Q&A: Karelia and Fay Stetz-Waters, Co-Authors of ‘Taste The Love’

We chat with co-authors Karelia and Fay Stetz-Waters about Taste The Love, which is a delicious, heartwarming romantic comedy about big dreams, life-changing friendships, and the people who bring out your best.

Hi, Karelia and Fay! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourselves?

Karelia: I’m a hopeless romantic with an affinity for quirky things like pugs, bull frogs, and fake, plastic grapes. I’ve been writing for years, and I LOVE hearing from readers.

Fay: I love to cook. I’m a super-recognizer so I never forget a face. I love to chat with strangers. You can find me getting into good trouble.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Karelia: I learned to read late, but I grew up in a house full of books with parents who were always happy to read to me. My first stories were the imaginative games I played with my best friend in the woods. There were lots of dragons, wild horses, and narrow escapes from bad guys. Writing with Fay feels like an extension of that kind of play.

Fay: As a twin, my sister and I loved to make up stories. (I was always the bossy one in whatever scenario we made up.) I like to tell stories about who I am and where I come from. Luckily I’ve had an interesting life.

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

Karelia: Underdog wins (with great snacks).

Fay: A sweet, juicy happily ever after.

What can readers expect?

Karelia: A rivals-to-lovers foodie romance with a dash of legal drama and a very important snake.

Fay: A story crafted with the best ingredients (great banter, sexual tension, unrequited love) and seasoned with our love for anyone who relates to loving nature or looking for a place to call home.

Where did the inspiration for Taste The Love come from?

Karelia: I love snakes, slugs, frogs and other delightful forest creatures. Fay is not on that page! So Kia’s fear of snakes and Sullivan’s love of the miniature Oregon tree snake (sorry, it’s not a real thing. I’m disappointed too!) is close to home. When Fay is gardening, our pug-spaniel alerts her to the snakes, exhibiting her hunting dog lineage. Then I shoo the snakes out of the yard, exhibiting my ability to bravely defend my mate.

Fay: I’ve always loved to cook, but during COVID lockdown, I had a chance to perfect my craft, trying new techniques and cooking out of complicated cookbooks, Karelia thought were just for decoration on the coffee table. One day, Karelia and I thought, Wouldn’t it be fun to write a romance about cooking? We were right. It was fun!

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

Karelia: There’s a part, early in the book, where Sullivan is really mad at her culinary art school rival, Kia. But at the same time, she’s watching Kia suffer a massive professional loss. Sullivan thinks how she always wanted to beat Kia, but she didn’t want Kia to lose. They were fiercely competitive in school, but as the only women in their program, they also shared a sense of camaraderie. I loved capturing the nuance of this dynamic, and I absolutely loved the way Fay wrote their friendly smack talk.

Fay: I fell in love with Kia when we wrote Second Night Stand. I knew I wanted to see her again. I loved writing their date scenes, finding places in Portland that we’ve been and enjoyed. I also loved writing Sullivan’s friends. I love their conversation, the way they bring their strengths to the friendship and the way they call each other out when they need to. They’re powerful women with a powerful bond, and I love that.

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

Karelia: I’m an anxious writer. Even though Taste the Love is my tenth book, I always reach a point in the process where I doubt everything I’ve written. I’m certain I’m not good enough, and everything I’ve written will fail. Fay has helped me overcome this. She approaches writing with joy and she grounds me when I start to spiral.

Fay: I have a lot of great ideas, but I have trouble sticking to the outline we’e agreed on. Often I’d come up with a new idea and Karelia would say, We can do that, but it will mean changing most of the book. I’d put that idea back in my pocket, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have another great idea the next day (or hour). Karelia and I work well together; I provide options while she keeps us organized.

Can you tell us a bit about your process when it came to co-authoring?

Karelia: Most of our work happened in coffee shops and brew pubs. We used Google docs so we could work on the same document at the same time.

Fay: Together we’d agree on all the plot points, characters, scenes etc. Then Karelia would start writing while I did research. Later Karelia would give me a to do list including things like “write the scene where…” or “go through the manuscript and add sexy food metaphors.”

What’s next for you?

Karelia: I’m thinking about writing a romantic suspense about an artist and true crime writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated island town.

Fay: when I retire (hoping the semi-near future) I’m going to raise up a speaking business and travel the world talking about how fostering curiosity can help people transform their lives, how they can activate engaged listening to create better relationships.

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

Karelia: A few of the books I’ve enjoyed recently include Someone to Build a Nest In by John Wiswell, This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, and On Her Terms by Amy Spalding. I’m really excited to start Anywhere You Go by Bridget Morissey. She’s an auto-purchase for me. Whatever she’s writing, I’m buying.

Fay: I loved Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory. I’m looking forward to Alison Cochrun’s next release Every Step She Takes.

Will you be picking up Taste The Love? Tell us in the comments below!