#58 Joss Richard: Why Romance Needs A Third Act Breakup
Off The Shelf with Morgann Book
In this episode of Off The Shelf, host Morgann Book welcomes back author Joss Richard to discuss her latest romance novel, Let's Kiss and Tell. The conversation dives into the challenges of writing
Key takeaways
- Writing a second book after a successful debut comes with immense pressure and self-comparison, making it harder than the first.
- Maintaining a life outside of writing is crucial for mental health and creative sustainability.
Main topics
- The challenges of writing a second novel after a successful debut
- Balancing fame with personal identity and mental health
Notable quotes
"I realized that when I would wake up and I would check my social media or all I was thinking of was how do I promote the book, that it was a little, it wasn't healthy."
"When you talk to people who actually don't care that you've written a book, you're like, oh, okay. Who's not caring?"
Conclusion
Joss Richard reflects on the emotional and practical challenges of being a published author
Transcript preview
Speaker 2 (0:05) Hi everyone, welcome back to Off the Shelf. Today's guest is the author behind one of my all-time favorite second chance romance books, so much that I went on a debate show here in Canada called Canada Reads and tried to convince a bunch of people that this was the book that all of Canadians should read. And this year she's back with a brand new release, Let's Kiss and Tell, Joss Richard. Welcome back to Off the Shelf. Thank you so Speaker 1 (0:28) much. I feel like it's been... Probably a month since I've been here. But Speaker 2 (0:33) it's Speaker 1 (0:33) almost Speaker 2 (0:33) been a year, which is crazy. Which Speaker 1 (0:35) is Speaker 2 (0:35) crazy. I know. Now, Speaker 1 (0:36) you're here. Speaker 2 (0:37) You're back again. To clear the air, I've got to ask you something. Why did you like Jeremiah in episode one of The Summer I Turned Pretty? And what happened when you took that claim to threads? Speaker 1 (0:49) Oh, my God. Okay, we're coming in with the hard-hitting question. I figured we'd just get it off the table. Did you see that? No, but I Speaker 2 (0:57) saw you talking about it. I didn't see the claim. Speaker 1 (1:00) Girl, okay. I would just like to say, I have never watched The Summer I Turned Pretty. I didn't know a thing about it. I obviously knew what the show was. I didn't read the books. I didn't know what happens. I thought, okay, I'm going to start watching it. I watched one episode and all I say is, okay, it was kind of a, it was a pretty big remark, but I was saying, I don't know what happens in this show, but I want Jeremiah and Belly to live happily ever after. And they came after me. I had no idea. I had to message my friends. I was like, wait, what happens? What did I say? What did I say? What does he do? Like, does he kill anyone? Like, I was so scared. They were really upset. Yeah. They were really upset. I thought I was going to be canceled. I kind of was for a day. I Speaker 2 (1:50) mean, I didn't see it. I saw you talking about it on Substack. Speaker 1 (1:53) Yeah. But I Speaker 2 (1:54) didn't come across it on Threads. You're good. Did you watch Speaker 1 (1:57) the Samurai Trim? Speaker 2 (1:58) I did. Okay. And I watched Speaker 1 (2:00) one episode. One episode, by Speaker 2 (2:02) the Speaker 1 (2:02) way. Speaker 2 (2:02) Yeah. Speaker 1 (2:03) And Speaker 2 (2:03) listen, like Jeremiah is the like no one, not no one. I would say everyone leans towards Conrad. Speaker 1 (2:12) Yes. My thing. Yes. Not me doubling down on it. But my thing is when I have a romance, I like to go through the journey with the main character. and be with them when they fall in love with the male main character. You know what I mean? Got it. With The Summer I Turned Pretty, I feel like we were handed on a silver platter, Conrad, and she was already in love with him. And I was thinking, well, I don't know their backstory. You're telling me that she loves him, but I haven't gone on that journey with her. So I thought Jeremiah was the underdog, and we were going to go on this friends-to-lovers journey. Speaker 2 (2:52) Boy, was I wrong. So we haven't, you have not continued. I stopped at season Speaker 1 (2:57) three. Oh, Speaker 2 (2:58) okay. Episode one. Speaker 1 (2:59) Okay. Speaker 2 (3:00) Which Speaker 1 (3:00) is when things happen. Speaker 2 (3:01) I might recommend, Speaker 1 (3:02) yeah, let's Speaker 2 (3:03) go maybe one, Speaker 1 (3:03) one and two Speaker 2 (3:04) maybe will get you to delete that thread. Speaker 1 (3:07) Yeah. Speaker 2 (3:08) Anyway, so I found that on your sub stack, which has a brilliant name, by the way, Joss Because, which I know comes from your blog. But in your sub stack, you talk about how you've realized and learned. how important it is to have a life outside of being an author. Speaker 1 (3:24) What Speaker 2 (3:25) made you come to that realization and what are some things you do in your life to achieve that? Speaker 1 (3:29) Oh, that's a good question. I mean, it hit me. like peak it's different this time promotion that being an author was