The author’s new novel Kiss Her Once for Me drew inspiration from a beloved rom-com.
Who hasn’t been inspired by a hunky rom-com hero or fierce leading lady?
“Because I firmly believe that his aesthetic in that movie is Portland lesbian.
Atria
He wears amazing flannels and this Carhartt jacket and he has this floppy hair.
It’s one of my all time favorite movies.”
EW can exclusively reveal the cover forKiss Her Once for Me,which hits shelves Nov. 1, below.
Everett Collection
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Tell me Her Once for Meand where you got the idea?
I like to think about it asSandra Bullock’sWhile You Were Sleepingmeets Sandra Bullock’sThe Proposal.
I love Sandra Bullock.
Alison Cochrun.Hayley Downing Fairless
Is it harder or different writing a holiday rom-com than something likeThe Charm Offensive?
He’s barely a character in the story.
I just love romance.
I have really grown up consuming romance and its various forms, whether that’s books or movies.
But I’m also someone who came out rather late in life.
I didn’t come out as a lesbian until I was 33.
The stories that I consumed played a role in that.
I really appreciate being able to write these stories.
You mentioned that your heroine has anxiety, and mental health was a big part ofThe Charm Offensive.
Why is that something that is important to you to weave into your romance stories?
I would say mental health is less of a focus inKiss Her Once for Me.
And yet, we still see this character who struggles with anxiety who is working to overcome those difficulties.
Her love story is intertwined with that journey.
The Charm Offensivewent all over the world, this is set in Portland.
What made you choose that setting?
I chose Portland specifically because I’ve lived outside of Portland most of my life.
I have a real sense of home in Portland.
Also, Portland is such a beautifully queer place to live.
It is a place that is full of transplants.
The main character in the book, Ellie, is originally from Ohio and has moved out to Portland.
A lesbian holiday romance might naturally draw comparisons toHappiest Season.
Would you invite that or how would you sayKiss Her Once for Mesets itself apart?
It was our one mainstream sapphic Christmas love story.
It had so much pressure on it to be everything to every queer person.
What I’m really excited about is to see more sapphic stories in general.
There are so many amazing books coming out this year.
But also, specifically more sapphic Christmas stories.
I want lots of them so that no one’s story has to hold that pressure and that weight.
I’m just excited that we have more stories.
The title comes from “Holly Jolly Christmas.”
Do you have a favorite holiday song or a playlist you used while writing?
Every author’s cover experience and every book is different.
I’m an author, and I genuinely know nothing about book cover design.
My ideas would have been way too busy and cluttered.
The one thing they did keep from my original email was the background color.
I love that my sapphic book has a purple cover.
I was going to say it’s a bit unusual to have a Christmas romance with a purple cover.
Why was that important to you?
I really liked the idea of a purple cover, regardless of the season.
I thought it was really a beautiful idea.
Lavender is very much a sapphic color historically.
The character journeys are also not really holiday specific.
It has a lot of those festivities, but it also is a story that can be read anytime.
Can you tease the book in three words?
Festive, zany and angsty.
