We chat with author Alexandria Bellefleur about Playing for Keeps, which is a steamy Sapphic rom-com about two rival publicists who are forced to work together when their mega-famous clients—a popstar and a quarterback—begin to date.
Hi, Alexandria! Welcome back! It’s been almost five years since we last spoke for Hang The Moon! How have you been and what have you been up to?
Almost five years! Gosh, time flies. I’ve been great! Busy writing and I live in New York now, which is exciting.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My mom fostered a love of reading in me when I was very small, so books have always been a big part of my life, but I didn’t discover my love for writing until I started dabbling in fanfiction in high school.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: That I actually remember? Probably the Serendipity books by Stephen Cosgrove.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Twilight. I wrote fanfic for it way back in ninth grade.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison.
Your latest novel, Playing For Keeps, is out January 6th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
High-energy, emotional, humorous, steamy, and tender.
What can readers expect?
PLAYING FOR KEEPS is a steamy sapphic rom-com about two rival publicists who are forced to work together when their mega-famous clients—a popstar and a quarterback—begin to date. Readers can expect plenty of steam balanced by tender moments between the main characters Poppy and Rosaline. Because they’re publicists for two celebrities, there’s also a Hollywood-adjacent feel to the book with red carpet moments, and news articles and gossip blog posts scattered throughout.
Where did the inspiration for Playing For Keeps come from?
The idea for PLAYING FOR KEEPS really came from asking the question—what if two rival publicists had to work together when their high-profile celebrity clients start dating? Celebrity romances are so fun, but I wanted to explore what happens behind the scenes with the people who aren’t necessarily in the limelight, but do help shape public perception.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing Poppy! She’s such an earnest character and a hardworker who’s just desperate to give her job her all and be recognized for it. I love her dearly and I hope readers will, too.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I’d never written a book that was Hollywood or sports adjacent, so PLAYING FOR KEEPS definitely required some research for authenticity. But I genuinely love that part of the process, so it was a fun challenge diving into what exactly publicists for popstars and football players do in their day-to-day lives.
What’s next for you?
I have another paranormal romance coming out this fall that I had the best time writing and can’t wait to tell everyone more about soon. And I also have a fun surprise that I can’t talk about yet that I’m also super excited about.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
So many! A few that I’m really looking forward to are DEARLY DEPARTED by Chip Pons, FOR OUR NEXT SONG by Jessica James, OUR EX’S WEDDING by Taleen Voskuni, and SEE YOU AT THE SUMMIT by Jordyn Taylor.
