We chat with author Kristin Wollett about As a Last Resort, which sees opposites attract when a real estate developer’s quest for a promotion returns her to the coastal hometown she loathes—where she’s reunited with her teenage crush turned town golden boy.
Hi, Kristin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I wear a lot of hats. In no particular order, I’m a mom of five young kids, a wife to my college sweetheart, and an actor, which has been a dream job for the last fifteen years. I’m annoyingly optimistic, probably have an unhealthy obsession with candy and soda, and I’m a firm believer that Jesus comes first, always.
Now I get to add “writer” to that list, which feels surreal and really special. Storytelling has always been at the core of who I am, whether it’s stepping into a character on screen or creating one on the page. Writing has been a longtime dream, and being able to share As a Last Resort with readers, which was basically written in one-hour increments during naptime drinking shots of espresso, is a full-circle moment for me. So basically, my life is fueled by Jesus, candy, and lots of caffeine—and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Storytelling and writing has always been part of my DNA. I have a manila folder from elementary school stuffed with short stories and poems—mostly about old crushes, and definitely lacking in actual plot—but even then, I loved the idea of writing through emotions. When COVID hit and the film industry shut down, all my creative energy went into writing. I dusted off a screenplay that had been sitting stagnant for me and turned it into a novel instead. And I realized how much I loved building an entire world of my own, versus just stepping into one that someone else had created through a script.
My love of stories goes all the way back to the ones that first shaped my view of love. As a kid, it was Disney movies like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. As a teenager, it was those early 2000s romances like The Notebook and Sleepless in Seattle. Those were the kinds of stories that changed the way I thought about love—that made me believe in it, root for it, and ache for it right alongside the characters. That’s what I wanted to capture in my own writing—not a love story that falls together easily, but one that has to be fought for.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Berenstain Bears! I know there were plenty before that, but that’s the first I can remember reading on my own. And the first series I can remember being obsessed with was The Babysitters Club.
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Friend Zone, by Abby Jimenez and Beach Read by Emily Henry
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls keeps me up at night, and I read it six years ago. A perfect blend of grit and hope.
Your debut novel, As a Last Resort, is out September 2nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
A novel you must read! (Haha! Or… hopeful, witty, romantic, heartfelt, and redemptive).
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a story about second chances—both in love and in life. At its heart, As a Last Resort is about finding hope and love even in the places that feel the darkest. It’s equal parts heartfelt and witty, so you might find yourself crying on one page and laughing through your tears on the next. More than anything, I hope readers walk away feeling like redemption and joy are always possible, even when the road there is messy.
Where did the inspiration for As a Last Resort come from?
The story started with Samantha. I kept picturing this girl who had done everything in her power to get away from her small town because all it held for her were ghosts of the past. Then came Austin, this guy who saw the same place completely differently, who could look at their hometown, where they both grew up, and see beauty where she only saw pain. I loved the idea of what might happen if he could help her see it through his eyes—not just giving her a second chance at the town, but opening her up to the possibility of mending the most broken relationship in her life: the one with her mom. Austin shows her that believing in someone and choosing to see the best in them, even after a lot of heartbreak, isn’t weakness—it’s a kind of strength. I’ve always been a sucker for redemption stories, so weaving that sense of healing and hope into Sam’s journey was the heartbeat of As a Last Resort.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had so much fun writing the dynamic between Samantha and Ivy. Ivy is probably one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written—she’s sharp, witty, fiercely loyal. What I loved most was letting that loyalty show in subtle ways, not because the book tells you she’s a great friend, but because you see it in how she shows up for Sam, over and over again. That quiet, unwavering support is such a beautiful part of real friendship, and it was really rewarding to capture that on the page.
