Romantic Comedy
romantic comedy
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My Secret Snowflake Publishes Today!
My Secret Snowflake, my holiday, workplace romantic comedy, publishes today! I’m so excited for you to meet Sebastian and Iris. And the reviews have been great!
My Secret Snowflake Blurb
A holiday, workplace romantic comedy
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: I admit Iām attracted to my co-worker Irisāand not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though sheās breached my first line of defense, Iām set in my Grinch ways. I need to prove myselfāand dating my co-worker is definitely forbidden.
Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect manāwho is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All Iām asking Santa for is my work bonus and a nice guy. And thatās my Secret Snowflake recipient, Ernest. My plan: Befriend Sebastian, Ernestās colleague, to figure out the perfect gift for Ernest to spark his interest.
But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. Iām working around the clock to figure out who and whyāwith our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastianābefore I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays. The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him. But then I get blamed.
I know I can trust Sebastian to help me. Itās trusting my heart thatās the problem.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.
Rachel’s Random Resources Blog Tour
My Secret Sebastian is going on a blog tour. First stop is Tizi’s Book Review and Storied Conversations:
Here’s what Tizi’s Book Review wrote, but please check out the full review:
“Picking up a book written by Kathy Strobos for me always feels like picking up a book filled with happiness. Because she always manages to write great stories with great characters but also realistic and just real characters…
Ā I absolutely loved this book, the author did a wonderful job with this story…Ā “
And here is what Storied Conversations wrote: “A charmingly romantic tale filled with lovable characters, unexpected twists, plenty of humor, and a heartwarming ending.”“I couldn’t stop turning the pages.”
Check out her full review š
More Reviews
Thank you so much to my readers for all your support.
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My Secret Snowflake: the Comic Premise
A question I sometimes get asked is how did I come up with the comic premise for my romantic comedy, in this case, My Secret Snowflake.
How did I come up with the premise for My Secret Snowflake?
The premise for My Secret Snowflake was inspired by a conversation with a close friend when we were discussing dating. The original premise was that the protagonist likes a guy (we’ll call him A). She pretends that she is the Secret Santa for A’s best friend (B for Best friend) and asks A what she should gift B. She uses this excuse to hang out with A.
Anyway, I pitched this idea for a Romantic Comedy in a Steve Kaplan comedy workshop in 2021. If you want to write a comedy, I highly recommend his workshop and books, including The Comic Hero’s Journey and The Hidden Tools of Comedy.
We had to pitch three different stories. Steve said he liked this one, but I should switch it so that she likes B, but as she hangs out with A trying to find out more about B, she falls for A. Then you have a triangle. I was very resistant at first (in my head). Didn’t he see the brilliance of the original idea that she had an excuse to hang out with the guy she liked?
But when it came time to actually write My Secret Snowflake, I realized that Steve was right. This is a much better approach because it creates more tension.
So inĀ My Secret Snowflake, Iris, having caught her ex cheating, decides she wants to date a nice guy next time (no heart-melting gorgeous guys for her, thank you very much). She decides that her workplace colleague, Ernest, might fit the bill. In theĀ company Secret Snowflake exchange, she gets her best friend’s crush, so she gives that one to her best friend. Her best friend received Ernest, so Iris gets Ernest. Ernest and Sebastian eat lunch together every day so Iris thinks that they’re close friends and asks Sebastian for gift suggestions forĀ Ernest. Sebastian says, “Socks.” He continues:
āIām not really friends with him. We just had a tight deadline on a joint project,ā I say. āI have no idea what to get Ernest as a gift. Socks?ā Ernest is veryā¦earnest. When her face drops, I add, āBut Iāll think about it.ā
āNot if socks is your idea of a good gift,ā Iris says.
Comic Premise
Steve Kaplan defines the comic premise as “a lie that allows the writer to tell a greater truth.” Steve Kaplan, The Comic Hero’s Journey at p. 38. What I particularly find helpful is his description of the comic premise as “the tool to excite your imagination.” Id. As he noted, once you have a great premise, the story basically writes itself. “The better the premise, the more the story writes itself in your head.” Id. at 39.
As for the lie, Steve Kaplan writes that “in the comic premise, we devise a lie, an impossible or implausible event.” Id. My books tend to be more realistic, but the lie in my comic premise is that Iris is lying to herself. Because of her bad breakup, she convinces herself that staid workaholic Ernest is now the type of guy she wants.
