We chat with debut author Chad Beguelin about Showmance, which follows a down-on-his-luck Broadway playwright is marooned in rural Illinois in this sharply funny queer rom-com.
Hi, Chad! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a writer of Broadway musicals who lives in Bridgehampton with my husband Tom and our rescue dog Tucker. I’m from a small town in Southern Illinois and came to New York to attend NYU. I originally started out studying acting, but took a playwriting class on a whim. The teacher of that class encouraged me to pursue writing. That teacher would go on to become Pulizter Prize winner Doug Wright. With four Broadway shows and six Tony Award nominations under my belt, I guess I owe that guy a beer.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
As a young kid I remember watching The Nutcracker on PBS one Christmas Eve and thinking Clara should really steer clear of that creepy uncle with all of those sketchy toys. But then when the nutcracker turned into a hot prince, I thought, “I’m hooked. Let’s see where this goes…”
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Thumbelina. Which has very little to do with thumbs.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I want to be reincarnated as the second Mrs. de Winter.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Song of Achilles. So swoony!
Your debut novel, Showmance, is out October 1st! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Hot guys figure things out.
What can readers expect?
Hopefully a lot of laughs and plenty of snark, but with some really heartfelt moements underneath it all. Everyone in the novel goes through some kind of surprising redemption and there’s a little romantic sizzle along the way.
Where did the inspiration for Showmance come from?
The main character Noah is a Broadway writer from a small hometown just like me. I thought it would be fun to juxtapose the character’s down home roots with the heady world of Broadway. When he ends up back in the Midwest, he rightfully gets taken down a few pegs and learns a thing or two along the way.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I based the main charater Noah’s mother off of my own Mom. She is hilarious and wonderful and always a step or two ahead of everyone else. I might have polished up her one-liners here and there, but the spirit is still the same.
Whilst you’re a six-time Tony® nominee who has written several books before, this is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I’m so used to working with collaborators, so this was a new experience for me. I wrote the novel very quickly, because I knew I had to push myself and couldn’t rely on co-writers or a director to crack the whip. It was all up to me. Whenever I would get stuck and worry if it was ever going to get published, I would remember the Oscar Hammerstein lyric, “You’ve got to have a dream, If you don’t have a dream, How you gonna have a dream come true?” That seemed to help.
What’s your process when it comes to writing a book versus a novel?
When you write a book for a musical, you always start with an outline. That way everyone on the writing team can know what their assignments are. Then the song writers go off and do their work and the same thing goes for the book writers. With a novel, it was much more loose. I decided to just sit down and let the story take me where it wanted to go. So it was a very different experience. I know some novelist like to beat out their plots beforehand, but I’m a total “pantser”.
What’s next for you?
My next musical is with the same creative team as “The Prom”. It’s called “Horrible People” and it’s completely farcical and over the top. It follows a couple of broke friends who decide to steal the identity of a rich Hamptons lady and hijinks ensue.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
“The Love of my Afterlife” is great fun and full of surprises. “The Guncle Abroad” made me cry tears of joy. And if you haven’t read “Less is Lost”, what are you waiting for?
