Episode 51: Interview with Kristen Proby (Take A Chance With Me)

Authors Lindsey Sparks and Lindsey Pogue chat with bestselling contemporary romance author Kristen Proby about her latest release, Take A Chance With Me, which ties up The O'Callaghans series.

WARNING: This episode contains spoilers about Take A Chance With Me and both the With Me In Seattle series and The O'Callaghans series.
 
KRISTEN PROBY's LINKS:
Website: www.kristenprobyauthor.com
Facebook: @BooksByKristenProby
Instagram: @kristenproby
TikTok: @kristenprobyauthor

BOOK RECS!
Love Sincerely Yours by Meghan Quinn and Sarah Ney
In Death series by JD Robb
Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
With Me in Seattle series by Kristen Proby
O'Callaghans series by Kristen Proby

LF's NEW PODCAST:
Read By The Author Podcast
(also on YouTube)

CURRENT FREEBIES (at the time of episode airing):
Echo in Time by Lindsey Sparks
Dust & Shadow by Lindsey Pogue
The Darkest Winter by Lindsey Pogue
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Lindsey Pogue's website:
https://www.lindseypogue.com/

Lindsey Sparks' website:
https://www.authorlindseysparks.com/

Transcript

0:00

Welcome to episode 51 of the No Shelf Control Podcast. I am Lindsey Sparks here with my lovely co author and cohost Lindsey Pogue. Um, today, uh, we have best-selling romance author, Kristen Proby with us to chat about the latest release in her, With Me in Seattle series, uh, which was Take a Chance With Me. Um, and very clever on the, uh, book, titles and series name there. Um, before we dive in, I want to remind everyone that this is not a spoiler free zone. If you don't want to risk being spoiled, um, especially, uh, on Kristen's book then, um, I would say hop off, uh, when we get to the mid point, when we start discussing. Her book in particular, but otherwise I'm sure we're just going to be rambling about random stuff. So you should be fine for like the first half of the show. Uh, but I'll give, uh, another warning then. Um, if you're not familiar with Kristin probie, Kristin has published more than 40 times. Is that number still? Correct? We're at more than 60 now more than 60 titles. Many of which has hit the USA today, New York times and wall street journal bestsellers list. She continues to celebrate. Best known for her, With Me in Seattle and Bordeaux series, and is also proud to work with, uh, William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins with the fusion and romancing Manhattan series, Kristen and her husband, John make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats. Uh, so welcome to the show. Kristin, we're so excited to have you here with us. Thank you for having me. I know this is really fun. And, uh, I'm sure, you know, Lindsey, Ella can talk about it more, but you know, she's from Seattle. So she was super excited about this book and specifically the setting. Yeah, that was really fun. I used to live in Seattle as well, so I mean, I LP says Seattle, but I don't actually live in Seattle. Well, I mean, I live in Maple Valley, but. Not too far from Seattle. Yeah. But I did go to UW. So I lived in Seattle six years, Seattle proper. Yeah. It's really cool. I've been there to visit a couple of times and it was, it's a lot of fun. There's so much to do and it's totally neat. Um, so is, uh, is anybody drinking? I know it's like the middle of the day. Um, so it's anybody drinking? Anything fun? Kristin, are you drinking anything fun? I am just drinking water. Okay. It's okay. Coffee where pre-wired. Well, how about ULP? Uh, I also, um, I just have my water as well. I also have nothing fun. Uh, Sure my apologies. Yeah, no, I, I, I don't have anything boozy and fun. I just have coffee and water, so nice. You know? So at this point of the day, are you on to like decaf me? Or are you just drinking like snow? I have a one-year-old and a three-year-old I need caffeine. Oh, got it. Okay. Yeah. No. Well, that's, you know, whatever works, man. Yeah, I do. I do one coffee after lunch, caffeine, like a little treat, a little treats. Yeah. It's like basically in the time when I would nap. So it's the opposite of that. Yeah. So in lieu of napping, There you go the exact opposite. Nice, nice, nice. It gets me through the rest of the day. Yeah. I love my children. I love my little disclaimer. I love my children. No, I do. I actually, um, I just, this morning dropped off my three year old at my sister-in-law's house. Uh, his faith, his favorite person. If you ask him who his favorite person in the world is, he says his cousin, um, So it's her daughter. So this is his first sleepover away from us. And I'm like having like a mild panic attack, but I'm going to like, keep it together. We'll just keep drinking that coffee and you will, that's really gonna help. That's really gonna help. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. It's, it's weird. It's weird though. Cause it's like, this'll be the first night that my husband and I have with our baby. Um, besides the night that he was born, you know, that's just us and him. So it's just, it's interesting. It'll be different. Yeah, I can imagine weird. So, yeah. Um, yeah. Uh, what are you guys working on right now? Well, Chris, and I'll let you take this. Everyone's probably heard mine a hundred times. Um, I am just starting my, um, it's the first in my huckleberry base series. It's called light lighthouse way and it will release, uh, may 20 something. No, May 17th. Um, that's what I, I just finished a novella. There's always something in the work. Is it, um, like small town? What kind of room is going to be a small town romance? It's actually a fictional town on the Oregon coast. No fun. And so, yeah, I get to make up all the businesses and all the people. And, um, it's always fun to kind of just leave or just create this little