Chat with Debuting Writer Neely Tubaty Alexander love buzzthrows the carefully constructed life of strict Selina Khan into chaos, following a wild night of romantic encounters at a Mardi Gras bachelorette party.
Keep reading to learn more about writing, book recommendations, and even peek at excerpts. love buzz!
Hi Neely! Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
Hi! I was born and raised in Washington state but now live in Arizona with her husband and her two elementary school children. If we’re not running around for kid’s activities, you can usually find me drinking wine and watching reality TV.
When did you first discover your love for writing and storytelling?
I have always loved stories and have always found writing to be my favorite outlet. English has always been my favorite subject at school. I have not always been an avid reader, but I have consistently consumed stories, whether in books or movies.
Quick Lightning Round! What was the first book you read, the book that made you want to be a writer, and the book that stuck in your mind?
Favorite Adventures, Memoirs of a Geisha, Missing Local Woman
your debut novel, love buzz, is out! If you could describe it in 5 words, what would they be?
fun. love. Sincerely. Saucy. Authentic.
What can readers expect?
LOVE BUZZ may look like a romance, but at its core, it’s a story of self-discovery and living for yourself, not for others. I think it’s perfect for female fiction fans who like heaps of romance.
where did the inspiration come from love buzz come from?
I am a big fan of John Cusack and Kate Beckindale’s movie Serendipity. This is also a quest for love at first sight. I’ve always been fascinated by whether or not love at first sight is something, and I wanted to explore it in new and fresh ways.
Were there any favorite moments or characters that you really enjoyed writing and exploring?
I loved writing Odette, the older woman Serena meets on the plane. She was strangely cathartic to write nonsense. Say it like a woman to say what we all think. Writing her was released!
Can you tell us a little bit about the path to acquisition? love buzz Release?
I started querying Love Buzz in September 2021. It received many mixed reviews. Mostly Agents said they liked it, but I wasn’t quite sure where it fit in because of the mixture of romance and female fiction. Eventually, my agent gave me a chance and I signed her in early 2022 and started submitting her to publishers shortly thereafter. After the submission, things moved very quickly and in March 2022 Harper signed with Perennial!
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what’s next for you
I am currently editing my second book, which will be published by Harper Perennial in March 2024. This book is about a doomsday prepper/video game designer who goes on a fake romantic getaway with a neighbor to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. Love Buzz is a completely different novel. I can’t wait to reach out to readers!
Finally, are there any releases in 2023 that readers should watch out for?
i love this question! Throughout our publishing journey, we’ve learned of some 2023 debuts, many of which have great books due out this year or have already been released. Some of my favorites are Becky Chalsen’s Kismet, Allison Bitz’s The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom, and Krystal Marquis’ The Davenports.
excerpt
As you drive out of the hotel, you can look out the window and catch a glimpse of Bourbon Street, which crosses every intersection from the parallel street one block away. Anxiety is growing inside me by the minute. Somewhere in this town, the man I met last night remains. is he still sleeping? I picture him curled up under a set of crisp white sheets, six-pack flexed with every adjustment, his chestnut mane disheveled. Are you awake in
Outside, there’s a dark, drooping fog that suits my mood.
This early morning before dawn, the Quarter looks like a cemetery, a deserted hangout littered with the vestiges of last night’s festivities. abandoned beads. Mardi Gras mask. discarded clothing. Shoes you wear occasionally. I can only imagine the story behind each item left behind, and wonder if it’s as sacred as my own story from last night.