‘Hearts in Circulation’ Author Q&A with Sarah Monzon

HOLT Medallion and Selah Award–winner, and Christy and Carol Award finalist, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain’s wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her. Learn more at SarahMonzonWrites.com.

FF: Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel Hearts in Circulation?
Hearts in Circulation is about a bubbly circulation librarian who gets stranded in a rural Appalachian community after a rockslide blocks the only accessible road out of town, and the reclusive grumpy mechanic who begrudgingly offers her a place to stay until the road is cleared and repaired.

FF: What inspired you to create a story centered around a bookmobile and a small-town mechanic?
I love bookmobiles. Both the history of them as well as how they are utilized today. I wanted to highlight and celebrate this interesting facet of library services by featuring a bookmobile in this story. As far as the small-town mechanic, well, that just made sense to me—like two ends of a puzzle piece fitting together.

FF: Hayley and Levi have a very contrasting dynamic—her bubbly personality versus his need for solitude. What challenges and opportunities did writing this dynamic present?
I love a good opposites-attract trope, so it was fun diving into that with this story. Hayley’s exuberance and chattiness, while well-meaning, affect Levi in ways she never could have imagined. What could have led to hurt feelings and miscommunication actually becomes an avenue for the pair to understand each other on a much deeper level.

FF: The epistolary elements of your story add a unique dimension. What drew you to include letter-writing in a contemporary romance?
Levi isn’t really a sociable guy and definitely not one for lengthy conversations. But just because he seems like the grunting grumpy guy, doesn’t mean there isn’t more going on under the surface. Some of us find it easier to express ourselves when we can write our thoughts and feelings down, and I thought showing Levi as having this sort of dimension added layers to not only his character, but as a means of developing a budding romance as well.

FF: Your main character Hayley is a liver transplant recipient. How did you research this medical aspect of her background?
The internet is a wealth of knowledge, and I spent many, many hours scouring medical journals and research studies to gain a better understanding of what Hayley would have gone through and how her experience would have shaped her outlook and perspective on life.

FF: Turkey Grove sounds like a charming small town. Is it based on any real places you’ve visited?
I went to college in southeastern Tennessee and have a lot of fond memories of hiking and exploring the wilderness, vistas, and waterfalls of the southern portion of the Cherokee National Forest. I based the tiny town of Turkey Grove on some of the smaller communities that reside between Tennessee Highways 411 and 64.

FF: Books and reading play a central role in your story. How has your own love of reading influenced your writing?
Reading nourishes my creativity and love of story. It inspires story ideas as well as hones my craft.

FF: What do you hope readers take away from Hearts in Circulation?
Hearts in Circulation is a light-hearted romantic comedy with some depth and representation of sensory processing disorder, so ultimately I hope readers come away with an enjoyment of the story itself as well as a broader perspective and understanding of those of us who can get overwhelmed by the daily stimuli around us.

FF: What are you working on next?
I’m working on the third book in the Checking Out Love Series, which will feature our final Little Creek librarian, Martha Aldridge. Be prepared for all things related to children’s literature with this one!

FF: How can readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with me through email, which can be found on my website www.SarahMonzonWrites.com as well as on Instagram and Facebook @SarahMonzonWrites.

Buy Hearts in Circulation from the FamilyFiction Amazon Affiliate HERE!