Lindsey Frydman writes about heart-stopping romance, rule breaking heroes, and everyday magic. She uses her BFA in Photography and Graphic Design to collate random facts with creative processes to craft delightful stories that will entertain you.

Your debut book, The Heartbeat Hypothesis, released March 20th, 2017. What was the inspiration for the story?
Being the Pinterest addict I am, I’d found and saved a news article about a twenty-one-year-old nursing student who’d died in a car accident. An older woman received her heart, and she decided to repay the debt by fulfilling her donor’s bucket-list—so that even though the rest of the young girl would never fulfill her dreams, at least her heart could. This true story led me to Audra, the main character whose life was saved by a seventeen-year-old girl’s tragedy. Instead of a bucket-list, her donor, Emily, had a Tumblr Done-It blog (a photographic journal of all the things she experienced before her death), and Audra is intent on honoring her memory by recreating the Done-It list. With the help of Emily’s sexy brother and his photography skills. 😉

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
To quote Audra, “A girl I didn’t know, could never know, was dead, and her tragedy had suddenly become my blessing. It felt…wrong.” It sums up how guilt-stricken she is and why she’s so determined to make her second chance at life meaningful – even if she does make a few wrong moves along the way. To me, she’s a quintessential eighteen-year-old, finally experiencing what it means to be an adult and make her own choices. Choices that are only made harder by her overwhelming survivor’s guilt and her resolve to repay a debt that can never truly be repaid.

Who is your perfect hero? And why?
I have a serious thing for Daemon Black from Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Obsidian (Lux). But there’s no way I could pick a single hero from any book so I’ll describe what makes a perfect hero for me: A guy with a dark, twisted, haunted past. One who likes to tease and flirt. One who’s keen on playing the hot-and-cold game (as annoying as that may be). Someone who might not do everything right—probably because of that dark and haunted past—but means well. I like my heroes with angst, grit, and a soft spot they try so desperately to hide. Why? Well…perhaps it’s because most of those qualities make for a kiss already! scene—or two, or three.

Other than books, what is one item you can’t resist buying?
Cups! Like the cute, colorful containers with quotes on them. I don’t know why I feel like I need to own a hundred of them, but I do. When I pass by those shiny objects in stores, I’m like a moth drawn to a freaking flame. They’re my weird, guilty pleasure. (Bonus if they have a straw!)

What is your favorite love story of all time, either book or movie?
It’s so hard to pick just one! But since I have to, I’m going with The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg. It’s got everything I love about a romance. A sassy, take-no-crap heroine with a killer voice. The guy narrating her through the “afterlife” is charming, witty, and has enough sass to match hers. Their interactions are fun, full of retorts, and often charming. Without giving away the ending, I can only say it gave me all the feels. All of them. In the best way possible. I’ll share one of my favorite quotes from the book:

“News flash: The whole thing is a huge mess and a giant nightmare and it’s all about to explode in your face and you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. Love is no game. People cut their ears off over this stuff. People jump off the Eiffel Tower and sell all their possessions and move to Alaska to live with the grizzly bears, and then they get eaten and nobody hears them when they scream for help. That’s right. Falling in love is pretty much the same thing as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear.

Believe me, I should know.”

About The Heartbeat Hypothesis:
Audra Madison simply wanted to walk in the shoes of Emily Cavanaugh, a free-spirited teenager who died too young. After all, Audra wasn’t supposed to be here.
Thanks to Emily, Audra has a second chance at life. She’s doing all the things that seemed impossible just two years ago: Go to college. Date. Stargaze in the Rocky Mountains. Maybe get a tattoo. You know, live.
Jake Cavanaugh, a photographer with mysterious, brooding gray eyes, agrees to help chronicle her newfound experiences. She makes him laugh, one of the only people who can these days. As they delve into each other’s pasts – and secrets – the closer they become.
But she’s guarded and feels like she can’t trust anyone, including herself.
And he’s struggling with the fact that his beloved sister’s heart beats inside her.

You can buy The Heartbeat Hypothesis here:

Amazon USA: The Heartbeat Hypothesis

iTunes