1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. After nearly a decade in state politics, she’ll soon be managing her boss’s campaign for U.S. representative and will finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference. But Isadora’s cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets the gorgeous and intelligent Karim Sarda. The catch? Their bosses are fierce political rivals, and Isadora can’t tarnish her reputation by flirting with the enemy—no matter how flushed she feels whenever he enters the room.
Still processing the wounds from his former marriage, Karim is ready for a fresh start. But he can’t hide his attraction to Isadora’s commanding presence and her softer side beneath the surface. When the two succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire grows into something more—something real where each can vulnerably share their personal traumas and challenges. But as Karim’s boss seeks control of the California Senate, Isadora questions if she can truly trust Karim and worries that everything she worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love before it even begins?
Fans of slow burn workplace romances will love the way Karim and Isadora’s passionate connection blossoms amid their bosses’ ongoing feud. NOT THE PLAN is also the perfect book for readers of romance novels that feature diverse characters and difficult topics such as mental health.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I needed the protagonists to be stuck in a car together for a while, driving from their bosses’ home districts to the state capitol. As I didn’t want art to imitate life, it couldn’t be Florida. But I wanted a similar drive time. So I settled on California due to the distance between Sacramento and San Diego. Yes, I basically chose the setting of the whole novel due to the importance of one scene.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I actually started writing the story because I missed the person the female lead is partially based on. I wanted to spend more time with her and couldn’t (I moved to France). Developing this character helped me honor our friendship.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Driven, Compassionate, A Survivor
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
The power of community. The importance of great critique partners, mentors and an agent who gets you and your vision.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I pretty much wait until I’m done. I do re-read the last few paragraphs I’ve written to get started again the next day and I may make minor edits, if necessary.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I guess dark chocolate? There’s a shop near my apartment and it’s hard not to swing by on the way home from the grocery store!
9–Describe your writing space/office!
My writing space is in my bedroom. Unfortunately, it’s also my workspace for the moment, so I spend most of my days here, but that’s okay. Charming IKEA desk up against the wall, extremely necessary light therapy box to the right of my Mac. And my desk chair that just does not want to stay in the right position. But I’m too stubborn to buy a new one, I haven’t gotten my money’s worth yet!
10–Who is an author you admire?
Helen Hoang. I really appreciate what her work has done in terms of opening readers’ eyes to their potential neurodiversity.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
For fiction, I can’t say “changed”. A lot of books have kind of “nudged” me along a new path. For change, I’d have to say a nonfiction book, The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron. It taught me to give myself grace.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It was the best of times; it was the most COVID of times. My agent kept me very much in the loop during the negotiation process – three publishers bid at the same time. So I was on pins and needles during the back and forth. It took about 10 days total. When one publisher met our requirements, I was over the moon. But on lockdown, so no celebratory dinner in a restaurant!
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
I don’t have one. I rarely reach for suspense because I become impatient and run the risk of skipping ahead. But I think any well-written story can be a pleasure to read, no matter the genre.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
The Princess Bride. Immediate auto-watch given the opportunity.
15–What is your favorite season?
I used to say liked winter in Paris because I love wearing sweaters and coats and scarves, but this year the cold is killing me, so let’s go with fall.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Last year I went to a speakeasy, but I think I’ll pop over to London to see some friends this year.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Derry Girls on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it, you’re doing yourself a disservice. I think it would have been easy to make a tv show about living in Northern Ireland during the Troubles very heavy, but one that makes you laugh until you cry and is so relatable about what it’s like to grow up as a teenager anywhere? Plus, the music’s great.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Lebanese. I can eat myself sick with Lebanese food and be thrilled about it.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
When I have what? I am unfamiliar with this “free time” of which you speak. I’m in a bit of a transition phase in my life at the moment, so when things settle down, I may try to look into what that is.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
Well… Getting His Game Back, Khalil’s story, came out last year. Not The Plan, Karim’s story, comes out February 7th. And there are five Sarda brothers in total. So…
NOT THE PLAN by Gia De Cadenet
After nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she’ll soon be managing her boss’s successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference.
But Isadora’s cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets Karim Sarda. Karim is gorgeous and brilliant and seems to share many of her ideals. So why is he working for the California senate’s most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses’ fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can’t risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy, and she’s been betrayed enough times to want to keep people at a distance. So she deems Karim off-limits—no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room.
Karim knows that struggle all too well: Still processing the wounds from his failed marriage, he’s ready for a fresh start. But Karim can’t hide his attraction to Isadora’s commanding presence. Her strength is captivating, even as he recognizes something fragile beneath its surface.
When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more—something real. But if Karim’s boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?
Romance Contemporary [Dell, On Sale: February 7, 2023, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593356647 / eISBN: 9780593356654]
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About Gia De Cadenet
A native Floridian, Gia de Cadenet dreamed of living in France when she was a child. In 2006, she put her a promising career on hold for two years to get a master’s degree in Paris. But a few short weeks after arriving, she bumped into a red-headed Frenchman and her fate was sealed.
A decade later, she got serious about her second big dream: becoming a published author. Her first manuscript, Not The Plan, was showcased in the 2017 PitchWars mentorship program. It went on to become a finalist in both the Maggie Award for Excellence Contest of the Georgia Romance Writers Association, and the Elevation of Love Contest of the Cultural, Interracial, Multicultural chapter of the Romance Writers of America Association. A Twitter pitch contest in 2018 led to a contract with Transatlantic Literary Agency, and a two-book deal with Penguin Random House in 2020.
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