We chat with debut author Amy Buchanan about Let’s Call A Truce, which is a sexy contemporary romance about second chances at life and love, bursting with humour and a touch of angst.
Hi, Amy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi everyone! I’m a writer out of Orlando, Florida, where I was born, raised, and still reluctantly live. I’ve obsessively consumed stories my whole life, and I’m so excited for my own to be out in the world. I read across all genres, but tend to need at least romantic subplot to really fall in love with a book (I guess the signs I was supposed to write romance were there from the start). On top of writing, I’m a mom of 3 little wildlings who keep me on my toes and run a scholarship foundation for students who are the first in their families to go to college.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve made up stories for as long as I can remember, but never let myself consider the possibility of writing them down until a few years ago. Becoming an author seemed so far out of reach it was laughable, until one of my best friends, who writes for TV, said people don’t try to write because they believe if they were meant to be “a writer,” perfect, brilliant words would flow from the start. But really, it’s a skill like anything else. If you wouldn’t expect to sit down at a piano and be able to play Mozart, why would you expect to sit at a computer for the first time and write perfect, beautiful prose? I went home (admittedly a little boozy) and started the (admittedly bad) first draft of Let’s Call a Truce. So thanks, Sara, for the unintentional truth bomb at a random mom’s wine night.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: There’s a book I vividly remember reading when I was 6 or 7-years-old about a little girl who finds a pair of magic ballet slippers that let her travel back in time, and it became my entire identity. I asked my mom to help me find it a while back and neither of us could, so if you know what I’m talking about, please slide into my DMs with the name!
- The one that made you want to become an author: Kate Canterbary’s Underneath It All. It was my first contemporary romance. I’d mostly read romantasy before that (and I still love the genre), but I thought there was something so special about seeing these characters grounded in our reality. That was when Juliana and Ben started chatting in my mind, even though I didn’t have the guts to write them down yet.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Kennedy Ryan’s This Could Be Us will live rent-free in my head forever. It’s absolutely brilliant. It’s a masterclass in how to tackle difficult topics while keeping the tone of the book joyful and optimistic.
Your debut novel, Let’s Call A Truce, is out January 14th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Funny, spicy, sarcastic, heartfelt, empowering
What can readers expect?
They can expect banter for days and plenty of steam! There are obviously conversations about grief (how could there not be when she lost her husband), but the story is focused on the joy of finding love again. I wanted to create something that the millions of mothers who escape into the world of romance could see themselves in, without sacrificing the joy, laughter, and passion that makes these novels so addictive for all readers.
Where did the inspiration for Let’s Call A Truce come from?
It grew out of what is probably the number one pastime for moms—catastrophizing. Like Juliana, I gave up my career when my oldest was born. It made more financial sense for me to stay home, but there’s a lot of fear that comes with that. I’m not Juliana (she’s substantially cooler than me), but her story did start with me saying, “Holy crap, what happens if my husband dies and I’ve screwed myself and my family by losing all that career development?” And then I thought, “Okay, but what if we make it sexy?”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The spicy scenes are always my favorite! Obviously it’s fun to write, just like it’s fun to read, but I also love the challenge to taking those intimate moments and making sure that they’re moving their arcs forward (you know, with banging).
But if I had to pick a favorite character to write, it would be Juliana’s younger daughter, Sophie. She’s partially based off my niece, who is a complete whirlwind for a little girl, and it makes me so happy when people say Sophie’s their favorite (because my niece is my favorite, too!).
Why romance?
Romance has gotten plenty of hate over the years, but I think at its core, the genre is all about radical self-love. It’s about figuring out who you are and what you want out of life, and demanding a partner who will celebrate those parts of you rather than asking you to make yourself smaller.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I had no idea what I was doing to start. I googled “how to get a book published” and started submitting that crappy first draft to agents. Shockingly, I didn’t get an offers. I ended up finding a great writing community on Twitter (RIP) that led me to a mentoring program called SmoochPit that helped me improve Let’s Call a Truce and my craft. From there, I found my agent and the rest is history!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on book 2, which is exciting and intimidating at the same time! I’ve been focused on Juliana and Ben for so long that it feels strange shifting to new characters, but getting to know and fall in love with them has been so much fun. I can’t wait to share more information about it when we get a bit closer!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?
I’ve been lucky enough to read a lot of the other January books ahead of time (thanks, NetGalley!), and I’ve been blown away by the stories I’m debuting with. There hasn’t been a single miss in the entire bunch! If I had to choose just one, I’d say WEDDING DASHERS by Heather McBreen. We’ve been critique partners since we met in the SmoochPit mentorship program, and watching the novel grow into what it is now has been such a beautiful experience.
If I had to pick one I haven’t read yet, it would be Naina Kumar’s FLIRTING WITH DISASTER. I love Naina’s writing, so pair it with a Sweet Home Alabama retelling, and I’m completely sold!
