Author Interview: Butter by Erin Jade Lange

Stopping in today is Erin Jade Lange, author of the amazing and compelling book Butter. This book utterly enamored me, and is one that is almost impossible for me to accurately say why it got to me so much. I loved this one, and am so excited to be able to interview Erin!


Describe yourself in three words.

Obsessive Compulsive List-maker

Which aspect of creating Butter's character was the most challenging for you?

At times I found Butter unlikeable, and that was difficult, because I wanted everyone to love him. But I had to stay true to the character, and the truth is he is often his own worst enemy.

What was the revising/editing process like for BUTTER?

My editor has a wonderful way of showing me what’s missing or not working… but leaving it up to my imagination to fix it. It helps make revising a creative process for me instead of a tedious chore. I am hyper-organized, so my revision process generally involves a LOT of Post-Its and a pile of notebooks with pages and pages of notes.

Of the entire journey, getting to publication, what moment has stood out the most to you or meant the most?

Oh wow. What a wild ride this has been! There are so many moments that stand out, but I think the biggest one was when I first learned a publisher was interested in the book. I had just stepped off a plane for a visit to my home town, and I turned on my phone to find a string of missed messages from my agent. She let me know that an offer was probably on the way, and I remember just standing in the middle of the airport parking lot frantically texting while my parents were trying to hug me hello. Fortunately, when I finally looked up to tell them what was happening, they were just as excited as I was!

The menu for Butter's final meal is a relatively big part of the book, leading up to his internet show. Was creating the menu easy for you, or difficult?

The menu was more of a challenge than I thought it would be. It definitely went through a few revisions! I had to consider how he would store the food, whether it needed to be prepared ahead of time, and what items he would take off the list when he started to define the parameters of his last meal.

If you could pair Butter with any character from any book, who would you pick?

How about Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series? I think Butter would love her eccentricities, and she would be able to see past his outer appearance.

What kind of cupcake would you describe yourself as?


I can tell you the kind of cupcake I’d like to eat! Chocolate cake filled with peanut butter, iced with fudge and topped with fresh banana slices. Mmmm. Now I’m hungry…


Thank you, Erin, for dropping in, and congrats on the release!

Butter is out not, and trust me when I say it is one you do not want to miss!