We chat with New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne and her husband and high school sweetheart, Anthony LeDonne about their first novel together, Emergency Contact, which is a new holiday romcom that is sure to warm even the coldest heart!
Hi, Lauren and Anthony! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourselves?
Lauren is a NY Times Bestselling author of more than 40 books.
Anthony is a stand-up comedian and soon-to-be NY Times Bestselling author of one book, assuming the NY Times receives his bribes. 🤞
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Lauren: I loved to read, and I pretty much always knew I wanted to be an author. It took me a long time to gather the courage to write my own stories though! I was in my mid-twenties before attempting my first novel.
Anthony: In the sixth grade I wrote a sci-fi short story about a space station and a wormhole and fell in love with writing stories. It was a direct ripoff of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading:
Lauren: I first fell in love with books when my mom read The Castle in the Attic in kindergarten, but I really fell in love with books when I discovered The Boxcar Children in second grade!
Anthony: The first book I ever remember reading was one of those Fun with Dick and Jane books when I was just learning to read, sometime in the sixth grade. - The one that made you want to become an author:
Lauren: It was Sweet Valley Twins book, “Elizabeth’s First Kiss.” It was the first thing even remotely romance adjacent that I read, and I had such an instant and strong connection to love stories!
Anthony: I never a book that made me think, I could do that. I’ve read a lot of books that made me think, I could never do that! - The one that you can’t stop thinking about:
Lauren: Susan Elizabeth Phillip’s KISS AN ANGEL and Judith McNaught’s PERFECT. They were some of the first romance novels I read, and I still remember how fundamentally changed I felt by the emotion those two authors were able to evoke with words.
Anthony: I think about Frank Herbert’s Dune on a daily basis.
Emergency Contact is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Lauren: Funny, Witty, Longing, Christmas, Second-Chance
Anthony: Planes, Trains & Automobiles Love Story. (The ampersand doesn’t count, right?)
What can readers expect?
Anthony: Readers should expect a funny story with real emotional moments. And they should prepare accordingly: for the emotional moments, bring tissues, and for the funny ones, diapers.
Lauren: It’s a rom-com in the truest sense of the phrase. Not just a romance repackaged with the trendy rom-com descriptor, but an actual romantic comedy. The comedy was as important to us as the romance. If it made us laugh we put it in, and kept it in!
Where did the inspiration for Emergency Contact come from?
Anthony: I think Lauren came up with the idea a few years ago!
Lauren: Yes, several years! I have no idea, just one of those little gifts from the muse: I had the thought, “What if a woman woke up to her estranged ex-husband in the hospital because she forgot to update her Emergency Contact information.”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Anthony: Gorby was an absolutely joy to explore.
Lauren: I LOVE the motel room scene. It’s that crucial “shift” points in the stories where the characters finally take a breath from bantering and let themselves feel.
Anthony again: YES! The motel room scene! I read that scene a few days ago and still teared up a little.
What’s next for you both?
Lauren: I’ve been slowing down on my writing schedule a bit and leaning into author website and brand design!
Anthony: I’m working on my next hour of stand-up!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Lauren: Emma of 83rd Street and The Rom-Con!
Anthony: Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott
