We chat with author Julie Tieu about her new release Fancy Meeting You Here, which is a romantic comedy in the vein of 27 Dresses that celebrates weddings and female friendships.
Hi, Julie! Welcome back! How has the past 18 months been since we last spoke?
It’s been busy! I attended more events this past year and it’s been great to meet readers and fellow authors.
What do you love about the romance genre?
I love that romance provides a safe space to readers to experience the whole gamut of emotions, even the heartbreaking ones because they know that the story will have a happy ending. When I read romance, I love seeing how authors put a new spin on genre tropes and create characters that we want to root for. Ultimately, romance is a genre about finding joy and hope and what’s not to love about that?
Your latest novel, Fancy Meeting You Here, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Oh that’s hard. To sum up the book: Chaotic weddings and loving friendships.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a lot of flowers and behind the scenes of weddings, since Elise helps her three best friends get married as their bridesmaid and florist. When Elise gets paired with Ben, a grumpy groomsman and one of her best friend’s brothers, they agree to help each other get through multiple events when an unexpected romance begins to bloom.
Where did the inspiration for Fancy Meeting You Here come from?
It’s inspired by the year all my friends got married and I was a bridesmaid for three weddings. It was a lot of fun, but it was also a lot. I say that as someone who loves weddings. I also spent some time assisting a florist when I was younger and that inspired all the flower arrangements in the book.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing the moments when things go wrong. Is that terrible to say? I find so much humor when there’s a level of panic and people make rushed decisions.
This is your third published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
From an author’s perspective, the entire process of getting published—from querying to going on submission with editors to getting reviews—hinges on external validation. Multiple people have to say yes to the book before it gets published and after the book gets out, then readers chime in with their reviews. It can be very tempting to think that I should write a book that is “marketable” so that it can get through the process easier, but I’ve learned that there’s no way to predict what will be marketable or well-received by the time the book comes out. And I found that I don’t experience much joy in writing something with other people in mind. It’s much more fulfilling to write something that I want to write, that I like. That has to be the first priority or else it wouldn’t get finished.
What’s next for you?
I’m finishing Book 4 as we speak. It’s a contemporary romance about two former friends/lovers? (it’s complicated!) who reunite at their 20th high school reunion.
Lastly, are there any 2024 books you’re looking forward to that our readers should keep an eye out for?
Oh so many!
- The Breakup Vacation by Anna Gracia
- One Last Word by Suzanne Park
- A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen
- Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen
- The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
- The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
I’m sure I’m forgetting some. There are so many books to look forward to!