My premise above, unfortunately, didn’t have enough that the story wrote itself, but it did suggest a framework. There would have to be Secret Snowflake-related events and meetings with Sebastian to discuss gifts for Ernest. Similarly, it’s a holiday romantic comedy set in New York City. I had fun including some New York City holiday activities. As a result, Iris and Sebastian get stuck in a crowd near Rockefeller Center and can only inch along. š
UK Romantic Novelists Association Conference
I just came back from the RNA Conference in London and it was so much fun. My critique partner, Giulia Skye, and I talked nonstop over dinner. I met another friend for lunch (where we discussed K-dramas). Then I was off for the three-day RNA conference at Royal Holloway.
It was way too short. I love discussing writing and publishing and meeting up with friends. It’s a very friendly conference, and at every conference, I make even more friends. Here’s a picture after a night of dancing, so I’ll leave you with this photo of RNA authors Victoria Walker, Sharon Ibbotson, Ruby Moone and me.
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Meow! I’m taking over this blog!
Meow! I’m taking over this blog. Yes, this is me, Fatma, the cat soulmate of Iris. I’m taking over the newsletter today. My scene was cut!! I think a dog lover suggested that it was too sad. So Kathy said I could take over the newsletter. That may have been because I wouldn’t stop meowing in protest.
“But what was the scene?” You ask. “And what was your role?”
Iris’s rock star boyfriend cheated on her, and I was there! And I didn’t let that slide. The woman tried to pet me. As if I ‘d fall for that. I scratched her. When they were kissing on the couch, I stuck my head between them. I hissed at them.
Only then they disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door. So it didn’t work out quite the way I planned.
I wrapped myself around Iris’s ankles when she found out to give her comfort and to explain that it’s better just the two of us.
I still can’t believe my scene was cut. Kathy needs to warn her friend who asked for his daughter’s cat, Fatma, to be memorialized in a book. I’m quite warm and loving but also feisty. A bit like Iris? And apparently my previous namesake did not like being a housecat because she always ran out the front door whenever she could and then hissed when they’d try to bring her in from the garden. I suggested to Kathy that she add that scene in the book, but she said I’d have to go through the bar. I told her I’d be a great bar cat. She said she’d think about it.
Meow! Update on My Secret Snowflake and How I’m Helping
Kathy is hard at work polishing My Secret Snowflake before her proofreader does the final edit. She just got it back from her line editor. I’ve been very helpful, sitting on her lap and lying on her desk, holding the papers in place so they don’t blow away. You never know when there might be a breeze. Sometimes I also help her by typing on the keyboard.
Anyway, don’t forget to pre-order your copy today. I still have a few other scenes, so it’s worth it for those, including one pivotal moment where I give my approval to Sebastian.
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: Being single is under-rated. No inexplicable mystery of love for me. I admit Iām attracted to my co-worker Irisāand not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though sheās breached my first line of defense, Iām set in my Grinch ways.
Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect manāwho is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All Iām asking Santa for is my work bonus and a niceādare I say boring?āguy. And thatās my Secret Snowflake recipient: Ernest. But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. Iām working around the clock to figure out who and whyāwith our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastianābefore I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays.
The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him. I know I can trust Sebastian to help me. Itās trusting my heart thatās the problem.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.
Meow! I’m taking over this blog!
Please also tell Kathy you’d like me to take over her social media posts too š She also has a cat in her next book, so if you’d like to suggest a cat name, feel free to leave a comment.
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My Secret Snowflake Cover Reveal
I can’t wait to share My Secret Snowflake with you, my holiday Romantic Comedy, and so here is the Cover Reveal!!
What do you think of the cover? And if you want to check out the first two books in the New York Spark series, click here.
Here’s the blurb:
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: Being single is under-rated. No inexplicable mystery of love for me. I admit Iām attracted to my co-worker Irisāand not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though sheās breached my first line of defense, Iām set in my Grinch ways.
Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect manāwho is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All Iām asking Santa for is my work bonus and a niceādare I say boring?āguy. And thatās my Secret Snowflake recipient: Ernest.But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. Iām working around the clock to figure out who and whyāwith our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastianābefore I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays. The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him. I know I can trust Sebastian to help me. Itās trusting my heart thatās the problem.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.What tropes does My Secret Snowflake have?
