In this interview, Lauren discusses her real-life aviation experience helping inspire her new romance, Love in Plane Sight, the power imbalance for women in the field of aviation, and more.

Name: Lauren Connolly
Literary agent: Lesley Sabga, Seymour Literary Agency
Book title: Love in Plane Sight
Publisher: Berkley, Penguin Random House
Release date: Dec 16, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: PS: I Hate You, Rescue Me, Read Me, Claws & Crochet, Fire Magic & Ice Cream
Elevator pitch: When entering the male-dominated world of aviation, the last thing she wants is to be turned-on in the cockpit.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I had been throwing around the idea of writing a romance about a pilot for a few years. My dad flies as a hobby, and he got his license the same day he met my mom. I always thought that was a romantic anecdote. Ever since I was a little kid, he’s taken me up flying with him, and when I’m brainstorming books to write I’ll often pluck a small detail from my real-life experience then build that out into a story. Plus, my dad has always been super supportive of my writing career, and I knew he’d get a kick out of helping me fact check the book.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Love in Plane Sight is the second book in a two-book contract I have with Berkley, and I pitched the idea for the book when we met to discuss a potential deal for my first book with them, PS: I Hate You. Berkley offered on both books in spring of 2023. We sold the books as proposals—a synopsis and roughly 3 chapters—and I wrote PS: I Hate You first, then wrote Love in Plane Sight spring of 2024 and had a finished draft to send in by August. Publication date is December 16, 2025, so it was a little over two and a half years between idea and publication, which actually seems a bit fast with how slow traditional publishing often moves.

The idea itself didn’t change much with this book. I tend to be a plotter, and I had to turn a synopsis in to Berkley before I started writing. I kept pretty close to that original outline, just adding in more scenes and character building when the story needed more depth. This isn’t how it goes with every book I write, but it worked out for me in this case!

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

This is my second book releasing with a Big Five publisher, and I think the most jarring thing is having a lot of people read and love my first book with the publisher and now be expecting another book that makes them feel the same way the first did. I have over 20 self-published books, and for those I felt much less pressure. There’s a sort of freedom in self-publishing, especially when I set the expectation early on that I write wherever my mood takes me. But now on this bigger stage, it’s as though the readers’ voices are louder, and I’m trying not to let their expectations dictate how and what I write. Some of my books will be emotional roller coasters, and others will be lighthearted romps, and all of that’s OK. But I’m definitely feeling a touch more anxiety as we approach publication day!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

While writing Love in Plane Sight I interviewed multiple female pilots, and though I knew there was a power imbalance for women in the field of aviation, it was still jarring to hear about their firsthand experiences. Yet even with the pushback they faced, they still maintained a love for flying and great pride in their accomplishments. Speaking to them was inspiring, and I sometimes forget how much it can help my process to leave my comfy writing cave and interact with the world.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I write romance novels because I love bringing two opposing characters together and forging a strong relationship between them. I hope readers who pick up my book enjoy that journey and turn the last page with a feeling of hope. I would also love if this book inspired more people to pursue their pilot’s license. My dad loves flying, and there are a lot more resources out there than people might think.

Oh, and banter! I live to make people laugh with my writing. Fingers crossed most readers find my books funny so I’m not just telling these jokes to myself.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

My advice for writers is to be open to publishing in a variety of ways. Love in Plane Sight is releasing with a Big Five publisher, and I truly enjoy working with the Berkley team, but I also have grown as an author because of the books I put out myself and with small presses. I may not have even gotten my publishing deal if I hadn’t spent so many years publishing other books and building a foundation for my career. For those writers who have endless ideas and want to write 10, 50, 100+ books in your life, don’t hold yourself back as you wait to hear from agents and editors. Write the next book and explore all the publishing methods available. Don’t be afraid to put your books out in the world!

The post Lauren Connolly: I Live To Make People Laugh With My Writing appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Nancy discusses turning the vampire story inside out with her debut novel, The Uninvited, the joy of incorporating her love of Paris into the novel, and more.

