Interview with Bestselling Indie Author Amanda Gambill

Friends, readers, and book lovers unite! We are in for a special treat today. The No Crumbs Allowed Book club is starting up in October and fall is a certified cozy reading season, so it’s only fitting we keep things book-themed.

Today’s interview is with an indie author located right here in my hometown of Boise, ID.

We are incredibly blessed that Amanda shared some insight into her process and books with us today! Please, give her a warm (virtual) welcome!

What inspired you to start writing in this genre?

I’ve always loved romance in books — I think falling and being in love is one of the purest, most interesting forms of human emotion. So even though I don’t really read strictly romance much anymore — I don’t like to read in the same genre I’m actively writing for creativity purposes — love, sex, and romance are the heartbeat in every book that keeps me interested.

Why are romance books so vilified, scoffed at, or written off so easily? Why do, even in 2024, when romance books are the number-one selling genre, do they still get a bad rep? So I think it’s important to me to 1) indulge in something I like and 2) challenge myself to write in a genre that is consistently judged as “just smut” or “fluff” or devalued just because a woman-majority enjoy it.

My inspiration is a little deeper than that, too. 

I first discovered romance books on accident. I used to volunteer at my library, and one day shelving, I stumbled across a thick book with a red shiny cover. Of course, I was drawn in like a little repressed moth to a hot crimson flame. The intertwined couple on the front was also pretty intriguing. So I checked it out, and my mind was blown. 

A couple days later, my mom had found the book and was pissed. 

The thing is, I grew up in a very repressive household. We weren’t allowed to say the word “sl-t” or “virgin” (??). I never saw my parents express affection or romance. And if you know anything about the Deep South in the United States … you can probably imagine the sort of sex education I received. 😬 

All of this confusion and secrecy turned into a lifelong obsession of searching for love in media. 

I love being a part of something that can be empowering and fun and put a lead character’s joy at the forefront of a story. And as someone who craved (and still craves!) genuine stories about love and sex-positive storylines in media, writing romance comes from a place of freedom and power. That is what keeps me inspired and excited about writing romance. 

Writing books is be a deeply personal experience. I mean, you spend so much time with the characters and the storylines. Are there any particular characters, scenes, or moments that have a soft spot in your heart? 

I think any scene where the heroine realizes (or professes) that they’re in love with the hero holds a soft spot in my heart. I also love the little moments when the hero sees the heroine for who she is, and the reader can tell he loves her without a doubt (even if the heroine might be clueless to it sometimes haha).  

I absolutely loved Pres and Rach in your recent book, "Honestly I'm Totally Faking It." What is your approach to character development and plot building in your writing? 

I like to let my characters lead the way, so I’m not big on plotting out every scene in advance. I usually know what sort of message I’m trying to send in a book, the big conflict, a few cute details, and let the rest of the book work itself out. Which means, of course, my editing process is brutal, haha.

For the past three years, I’ve written my books in between building two companies from the ground up. I wrote one in one month, and I wrote another over the course of a year. So for me, my process has had to be not about publishing x-amount of books a year or hitting a daily word count goal, but writing the best story when I’m in the best headspace. 

What I do when I’m not writing is sometimes more important than how I actually write.

How am I keeping myself creatively fresh? Trying new places, going on long walks where I’ve never been, listening to new music, exploring new book genres or television shows, creating something tactical with my hands like collages or smashbooking while my mind wanders, etc. Anything that can electric shock my mind with someone else being good at something different is a great way to stay creative. 

Then I come back to Pages refreshed and let my character do the rest.

Do you have any favorite authors or books that have influenced your writing style?

Sarah Dessen changed my mind about books. I had never in my life read books like hers. When I first stumbled across Keeping The Moon in fifth grade, I finally read about someone who felt like me. I finally knew exactly what I wanted to do. I binged all her books in middle school — Dreamland still gives me heartache — each copy well-worn and on my shelves now. I knew if I could ever write anything that made someone feel the way her words made me feel, I’d be happy. 

Julia Whelan wrote such a beautiful book, My Oxford Year. It was the first fiction book I read after five years of reading only intense nonfiction. I'd just quit my job, read it in a day on the beach, and turned to my boyfriend and said, "I'm going to write a book." So in addition to being a great story, it's super important to me personally. 

How do you describe your book style/ genre to new readers? 

I’ve had readers describe Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It as a romantic comedy reminiscent of the aughts, and I’ll cling to the compliment for the rest of my life. 

So if you’re looking for a new book to binge that’s fun but also has some heart, here’s a lil cheat sheet to all my books! 

💖 HONESTLY, I’M TOTALLY FAKING IT: A spicy fake dating, grumpy-sunshine romcom // she’s a quirky personal assistant, he’s a nerdy, aspiring politician

💙 A GUY LIKE HIM: An opposites-attract, coming-of-age new adult college romance // she’s an accounting student, he’s a tattooed barista & artist 

💛 FOR THE RECORD, I HATE YOU: An angsty new adult romance about grief & revenge // she’s a florist, he’s a drummer

Have you had any memorable feedback or reactions from readers that have stood out to you? 

