We chat with debut author Neely Tubati Alexander about Love Buzz, which follows a chance romantic encounter during a wild night at a Mardi Gras bachelorette party sends strait-laced Serena Khan’s carefully constructed life into chaos.
Read on to learn more about writing, book recommendations, and even take a peek at an excerpt from Love Buzz!
Hi, Neely! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I was born and raised in Washington state, but now live in Arizona with my husband and two elementary-aged kiddos and was. If we are not running around to some kid activity, you can usually find me drinking wine and watching reality TV.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always loved story, and always found writing to be my favorite outlet. English was always my favorite subject in school and I’ve had a natural affinity towards writing my whole life. It was one of the only subjects I was good at, that felt like it came somewhat naturally. I wasn’t always an avid reader, but have always been a consistent consumer of story, whether it be through books or film.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Choose Your Own Adventure, Memoirs of a Geisha, Local Woman Missing
Your debut novel, Love Buzz, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Fun. Loving. Heartfelt. Sassy. Authentic.
What can readers expect?
While on its head, LOVE BUZZ may look like a romance, it is, at it’s heart, a story of self-discovery and living living life for yourself instead of others. I like to think it’s perfect for women’s fiction fans who like a heaping side of romance.
Where did the inspiration for Love Buzz come from?
I am a big fan of the movie Serendipity with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsdale, which is also an exploration of love at first sight. I have always been fascinated with if love at first sight is a thing and I wanted to explore that in a new, fresh way.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Odette, the older woman the main character Serena meets on a plane. It was weirdly cathartic writing a no-nonsense, tell it like it is woman who says the things we are all thinking but are perhaps too afraid to say. Writing her was liberating!
Can you tell us a bit about your journey of getting Love Buzz published?
I began querying Love Buzz in September of 2021. I got a lot of mixed reviews, largely agents telling me they liked it but didn’t quite know where it fit because it was a mix of romance and women’s fiction. Ultimately, my agent took a chance on me and I signed with her in early 2022, then we were off on submission to publishers pretty quickly thereafter. Once on submission, things moved very quickly and we signed with Harper Perennial in March of 2022!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working through edits of my second book, coming from Harper Perennial in March of 2024, about a doomsday prepper/video game designer who goes on a fake romantic escape with her neighbor to make his ex jealous. It is a completely separate novel from Love Buzz. I’m excited for it to make it’s way to reader’s hands!
Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
I love this question! I’ve gotten to know several 2023 debuts through my publication journey and so many have incredible books either coming or that have already released this year. A few of my favorites are Kismet by Becky Chalsen, The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom by Allison Bitz and The Davenports by Krystal Marquis.
EXCERPT
I watch out the window as we drive away from our hotel, catching glimpses of Bourbon Street across every intersection from our parallel street one small block over. There’s an anxiety brewing inside me with every minute that ticks by. Somewhere in this city, the guy I met last night lingers. Is he still asleep? I picture him curled up under a set of crisp white sheets, six-pack flexing each time he adjusts, his chestnut mane tousled. Is he lying awake in bed, thinking of me?
Outside, there’s a gloomy, low-hanging mist that matches my mood. I think of the abruptness with which the interaction between Julian and I ended, leaving me feeling incomplete.
At this early morning hour, on the cusp of daybreak, the Quarter resembles a graveyard, a deserted haunt littered with evidence of last night’s festivities. Abandoned beads. Mardi Gras masks. Discarded clothing. An occasional shoe. I can only imagine the narratives behind each item left behind, wondering if they are as divine as my own story from last night.
