writing
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Love Is an Art Cover Reveal
I’m so thrilled to reveal the cover for Love Is an Art, my fake identity romantic comedy! Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? Thank you so much to my cover designer, Lucy of COVER EVER AFTER. I can’t wait to hold the paperback in my hand. I’ve been writing this since 2021, and I’m still revising it as we speak.
Love Is an Art Blurb
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.
The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink, we’re definitely flirting, and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist.
I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.
But then he says he hates lawyers.
Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me.
After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
Tessa makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
*The romcom books in this series are interconnected standalones set in the same world. Each can be read as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.
Love Is an Art will release on October 10 in e-book and hopefully sooner in paperback.
New York Spark Series
This is the second book in the New York Spark series. The main female protagonist is Tessa, a corporate lawyer with a passion for doing what is right. She helped Lily in My Book Boyfriend by finding a lawyer for the Oasis Community Garden. She was also in The New York Friendship series as Miranda’s roommate in Caper Crush.
Love Is an Art Cover Reveal
I love cover reveals! Thank you so much to all my readers! I hope you love Love Is an Art!
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She loves her community garden. He wants to bulldoze it.
The short tagline for my next book, My Book Boyfriend, is: “She loves her community garden; He wants to bulldoze it for housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?”
A laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romantic comedy! It releases August 10. It will be on sale for 99 cents for August, and then the price will increase to $2.99.
(Thank you to my critique partner, Giulia Skye, for the short blurb, and I highly recommend her books.)
Conflict
In this book, I finally had my two love interests in direct conflict, as recommended by several classes on writing romance. As Linnea Sinclair says in her classes, “conflict is two dogs, one bone.” (I’m excited to take her upcoming classes this August and September.) It certainly makes writing that enemies-to-lovers snappy banter easier. But I have a hard time making them enemies such that they truly hate each other. I still think that the absolute best enemies-to-lovers is Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.
She Loves Her Community Garden
Community Gardens in New York City – the Elizabeth Street Garden
As a result, I researched community gardens in New York City. The website of the Elizabeth Street Garden in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City was particularly helpful. Here are some pictures of this lovely garden that is under the threat of demolishment.
We may have had too much fun blurring faces. 
No, the park was not filled with headless zombies! 
This article was also incredibly interesting and full of information: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/us/elizabeth-street-garden-nyc-development-ctrp/index.html
If you read My Book Boyfriend, I think you will recognize many of Lily’s arguments for supporting the garden from the above article.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading all about how Lily loves her community garden and Rupert wants to bulldoze it!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading? What are you watching?
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A Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite!
Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite. Woo hoo!
Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite. In 2023, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide. Authors and publishers from countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa participated. Submitted books included writers based in a variety of cities: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Cape Town, Halifax, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New York City and many others. Submissions came from well-known indie publishers such as Barefoot Books; Friesen Press; Greenleaf Book Group, Koehler Books; Loyola Press; Merack Publishing; Red Chair Press; Red Hen Press; Rowman & Littlefield; Rutgers University Press; SAE International; She Writes Press; and TouchPoint Press. And now Strawbundle Publishing!
Caper Crush also placed as a QuarterFinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
Caper Crush is a Quarterfinalist! One day, I hope to write a screen play version.
Caper Crush
Caper Crush is my opposites attract, slow burn romantic comedy caper wtih a mystery.
Here’s the blurb:
Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit. This upcoming art show is my chance to finally be recognized as an artist—after ten years of waitressing and being asked if I still have that “lovely painting hobby.”
I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.
William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.
He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.
William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.
K-Drama Recommendations
I’ve also been meaning to write a post with some more K-Drama recommendations. Here are a few new favorites.
Love to Hate You (Netflix)
An enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. A woman who hates losing to men meets a man (one of the top romantic actors) who she thinks is a misogynist and decides to teach him a lesson.
Call It Love (Viki)
Call It Love Poster Another enemies-to-lovers K-drama. In Call It Love, Woo-joo wants revenge on her father’s mistress and decides to target the son of her father’s mistress. Only he is a good person, and she’s falling in love with him and wants to protect him. I’m watching this one right now and loving it. Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyung are conveying their characters brilliantly and with such subtle nuance. They are both very talented actors, and their previous shows, Gogh, The Starry Night and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, have been among my favorite k-dramas.
Let’s Talk
I’m so thrilled that Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite and that it placed as a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
What are you reading or watching right now?