Before I published my first book, I only had one goal: To have one person who I didn’t know read it and love it. Just one. 

So I’ve been blown away by the amount of support I’ve received and the amount of love for all my books. The amount of people who have DMed me that they see themselves in my characters, who haven’t been able to articulate how they’ve felt until they saw it on the pages, is incredible. 

I’m so touched by every kind comment, message, or note I get from readers. It takes a lot of trust to read an indie author’s book — and I’m so honored that people trust me to give them swoony, funny, emotional stories.

One reader of mine has reread all my books a combined total of 14 times (that might be more than myself!). 

I feel really lucky that I get to connect with my readers on Instagram … because readers might be one of the most passionate fan groups out there. 

I’ve had a reader recreate the cover of my novella, Holiday Blend, and mail me an A Guy Like Him inspired a hand-painted bookmark (pictured below); someone took the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Midnights and paired them with all my books; some have taken book pics in the shower with Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It (iykyk); and I’ve seen my books pop up in countless memes (gah, I love the memes). I’ve also had a reader include the daffodil from the cover of For The Record, I Hate You in their literary-inspired tattoo (below). The fact that someone is willing to permanently put something from my book on their body is mind-blowing, and I’m so deeply honored.

I know that reading reviews can be a scary thing for authors, but you've amassed quite a following on social media and Amazon, including being a Top 40 Amazon bestselling contemporary romance author(!!). How do you deal with critics?

Writing makes me happier than anyone else’s opinion. I have to remind myself of this often because what author doesn’t love external validation? But if you build a piece of work that hinges on what other people think, you’re going to be running ragged for that approval your whole life, too. It’s not worth it. 

A memorable negative review experience was when I had someone with a profile picture of a hamburger DM me to let me know I needed to hire a better editor (my boyfriend, who was also my editor, was getting chemo at the time, so that was great way to perk up our afternoon). The first review I ever read for For The Record, I Hate You was a one-star that tore it to shreds. I once had a semi-big romance account tag me in the playlist that appears at the beginning of FTRIHY to ask, “Does anyone actually listen to these things?” Then she one-starred me within like 30 minutes?! (Oh, and to answer, yes, they do listen to it, thanks!).

So, like everything in life, there’s good and bad. I choose to focus on the good. I write books because it’s fun. 

And I haven’t read a review of any of my books since 2020. It’s not fair to myself to think I’ve written the first book in the whole world that everyone will love. If your goal is for everyone to love your book, you will fail. And that’s not fun. Why set yourself up for failure immediately?! 

So to those who think reviews are scary (they are), this is what I have to say: If you don’t believe in yourself first — if the actual act of writing doesn’t bring you joy — don’t publish a book until you’re ready. 

The reality is, you’re going to get negative reviews. It sucks. No one likes it. You aren’t alone in that. You can’t control it, either. But you can control how you handle it. Quit or prove your worth to yourself again and again. 

Are there any upcoming projects or new releases that you’re excited about?

I’m very excited that Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It is coming out as an audiobook on September 24. It’s available for preorder now and will be available worldwide! A huge thanks to Dreamscape Media for approaching me to bring HITFI to life. 

I’m mostly excited to reach new readers who may prefer or have to prioritize audiobooks over other mediums so maybe they haven’t picked up Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It yet. For those who may be familiar with the book, I can’t wait to see how they react to hearing some of the “iconic” lines that we all have bonded over in print come to life. For example, I bet “Little Booty Ham Sandwich” or “ride my face” is going to hit different in our eardrums!

→ I’m also working on bringing you Sable and a hot chef named Grant ❤️‍🔥. If you’ve read Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It, then you’ll remember Sable is the PR person who came up with the whole “fake date the guy running for mayor” thing. So you know there will be SECRETS and SPICE and also maybe something heartwarming and vulnerable and real. 

I already know the title and what the cover will look like, so basically, all I have to do is finish writing the perfect forced proximity, chaotic romcom with a chef/cookbook ghostwriter hero who needs Sable because of … wait, I can’t tell you everything yet!

Friends, wow. WOW! Now, if you are now as obsessed with Amanda as I am, let me give you a few more reasons. Outside of these business accomplishments, Amanda is a dedicated friend (I speak from experience, we are buds in real life), a masterful charcuterie board maker, a kick-ass playlist maker, and an eternal romantic at heart. And if you are obsessed with her books, you are in such luck! She has three books (+ a bonus Novella and some deleted scenes on her website…👀… and her new audiobook coming next week!) for you to binge.

I hope you can feel the way that inspiration simply exudes through Amanda’s words—to know her is to love her and be emboldened by her. And to read her books is to fall in love with the characters’ depth and charm, squeal when that scene finally happens, and find yourself in her characters over and over again.

Do yourself a dang favor and add her books to your cart STAT! They are also available for free on Kindle Unlimited for you e-reader types. Now, please give Amanda + her books some love over on Instagram, and support her work!

XO,

Grace