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Q&A With Author Katherine Center

My introduction for this amazing lady wouldn’t do her justice, so I’m going to let her bio speak for itself!👇🏻

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and her newest, What You Wish For. The movie adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix and her novel Happiness for Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon’s Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year, and many more. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Hi Katherine! I can’t tell you how excited I am to talk with you on my blog! Your books are some of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read, heart-wrenching but equally inspiring. How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire have stayed with me on so many levels. What led you to this particular niche in your writing?

I really love stories about how people get back up after life has knocked them down. Those moments, those really hard life moments that just crack us open . . . they’re so hard—but they also give us these rare opportunities to grow and change and redefine our lives. I’m interested in how people get through those hard times—but also in what they learn from them and how they grow from them. So I think I found my way to these kinds of stories because that’s what I’m interested in, myself, personally, just as a human: How we do it. How we rise to life’s challenges and cope with humor and grace. But not only just how we cope, but how we also appreciate life’s beauty and joy. Because we kind of always have to do both at the same time—and that’s not easy. I’m just endlessly fascinated by it all.

What is the most fulfilling thing about being an author?

Getting to think about stories all the time. Getting to study them and figure out how they work. Getting to pay attention to what I myself love and long for in stories—and then trying to figure out how to do that for other people. There’s a great quote from Julia Child: “Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” That’s me. I never, ever get bored with stories. I’ll be studying them my whole life long.

What does your day look like when you are in the middle of writing a book?

When I’m writing the first draft of a book—sort of building the scaffolding of the story—it takes huge, vast amounts of concentration. I need long stretches of time—days!—when I can get lost in the story and think about nothing else. I’ll go out of town (to Galveston Island) for 4 or 5 days at a time and do a big chunk of writing (50-100 pages), and then come home and read them over and mess with them and let them settle. Then a few weeks later, I go again and do the next section. This rhythm works for me—pushing forward and then settling for a while. That’s always the hardest part: figuring out what the story IS. Once I know what it is, telling it is pretty easy.

Tell us about your book cover designs! They are always so bright and positive and keep with the same theme. I know immediately if it’s one of your books without looking at the title or author!

I got so lucky with them, didn’t I?! I hit the jackpot when Macmillan, my publisher, asked the brilliant designer Olga Grlic to design my covers. That red cover with the flowers for How to Walk Away is the cover that started it all, and I feel like it captured something about my soul. I know the covers won’t always be exactly the same—they’ll have to grow and evolve, but I hope we’ll always keep some version of flowers.

Do you have a favorite book that you’ve written that holds a special place in your heart?

I love them all in different ways. How to Walk Away was my first book to ever hit the New York Times bestseller list. The Lost Husband was my first book to ever get turned into a movie (Hi, Josh Duhamel!). Things You Save in a Fire was a book I wrote with a ton of input from my (volunteer firefighter) husband, and so that one will always be close to my heart.

Your books are becoming movies!!! First The Lost Husband, now Happiness for Beginners, and possibly Things You Save In a Fire?! How has this experience been for you and to what extent are you able to be involved in the process?

It’s so amazing, I can hardly even describe it. I love movies, so it’s just like some kind of crazy magic to watch my stories come to life in this whole new way. I recently got to visit the Happiness for Beginners movie set and attend the wedding of one of my own main characters! The movies are of course often quite different from what I saw in my head when I was writing—but in some ways, they’re better. That kiss O’Connor gives Libby at the famers market in The Lost Husband movie? Better. I can’t take credit for that overalls-pull! That was director Vicky Wight, who is clearly a kissing genius. I was there on the day they filmed that kiss, and it just blew my mind to think that a kiss I wrote for two imaginary people in my head was now, like, happening in the real world with real people. It’s thrilling beyond description.

What are you currently reading/watching?

I just finished reading an advance copy of Christina Lauren’s new book, Something Wilder, and I also just finished Emily Henry’s next-summer book, Book Lovers. Both were absolutely delicious and so much fun to read. Those writers are both new discoveries for me in the last year or so, and I’m in love.

What’s your favorite way to unwind?