Name: Nancy Banks
Literary agent: Dan Lazar, Writers House
Book title: The Uninvited
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release date: December 16, 2025
Genre/category: YA/vampire
Elevator pitch: Dracula meets stabby teenage girls in Paris.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I was reading vampire novels, and I realized that often the only role in them for women was victim. I wondered what an inside-out vampire story would look like, if the vampire’s victims refused to accept victim status and instead wrested control back from the vampire. I was also missing Paris, where I used to live. And this image lodged in my head: a girl, covered in vampire blood, crouching in a crypt under an abandoned Paris church. I wanted to know how she got there and what she did next.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I wrote the first 44 pages in April 2010. The idea never changed, but one of my minor characters—a street artist named Noor—kept stepping forward, brandishing her spray can and demanding to be seen. When I let her take her proper place in the foreground of the story, everything clicked together.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I didn’t realize how helpful social media would be for giving potential readers a fuller sense of the book. I put everything I loved about living in Paris into The Uninvited, and being able to show images of my favorite city on my feeds gives potential readers a glimpse into the book that they wouldn’t otherwise get.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

It was a little surprising how reliable editing is. Writing is unreliable. Yet when I edit, I’m always able to burnish the beautiful passages brighter and bring order and comprehensibility to any chaos. It’s magical.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

• Strong girls solve problems and support each other.
• Predators are a fact of life, but we can refuse them power.
• Victim is not the only role available to girls.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

I spent two years in drafting hell, and the Pomodoro Technique saved me. I would not have finished The Uninvited if I hadn’t been able to set my timer and know that after just 25 minutes of writing, I’d get five minutes of freedom from writing. That five minutes of freedom refreshed my perspective and made it possible to sit back down and write for another 25 minutes. And another, and another, until the book was done.

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(Researching Your Fiction Like a Reporter.)

Zelda led me to Sara and Gerald Murphy (the inspiration for Nicole and Dick Diver in Zelda’s husband’s Tender Is the Night). I absolutely devoured Amanda Vaill’s Everybody Was So Young. It’s a fascinating biography of the couple and the era, but, by far, its most compelling character is Dorothy Parker.

Dorothy Parker began an obsession with the Algonquin Round Table and a need to access The New Yorker archives so that I could read the pieces Harold Ross, the magazine’s founder, solicited from his friends. It was in those archives where I discovered “Lipstick” and Lois Long, whose job description was essentially “go out every night, drink illegally, dance until dawn, then file copy while still wearing your evening gown.”

I eagerly read every word she wrote.

Lois could eviscerate the stuffy in a single sentence and describe a grimy basement speakeasy with such enthusiasm that one was tempted to find it immediately (never mind that it probably reeked of bathtub gin and poor life choices).

How did she manage to be sophisticated without being insufferable? How did she make one feel like her equal while making it perfectly clear that she knew every doorman, bartender, and bootlegger in Manhattan? And her voice? Wry, witty, and pitch perfect.

Then I realized what she was actually doing, and it got even more interesting.

Lois wasn’t reporting on speakeasy culture. She was selling it. Her columns were basically aspirational lifestyle content for illegal activity. “Here’s where to go, darling. Here’s what to drink. Here’s how to be one of us—glamorous, naughty, in-the-know.”

I’d reached the bottom of the rabbit hole, and I was thrilled to be there.

That’s where Freddie Archer was born. A columnist, not an earnest journalist pretending to be objective, but a woman with opinions, a platform, and taste (especially for Gordon’s Gin and couture gowns). Like Lois, she’s not just observing the speakeasies and cabarets. She’s complicit. She’s telling people where to find the best gin rickey and where the real fun happens. She’s both insider and enabler, participant and promoter.

I tried to give Freddie some of Lois’s sparkle—lipstick freshly applied, jazz in her bones, and ready for whatever the night brings. It’s a tall order. Lois set the bar somewhere near the Art Deco ceiling.

But then I had another thought: What if a woman with those wicked observational skills—someone who spent her nights studying people, reading rooms, noticing who was drinking with whom and why—stumbled onto a murder? What if all that sharp-eyed instinct that made her so good at skewering phonies and spotting trends got turned toward something darker? A woman who could dissect a speakeasy’s clientele in three paragraphs could probably dissect a crime scene too. And she’d have access to places and people the police never could. After all, everyone talks to a woman with a column.

And New York in the 1920s? The perfect stage, the perfect moment. The city was building skyward so fast that one could practically watch it grow. Money flowed like bootleg gin that absolutely nobody drank because that would be illegal (wink, wink). Jazz—glorious, vital, born in New Orleans and perfected in Harlem—became the soundtrack for a generation trying to dance away the memory of war. And Prohibition turned the entire city into one big secret, where the right password opened a world of illicit possibility.

The glamor still enchants me. Beaded dresses catching the light. Art Deco everything. Fur stoles, diamonds, lipstick in shades like “Dragon’s Blood” applied as an act of rebellion or seduction (or possibly both). There was a desperate gaiety to the whole era, a sense that everyone was savoring every smile, every dance, and every drink because maybe, just maybe, it might not last.

When I started writing Murder in Manhattan, I wanted to portray that glittering surface with dark undercurrents underneath—champagne cocktails and murder, beaded dresses and bloodstains. But more than that, I wanted Freddie’s voice running through it all. Her confidence that comes from knowing every speakeasy password in Manhattan. Freddie is a woman who’ll pause mid-murder investigation to note that the victim’s shoes are from last season. She treats crime-solving like she treats everything else: with a gin rickey in one hand, perfect makeup, and the absolute certainty that the world is her oyster.

