Q&A: Marie Hoy-Kenny, Author of 'Something Like Desire'

We chat with author Marie Hoy-Kenny about Something Like Desire, which is an emotional, romantic, and humorous story of family, loyalty, and finding love in the most unlikely of places.

Hi, Marie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hey! Thanks for asking. I’m a coffee-loving, thriller-reading, karaoke fan and theatre enthusiast from Ontario, Canada. I recently moved to a small town and am enjoying being within walking distance of horse farms.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

My mum won a writing competition when she was in grade school and she always enjoyed literature. She used to encourage me to tell her stories and she’d write them out for me to illustrate. As I grew up, she encouraged me to enter some local writing contests, which helped to boost my confidence.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

The first book you ever remember reading:

My mum used to read me The Snowy Day by Izra Jack Keats and I never got tired of it.

The one that made you want to become an author:

Definitely The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. Confessional writing at its finest.

The one that you can’t stop thinking about:

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. Gorgeous writing and imagery I will never stop going back to.

Your latest novel, Something Like Desire, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Desire. Chaos. Laughter. Heart. Healing.

What can readers expect?

Lexi Callen is stuck in an HR job where her days are spent dealing with complaints about missing coffee mugs and coworkers typing too loudly. It’s not exactly the meaningful career she imagined. When her mom asks to meet for coffee, Lexi has a feeling something’s wrong, but she never expects the bombshell that’s coming. Just weeks before her sister’s wedding, her mom confesses she’s having an affair. Determined to save her parents’ marriage, Lexi throws herself into a mission to end the relationship, leading to stakeouts, questionable decisions, and even a trip to a luxury resort. There she meets Zach, the grumpy son of her mom’s new boyfriend. Forced to work together, the two set out to stop the affair, but somewhere along the way Lexi begins questioning her career, her long-term relationship, and the future she always assumed she’d have. And of course, complete chaos ensues.

Where did the inspiration for Something Like Desire come from?

I feel like a lot of ideas start with a question . One day I was like, what if instead of parents trying to steer their children away from dating certain people, the roles were switched and the children tried to sabotage their parents’ relationship?

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really liked writing Lexi’s sister Gia because she’s very self-absorbed and obnoxious and there’s a scene in the novel when she has a BIT too much to drink (okay a lot too much haha) and the evening turns into a dramatic disaster. That was my favorite scene to write, hands-down.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I ALWAYS find the middle of a book the most difficult to write and this time around was no exception. When I got to that roadblock this time, I took the time to outline my chapters carefully and tried to be patient with myself if any of the chapters I wrote took a few drafts to get the way I wanted them to be.

What’s next for you?

I have an idea brewing for another romantic comedy. I’ve started writing it and am pretty pumped about it. I really want to share the plot but I feel like if I talk about it too often I might start doubting my idea so I’ll keep it to myself for now. Stay tuned! 🙂

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

Yes! I love that you asked that. So far this year, I’ve read and loved: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger, Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover, This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune, and The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins.