How Jasmine Guillory Plots Out Her Best-Selling Books
Previously in my author conversation series: Alejandro Varela, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Megha Majumdar, Ada Limón, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Crystal Hana Kim and R. O. Kwon, Lydia Kiesling, and Bryan Washington.
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This month, one week before her publication day—a time when many writers would be hard-pressed managing a million promotional tasks and trying not to crumble under the weight of pre-pub anxiety—the romance novelist Jasmine Guillory asked her Instagram followers: “Have a question for me? Need a pep talk?” One person turned to her for career advice, another for writing motivation, a third for insights into the publishing process. Others shared more personal stories and struggles, and I followed along as she responded to each one with her typical care and candor.
This is one of many reasons why I wanted to chat with Guillory for my newsletter. She is the New York Times best-selling author of eight books—including her debut, The Wedding Date; the Reese’s Book Club pick The Proposal; and her latest, the effervescent Drunk on Love, out tomorrow—and can frequently be seen recommending books on the Today Show. She is, in other words, one of the busiest and hardest-working authors I know—and I can think of no one who gives better advice or offers more generous encouragement to their fellow writers.
Guillory wrote her first couple
