Kristy L. Boyce Interview
I was thrilled to interview Kristy about her writing career, from its inception to the present. Check it out below to learn more about her writing process and inspiration!
Why romance? What drew you to love stories as your creative medium?
I have loved love stories since I was in middle school! I even came up with romance plot lines for my Barbies when I was young!
What did your path to becoming a romance author look like, and what were some of the detours or turning points? What made you want to become a writer?
I had a long journey to becoming a romance author. I started writing as a child, but for many years, my writing was only for myself, and I did not share it with anyone else. In my 30s, I decided to pursue traditional publication, but it was many years before I signed with a literary agent and got my first book deal. I did give up at one point early on in the journey, but then I decided that I loved writing, and I would continue to write for the rest of my life whether or not I got published. That change in perspective allowed me to keep pushing for my dreams.
How do your past experiences—whether personal, professional, or emotional—shape the kinds of characters you’re drawn to write?
All of my experiences make their way into my books in different ways. I love traveling to Europe and that love contributed to both Hot British Boyfriend and Hot Dutch Daydream. I played D&D in high school, took dance lessons, made my own jewelry, and performed in my high school musicals. All of those things are found in my books, but I also put a new twist on those experiences so they aren’t autobiographical.
Who are your favorite authors?
Of course, I have to list Jane Austen! Some of my other favorites include Stephanie Perkins, Laini Taylor, and Erica George.
How do you approach writing moments that make readers' hearts race?
I don’t know that I have an exact plan or strategy for writing these scenes. Honestly, I really base it off how I feel when I’m writing the scenes. Is my heart racing? Am I swooning at the interactions between the characters? Am I eager to keep reading or are things feeling flat? I keep rereading and working on scenes until I can feel the sparks, and I cross my fingers that readers will feel them as well.
The romance community often talks about tropes - and you explore fake dating, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, and found family. What drew you to this trope, and how did you make it uniquely yours?
I love all of these tropes. Some seem to be baked into the stories I write, especially the found family trope. D&D has the ability to bring people together and bond them so I love to play with that trope in my books. Fake dating made sense for Dungeons and Drama because they were both used to role playing in different ways so fake dating gave them a new way to use their skills. Tropes are great because they resonate with readers, but each character and story allows us to see a different version of it. Tropes help to create stories that are both familiar and unique at the same time.
What kind of research do you do for your novels, if any?
I did research on musical theater by going back to my high school to attend their rehearsals and interviewing their musical director. I have a content reader for the D&D sections to make sure those stay true to the reality of playing the game.
