Q&A: Nora Dahlia, Author of ‘Backslide’

We chat with author Nora Dahlia about Backslide, which is a second chance romance perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez! Exes are thrown together at their best friends’ wine country un-wedding and forced to reckon with their past…and lingering sparks.

Hi, Nora! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Sure! I’m NYC born-and-bred, but lived in LA for a long time too—which is probably why my new book BACKSLIDE takes place in NYC (in the’90s) and in present-day California. I started my writing career as a freelance journalist and am still a travel and beauty/style writer (which definitely informs my novels). I’m also a book coach and a ghostwriter. Before I started writing romance, I wrote upmarket commercial fiction under the name Nora Zelevansky. My first contemporary romance, PICK-UP, came out last year and now I’m thrilled to usher BACKSLIDE into the world!

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve always loved to write. As a kid, the first fiction I remember being really excited about writing was a story called “Dear Diary,” inspired loosely by the Edgar Allan Poe poem, “Annabel Lee.” I’m pretty sure it was about a suicide. I was 9. Apparently, I’ve moved onto something slightly more upbeat.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: It was something about a fox?
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Portable Dorothy Parker
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Less is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer

Your latest novel, Backslide, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

You never forget your first.

What can readers expect?

BACKSLIDE is a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance about Nellie and Noah, who fell in love and then fell apart in high school—and we don’t know why. The book is told in dual timelines—in ‘90s New York City (when they were teenagers) and then in present-day Sonoma (where they’re forced to see each other again at their friends’ redo wedding celebration).

Expect humor, banter, a bit of existential exhaustion and lots of sexual tension—but also some poignant moments. In some ways, this book is a (not very silent) meditation on first love and how it shapes our choices. Our teen years are so brief and yet they are so formative!

Where did the inspiration for Backslide come from?

This is sort of embarrassing. I haven’t said this out loud. But OK: I was on a wellness retreat in San Diego that I was covering for a magazine and I did a breathwork session. For those who haven’t done one, it’s not the same as regular breathing exercises. It forces your body into a kind of overdrive (that’s probably inaccurate, but that’s how I can best describe it) and is meant to unleash blocked feelings and creativity etc. I had this idea during that session! I went back to my hotel room and took lots of notes about the ways in which we get stuck and about midflife expectations and about how we don’t get to choose the people with whom we’re kindred—and now here we are.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I love Northern California, but I live in Brooklyn (which I also love). So, I really got into describing Sonoma County and the beautiful, kind of barefoot luxury vibes there. One of my best friends in the world lives not far away and I actually called her and told her I needed to come research when I had the idea. And, as if it was fated, just hours later, I got an email about an assignment to write an article about the Sonoma Coast/West Marin. So, I flew out there and it was glorious!

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I always hit at least one moment during the writing process when I decide it was all for naught. I ask myself: Why am I even writing this story? Is it any good? Should I even be a writer? At this point, I think that’s really just a natural part of the process. I also always find the sex scenes challenging the first time around. But then I get more in flow with them as I revise.

What’s next for you?

Well, I’m lucky enough to be doing a bunch of amazing events, which is my favorite part of this whole process! I’m doing an event at The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn on 10/21, Lovestruck in Boston on 10/27, Politics & Prose in DC on 10/30—and then I’m headed to the West Coast to do an event at The Ripped Bodice in LA on 11/10 and A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland on 11/13.

If you haven’t yet visited some of the romance-specific bookstores, run don’t walk! They’re places of great joy. And we all need that right now.

I’ve just started writing my next book, but I’m going to try to bask in the glow of this one coming out before I go too deep!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

Yes! So many. My reading has been romance-heavy, which is generally a happy thing, as I still feel like I have so much to learn about the genre. But I’ve read some upmarket commercial and literary stuff too. Books I’ve really enjoyed this year: These Summer Storms, It’s a Love Story, The Trouble With Anna, The Wedding People, The Best We Could Hope For, First-Time Caller, Once More with Feeling, Just For The Summer.

Will you be picking up Backslide? Tell us in the comments below!