world. From scratch. So that's what I'm working on. It's been a lot of work just to get to the point where I can say, okay, chapter one. Right. Cause I guess you already have to kind of know all of your you're doing essentially world-building right. So you have to do a lot more than just planting some fictitional people in a real world. So that's what really interesting do you like base it off of? I mean, I know it's like, do you pull from a real small town, Oregon coast town at all? Or do you totally make it. Yeah, so, well, it's totally made up, but I've visited the Oregon coast a lot. My specifically favorite town is cannon beach. Um, so the town is going to be similar in size to that town, but I've added things like lighthouse, different things, you know? So it looks different. Um, that's always the best though, because then the fun thing about doing it that way, it's like you said, you can, you can have a light housing, it would be so romantic and fun or, you know, maybe there's a shipwreck. I don't know. But I'm just saying like, you could, you can take those liberties. If you just take a little tiny town that, you know, you can base it off of and just like run with it. I love that I've taken the liberties. Fun, fun, fun. Well, it's funny because I mean, it's a Saturday right now when we're recording and usually I try and take the weekends off. But, um, I was saying earlier that my husband is actually working today. So I have decided that I would be working as well because, um, I was sharing like, I'm sharing this yesterday on social media. I, you know, Written, you know, over 20 books. And I enjoy all my stories. Like they all are very special to me, but, um, this one that I'm currently, I was revising and reading to send a beta reader. It's not even due to them for like another month, but I have been devouring it because I am so giddy about the story. I'm really, really loving it. Um, so I have been, uh, working on city of ruin doing the revisions and readthrough since, um, Like five 30 this morning. Um, and I've just been, yeah, so I've just been, you know, like going through it and it's just really fun, I guess. I don't know if it's because, so it's, um, it's a beauty and the beast and Jane Austin retailing, it's very Gothic dystopian feel to it. And, um, It's I think it's, it goes to show that I really kind of misreading my Regency stories and, um, mixed with my romance, you know, because I always put romance to my stories, but mine are more kind of like adventure, survival stuff. And so is, this is really fun to be like in that really more Gothic romance feel and, um, just kind of like tap into my, my little Jane Austin S roots, you know? So anyways, I don't know. It's been really, really fun though. And. I'm just super excited. Um, I only have a quarter left and then it's good to go. So I'm just, I feel, it feels really good. Nothing else is getting done. That's supposed to get done of course, but whatever I'm still working. Right. I mean, I guess that's the cool thing. And when you work for yourself, as it's not like I'm just twiddling my thumbs, so no, and this is the most important part of your job, right? Right. Yeah. So anyway, that's what I've been working on. What about you on. Um, uh, what am I working on? Uh, I am, so I finished my, uh, I finished my outlet, read through of songs scabs and fallen stars early and sent that off to my copy editor. Um, so she has that now, uh, which is, um, a weird position for me to be in. I'm not usually an early finisher. I'm usually a deadline finisher, like a scrambling at the deadline finisher. Um, and, uh, so I had like a bonus couple of weeks. Uh, so I have been, um, reading. Uh, so I'm not creating anything right now, unless you count book maps. I did create a book map, which was really fun for Tsongas Gibson fallen star. So it was ancient Egypt. Um, but it was like ancient Egypt, uh, as it would have been thought of in ancient times. So it's flipped upside down, um, to be based on like the direction of denial. Um, and with like Egypt. Yeah, yeah. Uh, with Egyptian, um, My name's for the places. So, um, like Luxor, just like fun, little back toy, Alexa, our current modern city of Luxor, um, which a lot of people know of as themes from ancient times. Um, but that was actually a Greek name. Um, so it wasn't called Thebes for most of ancient Egyptian history. It was called west set. That is the name of the city. It just like super random and unnecessary fact for the podcast for everybody listening. No, it's, you know, just say now. Um, yeah, so that's the name that appears on the map. So it's just been really fun to like really pour all of that, like obsession with ancient Egypt into this book. So, and into this map. So I've been doing that. I got that ready to go. And, uh, I've been reading, um, I said, oh, oh, I launched a new podcast. I launched a new podcast. Um, it's called read by the author. Uh, and it is, let's see, it's like by seasons. And so this is obviously the first season, cause I just launched it and I'm reading echo and time, which is the first book in my, um, time travel romance series. Uh, and, uh, It's like a couple chapters per episode, because they're long. And I have like a million tangents to go on as I'm reading it, but it's so fun. I have like my little discord group who were there with me and they're listening to me read and they're like posting all these memes as I'm reading and, um, I'm just having so much fun. So yeah, so that finally went live and. It has had a few download or like the, the podcast always. Well, at least my podcasts, when I start them always take a little while to like, get some momentum. Um, but on YouTube it's been doing really well randomly, so that's been really fun. Um, yeah, people should check that out if they want to hear me reading echo time