1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE ROM CON
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
I describe The Rom Con as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days meets Down With Love meets The Ugly Truth. It’s a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt battle of the sexes romantic comedy about what happens when modern dating meets 1950’s courtship.
Back cover summary:
A modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her industry adversary, from the author of Meet You in the Middle.
After a particularly brutal breakup, Cassidy Sutton has had it with dating. So when her grandmother gives her a 1950’s dating guide entitled “125 Tips to Hook a Husband,” she decides to turn the retro advice into an ironic “What not to do” article for Siren, the popular online women’s publication she writes for. And who better to secretly test the old-fashioned tips on than Jack Bradford, chauvinistic creator of rival men’s site Brawler? She’ll write an article that will entertain female readers everywhere and embarrass their sexist nemesis at the same time. Two birds, one stone.
But her perfect plan soon proves to be anything but. Those vintage courtship tips Cassidy was so quick to poke fun at? They actually seem to work, calling her most closely-held beliefs into question. Even worse? Jack isn’t falling for any of her tricks—and it’s not long before their ‘fake’ relationship starts to feel like the realest one of her life. As her cat and mouse game starts to spiral out of control, Cassidy has to decide if she’s playing to win, or if she’s willing to lose it all for love.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
My heroine’s job is in media/publishing, so it only made sense to set the book in New York, a city I love! I really leaned into the setting, with several iconic New York landmarks playing pivotal roles in certain scenes, from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows to Times Square to Central Park.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely! The heroines I write are reflective of the women I surround myself with in real life: smart, fierce, imperfect women with strong opinions.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Passionate, opinionated, independent
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I did tons of research on the culture and customs of the 1950s, from fashion to food to (of course) dating. At one point, my Instagram explore page and TikTok algorithm were Old Hollywood vintage videos! I laugh that only I could manage to find a job that requires me to watch classic 1950s rom-coms all day for “research.” It’s nice work if you can get it!
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I draft. I write and rewrite and polish a chapter, and I can’t move on until I think it’s perfect. This makes for a long and arduous writing process, but the end result is a pristine, fully formed draft that typically doesn’t require extensive changes. I’ve tried to write a ‘messy first draft,’ to just get words on a page and not worry about it, but my brain will just not allow me to write that way. I think it’s important to respect and embrace your natural creative process rather than fight it.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
French fries are my kryptonite.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
Wherever it’s quiet! I need silence to write. I have neck pain if I sit at a desk for too long, so most often I’m writing from bed—although The Rom Con was written almost entirely from my car as I sat outside my kids’ soccer practices.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series. The way she marries historical events with romance is so brilliant (and the incredible TV adaption doesn’t hurt, either). One of my goals is to see my books adapted into films, so I pay close attention to authors who have successfully made that leap. Recently, I both read and watched Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six, and absolutely loved both versions.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I can’t pinpoint a single book that’s changed my life, but as a kid I couldn’t get enough of The Baby-Sitters Club. In retrospect, I’m so grateful to my parents for feeding my obsession with that series because it fostered my love of reading from a very young age.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I feel so fortunate that my experience selling my first book, Meet You in the Middle, was really a best-case scenario for a debut author (an outcome I don’t take for granted!) After a several days-long auction (which basically means multiple publishers were interested in acquiring the book), I signed a 3-book deal with Berkley Romance, my dream publisher. I happened to be visiting my family in California the week this was happening, so they all got to experience the excitement right alongside me, which made everything that much more special. My parents took me out to a celebratory dinner that night, which is a memory I’ll always treasure.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Romance, of course! But I also love thrillers/suspense and general fiction. And I love a good celebrity memoir.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
It’s like choosing a favorite child! The Notebook, Ever After, Sweet Home Alabama, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days are some of my favorites.
15--What is your favorite season?
Summer! I’m a beach girl through and through.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
By going on a trip with my husband alone!
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I listen to a ton of podcasts (both bookish and current events), but I’ve been loving several nostalgic TV-rewatch podcasts from The Office Ladies to Glee to Boy Meets World. I’m pretty out of the loop on recent TV shows, but I’m a die-hard Outlander fan. I basically rewatch The Office on a constant loop.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Anything Italian or Mexican.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
The concept of free time makes me laugh – I haven’t had free time since I started having kids 15 years ago! But I love doing DIY home renovation projects on the weekends (much to my husband’s chagrin).
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m working on my third novel now. I can’t give many hints, but it’s a second-chance romance, and a summer beach read!
A modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her professional rival, in a rom-com perfect for fans of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
After a particularly brutal breakup, Cassidy Sutton has had it with dating. So when her grandmother gives her a 1950’s dating guide entitled 125 Tips to Hook a Husband, she decides to turn the retro advice into an ironic “What not to do” article for Siren, the popular online women’s publication she writes for. And who better to secretly test the old-fashioned tips on than Jack Bradford, chauvinistic creator of rival men’s site Brawler? She’ll write an article that will entertain female readers everywhere and embarrass their sexist nemesis at the same time. Two birds, one stone.
But her perfect plan soon proves to be anything but. Those vintage courtship tips Cassidy was so quick to poke fun at? They actually seem to work, calling her most closely-held beliefs into question. Even worse? Jack isn’t falling for any of her tricks—and it’s not long before their ‘fake’ relationship starts to feel like the realest one of her life. As her cat and mouse game starts to spiral out of control, Cassidy has to decide if she’s playing to win, or if she’s willing to lose it all for love.
Romance Contemporary | Romance Comedy [Berkley, On Sale: November 7, 2023, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593199237 / eISBN: 9780593199244]
Devon Daniels is a born-and-bred California girl whose own love story found her transplanted to the Maryland shores of the Chesapeake. She's a graduate of the University of Southern California (fight on!) and in her past life worked in marketing, product design, and music.
When she's not writing, you'll find her clinging to her sanity as mom, chef, chauffeur, and referee to four children, or sneaking off with her husband for date nights in Washington, DC. Meet You in the Middle is her first novel.
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