This month we are thrilled to feature New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Poston. Known for her heartwarming romances with a hint of magic, The Seven Year Slip, A Novel Love Story and, now, Sounds Like Love are can’t-miss summer reads. We had the opportunity to sit down and chat with her about latest novel, what she’s reading and some of her favorite things from makeup to TV.

Sounds Like Love

Tell us about Sounds Like Love. What inspired it and what can readers expect?

Sounds Like Love is about a burnt-out songwriter and a has-been musician who find themselves inexplicably telepathically connected through a song they can’t get out of their heads. In this novel, I wanted to explore burnout and what that means creatively. It’s a very personal book in that regard—who in any creative industry doesn’t deal with burnout?—and I was very excited to explore it through music.

Order the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Your books often carry a touch of magic, even when grounded in reality. Where does that magical realism come from in your imagination?

There are these two brain cells that knock together occasionally, and then have a cigarette after.

Joking aside, I’ve always loved adding a little bit of magic into my stories. I think it’s the fanfic writer in me, really. Fanfic has always been one of my favorite escapes, so it felt only natural that I wanted to explore some of my favorite fanfic scenarios and tropes in the romances that I write.

If you could have dinner with any of your characters, who would it be and why?

I would have dinner with Anders’ cat, Butterscotch. Purrfect conversation partner! (Also, I think Iwan from The Seven Year Slip would make a fantastic dinner!)

What stories or authors helped shape your voice as a writer?

I will forever love Diana Wynne Jones. Her voice and her frankness in her writing is endearing, and her writing is the kind I always come back to when I need to feel cozy and light.

If you could write a book in any other genre—thriller, fantasy, nonfiction—what would it be?

A horror novel! I love horror.

What book are you most excited to read this summer?

I’m super excited to get my hands on a finished copy of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson, and Nikki Payne’s new novel The Princess and the P.I.. I also just finished Behooved by M. Stevenson, which was delightful!

What are you currently listening to? (Audiobook/podcast/album)

I am currently still obsessed with Epic the Musical! Also the OBC of Death Becomes Her.

What’s your favorite item in your makeup bag?

I cannot live without my liquid eyeliner. Stila Stay All Day liner is my go-to.

What are you currently watching?

The Apothecary Diaries! I’m obsessed, I love Jinshi and Maomao so much.

If you could co-author a book with anyone, who would it be?

I would love to co-author a book with my best friend, but alas, I don’t think that will ever happen if only because I have so many other projects in the pipeline first, and so does she!

What are your favorite snacks/drinks to have while writing?

I always have a pot of coffee brewing. Even if I don’t drink it, I love the smell of it in my house.