Full Transcript for Amazon Top 100 Author Jaqueline Snowe x Main Chapter

in baseball than I ever wanted to or needed to in my entire life. 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:28.080 And so it started on a, we were driving, we were on a family road trip, and I was like, hey, I really want like talk to me about like this old. 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:29.759 I knew I wanted to write age gap. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.000 I did, but I didn't really know I didn't have the characters yet. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:33.039 I didn't I had no inkling. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:34.319 I was like, I just want to write age gap. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:38.240 I haven't really written that, and I think it would be fun to, you know, try something different. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:39.439 I love reading it. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:44.960 And so started talking about, you know, a veteran pitcher had a year left on his contract. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.520 Like, what would what would the realities of that look like? 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:58.639 And so it was a five-hour drive that we were on, and we ended up talking the entire time and just created this whole baseball player, this whole thing, like what his wants were his family, what his motivations. 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:02.560 And then so I needed to figure out so he was first. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:15.599 Like normally, I would like to, I think that my female main characters, because I to I tend to write female uh main characters first, but Nate came Nate was immediate after that conversation, and then for Cassidy, I there is an influencer. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:18.960 I think her name, I don't I know her name is Bryn, but I think it's Brynn Marie. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:35.680 But she is I've been following her since like the last like four years, like and I'm not on social media a ton, but I just love this influer so much because she was so authentic and talked about the highs and the lows of her life, and it was just so genuine and sometimes messy and sometimes so inspirational. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:04:03.280 And so it again, just scrolling, you know, we all scroll sometimes, but I kept coming across her page and her feed, and I was like, oh my gosh, I love that the difference of just a young influencer who everyone thinks they kind of know and judge what they think that is, and then everyone thinks, you know, you can think you're the best athlete in the world watching a sport from your TV and couch at home, and so kind of taking those pairs and and making them, you know, force proximity into making them to interact to see what happens. 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:12.240 That's so interesting you wrote Nate first, because I feel like everyone I've interviewed always talks about how they write their female characters first and they've got their male main characters around them. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:13.520 So that's a fun little switch. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.759 And it's funny you have that inside look really being immersed in the baseball family. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:26.160 I'm a basketball family, I have a family member who works for the clippers, so I feel like I'm like immersed in the basketball world the same way you're immersed in the baseball world. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:34.879 It's always fun kind of getting that inside scoop and the drama behind the scenes that you don't always see on ESPN Sports Center Bleacher Report. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:36.959 So I could definitely appreciate that. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:45.040 And you talked about Cassidy, how she was inspired by one of your uh favorite influencers, and she was such like an influencer archetype to me. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:48.319 Like, she even does things that I feel like leave readers shocked. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:53.839 Like, I know I was shocked, like those first 10 pages, seeing her literally live stream at her dad's funeral. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:57.279 I'm like, oh my gosh, like, are there people with influence like this? 00:04:57.439 --> 00:04:58.319 But of course there are. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:08.000 So I was wondering, what was it like writing Cassidy in situations where you know readers are gonna initially be like, okay, this girl might be a little bit unhinged, she might be a little bit crazy. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:17.040 Uh see, I wanted, like the intent was to everyone to they thought they knew who she was because that is what she projected into the world. 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.920 And so how Nate is like gruff and grumpy and uses that to keep people at a distance. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:38.240 She used her platform, and I also really wanted to write her like to have quote unquote like the pretty privilege again because she used it as a shield, like she wanted to use the influencer, and just people kind of thought she was like this fun little airhead, and she just really leaned into that because it was easier. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:40.720 Like when people, I mean, even just human nature, right? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:46.160 Is when you kind of make fun of yourself first, it doesn't hurt when someone dismisses you or rejects you. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.680 And so she just I really wanted to almost be over the top with her, and just to reflect. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:55.600 I don't know, when I think back of my earliest early 20s, I thought I knew everything. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.439 Like, oh, like, look at me, I'm an independent adult, like, oh, I am unstoppable. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.040 Well, then now I'm like almost 40. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.680 I'm like, okay, yeah, like I was what the hell was I thinking? 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:14.160 I knew nothing, and so I wanted again to have that young uh mindset for her to have it almost be in battle with Nate, who is more established further along in his life and his career. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:17.360 So I really wanted it to be opposites in both ways. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:22.959 Yeah, it was funny because she kind of reminds me of Paris Hilton a bit, how just she leaned into

the airheadedness of this. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:27.519 Because you know, Paris Hilton came out all these three years later, and she was like, actually, I'm not that dumb. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.480 I'm pretty smart. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:31.600 I just kind of leaned into what everyone wanted me to be. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:33.040 So you made me think of that. 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:42.800 And then she also reminded me of Alex Earl a little bit in terms of like her influence, but now Alex Earl's like really much like kind of putting the shield down and showing a lot of vulnerabilities in her life. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:49.199 So I thought I felt like I was seeing a lot of a lot of public personas when it came to Cassidy's character. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:07:01.839 Well, and just to the point of like the it's this weird parasocial, unhealthy relationship we have with people who are I don't not even just influence, but anyone who's famous or semi-fameless. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.439 It's just this parasocial, not healthy relationship. 