Lois’s sharp wit and obvious delight in the jazz age came through with every word she wrote. Hopefully, Freddie does the same—even as she catches a killer.

I dove down a rabbit hole chasing Zelda, the Murphys, and Dorothy Parker and found Lois. Now I get to ask readers to join me. The gin is cold, the jazz is swinging, and the fashion is killer.

Check out Julie Mulhern’s Murder in Manhattan here:

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In this interview, Jon-Erik discusses how the uniqueness of each of his children helped inspire his new picture book, The Language of Birds, his advice for other writers, and more.

Name: Jon-Erik Lappano     
Literary agent: Emily Van Beek / Estelle Laure,  Folio Jr.
Book title: The Language of Birds
Publisher: Random House Studio
Release date: December 16, 2025
Genre/category: Picture Book
Previous titles: Tokyo Digs a Garden, Maggie’s Treasure, Song for the Snow, Martin and the River
Elevator pitch: The Language of Birds is a story about a quiet, socially anxious girl named Mira who has always had a special connection with birds, but who finds people to be a more confusing kind of animal. When a new boy named Jad comes to school, Mira notices that he connects with trees the way she does birds, and with a little help from her feathered friends, they begin to form a friendship.

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What prompted you to write this book?

The seed of the idea for this book came from observing the differences in our three children, in the unique and beautiful ways that each of them interact with the world around them, with other people, and with the natural world. There are so many ways of communication that we learn growing up—not all of them human—and there are forms of connection that transcend words. Some young hearts and minds develop as quieter, or more introspective, and perhaps more open to engaging in those hidden languages in nature that many of us haven’t attuned to, focused more on aligning to social norms as we grow. With this story, I wanted to speak to those people who might see and experience the world in a different sort of way. Mira is unabashedly herself, and by embracing her different nature, by watching and listening with care, creativity and attention, she finds a meaningful connection.

Birds have also always been fascinating to me, and watching the wild birds outside our window is a favorite family pastime. Birds are such beautiful indicators of a thriving and healthy ecosystem; they are guides and helpers and sources of inspiration. One of our daughters used to coo with surprising skill to the pigeons and doves in the city parks as a baby. Another was desperate to learn the language of birds, and spent hours sitting outside under our feeders, speaking in screeches and chirps to the starlings, hoping to befriend them. She once even caught a wild bluejay in her hands that had flown into our house, which inspired one of the scenes in the book.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Going from the initial idea to the first draft happened in one exhilarating late-night writing session. However, from that first draft to pitching took about a month, going through a few rounds of early stage editing and revising. I have my wonderful literary agents, Emily Van Beek and Estelle Laure, to thank for taking that mess of a first draft and giving feedback that helped me find the heart of the story. Once we pitched it, we were thrilled to get an offer from Random House Studio, and from there it took about two and a half years to publish, which I have found to be the usual timeline for picture books. Illustrators need to take time, too, especially the talented ones. I was absolutely thrilled when we learned that Zach Manbeck would illustrate this story. His art is absolutely luminous and just perfect for the story. 

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

The publishing process for this book was seamless and smooth—it was a joy to work with Random House Studio and to collaborate with Zach on this title. No real surprises, just a supportive, imaginative team who has been lovely to engage with, from the editorial process, to publicity, to opening friendly emails of excitement and encouragement along the way!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I am learning more and more to trust in my voice as a writer, while embracing the feedback of early readers and editors I trust. This is my fifth published work, and by far it was the most collaborative. The initial draft wasn’t really working, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. Giving it over to my agents for feedback was a pivotal moment. Their insightful feedback helped me simplify the story while zeroing in on the relationship between Mira, Jad, and the birds, and everything just clicked into place.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope readers—young and old—will see themselves reflected in this story, and that they gain a reminder to embrace their differences. I also hope they let their gaze linger a little while longer on the birds outside their window, wondering what lessons they might have to teach them. 

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Here is a lesson I’m trying to share with myself these days. Persist. Be irrational in your persistence. Rejection, in its various forms, is a guaranteed companion along the writer’s journey. (A somewhat harsh companion I don’t remember inviting, by the way.) Drafts will dwindle in desktop purgatory. Manuscripts will melt into mediocrity. Ideas will hit the page and then hit a wall. But persist. Be stubborn in your persistence. Keep writing. And rewriting. And rewriting. Oh, and I guess, at some point, try to get a good night’s sleep.

