As most indie authors do, I’d seen Barbara Kellyn around Instagram now and then, but never actually interacted with her. So when she wanted to be a part of this interview series, I was really excited to get to know her. Like so many of us, Barbara grew up with Nancy Drew and Judy Blume books and was inspired to go on her own journey as a writer. That’s something I believe a lot of us can relate to. And when she did finally start publishing her books, further inspiration came from the things around her and the places she worked; which is a good way to make the story feel authentic and real.
She was given the title ‘Queen of Banter’ by one of her readers and as someone who craves banter in all the books she reads, this makes me even more excited to dive into Barbara’s stories. All of her published books are standalone romantic comedies—and, in case you missed it, Barbara won the Kobo Originals Holiday Rom-Com Writing Contest earlier this year and published her holiday novella Polar Opposites exclusively with Kobo!
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
Growing up, I read the Nancy Drew series and Judy Blume books. They planted the seed in me at a young age that I could someday become a storyteller too. But it didn’t sprout until I read Bet Me by romcom author Jennifer Crusie—and I was so in tune with her writing style that I was inspired to fulfill my “bucket list” dream of being published by the time I turned 40. And I did it, thanks to participating in National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo), which is how I wrote the draft for my first book.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
The best part by far is meeting so many terrific, talented authors in the indie community. While we’re all vying for attention and sales, it doesn’t feel like we’re competing—in fact, for the most part, we all encourage and support one another. I’ve learned so much from other writers and have discovered countless new authors whose work I truly admire.
The worst part, other than the self-promotion (most authors I know would rather go under the dentist’s drill than market their books), is having to stay diligent against the risks we are exposed to on a daily basis, including having your work pirated, devalued, or being preyed upon by parties who simply don’t have your best interests at heart. It’s scary, but indie authors seem most vulnerable to these pitfalls, probably because we don’t have teams to protect us—and because most of us are optimists at heart.
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
My first two books (The Company She Keeps and Morning Man) were snapped up by a small publishing house. When it was bought by a larger company with less focus on romance, I was offered the choice to either stay, or retain the rights to my books and go the self-pub route. I kept the publishing rights. After a personal sabbatical, re-releasing those first two books was my first order of business, followed by finishing a brand new book (Deja You) a few months later. I haven’t looked back since!
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I love being creative in the kitchen; making yummy things for others to enjoy is one of my love languages.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Everyone has their own journey, and I believe we bring our own unique experiences and backgrounds to what we do. What works for one writer, doesn’t necessarily work for another. So, other than “you do you” (and staying true to that) the only piece of advice I can offer is a quote from Richard Bach: “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I write contemporary romantic comedy—funny, steamy romcoms with heart. It’s what I know best, what I do best and what I enjoy reading the most.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
It would have to be cozy mysteries. I do love a good plot twist!
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
Favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn, small town
Least favorite tropes: surprise pregnancy, billionaire romance, insta-love
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
I’d love to tackle writing an age gap romance; there’s so many built-in opportunities for comedic moments and misunderstandings with a relationship that doesn’t fit society’s idea of the “norm.”
If you write closed door romance, why did you choose that and what are your favorite ways to build tension between the characters?
I don’t have a hard and fast (pardon the pun) rule when it comes to open/closed door romance. I write both because it truly depends on the story and the character. If intimate scenes are needed to deepen the relationship or to demonstrate character development, they’ll be included. Some of the hottest scenes I’ve ever written or read had main characters fully clothed.
Anyone who has read my books knows the sexy bits are often infused with a bit of light humor because, let’s face it, in real life, these raw moments can be awkward or funny. Plus any scene that takes itself too seriously isn’t all that interesting to me.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
It’s funny, but my stories tend to be inspired by places I’ve worked: a radio station, an ad agency, a PR firm and now as a romance author. I’m guessing it’s because of spending so much time in those settings and being inspired by real-life incidents and larger than life characters that have a way of funneling into my creative conscience.
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
Sure thing! All of my books are standalone romcoms, although I’m completely open to writing a series should the right idea present itself.
Polar Opposites: The sparks fly when a sparring American journalist and a Canadian photographer are paired up to complete an assignment in the Polar Bear Capital of the World.
Comfort & Joyce: A grumpy/sunshine holiday romance (with an unexpected Dickens-like twist!) between a professional cuddler and a prickly music critic with a chip on his shoulder.
Saint Dick: Amped-up enemies-to-lovers tale of a woman down on her luck who finds herself caught up in a jewelry store heist by a trio of Santa-dressed hoodlums, one of whom turns out to be the bad boy she once loved (to her own detriment) in high school.
Forever Endeavor: A romance author who has soured on happily ever afters is suddenly detoured to a quirky fishing community far off the beaten path, where the community, especially its grouchy car mechanic, helps her to discover that it’s never too late to find your happy ending.
Deja You: A rekindled love affair blurs the lines for a publicist protecting the reputation of her rock star client and the tabloid reporter looking for his next big scoop.
Morning Man: Opposites attract when two unlikely personalities are teamed up to host a morning radio show. But when their boss worries the sizzling on-air banter may fizzle if they give in to their desire, they’re told to keep the tension and the ratings high until the end of summer.
The Company She Keeps: The peacekeeping perfectionist holding a dysfunctional ad agency together tries to resist falling for the company’s biggest client - who happens to be her boss’ best friend.
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
When I’m writing, it plays out like a movie in my head, and the characters in my mind’s eye are either people I know or recognizable actors. Say, if I was casting Forever Endeavor, I could totally see a feisty redhead like Isla Fisher or Emma Stone as romance author Billie, and a brooding, mustachioed Chris Evans playing sexy, grumpy mechanic Sonny. Actually, I’d be happy to take any Chris: Evans, Pine, Pratt or Hemsworth!
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
I think there’s something semi-autobiographical in all of my main characters’ experiences and their personal motivations. It’s the starting place from which my characters and their stories originate. Forever Endeavor is probably closest to my heart as it took me years to write about divorce recovery in such a real and personal, but yet funny way.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
I was tickled when one of my readers gave me the title “Queen of Banter.” For me, dialogue is the most fun to write and nothing is better than sparks flying and creating friction between two people with words!
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
I’ve never written a series, but Forever Endeavor fans have said time and again they’d love to return to the Wisconsin fishing community of Janus Lake. So, I’m currently working on something featuring the town’s wisecracking diner waitress, who doles out juicy gossip like sides of fries. That is, until she’s romantically pursued by a much-younger man, putting her at risk to become the subject of scuttlebutt herself.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I try to provide a satisfying reading experience with all the feels, but above all, my goal is to deliver a fun, non-formulaic read with amped-up sexual tension and a lot of laughs.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV
Standalones, series or standalones in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances—It really depends on the story or my mood, but I’d probably say 60% open/40% closed
Music or silence when writing
Plotter, pantser or plantser—Plantser (I started out as a pantser, but experience has shown me that I need loose framework around an idea.)
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?—Morning; I’ve always been an early bird!
Illustrated or photo cover?
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