Episode 10: Courtney Kae
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© Albany Katz
Courtney Kae writes the sweet and steamy happily ever afters that give her bi little heart great joy. She lives in Southern California with her husband, child, and growing hoard of plants. Some of her favorite things include: movie nights, mountain air, and pretending she doesn’t have a coffee “problem”.
In this episode:
Ben and Adam, from In the Event of Love and In the Case of Heartbreak
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Seoulmates by Susan Lee
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal
The Twilight movies
Taylor Lautner, actor
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Falon Ballard, author
Lillie Vale, author
Winter and Star, Courtney’s cats
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron
Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
Morgan and Rachel, characters from In the Event of Love
Rachel Lynn Solomon, author and Courtney’s Pitch Wars mentor
Claire Friedman, Courtney’s literary agent (at Inkwell Management)
Writing Irresistible Kid Lit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers by Mary Kole
Susan Dennard’s “How to Write a 1-Page Synopsis”
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls
Whitney and Tanner, characters from In the Event of Love
Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake
The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
Season of Love by Helena Greer
How To Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow
You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky
A Valentine for Christmas by Reese Ryan
Courtney’s Books
in the event of love
Cover art by Monika Roe
Cover design by Kristine Mills
Offering a steamy, queer spin on the feel-good tropes of a Hallmark movie, this sweet, funny #OwnVoices rom-com is perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexandria Bellefleur!
A BUZZFEED MOST ANTICIPATED LGBTQ ROMANCE
Morgan Ross can plan world-class events, but she didn’t plan on returning to the hometown that broke her heart seven years ago—and re-discovering the girl of her dreams . . .With her career as a Los Angeles event planner imploding after a tabloid blowup, Morgan Ross isn’t headed home for the holidays so much as in strategic retreat.
Breathtaking mountain vistas, quirky townsfolk, and charming small businesses aside, her hometown of Fern Falls is built of one heartbreak on top of another . . .Take her one-time best friend turned crush, Rachel Reed. The memory of their perfect, doomed first kiss is still fresh as new-fallen snow. Way fresher than the freezing mud Morgan ends up sprawled in on her very first day back, only to be hauled out via Rachel’s sexy new lumberjane muscles acquired from running her family tree farm.
When Morgan discovers that the Reeds’ struggling tree farm is the only thing standing between Fern Falls and corporate greed destroying the whole town’s livelihood, she decides she can put heartbreak aside to save the farm by planning her best fundraiser yet. She has all the inspiration for a spectacular event: delicious vanilla lattes, acoustic guitars under majestic pines, a cozy barn surrounded by brilliant stars.
But she and Rachel will ABSOLUTELY NOT have a heartwarming holiday happy ending. That would be as unprofessional as it is unlikely. Right?
-Kensington-
in the case of heartbreak
With a gorgeous beachfront mansion, salty ocean breeze, steamy nights, and ALL the summertime feels, this funny, sexy queer rom-com is a celebration of summer love, as a cinnamon roll of a pastry chef finds his indie rocker crush suddenly within reach. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Roan Parrish, Alexandria Bellefleur, Ruby Barrett, and Alexis Hall!
When his hometown crush suddenly returns his affections at a seaside celebration, pastry chef Ben Parrish must find a way to pursue his dream of moving his bakery to San Francisco – without losing the love he’s always wanted…
Ben has been baking his grandma’s cinnamon rolls at the family café for years. He’s been quietly in love with Adam Reed, his musician-slash-mechanic neighbor, for just as long. But Ben’s done waiting behind the pastry case. He’s entered a make-or-break competition to show off his own recipes. He’s going to buy his overprotective family out of the business. And he’s going to ask Adam out. TONIGHT.
Except his big plans get punched down before they even half-rise. Soon Ben is dashing down the coast to his grandma’s 80th birthday party on the beach, hiding his broken heart in Maywell Bay, California. Sun, sea, and fresh breezes should blow in something new—except they don’t. They blow in Adam Reed, grinning like a pirate and stealing the show as the musical entertainment hired by Grandma for her big bash. Grandma’s signature Heartbreak Tea is the only remedy, and Grandma’s tea could take the paint off a fence.
But there’s a burn of truth along with the booze in his bottle, and Ben has a decision to make. Can he take the sweetness in front of him, and brave the bitterness that comes after? Or is a little sea salt just what this cinnamon roll needs?
Salty cinnamon rolls? Ew. Ben would never.