Q&A: Annabelle Slator, Author of ‘Risky Business’

We chat with author Annabelle Slator about Risky Business, which follows a woman desperate to keep her start-up afloat and is forced to pose as her brother’s assistant during a tech competition, hoping a male-led company will be taken more seriously, only to find her secret identity compromised when she has a hot one-night stand with the head of the competition’s assistant.

Hi, Annabelle! Welcome back! It’s been a year since we last spoke for the release of The Launch Date. How have you been and what have you been up to?

I’m doing so well, thank you! My debut novel was so much fun and I’ve felt even more prepared and calm going into the publication of my second novel. I’ve mostly been writing in my downtime and spending lots of time reading!

Your latest novel, Risky Business, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

High-stakes, globetrotting, sizzling, relatable and swoonworthy

What can readers expect?

Readers should expect my standard dosage of chemistry and laughs, plus sibling rivalry, spicy banter and a dash of feminine rage.

Where did the inspiration for Risky Business come from?

This story was equally inspired by early 00s film adaptations of Shakespeare’s classics like She’s The Man and the real life story of two female entrepreneurs who created a fake male CEO to dodge tech industry sexism. Throw in a sprinkle of sibling rivalry and steamy romance and you’ve got a recipe for Risky Business!

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really enjoyed writing the Jess and Spencer brother/sister dynamic, and the meet-cute scenes between Jess and Oliver. The night they first meet has been one of my favourite things to write ever!

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

During the first draft I had the majority of the tech competition, which is the main mechanism and driving force of the story, hosted in London. But once I read it through, I thought this needs to be expanded. It needed the glamour and intrigue of an international competition, which also only added to Jess’s anxiety-inducing credit card bill throughout.

This is your second published novel! What are some of the key lessons you learned from working on your debut that helped with this one?

Pacing myself! I wrote Risky Business in sessions instead of jumping straight into the next draft. I’m also so excited to start the next draft straight away and while I’m ‘on a roll’ but I think most writers benefit from a bit of mental and emotional distance from their work to come back to it with more objectivity. If I’d have jumped straight back in, Jess would have probably stayed in London for the entire book!

What’s next for you?

I can’t reveal too much right now but I’m currently working on two different projects, one which will feel familiar to readers but also something a little spookier…

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

I’m really looking forward to Around the World in 80 Dates by Jasmine Burke, Crash Into You by Simone Soltani and The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham.

Will you be picking up Risky Business? Tell us in the comments below!