Happy Spring!
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My Favorite Writing Craft Books
Here are my favorite writing craft books (so far). So if you’ve got a writer to gift, these make great gifts! I have another ten writing crafts books on my #tbr list so we’ll see if these change next year.
GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict
GMC by Debra Dixon GMC by Debra Dixon is an essential writing craft handbook. When I first started taking writing courses, everyone recommended this. And even now, when I revise my first draft, I ask about every scene: what is the goal, motivation and conflict?
Scene and Structure
Scene & Structure by Jack Bickham Another essential craft book. This was one of the first writing craft books I read. And it remains one of my favorites. His advice on ending scenes: “He must leave in worse shape than he was when he went in” was game-changing. If you’re having problems with pacing, check this out.
Romancing the Beat
Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes is an absolutely essential book for any romance writer. I consult it often. For such a slim, easy-to-read book, it has it all. She even provides a free printable template of the various beats you need to hit as you craft a romance.
Story Genius
Story Genius by Lisa Cron I still use this book to craft the back story of my protagonist and thus her character arc. Lisa Cron talks about how important story is for people to make sense of the world so it’s also encouraging for writers to read. I trace the arc of my characters in a chart to make sure it is changing in each chapter.
Story
I just took Robert McKee’s three-day Story course and gained a further appreciation of all the knowledge in this book. McKee’s emphasis on turning each scene so that it starts on a negative and ends on a positive or vice versa is key. His scene analysis is also advice I return to over and over again.
Save the Cat
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder is a such an easy read but also has lots of wisdom. The title refers to the “Save the Cat” scene.
It’s the scene where we meet the hero and the hero does something — like saving a cat — that defines who he is and makes, us, the audience, like him.
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder at xv.Save the Cat Writes a Novel
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody lays out the plot beats for each genre and is so helpful. It also provides examples using books from that genre.
The Anatomy of Story
The Anatomy of Story by John Truby is excellent too. With every book I write, I map out Truby’s Seven Key Steps of Story Structure and make sure that I have all those elements. I also find his advice on the 22 step story structure also super useful, especially the discussion about opponents and revelations.
The Emotional Craft of Fiction
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass Any writing craft book list would not be complete with a Donald Maass book on it. When I want to deepen the emotion in each scene, I pull out this book and do some of the exercises in it and apply them to my story. Highly recommend.
Writing the Romantic Comedy
Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit is so much fun. It’s a great gift for lovers of romantic comedies–not just writers who are looking for writing craft books. It’s like having a great conversation with a friend about your favorite romantic comedies. I especially love his analysis of Tootsie and how each of “the supporting characters are all in some way reflections of Michael and thus force him to confront his issues.” Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit at 145. He has in-depth case studies of various romantic comedies
Understanding Show, Don’t Tell
Understanding Show, Don’t Tell by Janice Hardy This book is so helpful for explaining show, don’t tell and has lots of great examples.
Let’s Talk
What are your favorite writing craft books? I hope you are having a great December.
Happy Holidays!
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Writer Romances
If you’re looking for some writer romances or romantic comedies featuring writers, this post is for you! And if you’ve got a writer on your gifting list, hopefully this helps. If your writer friend is struggling with writer’s block or finding a publisher, this will definitely make them feel less alone.
Beach Read
Beach Read by Emily Henry Emily Henry’s books usually feature writers or editors, and Beach Read by Emily Henry has a brilliant premise. Here’s the blurb:
“Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
They’re polar opposites.
In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.”
My favorite Emily Henry is Book Lovers, which features two book editors. So I recommend that one as well.
Dead Romantics
Another brilliant premise. Here’s the blurb for Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: “Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.
When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.
For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.
Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.
Romance is most certainly dead . . . but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.”This one has a strong undercurrent of grief running through it, so just be forewarned.
By Any Other Name
By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate Here’s the blurb for this one: “What she doesn’t know about love could fill a book.
With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her carefully curated list, Lanie’s more than good. She’s killing it. Then she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author and her biggest inspiration in love and life—the Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa’s writer’s block and she’ll get the promotion she’s always dreamed of. Simple, right?
