An Interview with Katharine M. Sweet: Author of Love Is…

Katharine M Sweet hails from Michigan where she lives with her husband and two rescued pups. She’s had an active imagination since she was a child and loves to spin tales for family, friends, or anyone who will listen. Writing stories has always brought her comfort and given her a way to connect with others. Admittedly she’s a horror fan reading a lot of Steven King, Dean Koontz, and Richard Laymon to name a few. After falling into romance books for the first time in 2019, she’s been reading most anything she can get her hands on. She loves creating characters through dialogue and interwoven backstories. She hopes that readers connect to her tales and enjoy the escape they provide.

Tell us about your book.

Love Is… is a slow-burn, crazy twist on the accidental pregnancy trope. You wouldn’t think that something as serious as an oops baby, especially when an ex-wife is involved, could be a laughing matter, yet this book is funny at all the right moments.

The story starts with Mat, who has made a number of bad decisions in his life, including sleeping with his ex-wife, Natalie, who works at a fertility clinic. Why is that last part important? Because that’s where we meet Kassarah, a college student planning on being a surrogate to pay for her education. Somehow through a paperwork disaster, Kass ends up pregnant with Mat’s baby – a baby he never wanted to begin with. Think the opposite of instant-love without being enemies to lovers. These two don’t know what to do with each other but are determined to make the best of the situation.

Mat’s family might be untraditional and a little broken, but they welcome Kass with open arms. Mat’s brother, Vincent, and his Uncle Rex are thrilled at the idea of being uncles to the newest addition to the family. Now we have three ex-criminals and a pregnant lady situation that somehow is almost instantly wholesome. It’s a hilarious take on dealing with an impossible situation while still being a love story that deals with different types of love: family, friendship, and beyond. This is a sweet tale that will make you laugh and smile with just the right amount spice dashed in.

Why did you want to write a book?

I’ve been writing stories ever since I could hold a crayon and I’m sure they are hiding in my parent’s house somewhere. I always wanted to be a published author and “writer” was always my answer when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was always told that writing could be a hobby, but it would likely never support me, so I kept my writing a secret. I’ve written fanfiction for years and I thought that would be as far as it would ever go. One day I realized it wasn’t enough. I started working on Love Is… after chapter two was drafted, I knew it would be my first book. Holding my book in my hands for the first time was a dream come true and I am so thrilled to be able to share it with the world.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

I knew self-publishing was the only way to go with Love Is… if I wanted to keep it true to my vision. Romantic comedies aren’t over 100k in word count, and they aren’t as dramatic as my book was shaping up to be. I wanted to have the humor and the heart but keep my spicey scenes and my “creative” language. I’m a dialogue-heavy author and I knew that was another thing I might have to sacrifice if I decided to pursue traditional publishing. The most important reason was that I wanted my book to be mine and ultimately that made my choice for me.

Would you self-publish again?

Absolutely. I am working on the second book in this series and I’m looking forward to publishing it fall of 2022 with more knowledge of the process under my belt.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

Make sure you are marketing and building an audience before you drop your first book. Stir up buzz about it and I know that a lot of authors aren’t huge fans of mailing lists, but do it. Mailing lists can really drive an audience to your books.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Writer’s block is a tricky thing. I often will pace in my kitchen talking out scenes with an app on my phone recording my voice and I’ll listen to it later. This can be helpful if I’m stuck on how to proceed with a specific scene. If I’m stuck on writing in general and struggling, then I will pick a song and listen to it over and over while freewriting. The most important thing is to get words on the page, if I have words then I can likely use them in some manner.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

I joke that my friends and family were inadvertently plagiarized here and there throughout the book. There are certain lines and scenes that could have happened in real-time in my life. There is a scene near the end of the book where Kass is very focused on a certain thing and it’s a very close retelling of when my first nephew was born – my best friend laughs that I copied her life. Everyone in my life has been incredibly supportive and I couldn’t be more grateful.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

I learned to both trust myself and lean on others when needed. Writing is often a hobby or job that isolates and while I did need to spend time in my head to write, I learned to let others into my process. I couldn’t edit it all on my own. I had to get input to make the story better and by listening to those people I made the stories infinitely better. It pushed me to look beyond the simple plot and really refine what needed to be in the book vs just what sounded good to my muse.

What’s next for you as an author?

I’m working on the second book in the Goodroe Brothers series. I’m aiming for a Fall 2022 release. This book will focus on Vinnie Goodroe and am thrilled to continue the story of this family. I’m also hoping to publish some smaller novellas to draw in more readers.