The post Jon-Erik Lappano: Be Irrational in Your Persistence appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Bryn discusses the power of a high-concept story, surprises in the writing process, avoiding AI like poison, and much more.

Name: Bryn Donovan
Literary agent: Julie Gwinn, The Seymour Agency
Book title: Her Time Traveling Duke
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Romantic Comedy; Paranormal & Fantasy Romance
Previous titles: Her Knight at the Museum, Berkley; Master Lists for Writers
Elevator pitch for the book: Magic meets science and sunshine meets grumpy when a love spell whisks a Regency-era duke to modern times.

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What prompted you to write this book?

Rose Novak, the heroine of this book, was the best friend of the heroine in my previous book, Her Knight at the Museum. I usually take a long time to develop characters, but Rose showed up on the page fully formed. She’s a self-taught, chaotic witch, and as I wrote the first scene with her in book one, I realized something about her that inspired the story in Her Time Traveling Duke.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

It took about a year and a half from the original idea to publication, but of course, the book was finished months in advance of the release date. I had to do a lot of research for this one: Regency-era England, art restoration, the history of astronomy, time travel theories, and another topic that would be too spoiler-y to mention. My editor and I agreed on a synopsis in advance, so the plot didn’t change much until the end.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is the power of a high-concept story. In other words, you read the title and the logline, and you see the cover design, and you know what you’re getting. The publisher changed my original title to Her Time Traveling Duke, and I thought that was perfect. That title, paired with his cover illustration, conveys the “man out of time” idea so quickly.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

There is one thing in the story that could go either way, and until I got to the end of the first draft, I really didn’t know what would happen! Also at the end, something happens to a secondary character that I didn’t see coming, although in retrospect, I should have.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

There are two themes I come back to again and again. One of them is taking joy in the moment, even when things are tough. Rose grew up working class, and she has tragedy and heartbreak in her past, but she still finds the magic in life, figuratively as well as literally. The other theme is about nothing being ever truly lost.

I love writing about Chicago because so many people have false impressions of the city. It isn’t high in crime; it doesn’t even rank in the top 25 most dangerous U.S. cities. Chicago is filled with culture, it has unique traditions, and the lake and the skyscrapers are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. In Her Time Traveling Duke, you’ll visit Rose’s vibrant neighborhood of Pilsen, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Riverwalk, a Lincoln Park mansion, a basement apartment on the South Side, and a hot dog stand with famously rude employees. The city is definitely one of the main characters in the book.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Avoid so-called AI like poison. Your brain needs regular practice at putting together sentences, and even writing a boring email counts. A recent MIT study showed that regular use of large language models like ChatGPT negatively affected memory, attention span, and executive function—all things you need to write. Besides, you never want to be tempted to lie about your process. That’s never going to feel great. The way you brainstorm and work through creative roadblocks is part of what makes your writing unique, and your authorial voice is worth nurturing.

The post Bryn Donovan: On the Power of a High-Concept Story appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Carissa discusses upping the stakes in her series with her new romantasy novel, Children of Fallen Gods, her hope for readers, and more.

Name: Carissa Broadbent
Literary agent: Bibi Lewis 
Book title: Children of Fallen Gods
Publisher: Bramble
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Romantasy 
Previous titles: War of Lost Hearts series and Crowns of Nyaxia series
Elevator pitch: Tisaanah bargained away her own freedom to save those she left behind in slavery. Now, bound by her blood pact, she must fight the Orders’ war—and Max is determined to protect her at all costs.But when a betrayal tears apart Ara, Max and Tisaanah are pushed into an even bloodier conflict. All the while, darker forces loom. As Tisaanah and Max are ensnared in a web of ancient magic and twisted secrets, one question remains: what are they willing to sacrifice for victory? For power? For love?

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What prompted you to write this book?

This is the second book in the War of Lost Hearts trilogy, and I jumped into it right after I finished book one, Daughter of No Worlds, which followed a young magic wielding woman as she escapes enslavement and joins a powerful organization of magic wielders with the help of a reclusive former soldier. This is an epic fantasy trilogy, and it’s really in this book that the scale of the story increases dramatically and the stakes get much higher. So, while Daughter of No Worlds was a very easy book to write comparatively, and very low pressure because I was writing it solely for myself, this one was a lot more complicated because there was a lot that I was trying to execute with this story.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

This book was originally independently published in March of 2021, and it was one of the most challenging writing processes I’ve ever gone through—even now, eight books later! Daughter of No Worlds, the first book in the series, came out in January 2020, which meant that I was working on this sequel through the beginning of the pandemic, when I was also going through some stressful changes in my day job at the time. I began working on the book in early 2020 and was working on it right up until its release day (a luxury available to indie published authors!), so the whole process took a bit over a year. It was by far the most epic and complicated book I’d ever written, with three intersecting POVs, and I didn’t do enough pre-writing, which meant that there was a big hole in the first half of the book that I ended up completely rewriting multiple times.

