What is the title of your latest release?
YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I HAUNT
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A debut speculative romcom for fans of MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING and THE DEAD ROMANTICS in which a woman must team up with a distractingly handsome ghost to save her childhood crush (and love of her life) from a generational curse.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
My main character, Libby, is swept up in the sphere of her best friend Carter, who is the heir to an oil dynasty. For this reason, I needed the book to take place in a major city where the family would be based. I always loved Gossip Girl and pictured Carter being part of that Upper East Side world. New York is also a city I’m familiar with from a previous job, so it made it easier to write!
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Oh, absolutely. I think Libby and I would enjoy watching black-and-white movies or Jane Austen adaptations while devouring sugary cereal. Or, since we’re both competitive, we’d have a board game night.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Loyal, intelligent, and scrappy
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned that nothing beats the magic of writing what you love. It’s easy to get caught up in writing to trends and the market, but when you write the story that you want to see in the world, it will resonate with other people. In other words, I learned to trust my instincts.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I try (operative word being try) not to edit while drafting. My priority is getting the whole story down first and then reworking and molding it many times until it becomes what I envisioned.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
There’s nothing I love more than soft-serve ice cream in the summer. It needs to be from a local ice cream shop, and I get an orange-vanilla twist in a cone with crunch coat.
Describe your writing space/office!
My home office is my ultimate cozy space! It has a beautiful window and built-in bookshelves. I try to do most of my writing at my desk because it’s better for my posture, but I also have a bean-bag style chair I sometimes lounge in for writing and reading. I’m not very neat, but I try to keep my office space tidy and ideal for creating. Occasionally I’ll work from a coffee shop to switch things up and treat myself to an iced latte.
Who is an author you admire?
I recently read INTO THE BLUE by Emma Brodie and had such an emotional reaction to it that I immediately went and listened to every podcast interview she’s given. I love when the art makes me so curious about another writer’s process. Emma, if you ever see this, let’s please be friends?
Is there a book that changed your life?
I read ORYX AND CRAKE by Margaret Atwood in high school and I’m pretty sure it’s the reason I became an environmental science major in college. I had a visceral reaction to it. The characters, their relationships, how she weaves them together for an excellent payoff. Not to mention, the larger themes about technology, the environment, and human nature. As a seventeen-year-old I could’ve talked your ear off about this.
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.
For me, it was when my agent called me to tell me an editor wanted to set a meeting. That’s when it felt like, “wow, this is really happening.” I was five months pregnant at the time with two little ones at home. I put Curious George on the TV and ran up to my bedroom to take the call. After, I lay on the floor just staring at the ceiling.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Romance of course!
What’s your favorite movie?
It’s a tie between That Thing You Do! and Almost Famous. Clearly, I like movies about bands.
What is your favorite season?
Fall, forever and always.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Ha! I don’t enjoy being the center of attention. But I do like marking the passage of time by journaling and setting new goals, so I would probably do that. Then maybe an outing with a few close friends, like dinner and a concert/show. My birthday’s in winter, otherwise I would say going to a baseball or football game (football in snowy weather is not for me). Topped off with a very dirty martini.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
One of my favorite book podcasts is Kris and Mads. They’re two sisters who read across many genres and share their thoughts/recommendations. Their reviews are always insightful and intentional, and I’ve added many books to my list based on their episodes!
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Thai. I love any kind of curry.
What do you do when you have free time?
As a mom of three, free time is hard to come by. But I love reading or walking while listening to an audiobook. I wish I had more hours in the day to get through all the books on my list!
What can readers expect from you next?
I’m currently working on my second book! I can’t share details at this point, but you can follow me on my website, and Instagram for updates.
A Novel
To save her best friend and lifelong crush from his family’s deadly curse, Libby must team up with (and try not to catch feelings for) a handsome ghost only she can see
Libby Lakoski has two major problems. First, she’s secretly in love with her best friend, Carter Coldwell, and second, he’s marrying someone else. Carter’s the only person who has ever made Libby feel chosen, and sure, his fiancee is a British diamond heiress, but Carter and Libby have years of shared history and longing looks between them. Not to mention, Libby is the only person Carter trusted enough to tell about the dark magic that plagues his family.
But then a third and related problem presents itself—or, himself. Trip Coldwell is Carter’s handsome, smart, flirtatious cousin who also happens to be… a ghost. Trip’s “unfinished business” is to break the Coldwell curse, but the solution hinges on Libby encouraging Carter to allow his wedding to proceed. Unfortunately, Libby is the only person who can see Trip, and her objective is the exact opposite. Can Libby put aside her pining for Carter and work with his hot and not-quite-living cousin to save both men?
As they follow a trail of clues across New York City, Libby finds herself questioning just how much Carter reciprocated her friendship, feeling perplexed by a growing attraction to Trip, and fantasizing about actually touching him. With the countdown to the wedding in full swing, Libby must choose between saving the Coldwells and holding tight to her own happily ever after.
Romance Paranormal | Romance Comedy [ Penguin Books, On Sale: September 22, 2026, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780143139324 / eISBN: 9780593513415 ]
Katie Jung works in climate change communications by day, but spends her evenings writing stories with happier endings. When she's not daydreaming about her characters, you can find Katie walking the golf course near her house (often listening to an audiobook), having solo dance parties in her car, or chasing after her kids with a cup of coffee that's most likely gone cold. She lives in Syracuse, New York with her husband and three children, and YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I HAUNT is her debut novel.
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