And then add a potential crush on that particular celebrity? Well, that’s a whole extra level of fun, awkward tension to play with.įor Chani, being a “lanky, loudmouthed Jew” seems to be a reason why she believes romance between her and Gabe would be an impossibility. Because it’s one thing to learn someone is famous after the fact it’s quite another to be hyper-aware of it from the beginning. I also really wanted to write a normal person/celeb romance where the “regular” person is very, very much aware of who the celebrity is. There have been so many excellent celebrity profiles by women that address the weird, awkward dynamic that is built into that sort of journalism, and I was really interested in expanding upon that. I love Taffy’s work, both her fiction and her nonfiction, and her profiles are one of the many inspirations for Chani and her writing. Tell me a little bit about the inspiration(s) for this book! Obviously, I couldn’t help but think of “Notting Hill” and similar “celeb falls in love with regular person” stories, but the first person I thought about as I read about Chani was Jewish journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner - her excellent celebrity profiles and also very Jewish name… Both “Funny You Should Ask” and “Drawn That Way” are very personal books, so it made sense that both protagonists are Jewish. It’s all about representation and visibility! A few years ago, it felt like there were only a handful of romances with Jewish characters - I don’t remember stumbling across any when I was a teenager - so it was a matter of wanting to see myself in genres I love.

Both of your most recent books feature Jewish protagonists. I love the way you wove Chani’s Jewish identity into the book - it felt both very effortless and very specific. This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Hey Alma talked to Sussman about the inspiration behind the book, why Jewish representation is important to her and why loudmouthed Jewish women deserve to be the center of more romances.

Weaving in interview excerpts and entries from Chani’s blog, the book is a fun escapist romp that is dreamy, vulnerable, and profoundly relatable - making it a perfect summer read. “ Funny You Should Ask” tells a story that’s still rare, in which the Jewish heroine gets to be loud and proud and still get the guy. Will they be able to rekindle that initial spark? Ten years later, both their careers have been permanently changed by it, and Chani is assigned to write a follow-up to their life-altering article.

Gabe parker funny you should ask