For my next Author Spotlight I’m joined by the amazing Riley Hart! We chatted about character driven stories, loving what she does, shared worlds, and needing more hobbies.

Over to your Riley…

First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hi. I’m Riley. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I won my first writing contest in elementary school with an essay, on Tomorrow’s Leader’s on the Move. I live in North Carolina with my husband and two kids. I love reading and writing and… I need more hobbies LOL. 

Tell us a little bit about your writing style.
I love character driven stories. I’m a fan of flawed characters, realistic romance where people make mistakes and everything isn’t always perfect…but I’m also a firm believer in happily ever after in romance, but those don’t all look the same! I’m a romantic at heart and pride myself on characters people can relate to. 

Describe your books in only three words.
Sweet, heat and heart!

What’s your next book about and when is it coming out?
On August 25th, Playing Games will release. It’s the first book in the Franklin U series, a shared world, multi-author series with Saxon James, Louisa Masters, Neve Wilder, AM Johnson, NR Walker, Christina Lee and Eden Finley. It takes place in the fictional, Southern California town of San Luco. The stories are low angst, new adult shenanigans.

Out of all your books, which one are you most proud of?
That’s a hard question. I don’t think I can pick just one or say I’m most proud of it. But I’m very proud of Boyfriend Goals and staying true to Milo’s journey. Milo is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written. 

What or who (or both) has influenced you most as a writer?
I just love what I do. I want people to see themselves in my characters and their lives. That’s the best compliment. I know what it feels like to need to be able to see yourself so I hope I give people that. 

What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve just always loved it. There’s not one thing but it’s been my solace my whole life. 

What’s your writing process like? Do you have a typical “writing day”?
 I do. I write at least five days a week. I get up every morning like I would if I had a day job outside of the home. I get my coffee and go to my office and write for at least 3-4 hours, sometimes longer. 

What comes first for you – the plot or the characters?
It varies. But more often than not, I would probably say the characters.

What’s a book that you wish you’d written?
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan 

If you could only write one trope for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Friends to lovers. There’s something special about a close relationship that grows and changes into something more. 

What would be your three desert island books?
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, Lover Awakened by JR Ward, The Music of What Happens by Bill Konisberg 

If one of your books could be made into a movie/TV series, which would you choose and who would you cast?
Boyfriend Goals. I have NO idea who I would cast. I’m the worst at that question LOL.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Do you have a secret passion or hobby that we don’t know about?
I mentioned earlier that I need more hobbies. I do like to travel… I like going to small random towns and browsing their Main Streets and all the shops.

Finally, what’s your favourite dinosaur?
T-Rex, of course. 🙂

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. Although she primarily focuses on male/male romance, under her various pen names, she’s written a little bit of everything. Regardless of the sub-genre, there’s always one common theme and that’s…romance! No surprise seeing as she’s a hopeless romantic herself. Riley’s a lover of character-driven plots, flawed characters, and always tries to write stories and characters people can relate to. She believes everyone deserves to see themselves in the books they read. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, traveling or dreaming about traveling. She has two perfectly sarcastic kids and a husband who still makes her swoon.

For more information on Riley and her work you can find her on her website, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on Instagram. You can also join her Facebook Group, Riley’s Rebels, for more news and updates.