July 2, 2024

Writing Unabashed Power Ballads

Rainbow Rowell on nostalgia and the exploration of what-ifs in Slow Dance.

Writing Unabashed Power Ballads

Rainbow Rowell on nostalgia and the exploration of what-ifs in Slow Dance.

I fell in love with my husband in high school.

I couldn’t have told you that then. I didn’t understand what it felt like to be in love. Like — I didn’t know what I was looking for, so I had no idea that I’d found it. The fact that he and I eventually figured some things out and got married still seems like several extraordinary strokes of luck.

My inspiration for Slow Dance came simply from wondering, what if we hadn’t been so lucky?

Slow Dance tells the story of Cary and Shiloh, two bright kids from a rough neighborhood whose friendship keeps each other afloat during high school. They promise each other before graduation that nothing between them will ever change.

It isn’t a promise anyone could keep.

When the book opens, the characters are in their 30s. Shiloh’s a single mom working at a children’s theater, and Cary’s an officer in the Navy — and they haven’t spoken for fourteen years.

What happened? That depends on who you ask …

One of the things I wanted to explore in Slow Dance was how limited we are by our own perspectives. When Shiloh and Cary look back, they can see only slivers of what happened between them. They’re both walking around with half the story. (Half the story, at most.)

I was thinking, as I wrote, about the way old friends give you access to your younger self. There’s a part of Shiloh that only comes out when Cary is around. She can only be that version of herself when she’s with him.

All I ever write are love stories, but I think Slow Dance is my most romantic novel yet.

I wanted it to feel big and unabashed, like a power ballad — like the very last song at a school dance. Full-throated and full-hearted. I just wanted to leave it all on the floor.

I hope you feel some of those high notes when you’re reading it.

Rainbow

Nothing better than starting the day with Isola β˜€οΈ

πŸ“·: @kenzienoelle.reads
#ad You aren’t dreaming! We are adding another chapter to one of your favorite books.

Reese’s Book Club and @IKEAUSA have teamed up to extend the tale of one of our picks, How To End A Love Story by @yulin.kuang. The new chapter will be the perfect bedtime story, and we can’t wait for you to hear it.

Visit our link in bio to shop Yulin’s favorite sleep essentials and check back soon for her extended story. We might just have another one coming…
"Working little by little, day by day, you will get to the end of your journey." 

@AllegraGoodmanWriter sharing incredible advice for writer's and people alike. Thank you for being our February Pick πŸ’™
GIVEAWAY: Find out the significance of the letter by entering to win a copy of Famous Last Words by @gillianmauthor. Hint: It's in the first chapter πŸ˜‰

To ENTER:
1. Like this post πŸ’™
2. Follow @reesesbookclub 🀝
3. Tag a friend! πŸ“–

Giveaway ends 03/10/25 at 11:59 PT. 10 winners will be notified by DM from @reesesbookclub. No purchase necessary. U.S. only.
Everyone needs a Damienne in their life πŸ’™

Check the link in our bio to start reading Isola.
Our Sunday plan: soaking up sunshine with a great book β˜€οΈπŸ“–
And just like that, the highly-requested full library reveal! 😍 Isn't she stunning?

πŸ“·: @theintrovertedition
Just the essentials πŸ₯°

πŸ“·: @readyourworriesaway
#ad We love a good book as part of our nightly wind down routine!

Thanks to @IKEAUSA we’ll be revisiting some of our favorite books, like Twelfth Knight by @afarolfollmuth, and sharing a brand-new bonus chapter coming soon! Visit our link in bio to shop her favorite IKEA sleep essentials.
β€œIt’s not just that he’s a villain, but that he represents a man of his time.” Author @allegragoodmanwriter shares what makes Roberval such a terrifying antagonist in Isola.
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.