Interview with Kilby Blades, Author of Young Buck (Green Valley Heroes Book 5)

21 May 2024

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Young Buck (Green Valley Heroes Book 5)?

I wanted to write a character who felt past her prime in some way. Creating a romance between an older woman and a younger man was a great way to set up that theme. Being pursued by a younger man exposed the heroine, Loretta’s, narrative about the hero, Buck’s, advances and tells a lot of how she feels about herself. I find that to be very relatable–the way that our self-image changes in middle age and how those changes impact our goals, and expectations, and how we navigate the later years of our lives.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I tend not to read rom-com while I am writing rom-com. It’s too easy to get distracted from my own stories. A lot of my pleasure reads are historical romance and romantic women’s fiction. I also read a lot of memoirs.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m looking forward to “The Rom-Commers” by Katharine Center.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I wrote a scene that takes place in the Green Valley Fire Department on the day when they’re taking photos for the annual firefighter calendar. Writing that scene was good fun. I wrote in some details about the huge army of women volunteers who show up to “help” but are mostly there to ogle the firefighters. There’s also a half-funny, half-sensual scene in which the hero asks the heroine to oil up his pecs.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I have a collection of motivational coffee mugs. One of my favorites says, “I believe in myself like Kanye believes in Kanye.”

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

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

In a lot of ways, this book is about sisterhood. On the surface, it’s a romance, but Loretta has made her whole life about supporting other women and the parts of this story that have to do with healing and community shouldn’t be missed. When people read my books, I want to do more than reinforce faith in love. I want to reinforce faith in humans.

Kilby Blades is the author of the new book Young Buck (Green Valley Heroes Book 5)

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