I’m a big fan of unwinding! I dance around in the kitchen a lot when I’m making dinner. I sing at the top of my lungs in the car. I walk the dog after dinner with my husband. I take a lot of bubble baths and read yummy novels cover to cover. I curl up with fuzzy blankets and Korean rom-com TV shows online with subtitles. Korean dramas were my best discovery during the pandemic. So swoony and fun to watch!

Where is your favorite place to travel?

So many! I love road trips. I love little New England towns. I love Europe and the UK. I’d love to go the Fjords. My mom’s family is from Germany, and I’ve never been there, so that’s a definite goal. I’ve been to Japan, but I’d love to see more of Asia. Korea’s on my list big time! And my best friend from college lives in New Zealand, so I’ll be heading that way at some point.

Do you have any family traditions you look forward to every year?

We spend Thanksgiving out at my grandparents’ ranch in Texas every year. It’s usually at least 20 people—my sisters and their husbands and any other extended family and friends we can gather. November is usually cool and lovely in Texas, so we build fires and walk the gravel roads and feast and fall asleep on the sofa. It’s just so fun for us all to be together.

What do you do to celebrate when you finish writing a book?

It always feels very celebratory to print out the final pages of one of those big, beautiful beasts. It’s like, it’s finally real. I print them out and then put them in a big old binder and carry them around for a while. That said, “done” is a slippery concept! Almost as soon as I’m printing it out, I’m circling back to make more changes and make it better.

And Finally! Will you please tell us more about your newest book, The Bodyguard?! It’s one of my (and many others) most anticipated reads this summer!

Oh, I’m so in love with it. It’s a classic rom-com. Usually, I think of my books as kind of half tragedy and half comedy—like, there’s almost always some big, hard life event that the main character has to struggle with and figure out, and there’s also always a fun love story. So it’s a balance between darkness and light. But with this story—which I was writing in 2020 and 2021—I decided I just wanted as much light as possible. There’s some struggle here, and some darkness, and some things to for the main characters to figure out, because you have to have some ballast in a story, but I knew from the beginning that I wanted this story to be as joyful and fun and bantery and swoony and playful as possible. And it IS. It was how I made my own sunshine during the pandemic. I just put these two main characters out on a ranch together . . . and then I just let them tease each other and joke around and banter and fight and fall in love. Man, it was fun. It was exactly what I needed!

You guys! How great is she???!!! Singing the praises of her cover designer and fellow authors-such a phenomenal writer, down to earth, and just all around so sweet to chat with. I want to give a shout out to Josh Duhamel too (Hey Josh!) because I just know he’s reading my blog 😂. Thank you SO MUCH Katherine for taking the time to do this chat with me. Readers!!! GO pre-order The Bodyguard now! It will be released on 7/19/22 and you won’t want to miss it! To learn more about Katherine, her books, and her movies you can check out her blog or Instagram.

Stay tuned for more fun Q&A’s!

XOXO,

Kristyn

Q&A With Author Debbie Baldwin

I’m so glad to have my friend Debbie on the blog today! I was first “introduced” to her when I signed up to be on a book tour for her book, Illicit Intent, a couple of years ago. Since then, we have ended up in some of the same group chats for bookstagrammers and authors. She’s hilarious by the way! She is also one of the most supportive people of my IG posts, blog, and author services. Debbie wears many hats and you can read all about her below 👇🏻

Debbie! I’m so thrilled to have you on my Q&A. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres and always has been. Tell us how your Bishop Security Series came about!

I usually read every night before bed, and I tend to genre binge.  A couple of years ago, I was in a romantic suspense phase and scrolling through the endless thumbnails of book covers on Amazon. I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. In my mind, I was looking for an intriguing plot with a dashing but complicated hero who meets his soulmate and saves the day. I also wanted a female protagonist who was no shrinking violet and had her own set of skills. After about an hour of searching, I set my Kindle aside, said: “f**** it, I’ll write what I want.” I went to my laptop and wrote the first three chapters of False Front at one in the morning.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer and what prompted you to take the leap?

I’ve always been a writer to some extent. I was an English major in college, and in law school, I interned at Newsweek Magazine in their Washington DC bureau. After that, I wrote speeches for a political candidate, worked in marketing, and wrote a humor column in a local paper. In 2015, I wrote and sold a comedy series to ATT/DirecTV. My show, Almost There, aired in 2016. After that, I knew I wanted to focus on a writing project. I just didn’t know what. I think the planets aligned that night when I was looking for a book and couldn’t find anything that grabbed me.