But let’s not forget: friends-to-lovers and closed door.
My Secret Snowflake Cover Reveal Celebration
I will be over here eating a chocolate chip cookie in celebration and frantically fine-tuning the revisions. The expected publication date is September 12, 2024, but if I can publish it sooner, then I definitely will.
Let me know what you think of the cover! Thank you so much for all your support.
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My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour
Thank you to Home Cooked Books and all the bloggers who took place in the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour. It’s been wonderful to see all the positive reviews being posted. If you’d like to listen to some audiobook samples, click here.
Thank you to TeaandBiscuits13 (Instagram) for this review (and I loved the background image with the plants):
“This was such a fun, laid back romance.
The story was engaging and fun, the characters were unique, real, and engaging.
I really enjoyed the banter between Lily & Rupert. They were both such kind people that even though they were supposed to be adversaries, they were always kind.
The narrator both did such a wonderful job portraying the characters so well.
This was all around a fun romance with some laughs and swoony moments.”More Reviews from the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour
Thank you also to Lindsey for this Instagram post: “I absolutely loved this book! The banter was fantastic and I love an MMC who is a book nerd!! This story was so sweet and one of the most relatable stories I have read in a while! This is definitely a must read!! The audiobook was absolutely fantastic!!!”
Thank you to Bella for this review:
This was such a cute slow-burn frenemies/rivals-to-lovers story. It was fun, entertaining, and such a good read. I really enjoyed their chemistry and how, although they tried to stop their feelings from developing further because they were on opposing sides, they just couldnāt help it, and couldnāt help spending more time together. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop and also seeing that turn into the romance we eventually got. The various side characters, and friends and family of Lily and Rupert also made this book even more enjoyable and fun to read. If youāre in need of a cute, fun, cosy-type rivals-to-lovers romance story, pick this one up, you wonāt be disappointed!
Stacy Gonzalez and Eric Altheide were excellent with the narrations. Their voices, and the emotions that were portrayed, helped bring the story, and its characters to life. I definitely felt all the feels!
BellaThank you again to all the bloggers for taking part in the tour and to Home Cooked Books for organizing the My Book Boyfriend audiobook tour.
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Easter Egg Book Hunt
And in honor of the Easter eggs I will be hiding on Sunday, I’ve created a little egg hunt for you.
The winner who answers all of the questions correctly will receive a code to redeem the audiobook of My Book Boyfriend and listen to it via Bookfunnel!
Let the Easter Egg Book Hunt Begin!
1. Which characters from the New York Friendship series show up in the New York Spark series?
2. Which book is this passage from:
“Rumor has it that you’re competing against your cousin,” I say.
He tilts his head. “Rumors are not always correct. Page Six will have us married by tomorrow.”
“There are still 12 hours left in this night,” I say.
What book?3. In which museum does A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts take place?
4. What museums do they visit in Is This for Real?
5. What is the chocolate cookie bakery that my characters frequent?
6. What book is this scene from:
āCould you unbutton my dress?ā I ask. āIād really like to change into jeans and a T-shirt.ā
He moves closer. I present my back to him, as my hands hold up the straps on my shoulders.
I tilt my head, exposing my neck to him. His fingers graze my neck softly as he uses both hands to unbutton that top button. I close my eyes. His touch is light and sure. I swallow as he works his way down the buttons, slight touches feathering my skin. My heart flutters. Can he hear it?
āItās done.ā His voice is almost a whisper. His warm breath caresses my neck. Sends tingles down my spine. Without thinking, I find myself arching toward it.
More Clips from My Book Boyfriend Audiobook
Here’s a clip of Rupert š
I think Eric Altheide is perfect as Rupert! And My Book Boyfriend is now available on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play, in addition to StoryFair, Kobo, Kobo Plus, and my website. It should also be available on other retailers soon!
Happy Easter!
I hope you enjoyed this Easter Egg Book Hunt! Here is a link to a hint š
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Love Is an Art Blog Tour
Love Is an Art went on a global book blog tour in October organized by Rachel’s Random Resources. Here are some of the highlights!
