Kissing Toads follows a woman now in her 50s who shares her journey of looking for her Prince Charming and the journey of self-discovery she wound up on in her quest for true love amid societal expectations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The book concept was initially inspired by one of my middle-aged girlfriends who, fresh off a divorce, dove headfirst into the online dating scene. As she regaled me with stories of her disastrous dates, I found myself laughing out loud and wanting to tell a similar story.

However, I actually wrote chapter 4, “Nash,” first. I wrote it during the height of the Me Too movement in 2017 or 2018. I never intended to publish it or even share it; I was just reacting to the many stories I was hearing from women all over the country and decided to write a fictional story that represented the ways in which women were treated at that time (late 80s/early 90s) by law enforcement and the society in general. Then, when COVID hit and we were quarantined at home, I found that creative writing became a good way for me to channel my anxiety. I took the Nash story and I built around it.

In a lot of contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?

Haha. Well, sure. There are definitely trace elements of the real me in this story. However, the main events and characters are fictional. Although, I will admit that here was one part that was 100% accurate. The dogs. My family did have four Golden Retrievers when I was a kid: Toby, Liberty’s Lady Annabelle, Starbelle, and Cooper. There was indeed an oil-on-canvas portrait of Toby (the mutt) hanging in my childhood home, and Annabelle and her pups were allegedly the spawn of President Ford’s dog (albeit, I can offer no proof of it—just my mom’s testimony). On my website, there is a picture of Toby’s portrait as well as a picture of Toby and me in my childhood backyard for anyone who would like to see them. https://www.kissingtoadsnovel.com/

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

I really wanted to explore the complexities of dating and finding one’s sexual identity in the late 20th century from a feminist perspective. I wanted my generation, Generation X, to be highlighted and celebrated in a way that I don’t see too often. I also wanted it to be an honest reflection of what it was like to come of age during this time period. So many of these rom-com or coming-of-age novels that I read don’t feel raw or real. I wanted mine to have that sort of authenticity. That’s why I decided to craft it as a fictional memoir.

What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it?

I am about 75% done with my next book called The Station. It is very different than Kissing Toads, however. The Station could be categorized as magical realism or even paranormal literature. It is essentially a story that explores the questions about what happens to us when we die. Like Kissing Toads, it does include moments of humor as well as moments of heartbreak. And yes, there may be a love story embedded in there as well.

Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon

A feminist tale at heart, Kissing Toads is a fictitious memoir that tells the story of a now 50-something-year-old woman named Annie who takes the reader on her decades-long quest to find her “Prince Charming.” Believing that if she kisses enough toads, she will eventually find her prince, Annie has one goal as a budding young woman: fetch herself a man. Set in the late 1970s through the mid-1990s, the reader follows Annie throughout young adulthood as she searches for her soulmate amid the backdrop of misogyny, a loving but overbearing mother, and gender and societal expectations. Sometimes cheeky, sometimes heartbreaking, Kissing Toadsexplores Annie’s messy yet authentic misadventures in dating. But just when you think you’ve reached the happily-ever-after, brace yourself for an exhilarating plot twist. Kissing Toads is not just another coming-of-age tale; it’s a celebration of self-discovery, liberation, and the courage to write your own fairy tale.