It was painful! But it was also the most effective learning experience out of any of the books I’ve written. I learned so much about my craft and how I work!

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Of all my independently published titles, this one was the greatest learning experience. In self-publishing, authors have simultaneously more and less flexibility than in traditional publishing—more in the sense that there are fewer people and scheduling considerations to take into account, and less in the sense that indie authors are limited by Amazon, etc. in rescheduling their books. Children of Fallen Gods was a perfect storm of internal and external factors that required me to shift the publishing schedule multiple times, in small increments because of the requirements for indie authors at the time to move a release without losing all preorders. It was a huge amount of pressure! Looking back, I wish I had given myself much more time to begin with to avoid getting into this situation from the start, but I feel almost every author has some sort of story like this—seems like a learning experience most of us need to go through!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

As I referenced above, this was an extremely challenging book to write. It’s the second book in an epic fantasy trilogy, and it’s a bit of a cliche among authors at this point that book twos are uniquely painful! Of all the book I’ve written, this one went through the most extensive rewrites and had the most non-linear drafting process, because I ended up totally reworking the first half of the book. However, I have no regrets about this, as painful as it was at the time, because it taught me so much about how I work now. I now know that I need to take the time to work through gaps in the story in the pre-writing/outlining phase, and if I don’t, I can definitely get myself into some deep trouble later. This book ultimately pushed me into a radically different pre-writing process that I adopted from the third book onwards, and though of course this process evolves a bit with every book, I have largely stuck with it since. I’m grateful to this book for that reason! I learned so much about how I work.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

It meant so much to me to write this trilogy partly because writing it was my way of working out my own frustration and confusion with the world—grappling with a lot of open questions I still don’t know how to answer through these characters. Children of Fallen Gods expands the world dramatically and also gets much darker than the first book. But the relationships at its heart—the romances and beyond—are also much deeper. Even though this is a fantastical world and story, I hope that readers see themselves in the characters and that it helps them make sense of the darkness in the world as it did for me.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to learn as you execute instead of waiting to reach some intangible level of “ready” before you start. This is by far the biggest challenge I see new writers face—they never finish because they won’t let themselves really start because they feel they “aren’t ready.” Every book I’ve ever written—especially this one—has taught me that there is no level at which you “feel ready!” Every author out there, even the most successful and prolific, are constantly learning and redefining their own processes, and by far the most valuable teacher is actually being hands-on with your book.

The post Carissa Broadbent: On the Second-Book Challenges appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Hien discusses the teen hijinks and supernatural mystery at the heart of her new speculative YA thriller, Twin Tides, her advice for other writers, and more.

Name: Hien Nguyen
Literary agent: Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management
Book title: Twin Tides
Publisher: Delacorte Press, Random House Children’s Books
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Speculative thriller/Young Adult
Elevator pitch: A haunted Vietnamese Parent Trap following two long-lost twins investigating their mother’s murder in a small town haunted by a vengeful ghost.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

Back in 2022, I remember reading articles about climate change-fueled drought causing rivers and lakes to dry to historic lows and sometimes revealing long-dead bodies of missing people. This was shortly after I lost my own mother in 2021, and I was struck by the immense grief those communities must have felt, especially grief suspended for years before the bodies of their loved ones were discovered.

After jotting down an idea of these discoveries leading to the survivors unraveling a decades-long mystery, a story about Vietnamese American twins and a vengeful water ghost started to form. I enjoy engaging with Vietnamese mythology when I write, and the ghost stories of Ma Da, or drowned ghosts stuck with me. Ma Da are drowned victims, often experiencing violent deaths that trap them as ghosts. Part of writing Twin Tides was exploring that idea of violence, and what type of violence might cause a soul to become vengeful in the first place.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I drafted the first act of this project shortly after conceiving the idea in 2022, but it was on the back burner as I focused on revising my adult dystopian project for submission that year (this project unfortunately died on submission).

I listed this project on my author website with a short pitch and mood board and did not think much of it until my now-editor, Bria Ragin, reached out to my agent inquiring about the project in late 2023. Originally conceived of as an adult manuscript, I worked with my agent, Katelyn Detweiler, to create a YA proposal. My first act was revamped, and I wrote a detailed synopsis for the submission package. There was some back and forth with my editor before the project sold in early 2024.