with, um, with all of the like random bloopers and stuff. So. That's what I'm working on. And, uh, I think in two days on Monday, I'm supposed to start the outline for my next Atlanta's legacy book. So just like having them, like, trying to like reframe the way that I'm thinking and like which fictional world I live in. Yeah. That's going to be a really big switch for you versus like fantasy. So I think I'm just going to end up rereading the first four books and then that should help them shove me back in there. So, yeah, well, it's so funny. We're all creating very different worlds right now is my kind of fun though. I love that. I love that. Yeah. Anyway, um, have you, let's see, what are you guys reading right now, Kristen? What have you been reading? Um, actually I haven't been reading lately. Uh, it's been a weird couple of weeks. I've had a lot of family stuff happening, so it feels like. I just don't have the brain space brain space. Yeah. You know, I just go through these phases where I just don't reach for the roller, which is sad and I need to get back to it cause I do miss it. Um, but I had been reading a lot of Debbie Perry, um, love her stuff. And also I find that I don't read a ton when I. Currently writing, if I'm in the editing process or the plotting process, it's fine. I'll read a lot, but, um, when I'm actively writing a book, I tend not to read as much. I see. Yeah. We're the same. Yeah. Yup. I think that's kind of why I just started binge reading again, which it, I feel like it's been a really long time since I've done that and it feels so good. Yeah. So anyway. Yeah, no, I, we, we totally get it. Like I said, we feel that we've checked in about that a lot actually. Um, I, I am, um, oops, putting on lotion, so my hands are really slippery. Right. And that's going to be a, some noise for the pause. Okay. So I'm currently listening to, um, I don't know if you guys ever listened to her read Megan Quinn, but she writes some really fun stuff. She, um, I enjoy her sports romance. But I'm reading or listening to one of her audio books right now. It's called love, sincerely yours. It's by her and Sarah ne who I've never read before. But, um, anyway, so I'm listening to that audio book and it's pretty fun. It's about this, um, this woman who is leaving this company to start her own company. And the boss is like this hardest. Um, but he's, you know, obviously super hot and hot and she's been working there for five years and everybody's really afraid of him. And she's had a crush on him for like three years or whatever. And, uh, she goes and gets drunk one night and she sends him a cryptic. Nobody, he doesn't know us from her, but like this whole, like to jump your bones email. And so it's just really hilarious. So you can imagine, um, kind of how it goes from there. And he doesn't know who it is for the longest time. So it's even more. But anyway, so that's what I'm, that's what I'm currently listening to. Um, but yeah, so it's, I dunno, it's whenever I'm doing all my admin stuff and I'm sitting at the computer, you know, just staring. And doing like I've been working on my new store, my new bookstore and stuff like that. Um, it's I could just, I go through so many audio books. It feels so good. I feel like I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm refilling all the Wells, you know, I'm getting all the tasks off the list, but then I'm also, you know, I get to go like laugh and listen to all these stories and stuff. So I love it. Well, that's actually a really good point because I actually speaking about your book. I do listen to a lot of audio books. Um, no matter where I'm at, if for whatever reason it feels like, I don't know, it's just a different medium. So I enjoy that. Um, it is, it is still reading. Um, I have been listening for the past 15 months to the entire JD Robb series, the in-depth series. And, um, I'm finally at number 50 only have like five more to go. So I'm all caught up. It's like, Series. It's my favorite of all the books and all the land, all the land. I love the land of all the books. That's Nora Roberts, right? It is not a robbery. Isn't it is a, um, it's a little bit, Mr. So it is a murder cop in New York in the year 2059 is when it starts. I didn't know that. So each book is a different murder mystery, basically she's solving a murder, um, and all of the secondary characters are amazing. Like she's just built this wonderful world over the course of almost 60 books and, um, really love it. So, huh, that's so interesting. What did you say the name of the series was again, the in depth series. The first book is born in death. No naked index the link to it. Cause that sounds fun. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'd say the bro man, 15 books and one series. That's insane. Yeah. And how many books has she written as Nora Roberts? I know millions, I think almost 400 books. Like it's a lot of books. Four books a year. Yeah. How many books? Well, last year I released 10. Get a girl, 10 titles. Yeah. Hm that's okay. I could count those as books for sure. I'm like, Hey, if you have to write them and do all the things and it's a book, right? Yeah. Anyway. Um, okay. Uh, I am, uh, reading and by reading, I mean, listening to, um, the blood and Ash series by Jennifer LR and trout and oh my God. It is so good. I'm in the second book, um, kingdom of flesh and fire. Um, and I just like, kind of have the audio book. I need to read it. It's so good. It's like, It's just really good. It is one of those books. Yes. Um, well, and they get like longer, um, I think the first one's the shortest, uh, but it's not short. Um, but it's really good. And it's narrated by Stena Nielsen who is amazing. And she has really good man voices. Um, Which is really nice because it gets produced pretty romancey I mean, pretty