Interview: Darran Smith’s The Alphabet Lovers

The Alphabet Lovers book cover, and Darran Smith’s headshot.

The Writing Owl: During our Queer Book Club meeting we talked about the fact that the story isn't in alphabetical order and why that works, did you ever consider writing it alphabetically? What would that have meant for the story?

Darran Smith: I considered it for about two seconds, then completely abolished the idea. The original short stories that would eventually become The Alphabet Lovers were much more self-contained and episodic. The throughline was thin, and a reader could pick up any chapter and see what Marcos was up to without worrying about what happened in another chapter. When I decided to novelize Marcos’s story, the chronology became essential. I wanted each chapter to build on the previous, even if only in some small way. Sure, I could have renamed the characters to present them alphabetically. But the thought of Marcos just happening to meet twenty-six men across two decades in alphabetical order seemed too gimmicky to me.

The Writing Owl: Is there a particular letter that stands out the most to you? Or that feels the most special?

Darran Smith: J2, the chapter about Jake, is the standout story. Throughout the entire book, Jake is Marcos's anchor, North Star, and one of the greatest loves of Marcos's life—he just happens to be straight. I really wanted that chapter to focus on how powerful their love is without it being sexual or romantic. During the chapter, Marcos had to show up for Jake in a way he'd never shown up for anyone else before. And in a way that Jake had always shown up for him.

The Writing Owl: You wrote this book throughout several years, was there any point in time where you considered giving up? How was the process for you?

Darran Smith: I can’t recall a point where I ever considered giving up. The beauty of this book being born from a series of short stories is that it allowed me to build the framework at my own pace—the basic concept, the characters, etc. Most of the encounters were completely rewritten for the novel, and a more substantial throughline was introduced, but the rewrites were made easier because the bones were already there. The hardest part was making sure Marcos learned something from every encounter, even if it wasn’t profound. The original iteration of Marcos didn’t learn much from his life experiences.

The Writing Owl: What would you like readers to take away from Marcos's story?

Darran Smith: I would like readers to walk away thinking about what it means to love someone. For me, love isn't a one-size-fits-all concept. It takes many shapes and forms. Readers may see the word "lovers" and assume that Marcos had a romantic or sexual relationship with twenty-six men. That's not the case. He met twenty-six men who either loved him or taught him how to love—and that's what makes them lovers.

The Writing Owl: What can you tell us about the Liam book you're working on?

Darran Smith: When we meet Liam in The Alphabet Lovers, he’s a successful musician in his thirties. We can assume he’s had his own life lessons that inform his decisions, but we don’t get to see them in Marcos’s narration. We also don’t get to see their relationship from Liam’s perspective. Liam’s Lyrics (To the Song of His Life) takes us on Liam’s journey from an eleven-year-old in Northern Ireland, through love, loss, and success, to the charismatic and sexy rock star that Marcos falls in love with. The tone is different from The Alphabet Lovers—less chaotic, more reflective, but no less exciting.