We chat with author Kate Bromley again, this time about her new release Here For The Drama!
Hi, Kate! Thanks for joining us again! How has the last 12 months been for you since we last spoke?
Thank you so much for having me! It’s been a bit an exciting year since we last spoke. A few months ago, we welcomed our second son to the world, so since then we’ve been living an incredibly happy if somewhat sleep deprived life. Thankfully, we now have a routine going, which is perfect timing since I’m now in the throes of editing my third rom-com and my second rom-com, HERE FOR THE DRAMA, is just about to be released!
Your new novel, Here for the Drama, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Theatrical, romantic, heartfelt, escapist, and fun.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a heartwarming jaunt around London with aspiring playwright, Winnie, as she juggles her demanding job, her artistic ambitions, and a secret romance, all while trying to find her own place and success in the joyously chaotic theatre-world.
Where did the inspiration for Here for the Drama come from?
My inspiration for Here for the Drama really came from me sitting down and asking myself what I wanted to write about for the next year. My immediate answers were the theater, London, and love. I’ve been a massive theater nerd ever since I could remember, so I knew without question that I could very happily dive into that world for months on end. And as far as London, I’ve always pictured it as this dreamy, magical place that was only further solidified when I finally made my own trips across the pond. And it just so happened that one of my favourite supporting characters from my first novel, Talk Bookish to Me, was from London, so casting him as a love interest for my main character worked out perfectly.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I think my main challenge for this book was writing with a deadline. With my first book, I was writing as a hobby over several years, and with this novel, I only had a set amount of time. To work through my deadline worries, I outlined a ton and wrote out super detailed character and chapter breakdowns. I found that referring to my notes about characters and what was happening in each scene really helped me to keep my focus and stay on schedule, and that’s something I’ll definitely be implementing in my future books.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Honestly, I love this book so much that almost all of it was a pleasure to write. If I had to pick though, my favourite parts were the scenes that feature Winnie and Liam together. I love banter, and my writing is very dialogue heavy, so the snappy back and forth between these two was a blast to write. In my head, these characters had immediate and very tangible chemistry from the start but they also had this playful kind of friend energy going on between them as well, so I loved transferring that to the page.
Did you find your writing process changed at all after writing your debut?
It absolutely changed. I had to be a million times more organized with this book due to the time constraint, but I also had to contend with the pressure of this being my second book and not wanting to let down the audience who enjoyed Talk Bookish to Me. I’ve found with writing my second novel that I need to get out of my head and enjoy the process, because that’s when I get the best results.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m happily editing my third rom-com while inwardly coming up with ideas for my forth. I’m so grateful that I get to share my romantic stories with the world, and hopefully there will be many more in the future.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers that you can’t praise enough?
I would absolutely recommend The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, Set on You by Amy Lea, and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne.
