, to our relief and gratitude, the tumor is benign and will be removed soon. So, to answer your question, I can identify with Ava’s mother. She adores her child and would do anything to change what is happening or take it away, but she can’t. So instead she is throwing herself into giving Ava everything she wants for however long she has left.

What did you enjoy most about writing this story?

I love writing about love, whether it’s between a parent and a child, best friends, or lovers. I feel like the love between Ava and her friends and family was just extraordinary, and it was an absolute joy to write.

Were there any challenges along the way?

It was obviously very important to get the cancer side of the story right. Both the factual side of it and the emotional side. I did a fair bit of research into both, but also had to put myself into Ava’s shoes and think about how I would feel and react. It really makes you think hard about how you’re currently living your life and forces you to face a few home truths. I have also lost a few friends and family members to this awful disease, so it brought back some sad memories.

What, to you, are the most important elements of a love story?

For me, the best love stories must be both believable and realistic. I’m a fan of love in all its guises. Love can be gentle and undemanding. Love can also be passionate and angst ridden, sacrificial, tense, and emotional. Love is imperfect and perfect at the same time. Love is a lifetime of moments; memories that make us smile and memories that make us cry. A great love story makes us fall in love with love.

Did you always know how the story was going to end?

It’s clear from the start that Ava will pass away and the story isn’t going to end happily in that regard. Sadly, there’s no miracle cure, although I wish there was and hopefully one day soon there will be. I always knew that Ava and James had to end up together. As hard as it was for James to lose her, he gave her so much happiness at the end. As mentioned in the book, clichés are clichés for a reason, and James will heal with time, although he’ll obviously never forget her.