We chat with debut author Alice Murphy about A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love, which follows a romance between a vaudeville star and a showbiz tycoon who find love at the turn of the twentieth century—framed by mischievous commentary of a contemporary young historian—think Moulin Rouge meets The Greatest Showman!
Hi, Alice! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, Nerd Daily! My name is Alice Murphy, and I write dual timeline romances featuring contemporary women whose modern-day romance are shaped by their research into historical love stories. A university lecturer, an advocate for disability rights in the entertainment industry, and a lover of classic Hollywood movies and cheesesteaks, I also write romance novels, television, and films under my given name.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve loved writing and reading stories for as long as I can remember! Growing up, books were everything to me, and I would tear through them in a day. My library card was my best friend. And I think naturally, when you love stories, you grow into wanting to tell your own someday – which was certainly the case with me!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: My grandmother had an old copy of Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBrantey and illustrated by Anita Jeram, which was the first book I learned to read!
- The one that made you want to become an author: What a tricky question! I think it was probably an amalgamation of many books. A lot of YA at the time I was growing up featured love stories that didn’t end with the characters being together, and I spent so much time daydreaming how I would write their happily ever after. I guess rewriting sad endings has always been in my DNA!
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Baron’s Demons by Erin Elle
Your debut novel, A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love, is out May 13th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Decadent, lush, empowering, chewy, unapologetic.
What can readers expect?
When they read A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love, readers can expect:
- dual-timeline romance (so something for the contemporary romance readers and the historical romance lovers!)
- A diverse array of characters inspired by real-life historical figures
- Uptight men who go absolutely FERAL and down SO BAD for the women they love
- Spicy relations on a turn-of-the-century theme park ride
- Oh, the banter!
- Heroines who aren’t afraid to stand up for themselves and fight for what they want – whether they’re fighting for love, their friends, justice, or control over their own destinies.
- An unconventional path to happily ever after!
- The historical vibes of Moulin Rouge and the contemporary vibes of a Lauren Asher Dreamland Billionaires book, with an Olivia Dade twist!
Where did the inspiration for A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love come from?
The seed of an idea for A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love came from a photograph I saw online of a turn-of-the-century vaudeville troupe called Billy Watson’s Beef Trust. The Beef Trust was a group of showgirls all over 200 pounds. They were beautiful, they were talented, and after much attempted research, I couldn’t find out much about them. I questioned why this very interesting piece of our shared history had gone unwritten, and decided to write a story that not only featured a plus-sized showgirl, but that also grappled with stories from the past that are erased.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Can I say all of them? Just kidding! There is a sequence in A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love that takes place on Coney Island that I’m so fond of. Getting to research old-timey theme parks was a delight, and getting to send my characters on their first “date” was a delight.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge in writing A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love was facing my own self-doubt. Will people like it? What if they don’t like the ending? What if they hate my characters and don’t find the romance sufficiently swoony?
In the end, I overcame it by deciding that if I loved it, and if my friends and writing buddies loved it, then that would be enough. Sometimes, we have to just write for ourselves and our five freakiest friends – and that’s what I’ve done with A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love! At the end of the day, writers can chase trends or write to make others happy, which is a totally valid way to do business. But I came to realize that as long as I wrote a book that I was proud of, I would be happy.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Of course becoming a published author came with its own challenges – finding an agent! Writing a good pitch! Editing! – but overall, I have loved my journey. I’ve made so many writer and reader friends through this process, which makes every step of the way to publishing A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love totally worth it!
What’s next for you?
Hopefully some more historical romance! Perhaps a marriage of convenience romance between two rival magazine writers on opposite sides of the battle of the sexes in the 1960’s…or a forced proximity romance between a bootlegger and morality officer in the 1920’s…Stay tuned!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
So many! But just to name a few: Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews, Eliza and the Duke by Mimi Matthews, When the Marquess Needed Me by Lydia Lloyd, Marriage Bargain with the Comte by Parker J. Cole, Savannah Royals by Lindsay Barrett and Legionary Seduction by Jenna Bigelow!