I ended up submitting my first draft in May of 2024 with my final draft due that fall. In addition to the manuscript getting aged down to YA, the plot was simplified during my writing process. I’d originally conceived the twins getting separated at birth, which entailed a much more complex plot that was streamlined with them becoming separated as children.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Twin Tides is my debut and was also sold on proposal. This meant the process of writing an entire book on deadline was a brand-new experience for me and it certainly was trial by fire. My editor has such a confident vision, and I really learned to trust both my instincts and her insight. I found myself much less precious about decisions, and I was much more willing during this process to cut or heavily revise versus when I was left to my own devices. There simply wasn’t time for me to obsess or hem and haw about my manuscript, and I do think I’m a better writer for it.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

In Twin Tides, Aria and Caliste discover they are identical twins because their long-missing mother’s dead body is discovered. Inevitably, their grief takes center stage, and I also found myself writing through grief during the writing process. I was initially a little apprehensive about it and thought a lot about the possibility of accidentally opening unhealed wounds.

While the writing process wasn’t easy, it also was less fraught than I anticipated. Writing Aria and Caliste’s story allowed me the space to engage with memories of my own mother in ways that were energizing and restorative. As I wove parts of her memory and quirks into the narrative, it was as if I was rediscovering parts of her the grief had buried.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

As a genre blend writer, speculative, horror, and thriller end up being amazing lenses to magnify what makes us afraid. I do hope readers enjoy the ride of teen hijinks, untangling the supernatural mystery at hand in Twin Tides, and feel as haunted in the small town of Les Eaux as the twins do.

I also hope that as the story progresses through the three POVs (including a ghost POV) and epistolary elements, readers interrogate what we consider to be monstrous in the first place and what legacies we inherit through our families and history.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Write weirdly, write wildly, and write what excites you. Of course, the market and its expectations will always be a consideration, but the writing process is joyful because your creativity is boundless. In the same vein of “don’t self-reject,” please don’t “self-limit.” Everything else is already trying to do that to you.

The post Hien Nguyen: On Writing Through Grief appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Few myths capture the tension between freedom and domination as vividly as the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. At its core, it is not simply a monster tale—it is about how societies build labyrinths of power to contain chaos, and how individuals are forced to navigate them. In my novel A Spy Inside the Castle, I reimagine this myth as a metaphor for the modern world of surveillance, intelligence networks, and geopolitical intrigue.

The labyrinth, as both symbol and structure, becomes a way to explore how nations manage chaos. Every superpower builds corridors of bureaucracy, secrecy, and manipulation in the name of safety. But the deeper you go, the more you realize the Minotaur is not just an enemy—it is a reflection of the system itself.

Theseus as the Reluctant Operative

Theseus enters the labyrinth not by choice but by necessity. He is a stand-in for the citizen or operative drawn into a system larger than himself. In my book, Ethan Briar embodies this role: a reluctant private intelligence consultant pulled into the shadow world where truth is fragmented and loyalties are uncertain. Like Theseus, he does not set out to slay monsters for glory; he enters because not entering means abandoning others to the beast.

What makes Theseus compelling is not his sword but his string—the ability to trace a path back out. In political terms, that string represents memory, accountability, and the possibility of escape from systems that threaten to consume us. Without it, heroism is indistinguishable from futility. Ethan’s version of the string is his pattern clarity, a perception sharpened by his miraculous recovery from a near-fatal illness—a thread of insight he carries into the labyrinth.

The Minotaur as Power Unchecked

In the myth, the Minotaur is a hybrid—part human, part beast. In political terms, it represents the hybrid nature of domination: partly rationalized by law, partly driven by raw appetite. Every labyrinth has its Minotaur: the secret police, the predictive algorithm, the charismatic tyrant. Sometimes it cannot even be seen. It is the part of the system that feeds on sacrifice and fear, yet is justified as the price of order.

In my novel, the Minotaur becomes a metaphor for technologies like ARCLIGHT, a quantum supercomputer capable of modeling human behavior and helping the American intelligence community predict crises before they erupt. To its architects, it promises safety and foresight. To its critics, it is a beast that consumes autonomy, demanding citizens offer up their privacy and agency as tribute. Like the Minotaur, it thrives in darkness—untouchable, unaccountable, yet nourished by our compliance.

The Labyrinth as System

The labyrinth is not incidental to the myth; it is the essential stage. A monster in an open field can be confronted. A monster in a maze forces disorientation. The labyrinth represents bureaucracy, secrecy, and the complexity of modern states. Its purpose is less to contain the monster than to confuse those who dare to face it.

For intelligence agencies, labyrinths are built through layers of classification, compartmentalization, and deliberate obfuscation. The citizen who tries to see through the maze is quickly lost. Even those inside—the analysts, case officers, policymakers—often cannot see the whole. The system perpetuates itself by making navigation more important than resolution.

