Step aside February, April is the new month of love as we are talking all things romance, plus the devilish pets that inspired great thrillers, how literary events are the new hot scene, a book hospital and much, much more.
Writing Romance To Learn The Language: Ana Huang spoke with People magazine about her upbringing in an immigrant household struggling with the English language. Which is a far cry from her current status as the author of one of the best selling romance series of all time. In an effort to help increase her English skills as a child, her mother encouraged her to write a story in English every day. As she grew up she pursued a career in communications even though she continued to write on the side. When the pandemic hit, Huang started self publishing her stories and promoting them on TikTok, and the rest is romance history with the happy ending we all deserve. Her next book, The King of Sloth, releases later this month and is the fourth in her Kings of Sin series, a dark romance that explores the seven deadly sins of the super rich, but in a sexy way. I, too, find sloth very sexy. Nothing is hotter than sitting on the couch with a good book, in stretchy pants, surrounded by an array of snacks.
From FanFiction To Screenplays To Novels: Yulin Kuang just released her debut romance novel How To End A Love Story and spoke with Booklist on her unique path to publishing. Kuang got her start writing Harry Potter fan fiction as a young girl. From there, a winding path through journalism and politics led her to Hollywood where she has been pursuing screenwriting and directing, most recently on the Emily Henry adaptations. Then in 2021 she re-read some of her old fanfiction stories. Inspired by how she had tapped into angst and suffering to write those stories she began work on How To End A Love Story during NaNoWriMo. Tied together by shared trauma, can two unlikely lovers make it work? We would expect nothing less.
Funny Story: Speaking of Emily Henry, the bestselling romantic comedy author has a new book coming out next week, Funny Story. Henry spoke with The New York Times about why it’s important for her to embrace the romance novelist label. While romance has long been given a bad rap, she maintains that the genre is full of beautiful writing and is worth championing. She is the darling of the modern rom-com novel and three of her books are currently being adapted to the screen (see above for Yulin Kuang’s work on her movies). We applaud Henry for laughing her way to the bank!
From Sexy Dragons To Family Drama (And Back to Sexy Dragons): Everyone’s favorite romantasy author, Rebecca Yarros, is releasing a new contemporary romance novel this fall. And don’t forget that the third installment of her Empyrian series, Onyx Storm, releases January 2025. Yarros wrote twenty romance novels before she struck gold with her spicy fantasy novel, Fourth Wing. As a military wife and mother of six kids, we simply do not understand how she has a single word left in her at the end of the day, much less the ability to crack out multiple books a year. Whatever black magic she wields, keep it coming. It’s all Yarros all the time around here.
Beloved Monsters: Suspense writer, Mary Kubica spoke with The New York Times about how cats are the perfect pets for writers. Kubica credits her late cat Maggie for being the reason she was able to finish her first novel. Her latest book, She’s Not Sorry, released earlier this month was written while fostering more than a dozen kittens. Likewise bestselling author of the historical thriller The Alienist, Caleb Carr, just released his newest book. My Beloved Monster, is a love letter to his rescue cat Masha and the succession of cats that came before her. Note to self, in order to write a successful, dark and twisty novel one must be owned by the darkest and twistiest of domesticated animals–the housecat.
Influential Authors: Time Magazine released its list of 100 most influential people of 2024 and two authors made that list. Lauren Groff and James McBride. This is a well-deserved accolade for these incredible authors but the real question for Time is this: Out of 100 slots, you only had room for two authors?
The Met’s Book Hospital: A guillotine, a scalpel, a bone folder, and a press–not tools of torture but tools to heal the damaged books that find their way to the The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The New York Times profiled the tools of the trade and the librarians that wield them to bring broken books back to life. It’s like watching someone play Operation with your favorite vintage children’s book. Here for it.
The Greatest Show On Middle Earth: One of the great things about stories is the endless ways they can be adapted. The Lord Of The Rings musical that was released last year in the UK is set for its US debut in Chicago this summer. Did I have Theatrical Tolkien on my 2024 bucket list? Negatory. Will that stop me from watching Gandalf twirl his staff and sing a sea shanty? Try and stop me, I dare you.
He Totally Did It: OJ Simpson’s death from cancer last week shot his 2007 hypothetical memoir back to the top of Amazon’s bestseller lists. If I Did It is his quasi-confessional book that recounts how Simpson hypothetically killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Before it was originally published, the outcry was so great from both the public and his victim’s families that publication was pulled and his publisher fired. But this sad story has a small silver lining in that the Goldman family sued for and won publishing rights to the book, so all royalties from the book sales go to OJ’s victims. They eventually released the book with revised commentary from the Goldman family, about how Simpson totally did it. Now that the book is back in the public eye, at least his victims can benefit from it. Regardless, this story does not have a happy ending. And we remain firmly on #TeamGoldman and #TeamNicole.
What In The World: Comedian Leanne Morgan spoke with People magazine about her upcoming book, What In The World, which recounts her childhood growing up in small town Tennessee to her rise to fame as a comedian in her 50s. As long time Leanne Morgan fans, this delights us. Do yourself a favor and follow her on Instagram.
Literary Events Are The New Hotness: Every author has a story about a book event where no one showed up (or so says this oldie but goldie article about a debut novelist hearing from all her heroes about how no one showed up to their signings either). It’s basically a right of passage. But now The New York Times has noted a new trend. Bookstores began requiring RSVPs and some even began charging for tickets after the pandemic. Book events have become a sold out show. And authors are showing up to a full house. Maybe Covid made book signings cool again? Or maybe we were all starved for human interaction? Whatever the reason, it seems like we can’t get enough of literary events. We’re just glad everyone else has realized that authors are rock stars.
And Finally: Our hearts go out to bestselling author and mother of five, Sophie Kinsella, this week as she reveals her cancer diagnosis. Kinsella, who is best known for her Confessions Of A Shopaholic series, says she is receiving treatment and is generally well. Let’s all pray for a speedy recovery and quick remission.
Deep Dive: See below for all the extra deep cuts of this week’s book news.
Glen Powell attached to Running Man adaptation
Actress and DWTS host, Julianne Hough, announces her debut novel
PEN America Responds to Criticism
A Man In Full Netflix adaptation
Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude netflix adaptation
Catch Up with Ariel over at I’m So Glad You Asked.
See what Marybeth is up to at I Will Tell You This.