We chat with author Katie Jung about You’re the One That I Haunt, which is a heartwarming paranormal romance and follows a woman secretly in love with her best friend who must team up with his devastatingly handsome ghost cousin to break a deadly family curse—even if it means helping the man she’s always loved marry someone else.
Hi, Katie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a mom of three and live in Upstate New York (the perfect place for fall, in my opinion). Prior to writing and parenting full time I got my Master’s in Environmental Science and spent a decade working in climate change.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have always loved to write, since I was a kid. As an only child, I had an overactive imagination to combat boredom and would fill notebooks with stories I dreamed up.
When I had my second child, I was looking for “me time” and a creative outlet, so I started writing again and joined local writing groups. This is when I began to get serious and consider the possibility of publishing.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Charlotte’s Web
- The one that made you want to become an author: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
Your debut novel, You’re the One That I Haunt, is out September 22nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
2000s romcom plus hot ghost
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a funny, entertaining romance that feels like a classic romcom but has an element of mystery and magic. While this book is a fun romp across New York City, it also has a good amount of heart and deeper themes.
Where did the inspiration for You’re the One That I Haunt come from?
The original inspiration was one of my all-time favorite comfort romcoms, My Best Friend’s Wedding. I wanted to write a version in which Julia Roberts gets her romantic happy ending.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I LOVED writing Sabrina (the best friend’s fiancée). She’s spunky, bubbly, and had such a strong voice come through on the page. I’d want to hang out with her in real life. She’s also a fantastic friend.
Carter (the best friend) was also interesting for me to write, because while he doesn’t always make the best decisions, he’s dealing with a lot of pressure and expectation from his family. He needs to grow into his own person, and it was interesting for me to explore that.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges was making the love interest a ghost! I almost gave up so many times. I mean, why did I choose to write a romance where they can’t touch??
But in the end, I’m so happy I stuck with it. The fact that they can’t touch allows the characters to emotionally connect before they connect physically and also leads to the most insane yearning. Some of my favorite parts of romance books is the build up and this is a lot of that!
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I have been blessed with a relatively fast timeline. YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I HAUNT is the second book I queried, my first being in 2024. I signed with my agent in March 2025, we went on submission that May, and I signed with my publisher in June. I’ve been so happy with the team around me and thankful I have them by my side as a debut author.
What’s next for you?
I’m going on tour for YTOTIH, which I am SO excited for. Meeting readers in person is one of my favorite things about this job.
I’m also in the process of editing my second book—another magical romcom!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
Oh, so many! There’s never enough time for all the books I want to read.
I’m looking forward to reading This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas, Broken Rival by Tessa Bailey, and In Every Future It’s Us by Katie Naymon.
Some of my favorite reads this past year have been One & Only by Maurene Goo, The Write Off by Kara McDowell, and The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower.