I know in addition to being an author, you’re a mom to 3 kiddos (well, not kids anymore!) as well. Do they read your books?

Hahahaha, good question. My youngest son (19) said he refuses to read my “sex books.” My oldest, my daughter, has read them and loves them—her college friends are all big Bishop Security fans and send me pics reading on the beach or on a plane. My middle child is a bad reader but a great promoter!

Who is a romantic suspense author that inspires you?

There are so many. I love Rachel Grant, Toni Anderson, and Laura Griffin. I don’t even need to read the descriptions of books by Pamela Clare or Jayne Ann Krentz; I just click “buy.”

When in the middle of writing a book, tell us how a typical day of writing looks for you.

Ummm, a lot of puttering. I make myself write a chapter (or fix a chapter), and then I get distracted by Instagram or my pup, or I remember that there are cookies in the kitchen. Then after a suitable amount of procrastinating, I sit down at my computer and start again.

What are some hobbies you love?

I am an exceptionally average baker, but I love it. My family is very patient with my attempts, and every once in a while, I make something delicious.

How do you celebrate a publication day?

Usually by compulsively checking social media and online sites for posted reviews. I’m aware it’s not healthy.

What are you currently reading/watching?

I am obsessed with Ted Lasso and Billions. I am in a real whodunnit phase right now. I’m reading all the old Agatha Christie books and scouring the shelves of my local bookstore for great mysteries. I love a twist that I don’t see coming!

Your first 3 books- False Front, Illicit Intent, and Buried Beneath are out! Is there a 4th in the series coming our way?! If not, can you tell us if you have something else in the works?

Funny you should ask! I just finished the first draft of Book 4, Past Purgatory. Fans of the series have been waiting for Finn’s story, and it’s finally here. Finn is a former Navy SEAL and CIA officer who was captured in combat, and, as a result, one side of his face is badly scarred. He went from being a kind, funny, happy-go-lucky guy to an angry, hateful misanthrope. In Book 3, Finn hits rock bottom and disappears to get his head straight. Book 4 is the story of how he finally heals and (of course) falls in love.

Let’s do some FAVORITES!

Favorite color? Green

Favorite song? Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight

Favorite meal of the day? Breakfast. I meet my best friend at a hole-in-the-wall diner at least once a week for eggs and pancakes and chit-chat at least once a week.

Favorite restaurant? I don’t have one favorite restaurant; I probably have twenty! I love to eat, and I love to explore new places and new types of cuisine. I obsessively watch weird cooking shows and love learning about restaurants all over the world. I want to plan a culinary tour vacation, where my husband and I eat at all these amazing places.

Favorite toy as a child? I loved to play with my older brothers. Although the feeling was not mutual.

Favorite season? Autumn. Boom. Done. I don’t think I could live in a place that didn’t have changing leaves.

Favorite room in the house? There is this super cozy room in a far corner of the house. I love the sunlight and the cozy couch. It’s just a perfect place to read or think ( or fold laundry).

Favorite scent? I love the smell of baking—cinnamon, cookies, pie, bread. I totally understand why real estate agents bake cookies when they are holding an open house. I would be completely sold. Sure, it’s airport-adjacent, but smell that kitchen!!!

Thank you so much Debbie for your time and for participating in this week’s author Q&A 💕. You should come have a baking day with my husband, he’s amazing at baking pies, cheesecakes, cookies, you name it! And I’m a great taste tester, so there’s that! But seriously, thank you for your continued support of my blog and for being a fantastic romantic suspense author-I can’t wait for Past Purgatory and Finn’s story!

Readers, if you enjoy romantic suspense check out Debbie and her books on Instagram or her Blog! You can find her books to purchase on Amazon.

Bookstagrammer Feature @msanniecathryn

It’s that time again! My favorite part of the week when I get to share with you one of my favorite bookstagrammers! Annie is one of the sweetest people and I hope you love getting to know more about her like I did! Check out our chat below.