steamy. Nice. So, um, yeah, but it's great. It's really good. Uh, so, uh, you should definitely dive into that one. Um, yeah. And I'm really enjoying it. Yeah. It's. Yeah, it's just really great, but a lot of my readers really loved it, so they were really wanting me to read it. So, yeah, it's fun that I think is it for that, um, thinking of books. Um, so this, uh, listeners would be the time to hop off if you don't want to be spoiled. Um, Uh, on what happens in, uh, today's book. So, uh, Kristin, can you introduce the, with me? I'm not, I don't have it pulled up right now. It's with me in Seattle, right? The, with me in Seattle series. And. The book that we read again, I don't have, I like switched out of my tab and I'm being a terrible host right now. So, sorry. Um, and it is take a chance with me. Take a chance it's right behind you. If anybody's watching the Emerald green, um, yeah. Can you introduce, introduce us to the series and then to this book, which I believe is book five. Yeah. So this is actually a spin off of my main with me in Seattle series that started 10 years ago. Uh, these five books are just another family in the. With me in Seattle world. So kind of broke them up by families because there's so many books and I didn't want readers to become too overwhelmed and intimidated by, oh my gosh, I had to go back and read 18 books before I create this. And you really don't. Uh, all of my books stand alone. Um, within a series are always about a different couple and there's always a happily ever after at the end. So, um, this book is number five in the O'Callahan family. And, um, and it's the final book in the series. Um, So the Ocala hands are all siblings. There are five siblings. There are, oh gosh, let me see if I can remember all of them. Uh, Kane, Keegan, maze, Shawn and Mary Margaret, who goes by Maggie. Um, our siblings and Mary Margaret is the youngest. And so this is a no spoiler free. This is the. You can spoilers. Welcome. Yeah, you can spoil, spoil whatever. Okay, good. So in the first book of the theory, uh, Maggie's husband dies and it comes to light that he had been leading a double life basically, and had all this money. He had hidden from her and he had had many affairs and we find. He had had a child with a woman, like gets this. He's a horrible human being horrible man. Um, um, I kinda strung that storyline through the four books until we get to her book. Um, and her guy is Cameron. He is her oldest brother came best friend of course. And, uh, he. Um, he kind of had a thing for her for a long time, but when he came back to town and she was old enough for him to be interested in her, she was already married. So he, you know, she's not a homewrecker, this is why we love him. But now she's widowed and there's a little opening there. Um, that kind of sets up the book. Right. So this is their story. Um, so, uh, I mean, I don't mean to jump in one, sorry, but I just want to one of my questions and I, I feel like it probably said it in the very beginning, but we don't re, like he said ever super clear what cameras. Job is in the book we read. I, it seems very like secret maybe investigator for maybe a contracted investigator or something. But I, I don't remember. It actually says what his job is. And I liked that. I liked that throughout the whole thing. Like even she doesn't really know. Yeah. I felt like I was heard. I know it was like, She was never allowed to know what he did for a living. He was a kind of super spy for the us government and he actually left that job and he was a contractor. So, um, yeah, in most. I don't focus on the jobs that they do, but more about, yeah, no, that makes sense. Just because his was so secret, I was like, yeah, I know it was some sort of like, uh, some sort of. Governmentally. Yeah. Sounded like he'd worked for, you know, a lot of like higher ups or even like you were saying, maybe once for the government in them, that sort of thing. You could tell that he worked for himself, but he, uh, he couldn't talk about it for can't talk about computer peaks. So he was, um, one of those contractors that they call in to see how easy is it to hack into our government computer assistance and things like that. Um, he was actually. Everybody always loves to read about hot nerd right now. I love it. I know. I think there was one line in there that was like, just because I'm a nerd doesn't mean I can't like work out or it's like, oh my God. That's perfect. Doesn't mean I can't have muscles or something. Oh yeah. Cause she was like, Oh, that's too funny. Um, okay. So can you, so, uh, LP and I only read this book, we haven't read any of the other books in the series or any other series. Um, so can you tell us a little bit, it was there very much where they're like little sprinklings of Maggie and Cam's relationship throughout the other books, since there has been dyed in the first year. So this is like something that readers have been looking forward to. Yeah. Um, yeah, a lot of readers that started from the very beginning and read through have said, okay, well, great. I'm looking forward to that book, but when it's negative, right. You always want them to want to read through to the next book. And, uh, yeah, so her husband died in book one and then throughout I actually Cameron and Maggie, you know, nitpicked. They, they weren't there. They did. They bickered all the time throughout most of the books. And then in her book, you really understand why, because, you know, they had sex that night went right after she'd been widowed and he kind of left or actually they didn't even get to the and get her. And she just always felt like he was always. And, uh, not a dependable guy and she had already been married to somebody like that. So that was just not even though she's so attracted to him, she was just like, you