Sara Desai: On Writing a Romance Comedy Heist Mashup
Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer, and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids, and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist.
When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Linda Mackie Photography
In this post, Sara shares how important research was to writing her latest novel, a romance comedy heist mashup.
Name: Sara Desai
Literary agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
Book title: To Have and To Heist
Publisher: Berkely Romance
Release date: July 18, 2023
Genre/category: Romantic Comedy/Mystery
Previous titles: The Marriage Game, The Dating Plan, The Singles Table
Elevator pitch for the book: A group of struggling misfits disguised as wedding planners attempt to steal a $25 million diamond necklace from a dangerous criminal with the help of a charming but mysterious rogue.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I have always loved heist movies and I wanted to put my love of romance and my love of caper comedy together in one delicious diverse story.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It was approximately two years from idea to finished copies. I knew I wanted to write a romance comedy heist mashup but finding the right mix of characters, the perfect setting, and a challenging heist took a lot of trial and error.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I think the biggest challenge was settling on a cover. At first, I thought it would be a great idea to include the entire crew, but the experts convinced me we had too many crew members and not enough space. After that it was a balancing act between the romance, comedy, and mystery elements and when I saw the current version, I knew that was the one!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised that the FBI or the Canadian equivalent (CSIS) didn’t show up on my doorstep given the questionable searches I had to make to research the book: How do you bypass a home alarm system? What is the best way to break into a museum? How do you hack a security camera? Can you carry a concealed weapon in Illinois? Where is the best place to buy stolen goods in Chicago? And of course, the extensive research into criminal organizations!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they will find fun, adventure and a rollicking good time all wrapped up in a heartwarming romance. I also hope they learn all about how to pull off the perfect heist in case they ever need to steal a diamond necklace from a mafia boss to save their bestie from prison.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Do your research! I often get pulled out of stories when things happen that I know from my experience are wrong. If you’re going to write about looping camera feeds, then learn how to do it as if you were planning to do it yourself. If you need to know how difficult it is to throw a rope up three stories in the rain, give it a try. If you want to write about a mysterious rogue with a love for plants, then you’d better learn the plant names because there are people out there who are going to know plants better than you!
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.