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:13.680 And so I wanted that to explore what that meant as well as like a famous athlete and then an influencer of like a people think they know them. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:17.920 They think they have the right to know these people just because they're public feature, uh public figures. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:24.560 I know it's just like a debate of like, do people do people have the right to comment on other people's lives just because someone lives a public persona? 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:35.839 And it's like obviously you're gonna form opinions when you see someone on your phone or screen, but the amount of comfortability people have with talking about people like they know them and not just through a screen is quite scary. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:41.120 So it was interesting to see kind of the other side of that in this influencer perspective. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:49.199 Now, talking about Nate, especially because you wrote him first, I felt that he was like such a grounding character for Cassidy. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:53.839 And I was originally gonna ask, did you write Nate to be this grounding character for Cassidy? 00:07:53.920 --> 00:08:03.120 But now knowing that you wrote him first, did you kind of write Cassidy knowing because she was grounding for him too, to kind of be this figure that would balance him out a little bit? 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:10.000 So what that's such an interesting question is because he came to me first, like his character, his whole arc was first. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:20.319 Um, and I think for her, I once I figured out that that I wanted to write her and like what she was about, I think to me it was it just takes the right person at the right time. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:27.600 And so her like ball busting techno shit attitude was enough to tear down his walls. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:41.600 And so I think that was the he needed someone, he needed

a counterpart who was like not gonna put up with his shit and just relentlessly continue to, you know, to to banter with him because everyone, I mean he scared quote unquote scared people off. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.679 He was gruff, he was kind of he's grumpy. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:47.840 Um, and she just was like, I don't care, like I'm just gonna keep poking at because she had nothing to lose. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:50.399 She was like, This guy hates me, like I have nothing to lose. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:55.120 I'm not trying to impress him, where everyone else in his life was always trying to impress him. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:09:02.480 And then for her, he she a big thing, a big uh a core part of her was like being safe and being seen. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:05.519 And so I really like her dad always made her feel safe and seen. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:09.039 And so I know the story starts with like her dad passing away and she feels lost. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:19.919 Um, and so Nate, again, knowing that I had Nate as a grounding character for her, is the scene where he like helps her out of a crowd and just like checks in on her, even though they don't like each other, but he is just like a decent human being. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.879 It was like, oh my gosh, she's clearly having like a panic attack right now. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:31.679 Um, that to me was he could he saw who she really was and then was able to like help her feel safe and and feel protected. 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:40.960 Yeah, I loved that scene where he helps her like the crowd, it was such a breakthrough point for their relation, too, where you could tell they were finally seeing each other in a different light. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:46.240 And you mentioned her dad passing away because the book starts out pretty tragically and sad. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:48.879 Her dad like dies in this unexpected car crash. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:10:00.720 Like, you don't like you never think like something like that's gonna happen to you, and then it happens to her, and there's these heavy themes of grief and healing, but at the same time, this is a rom-com, and it was like a fun, lighthearted book. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:07.759 So, what was it like kind of keeping that balance of like these very important heavy themes, but also a fun contemporary romance? 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:09.120 I don't know. 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:16.080 What's interesting is when I started, I knew I knew the headline, like I knew I wanted it to be like her dad inspired her to go on these nine dates. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:22.559 Like, I love to me it was like a you know, 2026 spin on like a early 2000s rom-com movie. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:24.399 Like, I was really trying to go for that vibe. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:30.480 But then, and then the second thing I was really trying to hit was you can feel two things at once. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:42.799 And I really tried to explore the you can be sad and

grieving and just lost, but then also find sparks of joy and to not feel guilty for being happy while also dealing with grief. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:11:04.720 And that grief is not linear, like there's not a right or wrong way to grieve things or grieve people, and so again, I I tended to have it be a rom-com, but it just anytime I tried to keep I mean, I did again try to keep it lighthearted, but the grief just kept coming back for her character, and she just really had to navigate and deal with that, and it felt very authentic writing her that way. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:11.039 Some chapters it was just crazy, it was fun, they were, you know, doing wild things, and then the next chapter in her point of view, she was devastated. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:27.039 You know, she should smelled something that was like, Oh my gosh, my dad always talked about this, and so it just I really it I didn't and again, this sounds so weird, but I didn't plan to have grief be that present, but it just so naturally happened when I was in, you know, writing casting in her point of view. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:38.080 Yeah, I feel like it was like realistic too, because anyone who's like dealt with any type of grief knows that it can be like the smallest trigger, or you can be having the best day ever, and then you're lying in bed, and now you're like, oh my gosh, and reflecting. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:41.679 So I felt that that definitely made Cassidy a relatable character. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:47.919 And you talked about kind of like as you were writing her, it just happened to come that way that grief was more present than you initially thought. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.440 What was the most surprising thing about writing this book? 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:56.799 Ooh, I think oh my gosh, that's a really good question. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:02.320 I think the besides like the grief being more prominent than I originally planned. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:06.879 Um I and so when I started writing this, the intent was for it to be a standalone. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:26.000 There was not meant to be other characters or other stories, and at this time, there's not, but I think what was surprising to me is that this the baseball team in the secondary characters, whether even his sister and some of the guys on the baseball team, like I was surprised by how much I loved writing them, is you know, the cast around them. