8 questions for: Emma Barry

Emma Barry
Emma Barry
Emma Barry is a teacher, novelist, recovering academic, and former political staffer. She lives with her high school sweetheart and a menagerie of pets and children in Virginia. Today she is answering our 8 questions to celebrate the release of her new book Funny Guy.

Let’s play a game of 'Kiss Marry Kill' with your own book heroes

I’d kiss Sam Leyland from Funny Guy. I may have written the entire book to deal with my feelings about Andrew Garfield’s Oscar campaign for Tick, Tick…Boom (seriously, check out the book’s Pinterest page).

I’d marry Liam Nussbaum from The One You Need. He’s smart and funny in a gentle way, and he’d be a great dad and a wonderful life partner.

And I’d probably kill (verbally) Parker Beckett from The One You Want. His brand of “too cool for school” cynicism would wear on me—but maybe Millie’s been able to reform him.
We wish you all the best, Millie!

Your heroines, which one is most likely to  a) bring world peace b) rescue a puppy c) wake up not quite knowing where she is d) couldn’t be bothered to fill out our questionnaire?

A) Bree Edwards from Funny Guy is all about trying to make people’s lives better through the magical power of city design. She’d make serious run at world peace.

B) Nic Jones in Chick Magnet would definitely be ready to rescue any lost chickens, and her vet husband, Will, could patch them right up. Puppies too, of course.

C) And Lydia Reales from The One You Hate would want to fill the questionnaire out, but it might get lost in her inbox. She’s pretty busy.

Which secondary character of yours really deserves their own book, but was done dirty by you?

Sam’s ex, Salem, is one of my favorite characters in Funny Guy. She’s basically a mash-up of Taylor Swift and Adele, and all I did was use her for a great scene where she tells Bree that Sam’s in love with her. Salem deserves better. Justice for Salem!

What would you like to see more in romance books?

I can’t get enough of good people doing their best in a difficult world, and becoming each other’s shelters along the way. What I want most of all from my romances isn’t escapism per se, it’s comfort.

If you could retire one romance book trope once and for all, which one would it be?

I don’t like amnesia, especially in historical romances, because I keep getting distracted with worry about the long-term effects of head trauma. Your brains may not be okay, folks!

3 romance authors you are secretly upset with because they are so darn good?

Kate Clayborn, Cat Sebastian, and Ruby Lang. This isn’t actually a secret. I’m pretty sure I’ve told them all that they need to leave some talent for the rest of us. But thankfully, they haven’t listened, and they’ve kept on writing unfairly amazing books. Darn them.

Which one of your books would you recommend to a new reader?

My core story is about characters falling in love while having a professional crisis or upheaval. I like to blend tongue in cheek wit with real-world conflicts and a little steam. Chick Magnet is a good introduction to my style.

Describe you latest book in a 3 word alliteration

Friends finally fall: Funny Guy

Funny Guy by Emma Barry

Emma, thank you very much for answering our questions and we, too, wish Millie all the best! Funny Guy is out now.

Funny Guy

Funny Guy by Emma Barry

Emma Barry

Emma Barry