XOXO,

Kristyn

Annie, it’s been so great to get know you over the past several months on IG! Tell us a little bit about how you got started on bookstagram.

Thank you! It’s been great getting to know you too, Kristyn. When I started my account on Instagram in 2019, I didn’t know about bookstagrammers. I just gravitated toward posting about books because I love to read. By 2020 when Covid hit, I realized there was a growing and thriving bookstagram community, and I started engaging more with other bookstagrammers. Joining the community became a saving grace for me—an outlet during a tumultuous time.

What is your favorite part about being a bookstagrammer?

I love connecting with other book lovers, and also discovering new books that others have enjoyed. Bookstagrammers are so creative with their posts. There have been many times I bought a book because #bookstagrammademedoit

If you had one piece of advice to give to other bookstagrammers, what would it be?

Well, I am not sure other bookstagrammers need my advice! There are so many amazing accounts out there. But for someone just starting out, I would say be authentic, positive, post consistently, and engage.

What genre do you lean towards the most in your reading?

I tend to read rom-coms, women’s fiction, memoirs, and psychological thrillers. I love books that make me feel all the emotions—books that move me to tears and also make me laugh.

You’re the host of the amazing Soulful Series Chat! How did that come about and what types of authors/books do you feature on it?

Thank you for saying that! It happened quickly. Humanitarian and best-selling author, Elizabeth Nyamayaro, asked me to interview her on IG Live. She said she loved my review of her book I AM A GIRL FROM AFRICA. I had never used IG Live or interviewed an author via video, but I said yes. After the interview, I was so inspired that I decided that I wanted to interview more authors because I love reading personal accounts of resilience. I came up with a name, had a logo designed, and reached out to authors who had written a memoir, nonfiction motivational book, or anthology. The response from authors was enthusiastic and I started booking them for chats. I began featuring authors once a month, but this year I am chatting with more authors per month.

Rumor has it you’re working on a debut novel! Is there anything you can share with us about this?!

Yes, it’s a mom-com called The Friendship Breakup and can be described as Bad Moms meets Mean Girls. It’s about a flawed and quirky protagonist who struggles with balancing her relationships and mom responsibilities while building her dreams. She realizes she must let go of the past and her fears in order to live her best life. I just signed with Alcove Press and I’m super excited.

Ahhh that’s so amazing Annie!! You had me at mom-com and Mean Girls 😍 and I’m going to be first in line to read it!!

Now, tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t know by looking at your bookstagram!

I collect crystals. I love their energy and have them all over my office.

Time for one of my favorites: This or That!

Essential oils or candles? Essential oils

Sweet or savory? Both together, like chocolate-covered pretzels.

Mountains or Beach? Oh gosh! I love both.

Physical book or audio book? Physical

Mom jeans or yoga pants? Definitely yoga pants

City or country? City

Heels or flats? Flats or wedges

Thank you SO MUCH Annie for letting me feature you on my blog and for being one of the sweetest friends on bookstagram! I’m so excited for your book news and love seeing great things happen for you 💕 Readers- If you’d like to keep up with Annie, then check out her IG or Linktree. Don’t forget subscribe and look for my Galentine’s Day post coming soon!

-Kristyn

Don’t miss this new romcom!

It’s Pub Day for How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan! That means you should run get it! Check out my review below!

💞Review💞

Could this book BE any cuter?! (Cue Chandler Bing voice-because I know Sophie is a Friends addict like myself
– but I digress).
Seriously though, I loved Noah and Grace. After being dealt a bad hand for family, Grace is slowly finding her way in life while remaining strong and independent. Noah knows what he wants and how he’s going get it, but also beginning to realize there’s more to life than making deals. These two mismatched neighbors are in it for a battle of the wills and it’s completely enjoyable to watch unfold .

💞Full Description 💞

Interior Design School? Check. Cute house to fix up? Check.

Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of your plans? Check. Unfortunately.

Grace Travis has it all figured out. In between finishing school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree and her dream job. Most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her harsh mother could never make. When an opportunity to fix up―and live in―a little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door.

Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. As a real estate developer, he knows when he’s found something special. Something he could even call home. Provided he can expand by taking over the house next door–the house with the combative and beautiful woman living in it.

With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can show you that home is always where the heart is.