know, holding him at arms length, all four of the previous books. No. So this is the final book in this series? Yes. Correct. Is this the final book in the world? Well, I haven't announced that yet, but yes, I think so. Um, yeah, this is the series that all the readers love the most. Um, it was my first series that where people say, oh, this is how I found you. And I just loved the series so much. And I had tried to end the series in 2014 and it didn't go well. So I ended up in 2017, starting it up again. But, you know, I can only write about so many cousins, so many. I just got to the point where I think I'm leaving out a really good note with a great family and we've wrapped it up. But now. Okay. So it's a yes and no hashtag author problems. Welcome to our live. And this is how it works when asking for a book about the kids from the original series. So. Starting this year and starting is really technically a new series because I just can't call it with me in Seattle anymore. But it's now called single in Seattle is starting with here. And the first book is called the secret and it is about Olivia Williams, who is the daughter of the first couple in my very first book of, with me in Seattle. So, um, readers are already super excited about them and, um, That first couple have such a cult following that. Now they're just excited about the kids. So then to do some, like, you know, daytime soap, opera kind of time skipping. So like in one episode at the end of the season, they're like 13 and then you skip forward the next season. And now they're 25. That's kind of how it was. Is there going to be any, um, What kind of appearances from crossover. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot of crossover. So although it can be read as a standalone, you do not have to go back and read the other side, understand what's happening to these books, but you do get to see her parents and, um, just a little bit here and there as you would with most people, their parents are living or part of their lives. You see them a little bit. Um, yeah. And then there will be a bonus off a log from the dads POV. Yeah. So I was just going to bring that up. Tom's POV at the end. I thought it was a really nice touch of this book. Um, and I mean, obviously I don't know his character as much as everyone else will, so I think it will be really nice for readers who have been with you for a long time. I think they'll really like that. Yeah. I enjoyed that. It was special. Um, I just love Thompson book line. He's just the kind of dad that. Um, when I was wrapping up the series and I was like, I think we just need this home at the end. Yeah. Oh, that's so cute. I like that. Yeah, no, it was, it was, it was, it, it did feel very, um, like tied up and very like comfy and, you know, complete. So I think you did a good job. I'm curious, I'm curious if you're having readers tell you that they want you to like. Right. A story to show the love story of the, um, is it the stepdaughter, the wedding in the epilogue are people asking for that? Like that last time we're headed, asking for that yet? They wouldn't mind. They wouldn't mind though. If I went back and did kind of a prequel story of Tom and Fiona, the parents. Oh, that would be really sweet. I don't know. When do we have time side projects, right? Yes. It sounds wonderful and fun, but no, I know. And it's like the book that I just wrote that's coming out in March. That was one that I had had readers asking me. They're like, we want Parsi story. We want Parsi story. And I'm like, I don't have an idea for her story. And then all of a sudden it was like, Hey, I'm like, I got struck by the idea lightning bolt. And I hadn't the idea. So, you know, Know, maybe it'll pop up to telling the kids stories. I was said, no, they're kids in my head. I'm just never going to write their stories. And then last year I was like, oh, but I was also 10 years removed from writing and being born. So you just sometimes see. Yeah. Yeah, no, that makes sense. Well, especially cause like you said, they're kids in your head, it's hard to look ahead and you know yeah. That makes sense. Yeah, that makes sense. Um, oh, go ahead. You were going to say something. Um, well I was just going to ask another question, is that all right? Of course. Yeah. Thank you. Um, we allowed one more. That's not true. Um, okay. As someone who's from the area. Um, I am betting that this was mentioned in the previous books, but I was like, so curious. Um, what is the, what island? What does the island? I never gave the island a name and I didn't realize I never gave the island the name. And then I just never did on purpose. Yeah, that'd be weird. Yeah. Did you have an island in mind? I really didn't. There's so many little islands that are probably, I don't know. I don't know which one it is. It's just made up violence. No, it's island, no name. Um, okay. No, it's fine. Um, and then, okay, so this is like more of like a general about your books questions. So maybe I should say that one for the end. Um, so ignore that. Um, uh, oh, okay. Oh, do you have one? I have a couple, but you know, keep going. Um, okay. So this is a five, this series is a five book series with five couples, um, feel free to cry and then there's the parents. Um, and then there's the. Teenagers who are not teenagers when they get married at the end. But anyway, do you have a favorite couple from this series? I'm trying to think because I really loved all of them a lot. Um, I think I really enjoy. Redding dream with me, which is the first in the series. Kane is the oldest sibling and he actually lived in Ireland when he was young. And so he ha he still has that Irish accent and he was really fun to write and he was very bossy and very spicy. Um, Although all the books were. Um, so I really enjoyed him, but I