But there’s a reason no one has ever seen or spoken to the mysterious Noa Calloway. And that reason will rock Lanie’s world. It will call into question everything she thought she knew. When she finally tosses her ninety-nine expectations to the wind, Lanie may just discover that love By Any Other Name can still be as sweet.”As a writer, my favorite line in this book was: “You know how the second draft is the point where things start to make sense? . . . It’s why I blaze through my first drafts so quickly–to get there.” Only I wish I blazed through my first drafts.
Is This for Real?
Is This for Real? by Kathy Strobos And I have to include Is This for Real?, my friends-to-lovers, fake dating romantic comedy. Take one relationship recluse writing a novel with a fake-dating trope. Add in one yummy romantic guy shanghaied to fake date 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?
Here’s the blurb for this writer romance:
Love is all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. Usually, me. I admit it. I’m a relationship recluse. Ironic, given that I write romantic comedies. So, I’m on a sabbatical from dating.
Which is why fake dating my best friend, Rory, is fool-proof. Rory suggested it because he needed a date for work functions. And I can use our experiences as fodder for my romcom novel.
Plus, my sister doesn’t know it’s not real, and she is thrilled that I’m not walling myself off emotionally. Her words, not mine. But I do wish she would stop saying that she always suspected there was something more between me and Rory. She should realize that we’ve been friends forever so I’m immune to his appeal.
We would never work. Rory is such a romantic; he still believes in that perfect love similar to his parents’ marriage. My parents fought bitterly. So, we are better off as friends. I can’t risk losing our friendship, even if this might be my chance—before his ex-girlfriend wins him back.
Those flickers of attraction? Easily extinguished by cold-water reality, like a two-mile hike in drenching rain over sand with wheelie luggage.
But our relationship is not sticking to the plot—or is it?
Let’s Talk Writer Romances
Do you have any writer romances to add to this list? Next up, I’ll blog about some of my favorite writing craft books, which also make great gifts for writers.
I’m also looking forward to watching THE NOEL DIARY, which features a writer 🙂
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Happy Book Birthday to Partner Pursuit!
Partner Pursuit in paperback Happy Book Birthday to Partner Pursuit! It’s been one year since the paperback publication of Partner Pursuit, and what a year it has been! Here are some favorite highlights from Partner Pursuit‘s launch.
Holding a Copy of My Book in My Hands
There’s nothing quite like holding the paperback copy of your book in your hands after so many years of work. I started writing Partner Pursuit years ago, after seeing a particularly bad romantic comedy and thinking I could do better. And then work and life got in the way until I finally took the Penguin Writer’s Academy “Constructing a Novel” course. My teacher, Bea Davenport, said that the dialogue between Audrey and Eve was “sparky.” That made my month. And gave me the hope that I could write commercial romantic comedy fiction. (That dialogue was from an early version of the scene between them in Chapter Six.)
Finding Readers Who Loved Partner Pursuit
Finding readers who loved Partner Pursuit was the most AMAZING feeling.
Thank you to all my readers. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve met so many people around the world now–from the United Kingdom, Norway, Croatia, South Africa, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, and the US. Feel free to drop a note below if you’ve read Partner Pursuit and let me know where you’re from. it’s exciting to know it’s on e-readers and in libraries and on bookshelves around the world.
One of my favorites was the Partner Pursuit TikTok video by JSGoldenBooks on TikTok, so I definitely recommend checking that out. It captures so much of Partner Pursuit 🙂
Readers are giving it the most lovely reviews, and that means to much to me. Thank you.
My Friends Buying PP and Pushing It Up the Amazon Ranks
I was also so touched by all my friends buying Partner Pursuit and pushing it up the Amazon ranks where it hung out with Nora Ephron!!
And one of my friends even made a mini version of Partner Pursuit for me. I was so touched.
A mini scene reading Partner Pursuit Book Club Talks
Several book clubs invited me to join their book club meetings to discuss Partner Pursuit, and that was so uplifting! I did a few in person in New York City, and one over zoom with readers in New York City, one with readers around Washington, D.C. and another over zoom with readers in Connecticut. We had great talks about work/life balance and trying to succeed as a woman in corporate America. I also even did an author event at a law firm, and I was so impressed that the partner who organized it was a fellow romcom fan! He was able to guess the name of the bad romantic comedy I saw just from a brief description.
So, a huge thank you to everyone who invited me to come to your book club and discuss Partner Pursuit.
Awards
Partner Pursuit is a finalist in the Orange County Romance Writers Book Buyers Contest. I’m still so happy about that. I cried when they announced it. The winners will be announced in October but just placing to me is winning.
