My hearts, you and I are meeting author Krista Renee at the same time. We found each other on Instagram!

When Krista Renee isn't writing or obsessing over Broadway, she's hanging out with her four munchkins: Brookie, Frog, Snow Cone, and Muffin. She lives in East Texas and can say with all certainty there's nothing like an East Texas sunrise.

Here’s the blurb for her debut novel, Bad Idea Lane.

In a tumultuous turn of events, Lulu finds herself navigating the complexities of a pregnancy with her abusive boyfriend. As her ex-girlfriend re-enters her life, a unique relationship unfolds, only to unravel, leaving Lulu to confront the challenges of impending motherhood alone. This poignant tale explores the delicate balance between love, loss, and the resilience required to forge a new path amid unexpected circumstances.

JEN: Krista, thanks for doing this. And congratulations on your new release! I know readers will want to know about you and your new book. Tell us a little about yourself.

KRISTA: I write books with sapphic women in small towns. They aren’t perfect, they’re messy, but in the mess is where they shine. I'm currently working on a series called Sulphur Bluff Nights. The first, Bad Idea Lane, drops today, July 26th. It follows Lulu and Ella—and a dangerous man—and what they’d do for love. I can't believe I get to call myself an author. This life that I get to live is the dreamiest dream that I never want to wake up from.

JEN: Congratulations! What led you to write this story?

KRISTA: I love Broadway. During my obsession with Waitress, I became desperate for more. What would’ve happened if she didn’t keep the baby? I also wanted some sapphic rep. I’m self-published because I didn't want somebody to tell me I couldn't do it.

JEN: Oh nice! I get it. As a fellow indie author, I know we all rely on support along the way. Who would you like to give a special shout-out to?

KRISTA: Bailey Hannah is my favorite author. My cover designer, Devin McCain of Studio 5 Twenty-Five, is my favorite. I also want to shout out my copy editor, aka my script supervisor extraordinaire, Kate Black. Plus my country ladies: Faith, Shania, and Reba all played a role in Lulu's personality.  

My sister is my biggest cheerleader. She has related to Lulu in more ways than I ever thought anybody would. I wouldn't be where I am without her.

JEN: What does your routine look like? Describe a typical day writing. 

KRISTA: I'm a chaotic gremlin! Creating is both exhilarating and exhausting. In some ways, I couldn't imagine doing anything else, but not being able to figure out this story is rough.

JEN: You mean your second book?

KRISTA: I do. I’ve started like five times trying to figure it out.

JEN: Oh, I can relate to that! I’m finally in a groove with my third novel but it’s taken many starts and stops. Tell me more about your routine.

KRISTA: I don't have a routine. I just write whenever I’m not working. I’m a morning bird. Iced coffee and sweet tea. I'm from Texas, and it definitely plays a role in my work. The setting of my series Sulphur Bluff is set 20 minutes from my hometown.

JEN: What themes do you love exploring in your stories?

KRISTA: Friendship, women dynamics, family, because we all long to connect with other people. I've tried to write just romance, but those dynamics always find their way in. I wanted to add, Lulu was notoriously difficult to write. We butted heads constantly. But somehow, she ended up being my first narrator.

JEN: I am asking this of everyone I interview. What's a question I haven't asked that I should have?

Silly, but what’s your favorite season, and how does it play into your work? Fall, and most of my books will have some kind of fall somewhere in them

JEN: What’s coming next?

KRISTA: Upside Down Road, a sapphic parent trap, comes out March 14, 2025. It's the sequel to Bad Idea Lane.

Are you a human author? A human who narrates audiobooks? A human who designs book covers? Or a human who does PR and promotion for other authors? I'd love to interview you, too. Let me know when you’re ready!