First, thank you so much to all the book bloggers who posted about and who reviewed Love Is an Art, my fish-out-of-water romantic comedy! Your reviews mean so much to me. When I’m feeling discouraged, I pull them out and read them again.
Most of the book bloggers have reviewed my other books, so I thank them for their continued trust in my writing. I’m glad I’ve found my readers š
“What a fantastic book by Strobos!”
Thank you to @nlcraigwrites for this review!
“What a fantastic book by Strobos! This was a really fun read with two characters that had great chemistry and brought out the best in each other.
Each main character has a great group of supportive friends that I really enjoyed reading about and I look forward to reading more from this series.
https://www.instagram.com/nlcraigwrites/Thank you also to RamblingMads.com who wrote: “Another fun, and funny, read from Kathy Strobos.”
And here’s another review by Lynda Wolters from the blog tour:
“Love is an Art is my first Kathy Strobos read. Akin to Katherine Center or a clean Molly Henry, Strobos will make you fall in love with Tessa and Zeke.”
– Lynda WoltersI am so honored to be compared to Katherine Center.
“Delightful Romantic Comedy”
“Love is an Art” by Kathy Strobos presents a delightful romantic comedy that cleverly intertwines mistaken identities, deception, and the unpredictable whims of love.
Strobos crafts a charming and witty narrative that keeps readers engaged, drawing them into the whirlwind romance between Tessa and Zeke.
For those seeking a lighthearted romantic comedy filled with entertaining twists, genuine emotions, and a dash of deception, Strobos’s novel promises an enjoyable escape into a world where love triumphs against the odds.
Novel Nerd BlogMore Reviews from the Love Is an Art Blog Tour
Thank you to Scotsbookworm for this review: “Kathy Strobos is an author who really sucks you into her stories with her writing style. Although this book is 2 in the New York Spark series, it can be read as a standalone novel. A page-turning novel, I can’t wait to read the next one in this series!”
“This was a lovely story to read, how two people find each other in an unexpected way. But with their pasts, they have to find the courage to take that dive.
Tizi’s Book Review
Perhaps a more fitting title would have been āLove Is An Artworkā, as love for sure is an art, as it is something beautiful and wonderful. But love is also work, as itās to learn to give and take, talk and listen, and not jumping into conclusions as it will only give unnecessary understandings.
I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows all the aspects of love, how easy it can be, but also how difficult it can beā¦”And thank you especially, Tizi, for this sentence which truly made me tear up: “There were moments in this book that truly swept me away, like the painting that Tessa and Zeke created together, or their biking together.”
Splashes Into Books also does rhyming reviews (!) and she is so talented at writing poems:
A heartwarming read with surprises and shocks As these two discover what opportunities knock.
To find what they choose and how they decide, too, You’ll need to read it yourself all the way through!
Splashes Into BooksAfter reading My Book Boyfriend, I was eager to read the next book in this wonderful series. This book has a great storyline, such an easy read with a mix of humor, chemistry, love and a dash of drama.
InsomniacBookwormBookReviewsThank you for another wonderful blog tour!
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My Book Boyfriend Audiobook – Early Access!
Early Release Access to the audiobook of My Book Boyfriend is now here! Here’s the blurb:
A feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy
Tall, dark, and handsome. Thatās what I think the first time I see Rupert Evans in the library.
But then I find out he is the developer who just sent my community garden a cease and desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.
The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.
But then he asks me out at book club night.
Suspicious, right?
Iām attractive, but Iām not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Letās be real. Iām still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.
Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so Iāll concede. Never.
He has no idea what weāre planning to do to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but weāve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win.
And don’t forget to check out all the positive reviews from the blog tour!
You’ve got early access to purchase the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook–two weeks before it arrives on Amazon š And you can support me and my books directly.
Meet Rupert and Lily as narrated by Stacy Gonzalez and Eric Altheide
Lily is the librarian who loves her community garden and will do anything to save it.
Rupert is the developer who wants to bulldoze it for housing and to prove to his grandfather that he should be the next CEO of the family company.
When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Also Available from Kobo, Kobo Plus and StoryFair Now
And it is coming to Amazon in two weeks!
Let’s Talk
I hope you enjoy listening to the My Book Boyfriend audiobook. It’s exciting for me to hear my words come to life.
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Buy Direct from ME!
