We'll have what Katherine Center is having...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Skylar Reeves

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Over the past six years, Katherine Center has become one of my go-to authors for rom-com novels. Four of her books have made it to my top picks lists over the years, as well. An author friend of mine is currently working on a rom-com novel and asked me to share authors who would be good for inspiration. Right off the bat, I told her to check out Katherine's previous novel, Hello Stranger. It's not a surprise that she loved it too!

Katherine is on my bucket list of authors I'd love to meet in person (if only she'd come to DC or nearby). So I'm definitely excited to chat with her about her latest novel, aptly titled The Rom-Commers, and celebrate the publication today! Not surprising that I also enjoyed this one, as you can see from my review. And Katherine is so much fun to chat with. Her answers made me smile big time, and I hope they'll do that for you too. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have one copy to give away!

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and The Bodyguard. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” 

Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including Real Simple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon’s Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year. The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel Happiness for Beginners released last summer as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Visit Katherine online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies—good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates—The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!—it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone—much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script—it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter—even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules—and comes true? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Praise for Katherine's previous novels:

"Great rollicking fun! Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off." 

― Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle (on The Bodyguard)

"Oh, how I love Katherine Center’s writing…and her newest novel is a gem...a story that reminds us that the word emergency has, at its heart, a new beginning. Just read it, and thank me later.” 

― Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things (on Things You Save in a Fire)

"This generous story about family secrets, love in sickness and in health, and the resilience of the human spirit has serious Nora Ephron vibes." 

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six (on How to Walk Away)

If you could tell the debut novelist version of yourself one thing, what would it be?
That it’s better to take your time! Slow and steady really is the best way. It gives you time to figure out your purpose and to stay grounded. Things don’t happen overnight—and you wouldn’t want them to. 

What is something you learned from writing your other novels that you applied to The Rom-Commers?
So much!!! I’ve been studying how to write thoughtful, deep, satisfying love stories for decades! Really studying the craft of it all. And so for Emma to get to talk about rom-coms, and how they work and why they matter . . . It was really fun to have a character who could talk about that. She stands up for love stories, and I love everything about that!

If The Rom-Commers was made into a movie, what are some songs you would include on the soundtrack?
It’s funny you should ask! I’ve actually been compiling a spotify playlist of great romantic comedy songs! Here are a few from the playlist that I can imagine on a soundtrack for The Rom-Commers!
"Hold You in My Arms" by Ray LaMontagne
"Best of My Love" by The Emotions
"Bubble of My Gum" by Durry
"Finest Lovin’ Man" by Bonnie Raitt
"You and Me" by Lifehouse

What is your favorite rom-com movie of all time?
When Harry Met Sally—hands down. Not just my favorite rom-com, but my favorite movie, period. I saw it at the perfect age (when I was just old enough to get the jokes) in a packed theater with a big group of friends. I’ve never laughed so hard in a move—before or since. I’ve watched that movie a hundred times since, and memorized most of it. It taught me more than anything else about how to write dialogue. It’s both love story gold and comedy gold. Sheer perfection.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
Emma Thompson. Hands down. She’s so phenomenal in every way.

Tell us about your longest friendship.
It’s with my husband! He is more than a friend in so many ways, of course—but underneath it all, for all these years, is just the strongest, steadiest, most warm-hearted and hilarious friendship. I’m grateful for him every day. 

Thanks to Katherine for chatting with us and to St. Martin's Press for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends June 16th at midnight EST.

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