Episode 226: The Girl Meets Girl Romantic Comedy — Interview with Camille Perri

by Gabriela Pereira
published in Podcast

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am so excited to have Camille Perri on the show!

Camille is an author who has also worked in numerous book related fields.

She has been a books editor for both Cosmopolitan and Esquire, a ghostwriter, and a reference librarian. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Assistants, was released in May of 2016 and was said to have captured the spirit of a generation: Millennials encumbered by student debt, struggling to rise through the ranks of their chosen careers, and completely fed up with the system.

Camille’s newly released second novel, When Katie Met Cassidy, is a bit of a divergence from her first, but still holds the same wry humor and discerning eye she has become known for. This time she turns those talents to questions of gender, representation, and sexuality in an exhilarating romantic comedy with a twist: A “girl meets girl” love story between two very different women.

So listen in as Camille and I chat about this awesome book, and how writing a fun read can be the greatest act of resistance.

In this episode Camille and I discuss:

  • Using alternating point of view to get readers inside all of your characters’ heads.
  • The importance of worldbuilding in contemporary fiction.
  • Showing the fun side of the queer community.
  • Subtle activism in romantic comedies.
  • Why you can make a difference with your writing without being political.

Plus, Camille’s #1 tip for writers.

About Camille Perri

Camille Perri is the author of The Assistants, and has worked as a books editor for Cosmopolitan and Esquire. She has also been a ghostwriter of young adult novels and a reference librarian. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, where she majored in English and gender and sexuality studies, and a masters of Library Science degree from Queens College. Camille now lives in Brooklyn with her partner.

Her latest novel, the romantic comedy When Katie Met Cassidy, is now available.

To learn more about Camille check out her author profile at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/camille-perri

When Katie Met Cassidy

When it comes to Cassidy, Katie can’t think straight.

Katie Daniels, a twenty-eight-year-old Kentucky transplant with a strong set of traditional values, has just been dumped by her fiancé when she finds herself seated across a negotiating table from native New Yorker Cassidy Price, a sexy, self-assured woman wearing a man’s suit. At first neither of them knows what to make of the other, but soon their undeniable connection will bring into question everything each of them thought they knew about sex and love.

This romantic comedy is about gender and sexuality, and the importance of figuring out who we are in order to go after what we truly want. It’s also a portrait of a high-drama subculture where barrooms may as well be bedrooms, and loyal friends fill in the spaces absent families leave behind. Katie’s glimpse into this wild yet fiercely tightknit community begins to alter not only how she sees the larger world, but also where exactly she fits in.

 

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

 

Link to Episode 226

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