Partner Pursuit is a Finalist in the Book Buyer Best 2022 Contest. Partner Pursuit was also a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
I also have to give thanks to the various writers organization (the Orange County Romance Writers and the Hudson Valley RWA) who supported PP when it was unpublished and thus gave me the courage to believe that it would find readers if published.
Happy Book Birthday to Partner Pursuit!
Happy Book Birthday to Partner Pursuit! If you read it, please comment below with where you’re from 🙂 And don’t forget to see my behind-the-scenes post about PP.
It’s also been selected for a Kobo writing life promotion through September 26 where it is 40% off, so if you’re a Kobo reader, check it out.
Happy Book Birthday to Partner Pursuit!
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Meet Author Jeevani Charika
I’m so excited for you to meet author Jeevani Charika.
Jeev is a fellow author in the U.K. Romantic Novelists Association with me, and I really enjoyed her book, Playing for Love, available here .
Playing for Love Playing for Love Blurb
When Sam’s not working on her fledgling business, she spends her time secretly video-gaming. Her crush is famous gamer Blaze, and she’s thrilled when she’s teamed up with him in a virtual tournament.
But what Sam doesn’t know is that Blaze is the alter ego of Luke, her shy colleague – and he has a secret crush too.
Luke has a crush on Sam.
Sam has a crush on Blaze.
How will this game of love play out?
My Review of Playing for Love
Loved this book! It was so good. The interplay between the game play between Bravura and Blaze and the deeply supportive, developing relationship at work between Luke and Sam was brilliantly done. And I also think someone needs to make Sam’s inserts idea a reality. I almost missed my subway stop because I was so engrossed in Playing for Love! My favorite read of 2022 so far! Highly recommend!
Meet Author Jeevani Charika and Let’s Talk about Playing for Love
Kathy: How did you come up with the idea of two gamers meeting each other in a game and also at work?
Jeevani: The story was inspired by a children’s TV show called Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir, which has a love square with only two people in it. I loved that dynamic, but I don’t write superhero stories, so I thought I’d move into online gamers who don’t talk about their gaming.
Kathy: I also love the purse insert idea. How did you come up with that?
Jeevani: There are people who sell purse inserts on Etsy! I was thinking about the amount of hassle it is to change purses and went poking around on Etsy to buy one. At the time, I was thinking about something for Sam to do as a business. Suddenly the puzzle pieces fell into place.
Kathy: The backstory of Samadhi with her mother and her current relationship with her father is so emotionally powerful. Do you have any advice on creating back stories?
Jeevani: My characters tend to just show up and start saying things, so I don’t often have elaborate characterisation sheets (some writers do, and I’m always impressed with how organised they are!). I mostly get the backstory by asking why. Why was Sam interested in handbag inserts? Because she has a lot of bags. Why does she have a lot of bags? Inherited them from her mum … etc. Once you find one aspect, you expand on it and see if you can tie it to some other aspect of her character. For example, why is her relationship with her father so strained? How can I link that to the death of her mother?
Kathy: I loved how you did the in-game interaction. It felt so real. Do you game?
Jeevani: I absolutely loved writing the in-game parts. I don’t get to write fantasy/adventure very often, so it was great fun for me. I haven’t played any computer games since Tombraider in the 90s. But I have a teenager, so I know a bit about gaming. I watched a lot of YouTube playthroughs as research and I spoke to my friend’s son who is studying the psychology of gaming about how online relationships feel real to people in generations who’ve grown up with the internet. (I’m Gen X. I remember when life was analog).
Kathy: Do you have any pets? What’s your favorite habit of your current pet?
Jeevani: I don’t personally, but my daughter has pet rats. They’re very cute and very friendly. I have an old jumper that I wear when I play with them – one of them likes to climb into the pocket and just hang out in there. The other one likes to sit in the hood.
Meet the Author Jeevani Charika and Her Thoughts on Writing
Kathy: Do you have a writing routine? If so, what is it?
Jeevani: I don’t really have a proper routine. Between the day job, eldercare and childcare my days are all over the place. I do try to do something to do with writing every day, though. I do my best work sitting in bed at night.
Kathy: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Jeevani: I used to be a pantser. Then I had to write Christmas At The Palace in 8 weeks, so I HAD to plot. I didn’t like plotting, but it did make the whole thing more efficient. So now I do a half baked plot – just one side of A4 before I start. If I plot in too much detail, I end up losing the enthusiasm to write it. I’ve told myself what happens, so … why bother?