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.240 Where again, I always write side characters. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:32.799 I like side characters like to have a lot of depth and to contribute to the story, but I never really planned to necessarily write them. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:34.960 And then afterwards, I was like, I'm not done. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:40.799 Like, I like the team, I really want to continue having these this this family, this world stay together. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:47.600 And so that was again not the intent to write more of the team stories, but I feel like that's that surprised me. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:51.440 Yeah, it was so funny because that actually answers one of my very, very few questions. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:13:06.960 But I had a question of like, oh, because I've seen you've done other interconnected sports romances, and I was wondering if this was the start of a new series because I felt like there was almost a little bit of a tease between Amanda and Wells because it mentioned texting her, and I was like, oh, is that an Easter egg? 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:08.639 But but maybe not, maybe not. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:10.320 We'll see in the future. 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.480 It's definitely not off the table. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:16.720 So again, it wasn't like the plan necessarily, but it's not, yeah, it's not at this point. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.600 I'm gonna have to write it because I just need to get it out. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:20.399 That's real. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:27.840 Like sometimes, like when you're writing and you think like something's just gonna be one project and then it becomes more big than you could ever imagine. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:34.080 Uh, but kind of going back to the grief, I actually had a quote highlighted that really stood out to me. 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:44.320 And I was basically when Cassidy was talking about her journey with grief, and she says, How could one feel so lucky for what came from loss but still wish it never happened? 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:47.360 Like that was like I think one of the most powerful lines in the book for me. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:14:01.360 Like, I stopped it because I have a notes app where I keep track of like what I want to talk about, and I was like, I need to immediately write that quote down because I felt like it was such a real experience about how you experience different emotions after a loss and what that can also lead to in your life. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:08.399 So I was wondering when you wrote that quote for you to remember writing that quote, like what did you want to explore kind of with that mindset? 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:18.720 I think that so fun fact sometimes when you after I read a story, I forget I forget some of the they're like, Oh, do you remember chapter 20? 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.080 I was like, No, I sure don't. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:27.519 Um, I think that those feel it like the intention with these quotes, and I think there's something similar to that. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:35.840 There's another quote, again, I'm gonna misquote my own thing that I wrote of like the worst day of my life, the worst thing in my life brought me the best thing in my life. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:38.559 Like, that's one of the ending quote, you know, what they're talking. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:45.440 Um the same concept of if you look for the good in situations, you will find it. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:53.360 And I think that was the whole point of of that feeling and that resonating with

folks is like, I mean, life is hard, feelings are hard. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:57.200 Navigating life just is a it's hard, it's challenging. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:01.360 And so if you always are gonna look for focus on the bad, you're gonna miss the good. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:06.480 And so I wanted both of these characters to be like, wow, like they're yeah, I mean, her dad passed away. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.840 That is horrendous. 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:26.320 Uh, and but if she focuses on the good and can you can still find joy amidst all of that, yeah, because it not only brought her Nate, but it brought her Amanda, and I was like really happy to see that like she was starting to get those friendships because it was sad when she talked about that she didn't have like anyone local or anyone to invite those through those box suites. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:31.200 So then also kind of setting up her own little community was special too. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:53.039 But also what I really liked about Nate and Cassidy's relationship is that they wanted to mutually take care of each other because I feel like it's very common in romance novels where we have like the girl who's like, Oh, I can do it myself, I'm independent, and the guy is like, Oh no, let me take care of you, and the girl lets it happen, and she gives back to the relationship in other ways, but it's not always we see her like reciprocating, trying to help the guy as well. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:16:01.120 And it felt like a little bit of an equal balance here with him helping her with her grief and then him helping her with like his mindset about his career. 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:10.799 Yeah, so I was wondering if mutual care was like a theme that you established early on in the book, or if it's something that just kind of had arisen as you were writing through the drafts. 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:17.360 I wanted them to be equals, even despite the stage of where they were at in their careers and their age gap. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:26.480 Like that was really big for me, is that I so I that was very intentional once I kind of knew who the characters were, is I wanted them to be exact exactly how you word it. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.080 Like I wanted there to be mutual caretaking and mutual leaning. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:36.480 And I one of my I don't know who quoted this or who said this, but one of my favorite quotes is like in any relationship, it's never all 50-50. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.960 Sometimes it's 60-40, sometimes it's 90-10, it's always gonna swing back and forth. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:47.600 And I wanted that to feel like that with these characters is when the book ends, you're like, Oh yeah, she's having a bad day, he'll pick up the slack. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:51.360 Or if he has a terrible loss, she'll take the lead and make sure he's okay. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.639 But it's it's gonna be mutual, it's not just one or the other. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:55.840 Yeah, I love that. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:00.559 I love that quote that you're saying that it's not always 50-50, sometimes 60-40, 90-10. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.600 That makes so much sense. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:09.279 And I haven't heard that quote before, but now that I think about relationships and all the relationships, I've seen like, yeah, that's so true with the different types of percentages. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.079 So it was nice to see it reflected in that book. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:21.839 I know we've talked about some of like the more heavy stuff in their relationship, so I wanted to also focus on the lighthearted stuff as well, because there's a lot of fun comedy in the book as well. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:29.039 And I have to ask, it's a running joke about how Nate is 36 years old and she keeps calling him old. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:34.079 And when I was looking at your Instagram, I was like, Well, wait, you're pretty close to age in Nate. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:41.440 So why were you constantly calling like a man who is your age, like this old guy, like he's a dinosaur? 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:42.799 That's so funny. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:46.799 Also, I just turned 37 last week, so now I am older than Nate. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:47.279 Okay. 00:17:47.440 --> 00:18:02.480 Um, so for me, that the which is interesting, it's because she's not necessarily a baseball fan, but what I think it was my play on in baseball as a pitcher, when you get to that age, you kind of can be considered a dinosaur because it's such a young man sport. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:10.720 And so for me, it was kind of a play on that, and then she because she is such a like ballbuster, she knew it bothered him. 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:17.759 Like she knew it bothered him, and I'm just a fan of anyone like just teasing someone, even like harmless teasing. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:25.440 And to me, I felt it was harmless because again, now that I am you know 37, like I'm pretty content with who I am and like what I'm about. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.839 And so teasing like that to me, I'm like, oh, okay. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:34.079 So I wanted it to be like harmless teasing, and then a play on how that age in baseball really is kind of significant. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:35.279 That's fair, that's fair. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:40.240 Like, because I'm closer in age to Cassidy, I'm 25, and at least she was 24, so I'm a year older than her. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:45.039 And I and even I'm like kind of the person where I'm like, oh, if you're over 30, I'm not sure if I seriously want to date you. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:47.440 But then also I was like, dang girl, like give him a break. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:48.960 He's not that old. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:51.039 That's awesome. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:19:01.440 I was like, yes, maybe maybe I should like you know, change my hinge range because I was feeling so passionate about her teasing, but it

was it was a fun, it was a fun comment. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:03.359 So I just had to ask because I thought it was funny. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:08.000 I was like, you're the same age as Nate, and you're you're making him seem like he's the poor guy's geriatric. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:10.559 But that's I never even thought about that. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:11.680 That is so funny. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:14.559 Yeah, because when I yeah, I was the same age when I was when I was writing him. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:16.480 Didn't it didn't even register in my mind. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:18.319 Wow, that's awesome. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:20.880 So you're you're old in the baseball world, is what you're saying. 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:21.920 Oh yes. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:31.519 Whenever they, you know, whenever we would go we we go to games and it says like the year that they were born, like my husband and I'll just look at each other and we're like, oh my gosh, when did this happen? 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.359 Like, where when did we get this age? 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.240 Why are we so old? 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:38.880 These kids are like 20 years old playing in the major leagues, and we're like, oh my gosh, we're almost 40. 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:41.279 So yes, ancient baseball world. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:53.279 That's how I feel about the draft because I first started caring about like basketball in like college, and so like I would see like everyone like, okay, we're like around the same age, and now I'm like, oh my gosh, they're like children playing in playing in the league. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:56.960 You're like, oh yes, good for them, but like, oh my gosh. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.799 Exactly, exactly. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:11.119 And one of my favorite scenes between Nate and Cassidy was actually the scene where her ex-boyfriend, I believe his name was Matthew, is that like basically showed up at her doorstep one in her pack, and the second he heard, he basically dropped everything. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:14.480 It was like right after a game, and he ran to check in on her. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.920 And I was wondering what your favorite scene was between them. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:24.720 And if you had to pitch your book to someone using like only one scene, being like, This is such a great scene, you should read the rest of the book. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:26.079 What would it be? 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.559 Oh my goodness. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:31.839 Okay, I have not been asked that question yet. 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:45.519 So I don't the the two okay, so one, I love that scene so much because, and I even think when he goes to check on her after that, it wasn't like, oh my gosh, my fake girlfriend, what's the world gonna think? 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:48.640 Like he went because he was so worried about how she was feeling. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:52.400 Like it was so not self, like it wasn't selfish at all. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.680 It was because he was so worried about her, which I love that. 00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:01.839 Um, but I think the scene where he goes on a road trip and comes back and like it's super late. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:13.839 Because the other thing, too, which this is a hundred percent, I I don't often put any of my own quirks in books, but the one where she goes to bed so early and is so grumpy if she does not get enough sleep, 100% me. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:17.119 Like if I am not in bed by nine o'clock, I am a monster. 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:21.519 I can and so the those scenes where she was like, Why are you calling me an 11? 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:22.960 Like, what, like what's happening? 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:25.119 100% uh reality. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:41.599 But when he comes home from a road trip and they did some time apart and he brought her souvenirs from gas stations because he watched old videos that she posted about how much she loves decks of cards and how much she loves little trinkets, and so he did it just as a way, again, to bring her joy. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:43.359 It was so not self serving. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:45.680 I just I love that scene because she's shocked. