Hayley Elliott Interview

I am so thrilled to have the honor of sharing an interview with Hayley Elliott, the author of You and Me, For Real. If you have not checked out her debut contemporary romance, I have linked it here for you to do so. (It's been one of my favorite romcom reads of the year so far!)

Without any more rambling, let's get straight into the interview below:

What is your favorite place to write?

At home in my office (or the couch). With a completely empty, silent house. I get easily distracted. I'll occasionally listen to instrumental music or white noise while I write.

What was your favorite scene to write with Ashton and Griffin?

Oh gosh. Honestly? When Ashton has a panic attack and learns to lean and trust someone else by showing her vulnerability in that moment. It's a big step for her. And it was an incredibly easy scene to write because my husband has had to calm me down more than once in a similar manner.

I saw you like to paint and do photography on your website. What do you like to paint or photograph?

I have a photography business, so I primarily photograph a lot of clients—mostly families, babies, seniors—that sort of thing. I used to take my big camera traveling, but then I realized I create more editing work for myself later, so now I'm more selective and rely on my phone a lot. I rarely truly paint anymore (I was an art major)—now it takes a lot of creative brainwork and time that I don't have much of with little kids. So you'll find me busting out paints more so for crafty projects for myself or the kids.

Do you listen to music while you write, or have any other writing rituals?

Ha! See 1. I like to have a drink and snacks with me. I also sometimes set a timer when writing a rough draft to encourage my speed and remind myself to take breaks and stretch. I also try to set writing goals for myself, whether they be daily or weekly. I find it really helps keep me on track.

What made you want to break into writing contemporary romance?

I started a mom blog for a while and remembered how much I loved writing in school. It was actually my husband who encouraged me to write a book. I did everything backward. I winged a story idea and then actually learned about story structure and craft...I do not recommend doing it this way. Ha!

Your book had many sweet super romantic scenes without the spice. How do you balance that? And why is that important to you to keep your romance book clean?

Well, thank you. I'm a big fan of swoony, sweet rom-com movies, and I want my books to reflect those. Movies with graphic scenes make me uncomfortable and most times, it doesn't add to the romance factor for me. It's not something I've ever had the desire to include in my stories. I don't give specifics to anyone about my own sex life—why would I do that with characters? I want people to be able to easily read and share my books without being uncomfortable or embarrassed about spicy scenes.

What’s been your biggest inspiration to write?

My husband. Hands down. He's always the one pushing me. Writing—especially in the early stages of my own private bubble (before I share it with anyone)—brings me so much joy. I get excited about it. I figured, God must have instilled that in me for a reason...however, as a perfectionist, I struggle with my writing being good enough—my husband is the one encouraging me just to get my stories out there.

You and Me, For Real had a major focus on animal rescue, is this something close to your heart?

I hope it's not wrong that I say...not necessarily? Ha. I'm a big dog lover and have many friends who are too. With Covid, everyone got dogs...then returned to work and tried to rehome their dogs or surrender them to pounds, making them exceedingly overrun, forcing them to euthanize at a greater rate. It made me really sad. I didn't understand it—dogs being treated as an item instead of family. I would never just return mine like a shirt I didn't like. This concept sort of spurred the idea even further after our most recent dog addition to our family who brought me so much joy. It was more so about building a character who became passionate about animals after finding the unconditional love from an animal when she was starved of it most of her life.

What are some of your favorite romance movies?

Oh gosh—off the top of my head—The Proposal, Ever After (duh), You've Got Mail, Hitch, The Prince and Me, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, While You Were Sleeping...the list could go on and on.

If you could cast actors to play your characters in a movie, who would you pick?

Yikes. Well, I actually picked my characters based on modeling pictures I found on Pinterest, but I can't recall their names. I'd say Griffin is a mix of Zac Efron but taller and more all-American, golden retriever energy like Chris Evans. Ashton is very sweet like Reese Witherspoon, minus the accent and a bit down-to-earth, funny, and slightly clumsy like Kristen Bell. (I 100% just came up with those on the fly, but they feel right. Ha!)

What has been the best part of your writing journey so far?

LETTING GO. Again, a perfectionist. I tweak and tweak and tweak things to death, when in reality, I need to be satisfied sooner in my writing process and let things go easier. I also need to let go of people's perceptions of the book. I have to learn to separate their feelings about the book from me as a person...I'm working on it.

Read more about Hayley and her writing over on her website.

HAYLEY'S WEBSITE

Here is more info about Hayley's debut novel!

She swore she'd never be in front of the camera again, but now she's falling for a Hollywood heartthrob with a tabloid-worthy secret.

Former child reality star Ashton Reid is done with fame and dreams of a quiet life and finally opening her own animal rescue. But establishing a non-profit requires funding and, therefore, publicity. For Ashton, this means facing her crippling anxiety anytime a camera is pointed in her direction. Despite her best efforts to avoid all things Hollywood, when celebrity Griffin Ford rushes into her shelter carrying an injured dog-with his impossibly muscled arms and notorious abs-she's helpless against those almond eyes. The dog's eyes, that is.

Actor Griffin Ford is desperate for his first meaningful role. Tired of being seen as nothing more than washboard abs on an angsty teen drama, he's agreed to a fake relationship with his co-star to guarantee the lead in her father's next movie. But when the contract requires more than he's bargained for, he begins to question the future he always imagined. To take back some ownership of his life, Griffin adopts a new dog-despite being clueless about pet ownership.

Drawn to Ashton's authenticity, Griffin recruits her to train his new rescue. In return, Griffin helps her navigate publicity and social media for her foundation. Outside the glow of Hollywood, it doesn't take long for Ashton to see that Griffin is more than the hunk he portrays on TV. As their professional and personal lives intertwine and their attraction grows stronger, their chemistry becomes undeniable. But when the heat of the spotlight threatens to expose Ashton's past and Griffin's secret, the two must decide: fight for what's real between them, or risk becoming another casualty of fame.

You can purchase it here!