What’s worse: Being a seven-time bestselling romance novelist on deadline with incurable writer’s block, or unexpectedly seeing your ex at your best friend’s wedding? Unfortunately, both are very much happening to Kara Sullivan, and she just may use one problem to solve the other. With whip smart banter, Kate Bromley’s debut novel Talk Bookish To Me is a laugh-out-loud stunner of a story, love letter to NYC, that will delight book nerds everywhere.
We had the pleasure of chatting with debut author Kate Bromley about Talk Bookish To Me, writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Kate! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! Before I started writing, I was a pre-school teacher for almost seven years. My reading obsession started as soon as I graduated high-school and once I was in college, I got a part-time job at Barnes & Noble because I needed the employee discount to keep up with how many books I was devouring. I live on the east coast with my family and Talk Bookish to Me is my debut novel.
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
Quarantining with a toddler while editing my first novel and then writing my second novel was definitely an experience, but I’m just so grateful that we’re able to get out a bit more now and that we can slowly start to see more people again. And the fact that this is my debut year feels entirely surreal.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember reading was I Am a Bunny. I made my mom read it to me so many times as a child that I actually memorized it before I could read. And then once I could read, it was the first book I went running to.
The book that made me want to become an author was probably Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas. That was one of the first romance novels that I ever read, and I remember flying through it in a day. I feel like after being assigned books to read all through high school, discovering that there were books like this that focused on these sweeping love stories, I was just instantly hooked. And then when I realized Lisa Kleypas had already written dozens of books, I went on total bender and haven’t looked back since.
And for the one I can’t stop thinking about…The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I absolutely loved it. Can’t stop, won’t stop.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
After I read what felt like hundreds of romance novels, I decided to take a class in writing short stories. I had such a great experience and then went on to take more fiction writing courses as well as screenwriting. I completely loved screenwriting because I’m someone who really appreciates and focuses a lot on dialogue, and working on screenplays for a few years really helped be hone in my dialogue skills, which I then brought with me when I went back to concentrating on writing fiction.
Your debut novel, Talk Bookish to Me, is out May 25th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Quirky, romantic, fun, emotional, and heart-felt.
What can readers expect?
They can expect an enemies-to-lovers/second-chance romance set in NYC, as well an author main character who is head-over-heels in love with the romance genre. They can expect laughter, emotionally charged moments and plenty of romance – and there’s also an adorable bulldog, because who doesn’t love an adorable bulldog?
Where did the inspiration for Talk Bookish to Me come from?
It really just came from me reading so many rom-coms and romance novels and then me asking myself, what would I write if I was an actual writer? I ended up writing the book I wanted to read.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
The biggest challenge I faced while writing was actually believing and convincing myself that I could even be a writer. I had always imagined writers at these mythical creatures who were on a level that I could never dream of aspiring to, so why would I even bother trying if there’s no way I could make my dream a reality? Once I pushed past that insecurity and decided to write my story anyways, I prioritized my writing goals and started writing for a certain amount of time every day. The more I wrote, the more I felt like a writer, and then my novel finally started to take shape.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved any moments when Kara (my main character) was interacting with her friends. As much as I love focusing on the romance and the steam in the book, I also love writing about strong friendships and the dynamics that come along with them. I’m very lucky to have amazing, hysterical friends in my life, and they were a big inspiration to me when writing those scenes.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was a long road but one that was so worth it. Prep-work was key for me. As I was writing I did a ton of research as to what the process to publication was like, and that really helped me from becoming overwhelmed once I finished writing my book. I watched tons of YouTube videos on other writers’ journeys and read so many author and agent articles on query letters and summaries – it was a lot to filter through but by the time I started querying, I felt prepared. Of course, nothing can prepare you for the very real anxiety that goes hand in hand with the query process, but it was also a very exciting experience.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Best writing advice – write every day. Worst writing advice – stop writing now.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently editing my second novel which I couldn’t be more excited about! It centers around working in theatre and takes place in London (one of my favorite cities in the world). It’s a stand-alone novel but it does feature a character from Talk Bookish to Me as one of the romantic leads.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Again, I absolutely loved The Hating Game, and I’m also a big fan of Sarah Smith and Sajni Patel.
