The show "The Riches" really stuck to Krista and Becca Ritchie, which is why it inspired them to write, "Destructively Mine."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
There was a short-lived show in 2007 called "The Riches." It centered around a family of con artists. It was cancelled after just two seasons, but it truly stuck with us for years and years. We thought “what if there was not one but two families” and we dabbled in writing the concept before we became published authors. Fast-forward to 2021, and we were brainstorming what project to write next, and we immediately circled back to the con artist families. But with a twist! Add in a romance between two of the grifters. One from each family.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
To us, it means reading LGBTQ stories and actively choosing to read perspectives that might differ from your own. Reading broadly and boldly. Reading with empathy and inclusion.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
It truly is special and also important when a reader can relate to a character in a book, and without having that variety, it leaves a whole swath of readers without a chance to see themselves represented on page. Since we write love stories, it’s especially important to show that all people are deserving of love and have the chance at a happily ever after.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"Destructively Mine" has a core focus of identity. A group of young 20-somethings that were raised as grifters from birth find out that their parents might have lied to them about who they really are. It’s a damaging realization to have the people you trusted most be the ones to cause into question your entire identity. They have to ask themselves: Who are they if they can’t trust the only people who know where they came from? We love writing character studies and character-driven novels, and focusing on a group of characters that have this big moral quandary was something we felt compelled to write.
What can fans expect from your book?
All the things we’re known for in our books: found family, lots of banter, platonic love as well as romantic love, and all the drama. We always say this book is like a love letter to our favorite WB/CW shows. It could fit on the same scheduling block as "One Tree Hill" and "The Vampire Diaries."
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
We’re finishing up the last book in the Webs We Weave series, which will be out next year. It will end the con artist saga and hopefully be a very fulfilling and satisfying conclusion.
And then this fall, we’re starting a new series called "The Cobalt Empire," which is another family saga but with a lot less criminal activity.