really just enjoyed the whole five books as a whole. They were a lot of fun. It was really nice though, to be able to wrap it up with Maggie and Cameron and. Uh, hopefully satisfy people curiosity about what was going to happen with them. Oh, I'm sure. Yeah. Um, I was actually gonna, I had a question about like the whole Irish roots. I was just curious, you know, what was the inspiration for that? And if you, if you have some Irish blood in you, or if you come from, you know, have a best friend or what made you decide to make the call and family, I'm not Irish. Uh, maybe in a past life, because I am really drawn to Ireland. I really love, um, language and all the things. Uh, I have other series that I've actually mentioned Ireland in before as well. Um, and I don't, I don't honestly know why it just is so interesting to me. The, um, the accent is beautiful and the country is beautiful. No, I thought it was, I thought it was great. I mean, Lindsey is the same with her Egypt stuff. Um, I'm I'm like 99.9, nine, 9% like Irish English, and like Western European, Northern Western European. But I'm obsessed with Egypt. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'm not region very Norwegian and, um, Ireland is kinda my damn, so. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I was just curious because, um, I always, like, I like to write about things that I'm not necessarily super close to as well. Just things that interests me, but you know, some people have no ties to things. So I just thought I would ask, um, have you it's interesting. Yeah. I know achievement gets to go there for a little while. I know. So that actually makes me think because you lived in Seattle and so you wrote, you know, a story that takes place. There were a series of world there. Um, have you written anything that takes place in Montana? So I was wondering that too. I have, um, I have another, it's gotta be at least. 16 or 17 books series called uh, the big sky theory. Yeah. So yes, a whole fictional town set in Montana. Love it. Ski town. Little ski town. That's fun. Do you watch Yellowstone? I do you watch yellow? I love it. Um, it's very fiction. Yeah. Well, so I was asking, so my, um, my stepdad is from billings, um, which is in Montana if people don't know. Um, and he's like, no, I w I won't watch that. Oh, no, I love it. It's awesome. But every once in a while I hop on social media. Just to remind you, we don't live like this and not the wild west. Now it's not the wild west. Um, I was going to say one of the things that I thought was neat, and I have a feeling that you brought this, um, specific storyline up from the very first book, um, is the phone calls that Maggie's getting right from the other woman. Um, and she's ignoring her, you know, hanging up on her and that sort of thing, but I'm sure, I mean, she clearly found out about this other life in the first book. I'm assuming. Um, that she found out about the yeah, the other family. So I thought I really enjoyed how you brought her into the story and it was not like. Drama filled. And I mean, there was 10 and it was awkward and everything because it would be in real life, but it was very mature and it was very, um, I don't know. I, I just think that it was a really nice way to address, you know, his second family and what that looks like. And you know, it's not, you know, especially if they, you know, this woman and her daughter, they didn't know any of this. Right. I mean, she lost her husband. She's. Boyfriend, she lost her daughter lost the father. So it's it's um, and he was even more abusive to them. I mean, yeah. So it was just really nice. How, uh, you had Maggie, even though she, you know, it was hard for her to. Deal with it at the beginning, which makes total sense, obviously. Um, th just how you had it, you know, kind of come full circle by the end. It was really nice and kind of welcomed them into the thought, the family and that sort of thing. So thank you. At first, I thought about having it be kind of that cliched, she's going to be the bad guy kind of situation. And then, um, I was actually talking to my, my assistant. Who's also my. Partner person. We were talking about it. And I said, you know, I don't think she is the bad guy. Like she didn't know either. We can't do that to this. So we take it in another direction and it felt natural. Good. I like that. Yeah, it seems. I mean, I feel like a one, one woman can only go through so much, like, you know, Maggie did go through a lot and obviously the, you know, the other, you know, everyone else did too, but I just feel like there's only so much before you just accept whatever has been thrown in front of you and you just. Yeah. And nothing surprises you anymore. Like, oh, okay. Well, he probably did do that. I, yeah, it doesn't surprise me anymore. So that was good though. I liked that. Um, yeah, I think you did a good job of kind of, um, the, um, I'm sorry, I'm forgetting his name, but the S the famous, the senior. Um, was it Lee? It's not, oh, it's Leo. Leo. Yeah. So, um, I was kind of fun. How you brought that all full. Like, you know, I feel like it's not very often where we're reading the stories and, you know, Maggie has like this whole kind of like other personality that doesn't know about with her, you know, social media and online existence and personality, stuff of those really cool to, um, have her be like, We'll have her little singing channel or whatever, um, and then tie all that together because then it also sounds just like she has her happily ever after she gets something that's her own too. She's not working for her brother anymore or whatever. She's not, you know what I mean? Like she, I don't know. I just feel like she really comes into her own, even though I haven't, you know, read the last four books that her struggle, but I