Katelyn Doyle loves tropes such as "forced proximity" and vacation books, hence writing "Total Dreamboat."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
As a romance writer I love tropes, and one of my favorites is “forced proximity,” when two people fall for each other fast in a bubble from which there’s no escape. I also love vacation books. So how do you trap two people on vacation: put them on a cruise ship!
This concept probably also has a little bit to do with my youth. When I was in middle school, my best friend went on a Caribbean cruise and fell madly in love with a handsome boy the same age. She lived in Florida and he lived in Puerto Rico but they became pen pals and kept their romance going all year. It made me swoon — and still does, honestly!
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
To me, Reading Rainbow means taking in the stories of people who live different lives than I do, and expanding my own understanding of the human condition through these perspectives. I think fiction is among the strongest tools we have for building empathy — you’re not just learning about other people, you’re inhabiting their minds and hearts. So I seek out a very broad reading diet, devouring books by authors from other cultures, other identities, and other perspectives from my own.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
As an author, I want to create a world that feels real, and part of that is reflecting the diversity of people I know and love in real life. While I don’t want to overstep the mark and write stories that aren’t mine to tell, it’s important to me to build worlds that show the rich tapestry of human existence.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"Total Dreamboat" is a rom-com about two people who hate cruises and find themselves dragged on one anyway. They’re shocked to start actually enjoying themselves when they strike up a fling. But it goes sideways when their pasts catch up to them. They have a huge fight right before getting stranded together when they miss the boat in the Bahamas. Hijinks, as they say, ensue.
I wanted to write this story because I am fascinated by stories of cruises gone wrong. Getting abandoned, getting seasick, getting quarantined with norovirus. There is so much opportunity for comedy gold.
A cruise ship is also a very vivid setting and a social pressure cooker where you can make new acquaintances easily, so it lends itself to people falling hard in fast in a confined environment.
What can fans expect from your book?
Sparkling banter, exotic locales, and vacation crises. It’s a fast read and a total romp. And very funny if I do say so myself.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
I’m hard at work on my next romance novel. My keys are worn down from typing!
