Indie romance authors being interviewed about their books? Yes, please!

Cross-posted from Substack.

Brandy and I have been chatting off and on over the past year because we both wrote teacher romances! And we are both teachers! And even though we have that in common, I was still surprised and messaged Brandy while I was reading through this interview that our origin stories could be the same. The “if not now, when?” as 40 loomed on the horizon. The blogging. The floppy disks! She’s got two incredible books out now that you’ll want to check out, but I’ll let her tell you all about it. Here’s Brandy!

When did you start writing? What inspired you to start?

I got a taste of the “published author” bug in 2nd grade (many moons ago) when my original story was published in a district writing anthology. As I grew older, I discovered that I loved writing. I did it often—page after page of lined notebook paper filled with my large bubbly handwriting, story after story about anything my imagination could dream up. And then, in high school, we got a PC (totally aging myself here!) and my writing adventures continued. I sat at my keyboard for hours dreaming up love stories for different characters, saving pieces here and there on floppy disks. So I’ve had the desire to write for years, mostly as a result of being an avid reader and finding escape and solace in others’ words. But my writing fell by the wayside in college, and then after when I got busy with all the adult things like having a real j-o-b. I still had the desire to write, just never found the time to do it. Somewhere along the way, social media became a constant presence in our lives, and I started a blog. It awakened that writing bug in me once again. It made me sit up and think ‘Hmm. Maybe I could be good at this.’ I held onto that secret desire for years, never quite brave enough or devoted to an idea enough to jump in. But, like for a lot of women, turning forty did something to me (lots of things, but that’s for another day!) and really amplified that YOLO deep in my heart. I thought, “if not now, when?” So I bought a new laptop, and here we are!

Describe yourself in three words!

Creative, funny, emotional

Describe your book(s) in 3 words!

Sweet, spicy, swoony

What is your subgenre of romance? Is (are) your book(s) spicy? If so, how spicy?

My two books are small-town contemporary romances. They are spicy and feature explicit sex scenes, but I think the spicy scale is different for individual readers, so I don’t want to assign a chili pepper level or anything. My friends say my books are like Hallmark, but with heat.

What comes first for you, the plot or the characters? Is this different for each book you write? Why do you think that is?

In my experience, that’s dependent on the book. The plot for Between the Lines came to me before the characters. It was this spark of an idea: He can’t read, she teaches him how, and they fall in love. For Keeping the Score, since it’s so closely connected, those characters were already created, but I had to flesh them out and turn side characters into leading roles. I worked more on figuring out WHO they were before I even thought about plot for book 2.

Why do you write?

For the absolute JOY of it. Like reading, it provides an escape from everyday life, but on a much more creative scale.

What is your favorite part of the writing process and why?

Creating the characters, their backstories, and the world they live in is my favorite part. I love getting to know them—figuring out *who* they are and what motivates them. Crafting a happily ever after for them feels like such a gift after I’ve spent so much time with them. To me, they are as “real” as fictional characters can be!

Describe your writing space.

I love to write at my local library so I don’t get distracted at home. I have my favorite spot picked out, and if there’s someone sitting there when I go (it’s rare, but has happened) then I have a backup spot! It’s so quiet and the atmosphere keeps me focused. Plus, it’s so inspiring being surrounded by thousands of books while I create my own!

What is your least favorite part of the writing process and why?

Writing the blurb! It’s pure torture. It’s probably the teacher in me, but I’m very wordy and over-explain every dang thing, so to have to sum up a 100K novel in a couple of paragraphs is difficult.

Tell us a little about your book(s)! What are they about? What inspired them? When were they/will they be published?

Between the Lines is a small-town romance featuring a blue-collar, single father who’s kept his illiteracy a secret. When he signs up for the adult literacy program at the library, he meets Tessa, who’s new in town, and they form a friendship that develops into more as they work together. Luke’s story was inspired by my job as a reading interventionist; I work with students in multiple grades who are struggling to become independent readers. I saw a trailer for a documentary about literacy instruction in America, and it was both heartbreaking and infuriating, but it was also the catalyst that pushed me to start writing the story.

Keeping the Score features Luke and Tessa’s best friends, Mel and Cordell. These two have a secret shared history, one that resulted in an antagonistic push-and-pull that plagues them for years. When their bickering puts a strain on their friendships, the two reluctantly agree to spend time together to find common ground. During one of these meet-ups, they one-up each other into a matchmaking wager. Mel and Cordell agree to set each other up with compatible dates, then hold debrief sessions to analyze their matchmaking skills. But all these dates and follow-up meetings are a front to hide the ongoing attraction they feel for one another, and they discover that the spark they ignited years ago still burns.

Which of your main characters would you most like to be friends with in real life and why?

Definitely Tessa. We’re both bookish, anxious girlies. She’s a lot nicer than I am, though.

When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?

Well, I can promise you I’m gonna cry like a baby, so I try to write these scenes in the privacy of my home so library patrons won’t have to witness my ugly crying! I don’t really do much other than jump right in, but I’ll allow myself to take breaks or come back to it later if it doesn’t feel right at that moment.

Has writing and publishing a book changed the way you see yourself? If so, how?

For sure! It’s made me so proud of myself, more than I could’ve imagined. I’m kinda notorious for starting projects but not following through on them (maybe it’s the Aries in me, I don’t know) but the fact that I’ve self published two books, and I’ve seen them through from the spark of an idea to an actual real BOOK is amazing.

What does success as an author look like for you? 

I’m still trying to figure this out, honestly. It’s been a constant struggle for me throughout this journey, finding the balance between dreaming big and setting realistic goals. I’m an Enneagram 4, and we tend to over-romanticize outcomes but get very discouraged when the reality doesn’t live up to our lofty expectations.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Oh, so many things: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t play the comparison game, no matter how hard social media influences you to. Write the book YOU want to read; don’t let trends or what’s popular dictate your story. Don’t be afraid to slide into other authors’ DMs and ask questions. Most importantly, hire an editor! It will probably be your biggest expense if you self-publish, but it’s worth every penny.

What was your last 5-star read and why did you love it?

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen. It’s a romantasy based on Norse mythology and features a badass FMC and a charming, hunky MMC. (I mean, hot Vikings…what more could you want?) I’m a huge fan of Danielle’s; her writing pulls me right in and holds me captive in the best way.

Thank you, Brandy, for joining us today! All of you should absolutely follow her on Instagram for more updates and fun posts!

If you are an indie romance author who would like to be featured, or if you know someone who fits the bill and would be interested, you (or they) can fill out the interview form here! Filling out the form is not a guarantee you will be featured. Please read all disclaimers on the form carefully before submitting. Thank you!