We chat with author Selina Mae about Ruled by Rivalry, which follows Maeve Peterson who lands her dream internship at the world’s biggest fashion empire, only to discover her greatest workplace rival is also her dangerously irresistible new roommate.
Hi, Selina! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, guys! Thank you so much for having me. 🙂 I’m Selina Mae, author and reader of anything romance! Like many of my colleagues, I got my start as a writer through fanfiction, and ten years later, I’ve published 4 new adult romances with my favorites at LYX!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I think I was 13 when I wrote my first fanfiction, and that’s about a year after I started reading online as well. I truly loved it so much, but teenage life got in the way until I picked up the pen again when I was 20. After that, everything happened so so fast, it still feels a little surreal to have gone from quietly publishing online to seeing my books in stores around the world.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Goodreads says Elle Kennedy’s The Risk
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Honestly anything Ashley Poston! I loved The Dead Romantics.
Your latest novel, Ruled by Rivalry, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
2000s romcom vibes in a book. (That’s six, I’m sorry)
What can readers expect?
High Society! Fashion! Rivalry Tension Deluxe! I honestly tried to put everything I love reading into this book, so Maeve and Elliot bicker a lot, flirt when they shouldn’t, and especially Elliot has way more layers than even I expected.
Where did the inspiration for Ruled by Rivalry come from?
My publisher asked “Workplace rivalry?” and I said, “In a fashion house?!”
Although there was some back and forth, once we both agreed on the setting of a luxury fashion designer in New York City, everything else came incredibly easy. Maeve is a character I already explored in Lessons in Forgiving, and Elliot is the perfect counterpart to her perfectionistic tendencies. As a straight A student and honors graduate, I also loved exploring how even the smartest student in the world can have trouble adapting to the “real world”.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved discovering Elliot as I wrote. He started off as this privileged rich kid who doesn’t seem to care about his actions or the impact they have. He’s arrogant, annoying, and…so much more. I wasn’t aware of the layers he had when I started writing him either, but behind that cocky facade definitely hides the biggest lover boy I’ve ever written.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Ruled by Rivalry was probably the most difficult book to write so far. A new world, new characters; everything felt, well, new and scary. I’m incredibly grateful for my publisher and their support, but I’m sure the fact that Ruled by Rivalry was my first project with publisher-backing from the very start stressed me out as well (Imposter syndrome, anyone?) But either way, that only means I’m so much happier that the first book in the Ashwood Anthology is finally out there now!
What’s next for you?
Sworn to Secrecy, the second book in the series, is already coming out on December 1st! So once I’ve emotionally recovered from this release, it’ll already be time to prepare for the next one. I’m super excited for Rowen and Tate to hit shelves, and I think some of you might love their “serious enemies to lovers from rivalling families” vibes even more.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I know nothing about it, but I’m really looking forward to whatever Emily Henry has in store for us!! And the one book I really couldn’t put down this year was definitely Yesteryear, just because it was something else from my usual romance-heavy TBR.