At the core of my novel lies the premise that only a handful of secret societies truly create and control this labyrinth. In the lore, they have operated since the fall of the Church in the 17th century and the birth of the modern world, pulling the threads of power behind the scenes.

Ariadne’s String: The Hope of Agency

The myth would be tragic without Ariadne’s intervention. Her string is the counterbalance to the labyrinth: a simple tool of orientation that restores autonomy. In fiction and in life, Ariadne’s string can take many forms: whistleblowers, constitutional safeguards, free press, or moral conscience. They provide a way back to clarity when the system seems designed only to entrap.

Ethan Briar, like Theseus, must decide whether to trust the thread offered to him—whether from allies, from his own sense of morality, or from something beyond politics. The question becomes not only whether he can defeat the Minotaur, but whether he can find his way out of the labyrinth without becoming part of it. His own Ariadne comes in the unlikely form of the female operative he is sent to expose as a mole, codenamed FOXGLOVE.

World Domination and the Mythic Echo

Why does this ancient myth still resonate in a world of satellites and quantum computers? Because the dream of world domination is not new—it has always worn the mask of order. The Athenians sent their youth as tribute believing it was the price of peace. Modern societies hand over data, liberties, and conscience believing the same.

The Minotaur is never fully slain. Every generation must re-enter the labyrinth, sword in hand, string in pocket. The danger is not just the beast, but the belief that labyrinths are inevitable and that power cannot be escaped. My novel uses the myth to show that the true test of politics is not whether we can build better labyrinths, but whether we can remember the way out.

Bringing It All Together

The Theseus and Minotaur myth offers more than imagery—it is a framework for thinking about politics, power, and personal agency. In the age of surveillance and global rivalry, the labyrinth has grown larger, the Minotaur more complex, but the questions remain the same: Who controls the maze? Who decides the sacrifices? And who holds the string?

Fiction allows us to dramatize these questions. Philosophy helps us wrestle with their meaning. And for writers, myth offers a wellspring of craft: archetypes and symbols that can be reimagined to reflect the anxieties of any age. The Theseus story reminds us that every narrative, like every labyrinth, needs both a monster to face and a thread to find the way through.

Check out M. B. Courtenay’s A Spy Inside the Castle here:

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In this interview, Amy discusses how her own loss helped inspire her new novel, How to Grieve Like a Victorian, what rewrites taught her about the evolution of grief, and more.

Name: Amy Carol Reeves
Literary agent: Jessica Sinsheimer with Context Literary Agency
Book title: How to Grieve Like a Victorian
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Release date: December 9, 2025
Genre/category: Women’s Fiction/Romance
Previous titles: Ripper, Renegade, Resurrection
Elevator pitch: After the sudden death of her husband, bestselling author and British Literature professor, Dr. Lizzie Wells, turns into a hot mess, coping with the grief through mourning Victorian style—widow weeds, black jet jewelry. Confused after almost-kissing her late husband’s best friend, Lizzie hares off to London, but she can’t forget that almost-kiss and the possibility of second chances.

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What prompted you to write this book?

My husband passed away in the summer of 2020. We had a wonderful marriage, and I didn’t know what to do with my grief. I have a PhD in British Literature, and I kept thinking about how Queen Victoria, a young widow herself, modelled mourning for other widows. I thought about all the strict Victorian rules for mourning—how widows should act, what they should wear, their conspicuous display of mourning trinkets. At some levels, I adapted the rituals for myself. I had a keepsake urn for my husband’s ashes. I wore a necklace with his fingerprint on it. I wore a lot of black cardigans and dresses. The “rules” helped to give structure for my grief when it felt too big. I wrote about my experiences in a Zibby Mag essay, “How Victorian Rituals Helped Me Through Widowhood.” Although my book is fiction, my own experiences certainly gave birth to the idea.  

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I began writing How to Grieve Like a Victorian during my early months as a widow. I wrote it, and then rewrote it all again, revised a bit more, and my amazing editor from Canary Street Press, Cat Clyne, picked it up in the fall of 2023. It debuts this December, so it’s been about five years from idea to publication. During rewrites, the novel became funnier. I think as I progressed in my own widowhood, I learned that grief isn’t linear. The heartbreak never goes away, but I also feel joy, connection, and hope. Along my own way, I gave Lizzie the opportunity to evolve as well. I gave her more permission to let go and have fun. During rewrites, I inserted the hilarious scene where she ends up performing on a burlesque stage—breaking all her widow rules as she lets go having the time of her life even as she remembers her late husband.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Marketing was tricky as we didn’t want readers to think it’s only a “sad” book. There is grief and tragedy, but there are so many funny and joyful moments too. I think the striking cover art depicts this juxtaposition well where Lizzie’s tear stands out against the bright London background.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I realized during rewrites that Lizzie’s grief isn’t just about losing her husband Philip. She learns she’s still mourning her remarkable mother who passed away shortly before him. Lizzie helps her loving but awkward professor-father break out of his own shell. Additionally, she learns that her eccentric, manipulative mother-in-law, desperate to keep family secrets close to her chest, is acting out largely from her own grief. Amid the conflict, Lizzie tries to help her see this. Rewrites helped to deepen these character relationships and better depict the layered nature of grief.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

