Q & A
Kimberly Bell
Author of
The Importance of Being Scandalous
Originally published on USA Today’s Happily Ever After Blog
Please tell us a bit about your new release.
The Importance of Being Scandalous is a friends-to-lovers, boy-next-door story. Amelia and Nick have been friends since childhood, even though Nick’s family disapproves. Nick has been in love with Amelia from day one, but Amelia has no idea.
Amelia gets engaged to someone else and realizes a little too late that her fiancé isn’t the right man for her (and possibly not a good man in general) so she asks for Nick’s help to try and cause a big enough scandal to get dumped. Nick is more than happy to sabotage her engagement, especially if it means he’ll get a chance to finally tell her how he feels.
What’s coming next, or what are you working on now?
I just finished editing the sequel, A Scandal By Any Other Name, featuring Amelia’s sister Julia and Nick’s friend Jasper. They stole the show a little in the first book, so they had to get a book of their own. That should be coming out early next year, and now I’m rolling around ideas for the next series.
What inspires your book ideas?
Most of my ideas start with the question “What if falling in love was the worst possible thing that could happen to you?” It might just be my personal experience, but when you’re trucking along, trying to achieve your goals and be a healthy, self-sufficient individual, and then Love shows up…it’s a massive inconvenience. That’s probably why all my books end up funny—trying to stick to your plan when life has other ideas usually ends up comical.
Do you write by the seat of your pants, or do you carefully plot your stories?
I wish I plotted my stories. Unfortunately, I’m kind of at the mercy of the characters. They move into my head and I’m kind of just their chauffeur.
Would you like to share a favorite moment from your writing career?
Oh, man. At a conference in 2015, I got to meet Jo Beverly. I’ve met more than a few movie stars and other famous-type people and, historically, I’ve always kept my cool, but with Jo Beverly I went full spaz.
She refused to let me walk away in embarrassment. It took about twenty minutes, but she kept asking me questions and telling me borderline dirty jokes until I turned back into a human being who could have a functional conversation. I bumped into her a few more times during that conference, and she would always wink or made a joke. It made me feel incredibly special.
Jo passed later that year, and I wouldn’t trade meeting her for anything.
Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?
I recently made way through The White Queen and The White Princess in an embarrassingly short amount of time, and now I’m heartbroken that the other books aren’t series’ yet. I’m also super upset none of my books have magic or river goddesses in them.
Do you have a pet that hangs out with you while you're working? (Feel free to include a picture!)
What Willis does isn’t so much “hang out with me” as glare at me while pondering his next spot to passive-aggressively vomit, because he doesn’t think I take his warning’s that we’re under constant attack seriously enough. He is, however, a first rate cuddler, and when he gets super excited his eyes cross which is hilarious.
Do you listen to music while you write? What are some tunes on your playlist?
I try to add new songs to my writing playlist with each new book. Some of my favorite new additions from this last book were Painting Greys by Emmit Fenn and I Found by Amber Run. No matter what, all of my playlists have Retrograde by James Blake on them. It reminds me that the book isn’t going to write itself, and that I can do this.
I don’t suppose you’d want to share a picture of you with your ’80s or ’90s hair or perhaps a prom picture?
I didn’t go to prom, but I do have a picture of me as a little kid from the 80’s in the coolest coat I have ever owned, looking thoroughly unimpressed with everything and everyone. This picture is also unique because, in every other picture from my childhood, I refused to wear any clothes, regardless of how formal the picture-taking occasion. (My mom deserves a sainthood.)
Do you have anything to add?
I was a historical romance reader long before I ever wrote in the genre. With every book I write, I try to capture the way those 90’s era Amanda Quick novels make me feel. If I can manage that, then I’ll consider myself a success.