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:57.920 She like no one had no one in her life besides her dad did small gestures because that weren't like for the public or that weren't for likes or comments, and so to have someone just genuinely give her something and show up late just because they missed her. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.200 Like, I love that scene. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.759 That scene was. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.200 So emotional for me. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:03.440 Yeah, that was a very, very cute scene. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:10.400 They're like Dexter Cards and stuff was so mundane, but sometimes like they mean the most out of everything. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.000 And so, see, we already talked about your side characters. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.200 Did you have a favorite of the side characters, at least on the team? 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:22.000 I know like my favorite was Garcia, but they all have such like flirty personalities. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:25.519 Did you have one like who kind of stole your heart when you were writing it? 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:29.039 I love Garcia and then uh Pavin. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.000 Paven? 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:30.400 Yeah. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:32.240 So Garcia and Paven are both a two. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:37.440 That's where I was like, again, I just I love having side characters, but now I'm like, mmm, like I they're not done. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:39.519 Like they have some things they they want to say. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:41.680 So I would love to write their stories. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:44.240 Yes, I think they would be very, very fun. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:49.200 And then he was kind of like an honorary character, he was like omnipresent, Yogi Berra.

00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.599 We saw his quotes throughout the book. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.599 He that one of his quotes starting each chapter. 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:56.000 So I've asked, why Yogi Berra? 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:59.759 What made you decide to have this like MLB legend in your book? 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:04.880 So part of this story is actually a love letter to baseball. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:10.799 And so, because it is, I think it's the most uh romantic sport, I think it's so demanding. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:15.359 Like being a fan of a sport that's 162 games a year is insane. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:19.680 And the sounds, the smells, like it's one of the most sport. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:29.359 Uh it so to me, it is like filled with memories and core like childhood memories, especially for like me in my family and my husband and his family. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:36.079 And so when I I'm also not someone who d has ever really done chapter quotes before, like it's just not something I've really done. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:43.759 And so when I started writing this, I was like, I just want to talk about, I just want to include these quotes because one, I think they're just so fun and ridiculous. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:57.200 And then because her dad, like if her dad truly was this absolute die hard baseball fan, which again I wrote him to be one, um, he would also, I wanted him to be kind of like that not doorkey, but just like dad jokes. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:06.160 And so for me, it was just perfect, like it basically it came from her dad that I was like, I just I want to honor this real MLB legend, and her dad's character would have had those everywhere. 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:09.279 He would have talked about them all the time and just been ridiculous about it. 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:11.359 And so it just felt natural to include them. 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:17.440 Yeah, I have a very embarrassing confession to make is that I actually had not heard of Yogi Berra before in this book. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:20.960 Of course, I was reading an arc, and so you know, sometimes arcs have typos. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:23.759 So the first time I saw Yogi Berra, I was like, does she mean Yogi Bear? 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:27.519 And I thought like it was supposed to be like Yogi Bear quotes. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:30.960 And then I kept seeing it and I was like, oh no, there's actually a Yogi Bear. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:36.000 So I originally thought we were gonna have like a Yogi Bear like cameo throughout the that is amazing. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:38.079 That is awesome. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.799 Yeah, so I learned someone new. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.480 I like with like I did like a dive afterwards. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:48.799 I was like, okay, no, this is a person, and I guess a person I should know if I'm gonna like look into baseball romances at all. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:50.720 Oh my gosh, that is honestly the best thing ever. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.759 I have not heard that before. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:52.480 That is amazing. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.799 That just yeah, that's what that was great. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:59.440 I'm glad I'm glad I could I could make a make an impression like that. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:23.359 And so I thought it was really interesting that you said that you think baseball is the most romantic sport because I don't feel like we see that many baseball romances in the sports romance genre, like hockey is really having its moment, and then I think people are starting to kind of bring back football and basketball romances, but it's like hockey's up here, and I feel like F1 is even a little more dominant than all of this, and then we have like everyone else. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:28.160 So, what is it like when you're writing like a baseball romance versus these other sports? 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:30.960 Because I have seen that you've written hockey romances and other genres. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:33.920 So, like, what's the difference for you when you're writing a baseball romance? 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:35.680 Oh, interesting. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:48.240 Okay, so the the biggest difference is I don't have to do research, I can just go check with my human dictionary, human thesaurus thesaurus, and just be like, hey, explain that to me. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:48.799 What is war? 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.160 Like, what do what does war mean? 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.119 Wait, did I get this right? 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:56.799 And so I can just brainstorm and I don't have to necessarily I mean I probably should fact check. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:58.799 No, see, I don't, even with him, I'm like, no, of course. 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:12.079 He knows so it's it makes the brainstorming part more fun because it's something we both love, where I don't my favorite story about my husband is he has never read anything I have written in romance. 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:23.519 And the one time he tried, um, Rounding the Bases is another baseball romance I have out, and like five years ago, and he tried reading it and he was like three to four chapters in, and he's like, all they do is talk. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:25.279 Like, when does he go to the practice facility? 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:27.119 Like, when when do games start happening? 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:30.480 And I was like, Okay, you are not the audience, please stop. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:36.400 Uh, but it's more fun to have baseball just because I get to kind of share it and talk about it with him. 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:46.079 Um, but the sports themselves, honestly, the my my the reason I love writing sports romance so much is I just think I mean, so I was an athlete almost my whole life. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:51.759 I didn't play, I chose not to play in college because I wanted to live abroad, and then I coached for a long time too. 00:26:51.839 -->

