Multi-award winning author Kris Bryant is a published sapphic romance writer with Bold Strokes Books and is now on her 19th full length novel. Kris and I met in 2022 at Earp-a-palooza as we were vendor table buddies. We spent the 3-day weekend at the first Earp convention back since the pandemic and during our downtime got to chat about each others work. So when I started the Creators We ❤️ section for my new website, I knew I had to feature Kris as my first interview! Not only that, she has generously offered 5 signed copies of "Catch", her latest book, and her best seller "Temptation" for the launch! Read more for details below and a HUGE THANKS to Kris for supporting.
Yinan Xia: What inspired you to become a writer? And when did you start writing?
Kris Bryant: I started reading when I was four and haven’t stopped. My dream was always to become a published writer. I went to college for writing and never made the effort because it seemed so overwhelming and honestly, I didn’t want to write heterosexual romance. When I discovered LGBTQ, sapphic books, it changed everything. I read them for about two years until I decided to write one myself. Bold Strokes Books took a chance on me and now I’m working on my 19th full length novel.
Follow Kris Bryant on social @krisbryant2014 and visit her website at krisbryant.net
To purchase a limited edition of the autographed book, click here. Proceeds support both Kris Bryant and Kindness Untamed.
You can also get her latest book on Amazon by clicking here.
YX: Tell us more about your latest book Catch.
KS: Catch is a first person POV, past/present story about a second chance romance. Sutton McCoy once was the quarterback of her high school and now, fifteen years later, she's the offensive coordinator for the new NFL team the Connecticut Cheetahs. She had a secret relationship with a cheerleader (Parker O'Neal) in high school whose parents were extremely religious and anti-gay. Parker's parents do everything to keep them apart and the teens end up going their separate ways. Now, 15 years later, Parker's husband is recruited to be the veteran quarterback of the Cheetahs. This causes a lot of emotional distress for both women and they have a lot of feelings to work through.
YX: What was the inspiration behind this book?
KS: A lot of women love sports. I love football and there haven’t been too many sapphic/lesfic books about it and it’s such a dominating sport in our country. Write what you know and so I decided to write a book about football and dived into the NFL and how women are making leaps and bounds in a very male-dominated industry. There are several female coaches, but not offensive coordinators. That’s a step below head coach. I expect my character to become Head Coach at some point in her life.
YX: Which book from your collection best represents your collection of work? Why did you choose this book?
YX: How did you get into publishing? And what made you take the leap from writing as a hobby to writing professionally?
KS: I have a traditional publisher - Bold Strokes Books. They are the largest LGBTQ publishing company in the USA. Self-publishing wasn't big when I got into the business. I had to go about it the old-fashioned way where I sent in a manuscript, cover letter, and prayed for 4 months until they got back to me.
YX: Why did you choose your specific genre of writing?
KS: I love romance. I love reading the excitement and build up of people falling in love. I've always read romances growing up. They are happy books. They make my heart happy. When the rest of the world is a dumpster fire, a good book helps. Love helps. It's hopeful.
YX: Which book from your collection best represents your collection of work? Why did you choose this book?
KS: Temptation is by far my best-seller. Readers love it. It has several tropes and it's so laid back that people can easily relate to the MC. Cassie drops out of medical school to pursue environmental work and her parents cut her off so she needs to find a good paying job. She stumbles into a nanny position and falls for the rich, single mom, Brook Wellington. It's fun, flirty, sexy, and watching an ice queen melt is beautiful on the page.
YX: If you could give younger writers today advice, what would it be?
KS: Never give up. Never let a rejection letter stop you from writing. And if you decide to self-publish, find a content and copy editor to help you polish your story and make it the best it can be. Books are forever. Representing the queer community is an honor that I will cherish the rest of my life.
Multi-award winning author Kris Bryant was born in Tacoma, WA but has lived all over the world and now considers Kansas City her home. She received her B.A. in English from the University of Missouri and spends a lot of her time buried in books. Her first novel, Jolt, was a Lambda Literary Finalist. Forget-Me-Not was selected by the American Library Association's 2018 Over the Rainbow book list and was a Golden Crown Finalist for Contemporary Romance. Breakthrough won a 2019 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Listen won a 2020 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Lucky was a Foreword Indie Finalist. Temptation won a 2021 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Under the pen name Brit Ryder, Kris won a 2022 Goldie for Erotica and was a Foreword Indie Finalist.
Multi-award winning author Kris Bryant was born in Tacoma, WA but has lived all over the world and now considers Kansas City her home. She received her B.A. in English from the University of Missouri and spends a lot of her time buried in books. Her first novel, Jolt, was a Lambda Literary Finalist. Forget-Me-Not was selected by the American Library Association's 2018 Over the Rainbow book list and was a Golden Crown Finalist for Contemporary Romance. Breakthrough won a 2019 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Listen won a 2020 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Lucky was a Foreword Indie Finalist. Temptation won a 2021 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Under the pen name Brit Ryder, Kris won a 2022 Goldie for Erotica and was a Foreword Indie Finalist.
To purchase a limited edition of the autographed book, click here. Proceeds support both Kris Bryant and Kindness Untamed.
You can also get her latest book on Amazon by clicking here.