Jeevani Charika’s Tips on Comedy Writing
Kathy: You’ve also written a book on Writing the Romantic Comedy with Jane Lovering. Can you explain the “juxtaposition of thingy”?
Jeevani: It all started with a talk that we did for an RNA conference. We were trying to find the thing that all these funny techniques had in common. It turned out to be the juxtaposition of expected outcome vs comedy outcome. Except, it was wider than that. So we started referring to it as juxtaposing your thingies … which sounds a bit rude, so we changed it to juxtaposition of thingy instead.
Kathy: You also talk about the rule of threes in that book. What is that?
Jeevani: The rule of three is a well known thing in comedy. Things are funnier in threes. The first sets the scene, the second sets up a pattern and so an expectation of what comes next, the third subverts the expectation and makes you laugh. An awful lot of jokes are structured like this.
Three is a number we’re naturally drawn to, so having a list of three is more satisfying than having a list of four or more.
My Favorite Question: If you could choose five writers to join you for a dinner party, who would you invite?
Kathy: And my favorite question: if you could choose five authors to join you for a dinner, who would you choose?
Jeevani: Aah, I hate this question. I’m quite shy (I know I don’t seem it!) so I’d be properly tongue tied and sit there quietly if I met my heroes. But … Terry Pratchett (obvs), PG Wodehouse, Julie Cohen, Agatha Christie, the guys who wrote Asterix, Renee Goscinny (I assume I will magically be able to speak French at this party).
Kathy: That would be an amazing dinner party! And of course, you can magically speak French.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I’m looking forward to reading your next book too, called Picture Perfect, available October 2022, and you can preorder here. Sign up for her newsletter and get a free book at jeevanicharika.com. And you can also follow Jeevani on Twitter @rhodabaxter (her other pen name).
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Cover Reveal Countdown!
Cover Reveal Countdown! I’m so excited to show you the cover for A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts. This is my short novella which I’m giving away free to my mailing list subscribers when it publishes. So make sure you sign up! As usual, my cover designer did a brilliant job!
A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts Blurb
Here’s the blurb:
When Kiara is dumped by text and then ghosted by her boyfriend, she resolves to concentrate on her successful artist career and leave dating to those who can handle that heartbreak.
But the chance to dress up as a teacup work of art and participate in a scavenger hunt at the New York City modern art museum to win her favorite artist’s painting has her pairing up with a stranger dressed as a Rembrandt.
He may not know much about modern art, but he certainly knows how to make her heart beat.
Can Kiara take a chance on love again?
Cover Reveal Countdown Check back here for the cover reveal! And make sure you sign up to my mailing list to get it for free when it publishes!
And don’t forget Caper Crush publishes in ebook on July 14 and is available for pre-order now! Woo hoo! And the paperback will be available in early July!
Caper Crush Let’s Talk
I hope that you are taking care of yourself during these times. I’m so excited for Caper Crush to publish because I started it in September 2020, during the pandemic, and it brought me so much joy to write and to read (because I’ve now read it so many times). My proof copy is arriving today, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands.
What are you reading or watching? I highly recommend Christina Lauren’s Something Wilder for a feel-good feeling. If you like k-dramas, I highly recommend Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho.
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Meet Author Rayna York
I’m excited for you to meet author Rayna York today on my blog, especially because her young adult romance The Right Kind of Unexpected releases on June 18! It’s available on Amazon.
The Right Kind of Unexpected Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them. So when the family that owns the business throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
Rayna York’s standalone novel gives readers the small-town romance they crave with enough feels to make the heart sing. It’s the perfect feel-good, summer romance.My Review of The Right Kind of Unexpected
I want to spend summers in Jasper Creek with Colton’s family! This was such a heartwarming romance, and I was rooting for both Tess and Colton to end up together. Colton was so attractive in personality (and physique). I really loved the voice and character of Tess, and I especially appreciated her ability to perceive others who were also hurting and in need of love and to look out for them. I loved her relationship with the cantankerous Jeb. I also loved the friendship between the three girls and the message that first impressions are not always right. Highly recommend!
Meet Author Rayna York
Kathy: The place is so real in Jasper Creek. Did you visit or spend summers in North Carolina?