00:26:56.319 So I just think the highs and lows of who you are as a human is when you win and lose. 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:59.039 And so I think your character is who you are when you lose. 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:04.160 And I think sports, you can just you get to you get to know people exactly who they are after a bad game. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:07.200 And so I just I love writing all sports just because of that. 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:08.079 That's fair. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:14.960 That's so exciting that you lived abroad, and I feel like like sports scenes internationally is like so different than American sports. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:15.920 Where did you live? 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:20.799 Um, so I lived in Barcelona, Spain for a year, right after Spain won the World Cup. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:27.359 Oh so it was a there was at literally a party or a parade every single weekend the entire year I lived there. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:31.039 Did you become like a soccer or a or a football fan? 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.079 Oh, for sure. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:35.359 I mean, yeah, it's got to see uh Barcelona. 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:40.559 They I got to go to their stadium, I got to see them play, and actually Messi played on the team. 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:44.319 Uh uh and for not Real Madrid for Barcelona. 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:56.880 And so I got to go see him play when I lived there, and so yeah, definitely not a huge football fan as much now, but when I live there, totally because it's I mean it's part of the culture, it's part of I mean you have yeah, you have no choice. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.079 Yeah, you had like, and it was such a rich experience to be able to do that. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.559 I know. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:10.400 I was in Mallorca during the World Cup, which is like funny because obviously the World Cup was happening here, but it was always interesting, like when we were walking and there'd be a game all with Spain and hearing everyone cheer in the bars. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:11.839 I was like, I almost got FOMO a little bit. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:18.559 It's like I feel like I should go to like a bar watch party and like immerse myself in the culture because it's such a big, big thing there. 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:19.759 Oh, that's awesome. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:22.079 Yeah, I mean, that's you kind of you didn't really have a choice. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:27.599 Anywhere you went, people talked about it, they had it on the T, you know, on the TV, and it was just, I mean, it is really cool. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:33.519 I don't think we necessarily have something like this here where the entire country was locked in. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:39.519 Like it wasn't just you know, 50% or like it was the entire country is locked in, which that was really cool. 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:42.079 Yeah, I feel like we don't really have a unifying force like that. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:49.519 Like everyone comes together to watch a Super Bowl, but it's not like everyone's cheering for like the same team or everything. 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:51.119 So that's interesting. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:29:00.480 I feel like next, I feel like that's trap schedule my next travel around like a big sports game so I can get immersed in some international international sports culture. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:07.680 And so, of course, this book we did a lot with fake dating, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:12.480 Do you have like a favorite trope that you go to when you go to writing romance? 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:15.440 I it's so fascinating. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:21.759 But yeah, I write a ton of grumpy sunshine and like not full enemies to lovers. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:24.640 I don't know, I think that term could be overused of like actual. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:27.200 So that's where some people are like, no, it's actual enemies to lovers. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:29.359 Mine are just like this like annoyed to lovers. 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:36.559 Those are rivals to lovers the other day, and I feel like that's like better sometimes to describe certain enemies to lovers books. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:40.960 Yeah, like there's no, I mean, especially with all the romanticies, there actually are enemies to lovers where they try to get it. 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.279 Exactly. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:45.119 Like this is just they they're annoyed, they think they're the other is obnoxious. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:47.440 So I love, but I just I love opposites. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:52.319 So sunshine and grump, like misjudgment, like you think you know the person and you don't. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.319 And so I I I tend to write that a lot. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:30:07.279 And then my friends to lovers is my second most, I think I write because I just I love the trust you have with someone with a friend, is just like again, I just think it's so rich to move from like, oh my gosh, like what did that look mean? 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:11.200 What like they gave me a hug extra long today, and just like the tension and the yearning. 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:12.000 I love that. 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:23.119 Yeah, that's so funny because that leads me kind of to my next question because it's like a main chapter tradition that I ask every author what their actual like least favorite trope is, and like what a trope that they can never see themselves writing. 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:28.319 And I actually get friends to lovers a lot because everyone's like they've been in your life your whole life. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.160 Like, why are you all of a sudden attracted to them? 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:31.119 It doesn't make sense to me. 00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:36.640 So it's fun to see someone on the other end of the spectrum actually like friends to lovers. 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.920 But for you, what is like a trope that you're like, I don't like this?

