How do you present your new novel?
Hello everyone, I am Inma Rubiales. I am here to talk to you about my new novel, Our Place in the World, a story full of love, humor, and drama… that addresses themes such as family, grief, the search for our place in the world, and where music is the main element.
How did you start writing?
Well, I started writing by skipping classes at the conservatory, so it was a bit out of boredom. In the end, I discovered my passion. Since that moment, writing has been my life. I can’t imagine living without it.
How was the transition from writing to publishing?
Publishing came as an opportunity that was given to me. First, at 17, I published my first novel. And now, eight novels later —four of them with Planeta— I am still as excited as the first day. I feel like I am living a dream.
Why do you write romance novels?
Because I really enjoy romance novels, and I believe they allow me to explore emotions, which is the most important thing for me. I talk about many types of love in my books, not just romantic love: also family love, friendship, and self-love.
Why did you choose Finland as the setting?
Choosing Finland was almost a matter of destiny. Last year, I found this village, Sarola, almost by chance, and I realized it was the perfect place to set my previous novel, All the Places. I decided to stay because it seems to me such a beautiful place, like something out of a fairy tale. It is true that a lot of crime fiction has been written in Finland, but perhaps not so much romance, and I thought: «It really needs it.» Because, although there is a lot of snow and it can be very solitary, it also has a very magical quality.
How has it been to reconnect with the characters?
It hasn’t been a reunion per se, because I feel like I never really let them go. I finished All the Places and automatically started working on this story. It was more about continuing something I had left unfinished. This novel leaves us wanting to know more about Luca and Nora, and it has been very nice to be able to continue their story.
What role does music play in your life and in your books?
For me, music is extremely important. And literature, of course, is as well. I use music not only to cheer myself up in the mornings, to walk, or to cook, but also to write. There are songs that suddenly bring a scene or an idea to my mind, and I have to rush to get my notebook to write it down.
What role does sincerity have in your writing?
I believe it is very important to write from sincerity. I write from a very introspective part of myself. I think a lot, I reflect on things often, and when I write, I ponder. In the end, I come out with moral lessons that turn out to be the messages that people receive from the novels.
How do you handle sensitive topics?
It is a process that always accompanies me, not just in this novel. I am fortunate to have my mother, who is a psychologist, and she helps me when there are psychological aspects of the characters that I struggle to reflect. Research is very important when dealing with sensitive topics, and one must always approach them with care, caution, and information.
What message do you hope to convey with this novel?
I hope that Our Place in the World encourages readers to work on creating their own place, rather than shrinking themselves to fit into places that are not for them. It is a novel that invites people to feel without fear. In fact, that is what I always put in the dedication: I encourage people to feel without fear, to embrace that sensitivity that we often think —as happens to Nora, the protagonist— is a punishment, when in reality it is a gift.
Do you already have your next novel in mind?
Yes, exactly. Initially, the next story will be completely new. I have many ideas because I never stop, but now I want to focus on promoting this book and on other projects that are not new novels but will come in the future.