Rayna: No. I have never spent summers in North Carolina. Jasper Creek was based on small towns I was familiar with as a teenager growing up in Ohio. When writing the novel, I googled the different terrains in North Carolina and placed my imaginary town near a larger city that wasn’t fictional.
Kathy: The backstories were very well done in The Right Kind of Unexpected, and their scars from previous relationships really increased the conflict between Colton and Tess. Do you have any advice for creating those conflicts and back stories?
Rayna: Good question. I would emphasize the importance of knowing your characters well before writing the first draft. It will save you a lot of rewriting later on. Sometimes I know the character backstories ahead of times, but not always. I don’t plot, so everything that happens in the novel happens organically through the characters dialogue. They create their own conflicts, based on their personalities and backstories, from the situations they’re presented with.
Kathy: I especially appreciated her ability to perceive others who were also hurting and in need of love and to look out for them. I loved her relationship with the cantankerous Jeb. Was there anything that inspired that story?
Rayna: Not at all. That character showed up one day when I was writing. He interjected himself into the story and became one of my favorites, his story developing as I wrote.
Meet the Author Rayna York and Her Thoughts on Writing
Kathy: What’s your writing routine? Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Rayna: My writing routine is breakfast, clean the house, workout, have lunch, then write from one to four in the afternoon. If I am in the final stages, editing or in reader mode, I will spend four to six hours a day working, but I never forgo the workout. I need it to wake my brain up.
I’m a pantser all the way. I tried to semi plot my latest first draft, thinking I would write out the entire story in a couple of days, giving me a baseline for everything to follow. It was hell. I was trying to guess what they would do instead of them doing it naturally, if that makes sense. As I said before, my novels progress on their own thru my characters dialogue.
Kathy: This is your third book. Do you have to read your books in order? And do you feel more assured now as a writer? Was this easier or harder to write than the first and second ones?
Rayna: All my novels are standalone works. I know that having a series is more profitable, but when I finish my manuscript, I don’t want to live with those characters anymore. I’m done with them—really done. As far as being more assured as a writer, I think I’ve accepted I can only be as good as the time I put in, and that every time I write, my skills progress. I’ve also gotten past the imposter syndrome. That went away after the first novel. I am who I am. I may not be for everyone, but I accept myself as a writer, regardless.
My Favorite Question: If you could choose five writers to join you for a dinner party, who would you invite?
Kathy: And my favorite question: if you could choose five authors to join you for a dinner, who would you choose?
Rayna: James Patterson. Nora Roberts, Nicolas Sparks, Colleen Hoover, Penelope Douglass (because I’m curious how that woman’s mind works) and Brigid Kremmerer.
Kathy: That would be an amazing dinner party. Thanks so much for joining me on my blog!
Let’s Talk
Where do you spend your summers? I spend most of my summer by a beach, but New York City has so many great summer events that it’s fun to experience those as well.
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Mini Scenes: Is This for Real?
Is This for Real? I made some mini scenes that match what Penelope made in Is This for Real?.
In Is This for Real?, the protagonist, Penelope, is a struggling writer and she sells miniatures to make money on Etsy. She also has a blog where she tells stories acted out with miniatures.
“In my blog storyline, Piper, a doll with curly, brown hair like mine, was dating Julian, a doll with blond curls like Jamie. But then Julian abruptly broke up with her. Followers are still upset. Many of them took that break up quite personally and shared their own personal stories of how they’ve been dumped. I definitely tapped into something; I think, in part, because the breakup was so unexpected. But once Jamie told me he wasn’t interested in me, I lost all desire to play with his doll avatar. And I used those feelings to write the opening chapter of Fake Dating Folly, where the protagonist, Piper, learns that her boyfriend, who dumped her a year ago, is now engaged.”
Is This for Real by Kathy Strobos at 13.Mini Scenes: Is This for Real?
Here’s Piper busying writing her novel. I particularly like the fat cat lying on the floor. And of course, I included some discarded scraps of writing on the floor.
Piper writing her novel And here are Piper and her new beau! They are on a date learning how to cook in a restaurant. I bought that miniature range from a miniature shop in Tokyo.
A date with a new beau cooking at a restaurant Chill with a Book Readers’ Award
Is this for Real? won a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award! I am so happy!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading or watching? I just finished Christina Lauren’s Something Wilder. I read it in one day!
And the countdown for the release of Caper Crush is on! I can’t wait to share it with you.