We chat with author Kyleigh Leddy about Worse Than Strangers, which is a beachy retelling of Austen’s Persuasion set against the backdrop of a cottage on Nantucket about finding romance, second chances, and a new path in life.
Hi, Kyleigh! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi everyone! I’m an author, therapist, and professor at Boston College. Worse Than Strangers is my debut novel, but I actually got my start in college through the New York Times Modern Love column and wrote a non-fiction memoir first.
As a therapist, I think a lot about the connection between psychology and literature. If you want to understand the human mind, there’s no better place than in the pages of a book. I took this idea and co-founded an M.A. in Writing and the Human Condition program at Boston College which combines literary analysis, psychological theories, and philosophy to explore the craft of writing.
I’m also a huge Jane Austen nerd, which explains why I chose to reimagine Persuasion in Worse Than Strangers (the best Austen, if you ask me!)…
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
It sounds strange but I’ve wanted to be a writer since before I could properly read. In first grade, I used to create “books” out of construction paper and yarn, and my mom would have them laminated for me at Staples. I’d take these barely legible creations to the shelf of my local Borders and place them on the bookshelf, imagining my name up there for real someday. I can’t remember ever wanting to be anything other than an author. Seeing my name on the spine of a book is still a thrill.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I’m sure I read others books before this, but I vividly remember sneaking Tuck Everlasting from the older kids’ section of the library and reading it in secret in my elementary school cubby. Jesse Tuck was pretty much my first book boyfriend.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (young women with ordinary lives can be heroines!)
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
Your debut novel, Worse Than Strangers, is out June 23rd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
GILMORE GIRLS meets JANE AUSTEN on NANTUCKET.
What can readers expect?
A little romance, a lot of heart, some mother-daughter banter, a dash of drama, and hopefully, a story that gives you the encouragement to keep pursuing your dreams.
Where did the inspiration for Worse Than Strangers come from?
I was having a terrible day at my corporate consulting job, so I sat down during a training session (when I definitely should’ve been paying attention to) and jotted down a rough outline of Worse Than Strangers. I knew I wanted to tell a mother-daughter story in which both characters received satisfying character arcs with romance, second chances, and self-discovery. Much has changed since that first outline, but the heart of the story was there from the start, including the exact bucket-list that comes halfway through the book.
Later on, I noticed the similarities to Jane Austen’s Persuasion and decided to tease those threads out more. I tried to write a Northanger Abbey modern adaptation when I was in high school and always wanted to revisit the idea. I’ve been going to Nantucket since I was an infant, and my mom moved there full-time for 10 years while I was in college, so this story felt like the perfect culmination of my interests: mother-daughter relationships, Jane Austen, and the beautiful New England island I’ve been lucky enough to call home.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I fell in love with all of the characters! My favorite to write was probably Aunt Lottie and her wisdom-filled Lottie-isms, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed developing some of the side characters, including Lily’s father and Rose’s sister. They brought out a new layer to the story with more chances to explore redemption, different types of familial grief, and add humor. It was also fun to have a main character, Rose, who is a therapist.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I always face is self-doubt. When I stop believing in myself, I think about the duty I have to the message of the stories and its characters. I also panic-text and call my mom and fiancé, so they really deserve all of the credit for this novel. Without their constant encouragement (and reassurance), I’m not sure I’d have the courage to keep writing.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
When I was senior at Boston College, I submitted to the New York Times Modern Love College Essay Contest. The piece was about grief, technology, and my sister, Kait. Right before graduation, I found out I won the contest, and it’s no hyperbole to say that my life changed overnight. I signed with my wonderful agent, Eve Attermann at WME, and months later, we had a book deal with HarperCollins to turn the essay into a more expansive memoir about mental health. That book, The Perfect Other: A Memoir of My Sister, was published in 2022 when I was 25.
I always tell aspiring authors that this business is a combination of luck, passion, and grit. Modern Love was my miracle, and every day since, I’ve been determined to take that blessing and keep working to make my dreams a reality. Worse Than Strangers is the culmination of those years of daydreaming about someday being an author, but if I had never taken the chance to submit to that contest, I doubt it would be here today. Invest in lottery tickets and put yourself out there! Talent is a myth but working on your craft and taking the chance to be noticed is a sure path.
What’s next for you?
I just sold my next book to my editor for publication summer 2027! I probably can’t say too much, but I think it’s my best work yet and a TON of fun…
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I recently started Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull, and I’m already loving it! For months, I’ve been telling everyone I know to read Grant Ginder’s So Old, So Young. It’s a masterpiece.