Another favorite for me was writing Austin around his family. I adore his little sister, Lexi, and his parents. Those family scenes were fun because they capture that buzzing familiarity of a family who loves each other, where everyone’s poking at each other’s soft spots, bringing out the best and the worst at the exact same time. In acting, we call that ensemble work, and it’s tricky because you’re balancing so many emotions and personalities at once, along with moving the story forward. Translating that to the page was such a creative playground for me, and those moments still make me smile when I reread them.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges for me was finding that delicate balance between the grit and the hope. The heroines I relate to most are the ones who face real-world challenges—not things that are easily brushed aside, but the heavier stuff we all deal with at some point: family struggles, addiction, loss. Because that’s real life. And when I see characters persevere through those moments, I find myself rooting for them harder.
So for me, the tricky part was making Samantha’s world feel real enough that readers could connect to her struggles, while also giving them the sense of escape that keeps us turning the page. People read novels because they want to be transported, but they also want to see a piece of themselves reflected back. Striking that balance—between heartbreak and hope, between grit and laughter—was the challenge. But once I found it, the story felt like it had the heart it needed. Turns out, crying and laughing in the same chapter is kind of my sweet spot.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
While As a Last Resort is my debut, it’s actually not the first novel I’ve written. My very first book was a YA fantasy that racked up 76 rejections from agents. Brutal. But, it also taught me some of the most valuable lessons… how to actually finish a book, how to take feedback without completely folding, and how to apply it to make my writing stronger than it could have been on its own.
The querying process for As a Last Resort was a completely different experience. I had interest pretty early, which snowballed into multiple agent calls crammed into a short time. Signing with the agent I’d admired for so long (shout out to Stacey Graham!) truly felt like a dream come true. But I don’t discount those early rejections. They were necessary. Coming from acting, I was already used to hearing the word no on repeat. It still stung (I don’t think that part will ever go away), but it didn’t knock me out completely. I knew how to dust myself off, pull up my big girl pants, and try again.
That YA fantasy is still tucked under my bed, and I genuinely hope I get to revisit it someday. But if there’s anything this journey has shown me, it’s that publishing is full of little moments where it’s easier to do the laundry or clean my kids shoes than sit down and write. And then there are the big moments—the rejections that make you wonder if you should even keep going. For me, choosing to push through both kinds of moments was the difference between giving up and finally holding this book in my hands.
What’s next for you?
On the writing side, I’m drafting a new novel that has me so excited I keep catching myself cheesing at the keyboard. It’s a romcom with just a toe dipped into the mystery space, and there’s something about it that feels really special. On the acting side, I have a movie coming out this fall called The Neglected, where I star opposite Josh Duhamel, which was such a fun project. And because I tend to see my novels play out like movies in my head, it felt natural to adapt As a Last Resort into a screenplay. I’m now in the final stages of that process, and I’m a big believer in putting things out into the universe. Some dreams you keep to yourself, and some you put out there. This one? Definitely out there. I’d love nothing more than to see Sam and Austin’s story on the big screen one day.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I really loved These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. It’s such a deliciously clever book—full of family drama, a solid love story, and the characters just leap off the page. I enjoyed First Time Caller by BK Borison. The close quarters of the radio show and the intimacy of their conversations made it such a quick, delightful read for me.
As for what’s on my TBR pile, it’s embarrassingly tall. I’ve been hearing so much about My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan, but I’m a big believer in reading the book first before watching any adaptation. Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn has been buzzing on my radar, and there’s a debut called See How They Fall (Rachel Paris) that I want to dive into. Devon Daniels is a favorite of mine, and her upcoming Star-Crossed Summer (slated for sometime in 2026!) is already at the top of my list. I’m also really curious about Culpability by Bruce Holsinger. And Sandwich by Catherine Newman is one I keep hearing such great things about. It sounds like the perfect blend of heart and humor, which is right up my alley.
You can find me on Instagram and here are the local events I have schedule for my book tour.
- 📍 TAMPA: Sunday, Sept. 7 at 3:30 PM at Oxford Exchange with the amazing Sarah Penner (The Lost Apothecary!) TICKETS HERE.
- 📍 ORLANDO: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7:00 PM at The New Romantics Bookstore TICKETS HERE.
- 📍 TARPON SPRINGS: Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 PM at The Gilded Page RSVP HERE!
- Also if you’re not able to make it to any of them but still want to buy the book, here’s the link!