00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:40.880 And it can be anything. 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.079 It can be, I get a lot of like unplanned pregnancies. 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:48.400 Someone like a couple weeks ago was like workplace romance because I don't want to read about work. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:53.039 Someone once was like, I hate I hate cancer books, I don't want to see the person dying. 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:55.759 So it literally can be anything you want. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:01.119 Like, what's just like a trope or anything in like writing that you're like, I'll never write this and I don't like reading it. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:03.039 So oh, that's so interesting. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:03.759 Oh my goodness. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:09.200 So I think I I don't know if cheating is one, but I can't do people said cheating, yeah. 00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:10.000 People said cheating. 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:11.920 I can't read it. 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:18.319 Um, I think I've only read and I can't remember the name, I've only read one cheating romance, and I did end up liking it. 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:22.000 So that's the thing is I never want to say never because I love being surprised. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:24.559 I love being incorrect and surprised. 00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:35.599 Um, but what's really tough for me, and it's a common one, but like uh unplanned pregnancy is really tough for me to to read, and I don't I don't know why, and I've never written one. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:36.720 So that would be one. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.400 I'm I I just I don't know. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:42.319 It's not off the table, but it's not actively on the table. 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:46.240 Um sometimes my character, my my character might surprise me sometime. 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.160 So never say never. 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:48.960 That's fair. 00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:55.279 I mean, we had a little bit of unplanned pregnancy a little bit with with Nate's sister, even though we don't know her full story. 00:31:55.440 --> 00:32:00.079 So, you know, never never say never, but I'm all with you for the cheating one. 00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:14.799 The only time like I've read a book with like cheating in it is the Magnolia Parks series, and that just feels like more like a true drama than a romance, and it's very much back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and you almost get exhausted by it, but yeah, still they still suck you in. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:16.720 So I can get on board with with cheating. 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:20.000 I don't think I could do it in a cute little contemporary romance. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:25.039 No, I just I yeah, it's just of all the I I can't, it would just cause me so much stress. 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:26.400 It would cause me so much stress. 00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:33.359 No, it's like I just want to yeah, I don't want to put read something that causes me stress unless it's for a class and I'm gonna get a grade and I have to do it. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:35.119 Exactly, exactly. 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:41.440 And then I also wanted to bring up that you are also an Amazon Top 100 author, which is so amazing. 00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.319 Congratulations. 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:52.799 So, what is that like knowing that people keep coming back to you for like these fun romance stories for these comfort reads, like knowing that when you release a book, like you have an audience who's waiting for it. 00:32:53.200 --> 00:33:14.319 Oh, I mean, it feels awesome and wonderful, and definitely don't take that for granted because I mean, especially now, like it is the the market is is tough right now, and because we are inundated with a thousand things of all the time, whether it's social media or TV shows or movies, like how we choose to spend our time, there's unlimited options. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:19.920 And so anyone who is taking time to read something I have written is just a gift. 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:23.599 So I just it is it is amazing, it is so motivating. 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:27.119 And if I almost like I don't think about it, I'm always so much okay, what's next? 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:28.400 Like, okay, what's next? 00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:37.119 But if I I get kind of emotional thinking about there's people who read my work and who have followed me for years and are like, oh, we love like we love reading your stuff, and it's just it's really cool. 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:49.680 And so I try to build in time to just sit with that and let myself feel excited and proud instead of just always being like I'm the eldest daughter, so I'm like, oh, okay, cool, check it off my list next book, instead of just like, no, like feel it. 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:53.359 Like tomorrow, first swing and a kiss coming out um this week. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:56.160 It's the first time I've had a book done in a hardback. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:34:06.160 Oh, so you can buy the book in hardback, and they sent me my author copies, and it's like very proudly on our shelf where I've just never I've never had a book at a hardback before. 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.720 Yeah. 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:12.480 Um, and so yeah, that again, just taking in those moments that I I don't ever want to take it for granted. 00:34:12.719 --> 00:34:15.679 Yeah, that's so many cool milestones, and hardbacks are so cool. 00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:20.159 I would have that like displayed on myself for the whole world to see. 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.760 So that's super exciting. 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:26.079 And it's definitely like you're right, the market is so saturated, especially with book talk. 00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:30.559 Like you can quite literally find a book for any niche that you may have. 00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:32.239 I've learned that doing this podcast. 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:34.400 There is quite literally a book about everything. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:39.440 So to know that like

