You’ve had a fascinating creative career—from NPR to video games to now writing a rom-com. How did Swiped come to life?

I’ve always been a storyteller. My first job was writing for an NPR station in San Francisco, and I spent years working in journalism, publishing, and eventually video games. I’ve also written screenplays, and Swiped actually started out as one. It was my grad school thesis—a full screenplay that sat in a drawer for 10 years. Eventually, I thought, why not turn it into a novel? So I went scene by scene, translating it into prose. I already had the structure and dialogue, which made the process smoother.

That’s such a unique path—going from screenplay to novel. Was that transition tough?

It was more rewarding than tough. A screenplay forces you to keep things moving—no long internal monologues or five pages of backstory. Characters have to act. That helped me shape the pacing of the book. And once I had the plot down, I went back and added the emotional depth and interiority on later drafts.

The book tackles dating app culture with a really fresh voice. Was it inspired by personal experience?

Very much so. Like a lot of people, I spent years in the dating app world, and honestly, it was exhausting. I wasn’t alone—everyone I knew felt similarly drained by it. That frustration was the spark. But I also love romantic comedies. So I challenged myself: can I write a classic-feeling rom-com that reflects the messy, tech-driven reality of modern dating?

The humor in the book really shines. Was it hard to balance the comedy with deeper emotional themes?

I think some of the best comedy comes from pain. I used awkward, cringey dating experiences—mine and my friends’—and gave them a fun, fictional spin. There’s catharsis in laughing at what hurt. Also, living in San Francisco for over a decade gave me plenty to parody. Tech culture is absurd, and I loved leaning into that.

Were there specific rom-coms or tropes that influenced Swiped?

Definitely. I was inspired by film first—When Harry Met Sally, Broadcast News, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I love stories with high-concept, playful setups that still dig into real emotional questions. In Swiped, Nat and Rami make a bet: she’ll try to fall in love using her dating app, and he has to do it the old-fashioned way. Whoever finds love first wins. It’s got that classic “rivals to lovers” dynamic, but rooted in the digital age.

You’ve mentioned your love of structure. Any writing tools or resources that helped shape the book?

Yes! I swear by The Anatomy of Story by John Truby. It’s structured but character-driven, and it changed how I think about plotting. One idea that stuck with me: in a rom-com, your love interest should act as a kind of antagonist—not in a villainous way, but as someone who challenges the protagonist. They both want the same thing but go about it differently. That was a breakthrough for me.

Do you have a favorite scene or moment in the book?

There’s a recurring bar in the book called Zam Zam—where Nat and Rami keep bumping into each other. It’s based on a real dive bar in the Haight-Ashbury, where I used to live. Writing those scenes was so joyful. I felt like I was back there, cocktail in hand, eavesdropping on my own characters. The banter, the setting, the slow-build chemistry—it all came together there.

You published Swiped with Choc Lit, a British publisher known for smart, feel-good romance. What was that journey like?

It’s been wonderful. Finding the right publisher took longer than I expected, and some of the feedback I received along the way was disheartening. Some editors felt that my heroine, Nat—a successful woman in STEM—was too competent or unrelatable. But I didn’t want to write a character who had to “soften” her success.

Becky, my editor at Choc Lit, saw Nat for who she was and loved her for it. She appreciated Nat’s strength, ambition, and the fact that she gets angry. Having an editor who didn’t ask me to water that down—either her achievements or her emotions—meant everything. I’m so grateful Choc Lit took the book on and believed in her story exactly as it was.

What advice would you give to new authors—especially those facing rejection or self-doubt?

Rejection is part of the process. I got over 50 rejections from agents before finding the right one. But more importantly, I’d say this: know why you’re writing. For me, it was deeply personal. I wanted to process my experience with dating apps and the modern search for connection. Even if the book hadn’t sold, I grew from writing it.

And chances are, if you’re writing from a genuine place, it will resonate with someone—even if it’s just ten readers. That still matters.

What’s next? Will we see Nat and Rami again, or is the next book something completely new?

Completely new! I’m working on a second novel set on a reality dating show—a cross between Love Is Blind and Love Island. A writer goes undercover to do an exposé, only to discover her ex—also a writer—is on the same show, doing his own scoop. It’s a second-chance romance wrapped up in media commentary, and I’m having a blast writing it.