just, I could feel that, you know, so you did a really good job. You did a really good job with that. And that was really neat. The fun thing about that too, is that Leo Nash is actually the hero in a book called rock with me that I wrote it's part of the original series. And so readers who have been with me from the very beginning will know him anyway. It'd be like, oh my God, we get, but also for readers like you, who haven't read those books, he was still an enjoyable character for you. You didn't realize that he had his own book. Yeah. No, not so cool. That's really neat. Yeah, that was a super cool. Um, and I, you know, I don't know why I just really liked that aspect of it. A lot of the story, I think I've, I followed this like Irish. Girl, she's a singer and she does the same thing. Like she gets in her like shower or something and she sings and she has these videos and she's so good because the acoustics are so good. And she's just has this amazing broke and like, ah, just love it. And so that's like, yes, I totally agree. I follow her as well. Before I knew that she existed on Tik TOK. I, um, wrote Maggie and may have a singer, but they in the pub, as they're serving drinks, they sing with the little band and stuff like that. When I saw this woman on the talk, doing her video, Maggie has to do that cause she totally would. And she's Irish. It does. Yeah, totally. And that's, that's like, I could totally hear that and picture that the whole time. And I was like, you get a girl and it's your channel going? You know, I loved it. That's cute. I do have to say like Maggie's date was so cringe-worthy it was just like, Oh, well, uh, it was so good, but so bad, but what's your goal? What's your work there forever? I think you're curious. You're good. Looking enough to be my wife. You can pull it off anyway. All right, go ahead. Yeah, you have some setting questions so far. It seems like from my like bird's eye view, um, that setting plays a big role in your various series. So you have the, the, this, this one and the original with me series are very like Pacific Northwest Seattle based. And then you have your new one that's coming up on the Oregon coast and then you have the Bordeaux series and you have your Montana series. Um, so do you, how do you pick your settings for these series? A lot of times it's places that I've lived. So, you know, I have the series that you've mentioned. Um, also I have a series Sutton Portland's and I lived there for a while. Um, I've never lived in New York though or new Orleans. Um, but I visited extensively, especially in new Orleans. And the first time I visited new Orleans, my mom actually, we were there for a book signing and we did a ton of walking in the French quarter and I just knew. That I had to set the theories there. I've actually said two series there since then the Boudreaux series and, um, a paranormal romance series called Bayou magic series. Oh, I saw the cover. Yeah. It's all about a serial killer and which is glass and all the things, um, medium telephones. Uh, it's just usually places that interest me that I've either lived. Does it add and following up, like, have you lived in Bordeaux? I have not lived in Borden. Oh, okay. Just curious. I would totally live in Bordeaux. I really like mine. Well, we'll have to do one of these nights. We're not, we're not too far apart. As far as time. It's hard when people are like three or four, nine hours apart, but it'd be fun. We shouldn't do a wine night when it's, you know, we can all have our little glass. I don't talk girl, talk for, we don't have to talk about books, whatever you doing wine, who cares? Like we're not giving care what we're talking. Oh man. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Uh, should I ask my guests fine question? Yeah, no, I didn't want her. Oh, I wish I had a mustache like a toilet. Um, you're not, you're just scaring. Sorry. If this book were to be made into a show or movie. Why does this make me so happy? Because nobody can ever answer. None of us can ever answer her question. Okay. If this book were to be made into a show or a movie, who would you want to be cast in the lead roles? Um, That's not my job. That's their job. No, I don't know. And I never do vision boards with even models or anything. Get out of a magazine, just show me what they look like. Um, they're just different in my head. Um, Well, I mean, Lindsay, who would you pick for the lead roles for kind of like visualize somebody for the, for Maggie and I, I don't, I can't think of who, where I've seen her. Um, and I know this is not. But she kind of looks like, kind of looks like the actress, Ashley Green. She kind of looks like Ashley Green, but that's not who I'm thinking of who played Alice in the Twilight movies. But that actress you're thinking of looks like her. She looks like her actually, you know, it would be interesting as Maggie is, um, oh my God. Who, where did I see this chick? This is a different chick. Um, oh, the woman who plays. Mrs Coulter. Is that how you say your name in, uh, uh, uh, the golden compass. Oh, um, Wilson, Ruth Wilson. Yeah. I think she could be Maggie she's British, but she could, you know, I'm just saying yes, she could. But she just, you know, we should do, we just reach out to the woman who has the tick-tock channel and to see if she wants, I mean, she has her hair, you know, you can sing. What about a guy though? A hot nerd? I don't know either. Anyway. So this is the, this is the horrible question that nobody likes it. Yeah. After five minutes. Yeah. Yeah. But anyway, uh, no, it's fine. Well, and especially, I mean, now, now the problem with this too is it's not like it's like a one-off book, like you've been doing. These have been faceless characters as far as when it comes to like real inspiration for five books now. So