Interview with Kelly Jamieson, author of Dancing in the Rain

What can you tell us about your new release, Dancing in the Rain?

Dancing in the Rain is a standalone contemporary romance, which I guess you could call a sports romance since my hero Drew is a hockey player. But unlike my other hockey romances, Drew isn’t playing hockey any more, having been forced to retire due to a recurrent knee injury. Drew is a guy who grew up knowing he was talented, with one goal—to play in the NHL. He’s never been the kind of guy to have a backup plan, and now that his career is over, he’s lost. Things get worse when he discovers he has a daughter he never knew about. But this “secret baby” trope is a little different too! And then Drew meets a woman who seems to have her life all planned out, a woman who’s on top of her game…except inside Peyton really isn’t. And they discover that deep down inside, they’re both afraid of the same thing—not being able to deal with the challenges life has thrown at them.

Which book from your childhood or teenage years has stuck with you as an adult?

I still love Anne of Green Gables. And all the subsequent Anne books. She’s such an endearing character, who I definitely felt was a “kindred spirit”,  and the relationship between her and Gilbert was really my first romance.

Who are your literary heres working today? Why do you admire them?

I admire so many authors but I really appreciate authors who can produce consistently but also keep things fresh and interesting.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

Oh that’s hard! I love creating a new world, and meeting the people who live there, getting to know them and helping them overcome the parts of them that keep them from being the best person they can be. And I love writing romance because, well, I’m a romantic. I love love!

What TV show have you binge watched?

My most recent binge shows are Scandal, Suits and House of Cards.

What’s the last song that was stuck in your head?

Easy one! Katy Perry’s Chained to the Rhythm. It’s so catchy but has some good messages too.

What scene in Dancing in the Rain was your favorite to write?

I loved writing the scene where Drew has to go to his daughter’s school because she has violated the school dress code. I love how he stood up for her and showed his feminist side!

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I try to keep in mind the message that runs through Dancing in the Rain. I’ve heard similar thoughts expressed in different mottos, but the basic idea is that life is hard and throws lots of challenges our way, but it’s how we deal with them that’s important. There’s a saying that’s something like “The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg.” It’s about what you’re made of. And like Drew and Chloe and Peyton, sometimes you have to just dance in the rain.

Kelly Jamieson is the author of the new book Dancing in the Rain. 

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