In the first of my interviews promoting this weekend’s (September 22nd) upcoming Hallmark Channel movie Truly, Madly, Sweetly, I am thrilled to share with you the wonderful author, Kira Archer, who penned the original book on which this first Fall Harvest movie is based. While I was unfamiliar with Kira’s works before the advent of this film, Dylan Neal, the executive producer, actor, and co-writer of this movie, alerted me to her beautifully-written tale, and it was a joy for me to connect with her. Additionally, it was a delight to discover not only her love for romantic comedies, but for the Hallmark Channel as well!

RH: Why did you decide to become a writer, and what path did you follow to become an author?

KA: I’ve always written stories. My mom still has a few I wrote when I was five! But I never considered it something I could really do…one of those unattainable dreams. Then when my son was a baby, I started writing a novel during his naps. It took me a few years to finish, but once I did, I decided to look into what it would take to get it published. I started the process querying for an agent…which didn’t pan out for several years. When I finally did get an agent, it was for a non-fiction book that I’d sort of written by accident. And she didn’t represent fiction. A few years after that, I submitted my book to a few publishers who accepted non-agented submissions and was picked up by Entangled Publishing. I’ve now written almost two dozen books and was thrilled to hit the USA Today bestseller list twice this year. And I finally signed with an agent. So, I kind of did everything backwards, I guess, but it’s been incredible.

I do have a Masters degree in English though, and I think joining critique groups and finding a good support group of fellow authors has been more helpful in my career than anything.

What was your first professionally-published writing? What was that process like for you?

My very first publication was an essay for one of the Chicken Soup books. I found a call for stories and decided to submit something just to see what would happen. They accepted, sent me a $200 check, and I was published. It was an amazing feeling! A few years later, my non-fiction book, Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers was published (written as Michelle McLean). But fiction is where I wanted to be and it took a few more years for that to happen.

Please tell us a little about the series of books you write. 

I mainly write rom-coms. I love fun, uplifting romantic stories that can make you laugh and sigh and leave you with a smile. I also write historical romances as Michelle McLean.

Tell us about how your book got optioned to become a Hallmark movie. Also, before this happened, were you a Hallmark movie fan?

I’ve always loved Hallmark! I love that you know you are going to walk away with a smile after watching one. The movie option was a complete surprise. The incredibly talented Dylan Neal found my book and thought it would make a great Hallmark movie and things kind of snowballed from there. Crown Media contacted me and our respective teams hashed out the option deal. Many days it still doesn’t seem real!

During the process of your book being turned into a Hallmark movie, what was your role? Were you able to visit the set and/or meet with any of the cast/crew?

After I signed the option contracts, that’s pretty much where my involvement ended–LOL! I didn’t get to visit the set, but once filming started, Dylan very kindly kept in contact and shared pictures and information about the whole process.

Photo: Dylan Neal Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

What differences are fans of the book going to notice between the book and the movie? 

I haven’t seen the whole movie yet, but I’ve noticed a few differences from watching the trailers. There are scenes I recognize from the book that are changed slightly. For instance, the meet-cute where Natalie turns and crashes into Eric and spills his coffee – in the book, it’s an ice cream cone. Small things like that. The largest difference I’m aware of is that Dylan Neal’s character, Eric, is a single dad in the movie and that is not the case in the book. So, there will obviously be a few plotlines dealing with that which are not in the book. My book is also a quintessential romance novel complete with a few spicier scenes that would not be included in a typical Hallmark movie. 😉

What other works do you have coming up that you can mention?

My next release is the fourth book in my Winning the Billionaire series. In the first book, a personal assistant wins the lotto but decides to have a little fun with her aggravating boss and see how far she can screw up before she gets fired. Instead, he catches on and tries to get her to quit, but sparks fly while their friends start placing bets on who will crack first. There’s a lot of humor and of course romance through the whole series. The rest of the series follows each of the friends introduced in the first book.

Do you have a desire to write in other genres/styles in the future?

I already do and really love being able to switch things up every now and then. Between the contemporary rom-coms and historical romances, with the occasional educational non-fiction how-to book thrown in (and until recently, I also wrote medical articles for my day job), I get to have a lot of creative variety.

Photo: Dylan Neal, Nikki DeLoach Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

Some say that “rom-coms” are no longer relevant, and some even say that romances are a thing of the past. What would you say to people who try to make this claim?

I’d say they don’t know much about romance–LOL! Romance has always been a huge seller, and I think it always will be. I love sitting down with a rom-com book for the same reason I love sitting down to watch a Hallmark movie. I know I’m going to get a feel-good story that will make me laugh and maybe cry a little, that will have a happy ending and leave me with a smile. Who doesn’t want that?

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Fall is my favorite time of year, but Christmas is my favorite holiday. Probably for the same reason I love rom-coms – everything about it makes me happy. I deck my house out, there are lights on all the houses, there are presents and music everywhere, the kitchen always smells like cookies, and it’s a time of year when people generally try to be nicer and spread a little cheer. I wish it would last longer!

Photo: Dylan Neal, Bailey Skodje, Karen Holness, Nikki DeLoach Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

As an author who has such an affinity and aptitude for romantic fiction, Kira seems to be an excellent candidate for joining the diverse array of talents who contribute to the overall success of Hallmark movies. Her adoration for the genre and her commitment to conceptualize books that inspire positivity and happiness within her readers are the perfect ingredients for a romantic story that will entertain readers while giving them “all the feels.” While this may be her initial association with the network, we can only hope that it won’t be her last, since the experience has been something distinctive for all involved. I hope that everyone tunes in Saturday, September 22nd to the original premiere that will inaugurate the official start to the Fall Season on the Hallmark Channel. Furthermore, it is the desire of all involved that the viewers genuinely savor the romantic tale inspired by Kira’s intensely fervent book, Truly, Madly, Sweetly. Additionally, if you are so inclined, feel free to visit all of Kira’s links below and perhaps consider following her where applicable. While Kira writes romance with a bit of spice, I have no doubt that the Hallmark adaptation of her delightful tale will seek to captivate, dazzle, and enliven the viewers in an effort to melt even the most frigid of hearts.

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