Chapter One Again Author Q&A with Keelia Clarkson

Keelia Clarkson is a film and television actress and novelist. As an actress, she has appeared in many popular TV shows and starred in multiple award-winning indie films. Including her work on screen, she has also written and directed two feature films, Leading Lady (2022), and the upcoming rom-com, The Lonely Diners Club (2026). As a lover of words, Keelia has worked as a writer, having written hundreds of articles for a multitude of major outlets, such as Verily Magazine and Radiant. In 2022, Keelia founded her own online magazine, Wallflower Journal, which has reached hundreds of thousands of readers across the globe, and a podcast in conjunction, Dear Wallflower.

Originally from Los Angeles, Keelia now lives between New York City and Colorado Springs with her actor/author husband, Nathan. She spends her days reveling in cups of coffee, exploring both mountains and city streets, watching reruns of old TV shows, and reading Agatha Christie novels.

FF: What inspired the story in your book?
Chapter One Again first came to me as a single scene in a bookstore between a woman visiting from out of town, and her former high school crush. I found myself drawn to fill out the rest of the story. I quickly knew that I wanted to tell a story about a woman who seemingly “had it all,” and yet was unfulfilled with the life she’d built, questioned why, and wound up finding the answer in the place she’d least expected.

FF: What can you tell us about the main characters in your book?
The novel is told from the perspective of Jane, a late twenties ghostwriter living in New York City who dreams of writing her own novel. Jane is quiet yet ambitious, anxious yet determined. She wasn’t popular in high school — quite the opposite. And upon graduating, she fled Avila Falls, the tiny hometown she felt she never belonged in, for the big city. Jane is a lifelong lover of books and stories, and wonders why the story she’s telling with her own life isn’t turning out the way it’s supposed to.

Noah, Jane’s high school crush, is her opposite. He was the It Guy in high school, always surrounded by an entourage, destined to live a life of greatness and popularity. And yet, when Jane comes across him a decade later, she discovers a different Noah than the one she knew. A Noah who proves to her that there was always much more to him than met the eye.

FF: Which character surprised you the most?
Probably Edith, the elderly bookstore owner in Avila Falls. Throughout the novel, Edith acts as the voice of wisdom in Jane’s life. What surprised me most was how much I connected with Edith, a woman decades older than I am now. I was taken aback by how real she felt to me as I wrote and how much I looked forward to writing every chapter she was in.

FF: Why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to share truth?
Stories, in my opinion, are the most compelling way to convey truth because we’re story-oriented beings that were created by a story-oriented God. During his time on earth, Jesus shared his most pressing truths through parables. Stories have a way of breaking down barriers, sinking deep into our souls, and stirring our hearts. They encourage connection and reflection, two things that can lead to a widened perspective.

FF: What can you tell us about your next book?
The second book of the Avila Falls series, Page Two With You, will pick back up on Jane’s journey several months after the first book closes. Readers can expect to follow along as Jane continues her quest to bring a novel of her own into the world, get to know Avila Falls even better, and see many familiar faces — both expected and unexpected.

FF: How do you get into the right frame of mind to write romance?
Because Avila Falls is as much a character in the story as Jane, Noah, and Edith are, it was important to me to sink into scenes as I wrote them. Sometimes I would browse Pinterest to help myself get into the mood of the world I wanted to build. Music played a significant role in helping me feel like I was stepping away from my world and into Avila Falls and Jane’s headspace. Being that I come from an acting background, I would try to enter into each chapter I was writing like it was a scene I was directing in a movie. I would visualize inhabiting everything Jane, my protagonist, was experiencing — thoughts, smells, emotions, sights, physical feelings.

FF: What do you want readers to take away after reading your book?
I wanted to explore what it actually looks like to live a “meaningful” life. Chapter One Again centers around a young woman who doesn’t believe her life can matter unless it looks a very specific way. So she chases down a bigger life — one that, from the outside, looks impressive. She leaves her tiny hometown for the big city, works for one of the world’s top publishers, befriends the “popular” girls. But none of her accomplishments and endeavors satisfy her need to feel like her life matters. Throughout the novel, she’s confronted with her preconceived notion of a meaningful life, and how it doesn’t actually align with reality. Jane learns that meaning is found in much smaller, much more normal, things than she ever thought.

FF: What are the biggest challenges for you as an author writing romance?
Striking the balance between more lighthearted, romantic plots, and more abstract, hopefully thought-provoking, themes. It was my desire to write something that was fun to read and gave the reader something to ponder.

FF: What authors or books have inspired you as an author?
C. S. Lewis’ writings deepened my faith. Jane Austen’s timeless love stories about people living normal lives. Agatha Christie’s wit and humor. Anne Lamott’s honesty. Francine Rivers’ hopefulness and redemptive themes.

FF: How has your faith or world view impacted the way you tell stories?
We’re called to be ambassadors of Christ as believers. And it’s my sincere desire to do so well. I find this to be relevant to how I conduct myself in my personal life, but also in my professional life as an author. It’s important to me that the stories I write for others to read reflect the goodness, truth, and beauty of my creator. I’m fortunate enough that words I wrote will be out there for anyone to read and potentially be influenced by. And so, my hope is that anyone who comes across my book, whether a lifelong believer or not, will walk away with questions and ponderings about God that might draw them closer to him.