In Sloane Crosley’s deliciously surreal new novel , a 30-something named Lola encounters a string of ex-boyfriends in an epic New York adventure that combines the infinite loop of Groundhog Day with the rom-com magic of Sliding Doors and the startup satire of . Bursting as it is with influences and ideas, Cult Classic's unique narrative voice could only come from Crosley, who also performs the audiobook. In the following conversation, she told us about the myriad themes and wild nights out that inspired both the novel and the audio recording.
Audible: Congratulations on your new novel! Cult Classic is a witty, sexy, mysterious, and mystical genre-bender that has a little something for everyone. What were some of your inspirations in writing it?
Sloane Crosley: It’s funny—this is quite a complicated question. In a way, Cult Classic is a comedy of manners that becomes something far more plot-driven, mystical and philosophical. Therefore, the answer to your question is: everything. Everything is the influence. The gestalt of life, both as a human and as a writer, a life spent absorbing books and culture and observing the machinations of romantic relationships and friendships in New York, specifically. But to narrow it down just a bit, I love dark romantic comedies, both in film and literature, as well as an element that makes a story a bit fantastic. Be it Muriel Spark’s , ’s books, or Groundhog Day.
“The answer to your question is: everything. Everything is the influence.”
At the center of the novel is Lola, a 30-something New Yorker who is engaged to be married when she runs into a truly eerie string of ex-boyfriends one night out in Chinatown. At times I couldn’t decide if this scenario sounded intriguingly tempting or a total nightmare. How did you feel about the premise initially, and did it evolve at all in the process of writing?
Part of what I was trying to achieve with Cult Classic was a seamlessness—or as close as I could manage—in its melding of various genre elements. I don’t really want one kind of book to “turn” into another. I’d rather have it all be the same book but with an element of surprise. In that spirit, sure, I asked myself what I would do if I were Lola. Would I, personally, consciously choose to run into everyone I have ever dated and in a condensed period of time? Lola is not me (I’m her fan but…yikes!) but I wondered if I would do as she does and dive headlong into this bizarre scheme. And the answer was always: yes. No matter how unhinged and uncomfortable the outcome. I’d be so curious to see if this “scenario,” as you say, would actually work. My curiosity would override the emotional consequences. The "total nightmare" of it, if you will.