my entire life and all I could talk about was the book and which makes sense because I mean it was a new chapter in my life literal new chapter in my life but every time I would see friends and family it was always about the book anytime someone was like what's going on or what are you up to it's like oh I'm writing I'm promoting I have an event and I just felt like I didn't have a personality outside of being an author which is I'm so grateful and it's so lovely, but I realized that when I would wake up and I would check my social media or all I was thinking of was how do I promote the book, that it was a little, it wasn't healthy. Do you know what I mean? So I think that understanding that I have interests and a personality outside of writing was very crucial and it helped take a lot of pressure off of the success of the books, you Speaker 2 (4:30) know? Yeah. Yeah. So did you, I know you're into boxing. I know you have a dog. Was it more about like, I guess, remembering what you already loved to do and what you had? Speaker 1 (4:42) Yeah. Yeah. It was like going back to those things, which I think is so important. And it also grounds you because when I talk to friends not in publishing, and I've made a lot of author friends and I've connected with a lot of readers. But when you talk to people who actually don't care that you've written a book, you're Speaker 2 (4:59) like. Oh, okay. Who's not caring? Well, Speaker 1 (5:03) I'm sorry. They care, but they like have their own lives too, right? So we're talking about like my friends who have kids, you know, and it's like, oh, like there's like more to life outside of just writing, which I have found a very healthy balance. Yeah. Yeah, but yes, I love boxing. Speaker 2 (5:22) Now, I think this sort of conversation is super timely, especially coming off of your... tour is there anything you do when you're traveling or on tour like when you visit a new city do you have a tradition or something you're doing or you just like tour sleep Speaker 1 (5:38) honestly I had a pretty demanding tour which is I've never traveled that much in my life like being in a different city every day yeah was crazy whirlwind loved it had so much fun but I was not sleeping I couldn't even read on the plane. I was like trying to sleep on the plane. I think once I watched Princess Diaries on TV because it was already playing. And that was the one time I actually like sat down and watched anything. So it was really hard. A good Speaker 2 (6:09) movie though. Speaker 1 (6:10) A Speaker 2 (6:10) good movie in a Speaker 1 (6:11) time Speaker 2 (6:12) of Speaker 1 (6:12) overwhelm. Solid movie. Now Speaker 2 (6:14) I have a photo from your tour. Oh my God, I'm scared. What are you feeling in this moment holding your book surrounded by... so many people who love you and your book and showed up for you in this moment? Speaker 1 (6:28) Honestly, this is very surreal looking at this photo and seeing how many people showed up. Not just people, but this was in Indiana. I don't know anyone in Indiana. So I was actually worried going on tour when I was making certain stops. I was like, I don't know if anyone's going to show up. I don't know if I can sell tickets. So to, and they don't tell me how many tickets I've sold before I go to an event. I just know if it's like low or, you know, high or if it's sold out, but I don't know the actual number. So when I walked into this and I saw all those people, people that don't know me personally and just genuinely have read either It's Different This Time or are interested in reading Let's Kiss and Tell, it is insanely surreal and I'm so, so grateful. It's a Speaker 2 (7:14) great photo. It's a great venue and everything. Like I'm just so. It's a. It's a wedding Speaker 1 (7:20) venue, actually. I think it's a winery. Speaker 2 (7:23) Sick. Right? Oh my god, that's awesome. Right? I love it. And I love all the pink. The pink just like blends in so beautifully. Yeah. Now, we're here to talk about Let's Kiss and Tell, but I'd be a bit remiss if I didn't talk about your debut. Yeah. Going back, I haven't talked to you since it released. What did it feel like, or I have talked to you, but not on the podcast. Speaker 1 (7:43) Yes, yeah. Speaker 2 (7:44) What did it feel like watching the reader reaction to your debut novel? Speaker 1 (7:49) Okay. Honestly, Speaker 1 (7:52) When I look back on it, it's different this time. I had no idea what was happening to me. I was not processing it. I was not present. I was not in the moment. And I look back now, and I think I can say that it did well. Speaker 2 (8:08) I think we can say that. I think Speaker 1 (8:10) objectively, like, it did well for a debut. And I was, like, I just had no idea. I had no idea that, like, that was because I didn't know anything else. Yeah. So. While it was so lovely, it also makes having a second book so much harder because when you start high, you set that expectation for yourself, which is not a bad thing, but it's also scary because then I feel like you're sort of competing with yourself. And I was worried that if Let's Kiss and Tell didn't have the same reception as It's Different