you have an audience, I can't imagine how amazing that feels. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:41.599 Yep, yeah, well said. 00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.800 Yeah, it's awesome. 00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:44.639 I yeah, I'm very lucky. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:45.199 I know. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:47.599 So, yeah, so we have a little bit of time left. 00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:49.679 So I have one question left to ask you. 00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:53.280 And now that swing and a kiss it comes out tomorrow. 00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:56.880 What do you want people to take away when they are reading this book? 00:34:56.960 --> 00:35:01.760 Like when they close that final chapter, what do you want them to walk away with? 00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:05.280 I want them to oh man. 00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:37.920 I think I I think I said something earlier about um just it's okay to feel two things and if it could be part of I don't know, I want like if someone because grief is different and everyone goes through different sorts of grief, but just for them to be like, oh my gosh, like whatever they're grieving or whatever they miss, whether it's a loved one, a friend, a pet, you know, just whatever it is, like someone to be like, oh my gosh, like I can love life and be happy now while still missing and loving that that person, that animal, because it's not it's not wrong. 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:42.000 And so like essentially giving folks permission to be sad and happy at the same time. 00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:45.039 I think that would be the biggest, biggest takeaway. 00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:52.400 And then for them to um enjoy baseball and go to a baseball game because I know it's long and I know the games are a commitment, but baseball can be beautiful. 00:35:52.559 --> 00:36:02.880 And so if they're like me, I did I you're not supposed to, you're not supposed to read reviews, early reviews, and I and I never do, but I need to pull things from them sometimes to like promote. 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:06.239 And so I like filter and I'm like, I'm not reading because it says reader business. 00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:09.519 But some of the things I saw were like, I never like they learned. 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:10.880 Like, I didn't even know what this meant. 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:12.239 I didn't even know baseball did this. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:13.760 So to me, part that was another part of it. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:17.440 I was like, ooh, got to kind of teach people some things about baseball. 00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:18.880 Um, and so that that's another thing. 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:21.519 It's like maybe they learned something about baseball that I didn't know before. 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:26.239 Well, you're creating a new wave of baseball fans right in time for the world world series. 00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:27.599 I have to ask, who's your team now? 00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:29.840 I do I didn't realize I didn't ask you this whole time. 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:32.239 So this is such a messy

question. 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:36.719 We just as a family relocated from Phoenix to Chicago about two months ago. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:42.559 Okay, and we have been Diamondback fans for the last 13 years, and we're always gonna root for them. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:51.280 They're kind of so what's interesting about Phoenix is it's a it's a destination town, everyone moves there, and so everyone comes from their hometown with their favorite team. 00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:54.480 So the Diamondbacks are always everyone's second favorite team, not their first. 00:36:54.639 --> 00:36:54.880 Yeah. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:57.039 So always gonna have a soft spot for them. 00:36:57.199 --> 00:37:03.840 But then now being in Chicago, I grew up a Cubs fan, so it's kind of like coming home to root for your hometown team. 00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:06.559 Um, so we are kind of this year, we're kind of just pausing. 00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:07.760 Since we moved, we're gonna pause. 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:11.039 We're just gonna pause, see what happens, see what happens, exactly. 00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:18.880 I know I live in LA, so I'm in like Dodger Nation at the moment, which is quite a positive place to be with how the last couple of years have been. 00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:19.519 Absolutely. 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:25.599 Yes, but my family, they're Yankees fans, and not as positive of a space to be in. 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:29.760 But maybe, maybe it's just like how the team really pulls through in this book. 00:37:29.840 --> 00:37:31.679 They'll they'll pull full through for us. 00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:32.960 I have no idea. 00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:40.639 I actually I yeah, I was like, I don't even know if they have a wild card spot, but hopefully they they I'll that's my dad after this. 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:48.320 Now I'm really really happy that I don't know anything about how the Yankees have done, but now I'm going to because this baseball team has inspired me so much. 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:50.400 They're uh okay, mission accomplished. 00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:51.360 Mission accomplished. 00:37:51.440 --> 00:37:53.039 You you got one baseball fan out of me. 00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:54.880 So I love it. 00:37:55.280 --> 00:37:55.920 There you go. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.880 Well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:05.760 I really, really enjoyed getting to talk about a swing and a kiss, and I can't wait to see all the other baseball fans that are gonna come about it. 00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:07.119 Oh, well, thank you so much. 00:38:07.199 --> 00:38:08.320 Yeah, this was so much fun. 00:38:08.639 --> 00:38:09.199 Of course. 00:38:09.840 --> 00:38:11.440 Thank you so much for listening. 00:38:11.599 --> 00:38:12.719 I hope you enjoyed that. 00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:16.239 Be sure to follow Jacqueline on her socials if you haven't already. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:19.360 And read a swing and a kiss if you haven't already. 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:25.119 I can't believe next week is already November, but I have some fun interviews planned for the rest of the year. 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:28.079 So I hope you stick around for it, my little butterflies. 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:30.719 Have a great week, and I'll see you next time.