On June 11, readers gathered in Downtown Fremont to hear Bay Area author Holly LaBarbera read from her debut novel All I Know (published by Buckberg Mountain Books). Originally planned for the small independent bookstore Banter Bookshop, the event drew so many registrants that it was moved to the Downtown Event Center. Pre-orders for the book also sold out. In discussion with fellow author Caroline Kim, LaBarbera talked about aspects of writing the novel and her process in general. Banter Bookshop owner Amy Davis introduced the authors and got the event started.
To set the tone, LaBarbera read a short passage from All I Know, where the 20-something protagonist looks back on an afternoon spent with childhood friends. The novel spans many years over the childhood and young adulthood of Kai Martin, as the character processes her complicated family dynamic. Much of the novel is about the bond between two families, especially between Kai and her childhood friend Josh, who she has a crush on. LaBarbera recalls that while writing her first draft, “It felt like they were leading me, like Josh and Kai were in my head telling me what was going on.” Originally, she conceived the book as a love story, but with editing it grew into a coming of age where the central character moves from childish naiveté, to doubt, to a more mature faith in humanity. “It’s actually Kai’s story. Josh is a big part of that, but it’s her story.”
As a psychotherapist, LaBarbera wanted to honor some of the themes that her clients have expressed with her (although of course in a fictionalized setting). The families in All I Know, are dysfunctional in many ways, dealing with alcoholism, depression, and abuse. Building empathy for the struggles people go through is also part of the story. For example, she relates that the character of Josh’s dad was a straightforward “black hat western guy” in early drafts, but over time this character gained more depth.
Many of the places that the characters move through are inspired by places LaBarbera has also lived in. For example, the house Kai grows up in is based on LaBarbera’s childhood home. Because the novel covers a long time period, letters are used as a framing device, often to convey how much time has passed. “You share things that you don’t talk about in letters,” LaBarbera explains. Letter writing is a theme in LaBarbera’s own life, as she was pen pals with her grandmother growing up. The ending of All I Know was the most difficult part to write, because LaBarbera wanted to provide closure on Kai’s story without spoon-feeding her audience all the details of the character’s growth.
Some of her favorite characters in the story were Kai’s no nonsense friend Dani and Kai’s supportive mom. She notes that having loyal people in your life can make a big difference when you’re struggling. But in the end, LaBarbera says, “[Kai] has to be my favorite because she lived in my head so much.”
Although All I Know is LaBarbera’s debut, it’s not the first book she’s written. LaBarbera began writing her first book, “5 Days,” when her second son was getting ready to go off to college. Inspired by a passion planner (an agenda focused on goal setting), she decided to tackle the goal of writing a book. Although she hadn’t studied writing before, she is a longtime reader and attender of book clubs. She puts it simply, “I read a lot, and I know what I like.” Later in the process she joined a Community of Writers workshop. LaBarbera’s mom was also able to connect her with an established editor who gave helpful feedback on the draft.
For LaBarbera, a first draft takes anywhere from six months to a year. Editing, on the other hand, can take years. She calls the process of editing “Relatively boring,” because “You have to keep doing it and read the same thing over and over.” Currently, LaBarbera has finished the first draft of her third book, and “5 Days” is in redevelopment to be published after that. The latest project didn’t flow as smoothly. However, LaBarbera admits, “But I think it’s a better first draft.” She also wrote it in sequence rather than working on scenes out of order.
The event ended with a Q&A where audience members were able to ask LaBarbera both about her process, and for general writing advice. (For example, how to portray non-stereotypical symptoms of mental illness in a way that resonates with readers.)
Banter Bookshop lists upcoming story times, book clubs, and author events on their website at https://banterbookshop.com/events. You can order All I Know at https://hollyclabarbera.com/.
Connect with the authors on Instagram:
Holly LaBarbera @hollytellsatale
Caroline Kim @Carolinekim.writer