it's probably hard to just throw something on them. I'm sure it's been two years. I have them hanging out with me and. It's funny how sometimes, and at least this happens with me as a writer and as a reader, I don't always see them clearly, but they still have a very specific presence in my head. Like, I don't know, like physically, I can't picture them, but I can picture like the fuzzy version of them. And I like it just the same. I don't know if that's a thing, but that's how I feel when I'm reading the book. Well, it's because it's not like when I'm reading a scene, it's not like I have like a very specific. Picture in mind of what this person like, what his face is doing in the color of his eyes. And the moment when it's talking about his lips, that's doesn't happen to me. I'm more like I would think of the lips and then somebody mentioned the eyes and I think of the eyes, like I don't have like this person, who's just like a hundred percent like formed in my head for every single time reading it. I get it. I don't know. I, I'm not good with words, guys, words, authors and words. K. It doesn't exist in my world. Okay. Well, it was a fun book and, um, it was just, it was, it was cute to just see all the, all the little, the siblings. And I thought it was fun. That cam was so worried. You know, his, his best friend and, and his, you know, his family has, they're essentially his real family at this point. Right. Um, they would be worried and not, you know, not want him to date their sister. And that was all super down. It was very like sweet and loving, and it was just like follow form because it's great. It's great. That it's great that she, um, that Maggie. I mean, it took her the book to be like, okay, he's a good guy. You know, like I don't, he just because not everybody is like my ex, you know, so it was nice to see her grow in that way and really embraced cam. And it makes me want to go back and read the other books so I could see like the love, hate relationship to the books, you know? Yeah. So anyway, that was super fun. Well, um, you kind of already talked about what you're working on now, but is there anything else you want to add or any update release updates or anything like that that you want to share with the readers and listeners? Um, we can also put it in the show notes if, um, well, I have this secret coming on March. Second, and then a lighthouse way on May 17th. Um, I'll have two of each of those series coming with pier and then I'll have a new paranormal romance starting to talk Tober, um, all hall event. And it's that in Salem, Massachusetts, I want to write a book all about, which is and shifters. So that's what we have on deck for this year. I love that you dabble in like sub genres. That's fun. You know, I've always until, well, I guess has been a couple of years ago, I just released one paranormal romance a year, um, because really contemporary romance is what I'm known for. Um, but gosh, the paranormal romance is really a great pallet cleanser for me and it's getting different and for a little while, um, I really love it. You'd get super creative with that. That's like a whole different creative level paranormal romance and urban fantasy and romantic fantasy are like my they're my. My home. It's fun. It's fun. Well, yeah. And in Boudreaux mat or in Bayou magic, I was able to, you know, tell people off serial killer and all the things and assistant was like, do you need therapy? Like what's happening? And I was like, I probably do need therapy, but it has nothing to do with the fact that I. Sorry. That's two separate subjects here. Totally different things. And yeah, I mean, it's just, I don't get to do that in contemporary romance, so that's fun. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining us. I'm glad that it worked out. We were able to reschedule, um, and congratulations on your new books that you have coming out soon. And for wrapping up, this is like probably bittersweet for you, like wrapping up this world slash. Sort of world series. Um, but anyway, so thank you so much for coming on. Um, we'll go ahead and put everything we talked about today in the show notes. So readers and listeners can find you find your books. Um, yeah. And, um, next week or next, I guess not next week, but next episode. Uh, did, did you, uh, or I don't think you did, um, where, where can listeners, I'm sorry. Um, I have a website, Kristin, probably author.com and then I'm on Facebook, Instagram. Pinterest. You can find me all over, all over the interwebs. Yeah. You said tick tock. I am to take that. I don't do a great job on Tik TOK because I'm old and I'm trying to figure it out, but it's fine. I know. Keeping up with all the things, right. Uh, anyway. Well, again, thank you. And I'm sorry for rushing that. I totally forgot to ask you where we can find you, I guess, because I know where I can find you because I've been talking to you for, so I know where to find her. Everybody, you can just ask me. Um, okay. So. Episode, we're going to do something a little different and we're going to be hanging out with a special guest who started off as a reader, uh, became an editor. And now she's also an author. So anyways, I'm super excited to chat with Holly Hill Mangin, um, and, uh, Just pick her brain and hang out with her because she is Lindsay's editor and she's one of my alpha readers. And she is, like I said, she's also an author. So anyways, super fun. Um, we'll talk to her next time. And in the meantime, um, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review wherever you listen. Um, and if you want to support the production of the show, you can find us on Patrion and also in the no shelf control phase. I guess that's it. Folks. I'm happy listening and reading adventures and, uh, we'll talk to you soon till next time. Bye.