Romance Novelist Jasmine Guillory's Journey from Law to Love

When a friend suggested I interview romance writer Jasmine Guillory on the show, I'll admit I was a little skeptical. Romance novels? Not really my jam.

Then I binge-listened her book, The Wedding Date, and I was hooked. Seriously. there were days when I would wait in the driveway just to find out if Drew would end up with Alexa. Damn it, Drew. She's perfect for you. Why can't you see that??

My reaction to her writing was all the more amazing, considering this is a woman who never imagined she'd be a writer. 

"My vision of a writer was someone quiet, someone introverted, and—especially—someone white," she says.

A high-powered Bay Area lawyer, she knew how to write legal briefs, not about lovers in briefs. But she also knew she needed a creative outlet or else she'd burn out.

Guillory loved reading romance novels, so why not try to write one?

Eeking out time early in the morning and late at night, she methodically taught herself how to write a novel.

After a few devastating fails, she landed an agent, sold her romance novel The Wedding Date to Penguin Books, and secured a deal to do a whole series.  

Related: 5 Things Literary Agents Wish You Knew

This is Jasmine's story. Hope you find it as fun and inspiring as I did.