I Want You More by Swan Huntley is a captivating exploration of identity and obsession, set against the backdrop of reality TV. The story follows Zara Pines, who, after the death of her father, takes a ghostwriting job for Jane Bailey, a famous TV chef. Spending the summer in Jane's East Hampton home, Zara finds herself increasingly drawn into Jane's life, adopting her mannerisms and even her style. As the boundaries between the two women blur, dark secrets about Jane's past come to light, leading to a tense and thrilling narrative.
What begins as a light vacation read that makes you feel as if you are summering in East Hampton, this novel takes a dark and twisted turn. Keira had an opportunity to chat with the author to learn more about this thriller, its twists and influences from her own experiences as a ghostwriter.
KS: I read that you were a ghostwriter - how much of your experiences influenced the book?
SH: I was ghostwriting the memoir of a Real Housewife of NYC and she said, "You're coming to my manor." I thought: (A) No, and (B), that's a good setup for the book. So the jumping-off point was taken straight from life.
KS: I love reading novels about authors and the writing process. As a writer, how much of your process is incorporated into Zara's ghostwriting process?
SH: Zara's ghostwriting process is based on my own - although there's a level of obsessive love she feels for Jane that deepens the process.
KS: There is a quote toward the end "Every memoir is fiction to some degree". That coupled with Zara and Jane's blurred identities and voice had me questioning everything. Did you always intend to have Zara be an unreliable narrator?
SH: I always knew that Zara contained the fire within her that's revealed later in the book, but I did not always know how I would reveal it.
KS: I loved Diego but wish he had a larger role in the book. Can you give us more insight into his character?
SH: Diego is based on a friend of mine who's a gay lawyer and a big Housewife fan. I'll tell him you wanted more!
KS: What are you working on now?
SH: A memoir called How To Escape Yourself Or Die Trying: An Addict And A Really Long Bike Ride.
KS: What are you reading this summer?
SH: The entire oeuvre of Pia Mellody and a thousand other self-help books.
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