Marisa Reichardt is the debut author of the deep and emotional novel Underwater, which tells the story of a girl who suffers from anxiety and is trying to wrestle with both her past and her current life situations. A touching romance and a novel about new beginnings and finding a way out of depression and anxiety, Underwater helps readers to see that they are not alone and that there is always hope. Below is my interview with Reichardt, talking about her inspirations, her future work, and what she hopes readers take from her book.
What first sparked your idea for Morgan’s story of love, loss, and forgiveness?
I personally have struggled with anxiety, and I wrote that book that I wish I had as a teenager. And I am also a wife and a mom and there are things that come into your life in that way. You hear about your kids and your husband having lockdown drills at school. It all [just] came together.
How much of Morgan’s story is true to your life, if any?
I don’t have anxiety on the level that Morgan did, but I feel like the elements of Morgan’s story are similar to mine: I grew up with a single mom, I had a younger brother, I was a California beach girl. But I like something my brother said after he read the book: “Marisa’s life is all over these pages, but this isn’t her life.” I feel like parts of who I am and my experiences are in there, but it is in no way my story.
Did you find it difficult to balance the light/romantic elements of the novel with the sad and darker themes in the novel?
I’m a romantic actually, so sometimes when I was writing those heavier scenes, I was like, “I just have to get through this” and then get Evan and Morgan back together again. That was sort of my happy place.
What do you hope readers can take from reading Underwater?
You are not alone. That is really the most crucial thing to me. What I really admired about Morgan is her ability to reach out for help from her mom [and] to find a therapist. That’s what I want people to know. You don’t have to do this alone. [The way you are feeling] is most likely how other people are feeling, and don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.
What has been your funniest memory as a writer?
Honestly, hanging out with other writers and finding my people. It’s finding those friendships with other writers who understand you in such a cellular level; sometimes your family doesn’t even understand what a writer is.
If you could only read one book (or two) for the rest of your life, which would it be? Why?
I’m going to pick two: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Those are the books that I’ve read over and over again, so I know I would never get tired of reading them.
Were there any specific authors or books that influenced you and your work while you were writing Underwater?
When I was in college, I found Youth and Revolt and Sloppy Firsts and Prep. I was finding these books that were about teenagers who were coming of age, and that’s when I was finding that I was the [happiest] and that was the time of life that I wanted to write about.
If you could cast a celebrity as Morgan, who would it be?
It’s funny because somebody just texted me the other day and said they could really see Hailee Steinfeld as Morgan. I said, “Oh, that’s perfect!”
Are you currently working on writing another novel? If so, what details can you disclose to readers?
I am slowly but surely working on another YA contemporary stand-alone novel. That’s pretty much all I know.
Finally, what advice or suggestions do you have for aspiring teen writers?
Finish what you’re writing. It feels really good to write, but it feels even better to finish. All writers get discouraged in the middle, but there is nothing more satisfying than getting to write the end.