We’ve all experienced loss and grief at some point. My hope is that readers, widows and otherwise, can realize that finding joy again isn’t a betrayal of your loved one. If anything, you’re honoring them by fully living.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Be gritty. Writing is about rejections, uncertain outcomes, and revision, revision, revision. Don’t give up during the process.

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(How I Handle In-Person Research as a Thriller Writer.)

I’d always viewed romance as a stopgap to what I really wanted to write—crime. And my first historical crime thriller felt like stepping into a completely different country where the weather, the language, and the cultural rules were all new. I became so determined to “fit in” that I left my suitcase of romance skills at the border. I thought thrillers had no place for tenderness, that crime and history demanded grit and shadows and perpetual danger. I was, to put it mildly, wrong.

The book in question was my debut historical thriller, The Thief Taker, and at its center were two characters who, to me, shared a deep undercurrent of attraction. I wanted to weave their chemistry slowly through the danger and mystery of the plot. Unfortunately, what I actually wrote was something far less elegant. Readers were quick to tell me the romantic thread felt… clunky. Forced. Like I’d taken two paper dolls and made them kiss.

At first, I was baffled. How could I get romance wrong? I’d written entire series built on emotional connection, believable conflict, and will-they/won’t-they tension. Romance came so easily to me. But the truth was simple: I’d treated the new book as if it belonged to a completely different universe. One where the rules of attraction didn’t apply. One where my romance instincts were somehow irrelevant.

The truth, which took me far too long to see, was this: Romance isn’t tied to genre. Romance is tied to character. And when you switch genres, you don’t leave behind your ability to write people wanting things—especially each other. But I was so focused on authenticity—on researching historical details down to the type of linen they wrapped corpses in—that I forgot the one universal element that spans every era: human connection.

Worse, I fell into the classic trap of thinking that because crime and thriller fiction are often described as “gritty,” the emotional parts had to be compressed, minimal, almost shyly tucked into the background. As if having a killer on the loose automatically meant no one could have a crush. I’d convinced myself romance couldn’t be overt, or warm, or messy. It had to be quiet, subtle. A hint of longing in a cold room. I am now thankful to the readers who immediately called out the throttled romance because if it weren’t for them, I don’t think I would have noticed that what should have been a simmer, barely became a spark.

Recovering from that mistake took time, a bit of pride-swallowing, and a return to what I actually knew. Romance isn’t a set of rules, it’s a rhythm. It’s pacing, tension, conflict, release. It’s characters revealing who they are not just through action, but through how they reach for each other, pull away, and try again. I went back to my favorite crime novels and saw that they all had embedded the romance much more deeply than I’d first assumed. It was integral, not an afterthought.

Once I understood that, I stopped trying to write “thriller romance” and simply wrote romance within a thriller.

Which brings me to The Bridesmaid, my newest novel—a dark, twisting thriller about secrets, survival, and the danger lurking beneath loyalty. This time, I wove the emotional threads through the plot with full awareness of what I bring from my romance past. I didn’t hold back on the character connections. I let people be messy, yearning, hopeful. I let them want things they shouldn’t. Because romance shines not in perfection, but in conflict.

I was surprised with how much richer the thriller became when I allowed the emotional stakes to breathe. Suddenly danger felt sharper because characters had so much more to lose. Their choices carried weight. The suspense grew teeth. Crime fiction isn’t separate from emotion; it thrives on it. And romance—done well—makes the danger feel intimate.

Looking back, I’m genuinely grateful for that early misstep. It forced me to re-evaluate what I thought I knew about genre and to stop partitioning parts of my writing self. All writing, whether romance or crime or historical mystery, relies on the same core skill: making the reader care. About the outcome, yes—but most importantly, about the people.

So now, I’m no longer hiding my romance background when I write thrillers. I’ve realized it’s a strength, not a secret. And if my earlier attempt involved a little clunkiness, well… clunkiness is survivable. It’s also fixable. And—if you’re lucky—it becomes a good story for other writers to think about one day.

Check out Cate Quinn’s The Bridesmaid here:

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The post It’s a Bad Romance: How I Got Romance Wrong in My Crime Novel (And How I Fixed It) appeared first on Writer's Digest.