1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.
When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it’s obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases…and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
The book takes place in Columbus, Ohio, where I live. I knew it would be a lot of fun to write about places I know and enjoy. Quite a few scenes in the book take place at The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, which is one of my favorite spots to visit. I’ve loved it since I was a kid, when my family’s yearly trip to the zoo was a really big deal for us. And a really fun scene between Lucy and Kai takes place at my favorite tiki bar!
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Yes! Lucy and I both love Diet Coke, animals, and reality TV, so we’d get along just fine. Plus, she might be able to give me a behind-the-scenes tour at the zoo, which would be awesome.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Devoted, passionate, curious
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Lucy and Kai are thrown together to work on a gorilla surrogacy project where they’re trying to introduce an orphaned baby gorilla into a new troop. I learned a lot about gorilla social behaviors and the incredibly strong bonds they form with each other. The introduction of a new gorilla, particularly an infant, into a pre-existing troop is a delicate, critical process, and I had a blast researching the intricacies of these conservational efforts.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I try to wait until I’m totally done because otherwise, I get bogged down in revisions before I’ve even finished a draft. But I will make edits if I realize that I have a plot or pacing problem that will only snowball into bigger issues if I don’t fix it right away.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Tacos are my go-to, anytime, anywhere.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
My husband and I recently turned our shared home office into a nursery for our little one, so now my writing space is a desk in our bedroom. We’re moving in a few months, so we’ll have more space, but for now, it works. I also love writing at the library; the people-watching makes for great inspiration.
10–Who is an author you admire?
I’m obsessed with Jasmine Guillory’s books. Plus, she came to Ohio once for an event, and I got to meet her in person. She was so kind and friendly, and it made me admire her even more.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
When I was a teenager, Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever rocked my world. It was one of the first books I read that had a major romantic plotline, and young me didn’t know it was possible to swoon that hard. How quickly I learned! That book introduced me to romance (the yearning!) and I was hooked.
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.
I was on my honeymoon in Clearwater Beach—on a dolphin boat tour outing, no less—when my agent, Jessica Watterson, texted me that an editor from Berkley wanted to set up a phone call to discuss my manuscript and a possible deal. It was one of the coolest days of my life. My husband and I didn’t actually see any dolphins, but we had plenty to be excited about. It’s a crazy, surreal feeling when a goal you’ve been pursuing for years comes true!
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Romance, particularly rom-coms
14–What’s your favorite movie?
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. I’m a Tolkien nerd, and Aragorn’s hot.
15–What is your favorite season?
Fall. Summer would win if it weren’t for the fact that my curly hair goes to war with the summertime humidity—and loses.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I love birthdays! I like to celebrate by spending time with my family and eating copious amounts of cake. I always make sure to eat strawberry Twizzler Bites on my birthday; they’re my favorite candy and pretty tough to find these days. I generally like to do something fun and simple like see a movie or take our dogs to the park, but this year my husband and I are going all out on a day date to ride roller coasters at Cedar Point.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I really enjoy the podcast Be There in Five by author and entrepreneur Kate Kennedy. It’s a long-form podcast where she delves into a lot of pop culture stuff, and I’m a pop culture fiend. Plus, it’s really funny and touching.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love, love, love Mexican food.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
My favorite thing to do is hang out with my husband and our son. We love going to the park, playing games, and trying new restaurants. When I have quiet time to myself, I love reading, watching insane reality TV (Seeking Sister Wife, anyone?!) and browsing Etsy.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
I’m working on a new romantic comedy that’s sweet, sexy, and funny. I can’t say too much, other than it’s emotional and touching and features a camping scene where there’s only one tent!
LUCY ON THE WILD SIDE by Kerry Rea
Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.
When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it’s obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases…and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.
Romance Contemporary | Women’s Fiction Contemporary [Berkley, On Sale: September 13, 2022, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593201862 / eISBN: 9780593201879]
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