Iām excited to announce that I have my very own bookstore(s) and you can now buy my e-books directly from me via either my Shopify store or my Story Origin store! Click on the images if youāre someone who wants to support authors directly. My Story Origin sells e-books only, but sells internationally. My Shopify store sells ebooks, paperbacks and audiobooks, but it is set up for the US, because of tax reasons.
Iāve set up book bundles of my series, so there is a New York Friendship Bundle and a New York Spark Starter Set in the Story Origin store. Click on the image below for the links.
New York Friendship Series
Three interconnected, feel-good, standalone, closed-door romantic comedies set in New York City in one box set!
This set includes:
Partner Pursuit: Audrey is a workaholic lawyer who is determined to become a law firm partner. Jake is a fun-loving music marketing executive who would never date a lawyer. When Jake moves in next door, and sparks fly, will Audrey choose love or career?
Is This for Real?: Take one relationship recluse writing a novel with a fake-dating trope. Add in one yummy romantic guy shanghaied for her romcom research. Layer in a history of genuine friendship on top of her recent heartbreak. Is this a recipe for true love or disaster?
Caper Crush: Sheās an emotional artist. Heās a reserved accountant. When they team up to solve who stole her painting, will they find love?
“Overall I have loved this series.”
Lemon Nail Fiend Book Blogā[Partner Pursuit] is an old-school romcom! If this book was a movie, JLo or Reese Witherspoon would play the female lead, with Matthew McConaughey as the love interest.ā
– StephanieNew York Spark Starter Set
My Book Boyfriend and Love Is an Art ā the first two closed-door, happy-ever-after, standalone, interconnected books in the New York Spark series!
My Book Boyfriend: Lily loves her garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Love Is an Art: A Fish Out of Water Romantic Comedy
Tessa: He hates lawyers. So Iām a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I canāt paint. Zeke: Sheās the worst artist Iāve ever seen.
“Kathy Strobos has proved to me again why sheās one of my go to authors, for HEA, for feeling happy and warm and making the world feel a better place.ā
– Tara from TheWoollyGeek on InstagramFree E-Book Copy of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts
As always, A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is free when you sign up to my newsletter.
What do you think of my own e-bookstore?
Have you ever wanted to own a bookstore?
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Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book
Love Is an Art Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book! Shepherd’s ask authors for their book recs, and so it’s a great site to find your next favorite read. They asked me to recommend five of my favorite books around a theme with the release of Love Is an Art. I was so honored.
I love their site. It feels like walking into a bookstore and asking for recommendations and being given so many good ones. As they say, “it’s like wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore.”
As the founder writes:
To start, I’ve asked 9,000+ authors to share five of their favorite books around a topic, theme, or mood and why they love each book. This infuses each book with magic and meaning.
Then, we give readers fun and unique ways to follow their curiosity down rabbit holes and bump into those books and authors. At every step, you meet the person who recommended that book, the book list it came from, and what they are passionate about.
Ben FoxMy Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book To Read
If you click on the image above or this link to the site, you can read why I chose the books I did.
I wandered around the site and found so many books to read based on their recommendations. #neverendingTBR Lol.
For example, Partner Pursuit would fit in this list of the Best Chicklit Books on Lawyers from a Former Big Law Attorney. If you liked Partner Pursuit, you might want to check these books out. Or if you’ve read any of those books (which includes The Undomestic Goddess and Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed), then you will probably also like Partner Pursuit.
Fun to Explore: What other authors liked Sophie Kinsella?
There are so many fun ways to explore the site. For example, I searched for other authors who’d chosen The Undomestic Goddess as one of their favorite books. I found the list above, but also a list by Octavia Butler of The Best, Romance, Chicklit and Women’s Fiction Books.
Love Is an Art is also featured on the RNA Blog!
Love Is an Art is also featured on the Romantic Novelists Association Blog, along with an interview of me giving writing tips and explaining how my journey to publishing. I think most of you know that I was in the RNA’s New Writer’s Scheme. I cannot recommend that highly enough to unpublished writers. It really made me so happy to see one of my books featured on the RNA Blog. They also asked me what was the inspiration behind Love Is an Art and what was the hardest part of the book to write.
Let’s Talk
Had you heard of Shepherd’s before? Did you go check it out and find any books to add to your #TBR? And if so, please share in the comments below.