We chat with author Kasie West about Stranger Things Have Happened, which is a sexy adult romcom that follows two people who must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.
Hi, Kasie! Welcome back! How have you been since we last spoke for the release of Sunkissed in 2021?
Hello! Thanks for having me again! And I’ve been busy. Deciding to take a plunge into the adult space has been an adventure.
Your latest novel, Stranger Things Have Happened, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Fake dating in an unconventional setting. (Okay, that’s six words, but I was close!)
What can readers expect?
I hope readers will laugh a lot. I hope they will also feel other things like anger and longing and sadness and love. I also want to remind readers that unlike my YA novels (like Sunkissed) this is an adult novel and has adult content. So they should definitely expect language and on page sex (fun things in my opinion)
Where did the inspiration for Stranger Things Have Happened come from?
There was a funny tweet (do we still call them tweets?) making the rounds a few years ago that said something like: ‘I think couples therapy is a scam, I bet if two strangers went to a therapy together the therapist wouldn’t be able to tell.’ That one tweet sparked the idea for this book. I’m a huge advocate of therapy so I thought it would be fun to prove that tweet wrong in a way, while writing about a couple falling in love. Because I am also the biggest romantic.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved exploring Sutton’s relationship with her mom. It’s a toxic relationship and (without saying anything to spoil the story) I wanted to explore boundaries and the fact that not everyone changes.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I faced the same challenge I always face when writing (even after 20 books) and that is getting in my own head. Over analyzing. Not letting the first draft just be a first draft. I have to remind myself that I can fix things in edits, but I seem to forget that fact some days, which can halt progress. But most of the time, I really enjoyed writing this book. It flowed and the characters felt very alive to me which is always a good sign and always helps me write them easier. I really love this story.
Your books at their core centre around love. What led you to having such a strong connection and interest with this theme?
It’s what I’ve always enjoyed reading for as long as I remember. Like I mentioned before, I’m a romantic. I just love love. I love reading about people falling in love, I love being in love, I love writing about people falling in love. I think it’s what brings me hope and joy in this world that can feel dark and scary at times. There’s something about seeing people fall in love that just gets me happy and hopeful every time.
This is your second adult novel with We Met Like This having released last year. Can you tell us about how you approached writing for a different readership?
I don’t know that I thought about the readership as much as I thought about the characters. At least while writing. The characters in my adult books are faced with different challenges than the ones in my teen books and I think that naturally leads to a different feel in my adult books. My adult books center around career troubles and paying bills/surviving and this new relationship they have with their parents and siblings who are no longer part of their every day lives. Most people in their adulthood have had more than one relationship and they’re bringing their past relationship traumas to the table as well. So I think the shifting of themes brings about a different approach. And it’s been nice to explore these different themes after writing so many young adult books (which I also still love writing).
What’s next for you?
Speaking of young adult books…lol. I have two more coming out over the next ten months. A Christmas themed YA, LIGHT UP MY LIFE, coming out with Scholastic in October and then another contemporary romance, THE VIEW FROM HERE, coming out with Delacorte in January. And I’m still writing more adult rom-coms so keep an eye out!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I love to read contemporary romance, both YA and adult. I just finished reading Naina Kumar’s FLIRTING WITH DISASTER and I can’t wait to read her next one: JUST A HIGHLAND FLING that comes out in July. In YA I’m looking forward to Sarah Dessen’s newest that comes out in May, CHANGE OF PLANS. My dear friend Bree Despain also has a book coming out (horror/mystery) in August called THE KILLING RULES that I am so excited for people to read. I love it! And I’m looking forward to discovering new authors and just reading more in general this year.
Thanks so much for these questions and for having me! I hope you enjoy STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED! If you love audiobooks, it has a killer audiobook, narrated by Karissa Vacker. She does a fabulous job.
