Elba Luz

Elba Luz is a lover of stories, whether in the form of anime, manga, video games, or, of course, books. A failed astrophysicist turned publishing professional in New York City, she can be found annoying people with facts about space or lounging about with her adorable pit bull Stormy. She writes romance for adults and teens.

Luz's new novel is Legally Yours, Violet Lopez.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

I hope Legally Yours, Violet Lopez gives readers a good look at what they’re in for! Right away, you know you're getting a story about a girl named Violet, and the word "legally" gives you a little hint about the world you're stepping into. Since it’s YA, I thought weaving that into the title would be interesting, because when you think of legal matters, you tend to think of more adult themes. I wanted that to be a clue into the world of the book. And of course, it’s a play on Legally Blonde, which was a major inspiration for the story. I wanted it to feel like a young adult version of Legally Blonde, but with teenagers holding the reins and the stakes centered around what matters to teens. And of course, "yours" implies a romance, so you're getting a glimpse of almost every major theme represented in the title.

What's in a name?

I think Violet Lopez is such a fitting name for her character because there's a lovely contrast between how soft and pretty Violet sounds and how intense she actually is. She's incredibly intelligent and fiercely competitive. I also love that she has a distinctly Latina surname. Her identity and her relationship with her Puerto Rican father are important parts of her story, especially in a school where so many of her classmates come from incredibly wealthy and privileged backgrounds. She takes pride in who she is, even when she's struggling to find her place in that world.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your new novel?

I think teenage me would be really proud, because she was so insecure and worried she was never going to reach even the smallest of her dreams. I’m a lot more confident now, so I think my teenage self would be ready to hurry up and find that self-assurance she's been aching for.

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

I am cursed with being good at beginnings and struggling to figure out endings. I always get grand ideas and see exactly where stories start, along with characters who would be perfect to navigate the entire story. But I always wonder how things will end. How do they reach their goals? I write romance, so I know there will be a happy ending, but that's so boring if everything is happy and smooth. So I work toward throwing every wrench possible into my characters' paths so that their happy endings feel like a breath of fresh air. I think the pressure of an ending, of delivering a conclusion that will satisfy readers who have gone on this journey with the main character, makes me more nervous than beginnings, where you can have a lot more fun!

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

I think there are little pieces of me, and the people in my life, in all my characters. Violet and I share that desire to work hard and create a better future for ourselves and the people we love. But one of the most personal parts of the book is actually her relationship with her father. My own father came from Puerto Rico, taught himself English, and worked incredibly hard. He also had this habit of bringing me little treats or making the strangest jokes just to get me to laugh, and a lot of that made its way into Violet's father. Their relationship isn't exactly like ours, but the love behind it is very real. I think that's why Violet was so important to me. She's ambitious because she loves so deeply, even if she doesn't always know how to balance those two parts of herself.

What non-literary inspirations have influenced your writing?

So many! I’m heavily inspired by video games and anime. I'm a huge gamer, and one of my favorite series is Dragon Age. I genuinely study the dialogue in those games because the characters are so well developed. They all have their own personalities, motivations, relationships, and incredibly witty banter. I love how the writers can reveal so much about a character in a single line of dialogue. I also really love classical music. I think it’s amazing how, with melodies and no words, musicians can create compositions that allow me to visualize entire stories and experience emotions without ever being told what the musician was feeling.

Visit Elba Luz's website.

--Marshal Zeringue