Project Backlist- Kate Meader
Project Backlist: Start Your Journey with Kate Meader
Welcome to Project Backlist, Buzzing about Romance’s guide to must-read backlist books! This week, we’re spotlighting Kate Meader
Meet Kate Meader
Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with big-hearted guys and strong heroines – and heroes – who can match their men quip for quip..
Get to know Kate
Becky: What initially drew you to the romance genre as a writer?
Kate: I’ve always loved reading romance. I grew up in Ireland where Harlequin is called Mills & Boon, and those were my introduction to the genre. Wide-eyed, virginal ingenues and cold-hearted businessmen with daddy issues—I couldn’t get enough. Then I moved onto Maeve Binchy (Irish-set cozy women’s fic) and Jilly Cooper (sex-drenched Brits with horse fetishes) and I was hooked. But it took me a while to think that (a) writing a novel was a good idea and (b) that romance would be my jam. Once I knew I wanted to write a book, I knew that it had to be romance.
Becky: You have been publishing for quite a few years now… is it hard to keep your ideas fresh?
Kate: Yes and no. Generally I try to write a trope/pairing I haven’t done before, or mix up a couple of ideas to keep it interesting. For example, I just realized that I had only written two single dad stories in 35 books, which is a tragedy because I love that trope. So my next book will be a single dad, but I’m mixing it up to make it a surprise baby and the nanny heroine is much younger and the hero’s teammate’s daughter. So I haven’t done that much forbidden in one book, which means I get to do something fresh and challenging.
Becky: Can you share any writing rituals or habits that help you stay focused and productive during the writing process?
Kate: Get the words done first thing in the morning! Of course I don’t always follow my own advice and usually employ any number of procrastinating strategies that keep me from writing: reading and responding to email, checking sales, writing newsletters, updating my websites, filling in Q&As ;). But generally, putting away 2000 words a day keeps me on track.
Becky: What challenges do you face when writing romance, and how do you overcome them?
Kate: Keeping it fresh is probably the biggest one. I’ve just wrapped up a 10-book hockey romance series and while it’s tempting to slip back into the comforts of that world, I knew it was time to move on. My next series is related, so I get to use that universe to smooth the transition into the new. I like to link my series, not only to give readers a thrill of the familiar, but also to help me keep the worlds I write in grounded.
Becky: Romance readers often have strong preferences when it comes to tropes (such as enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, etc.). Do you have a trope you love to write, and if so, what about it appeals to you?
Kate: My earliest books were very focused on enemies to lovers, and that’s still a favorite. These days, I lean toward grumpy-sunshine, especially when the heroine is the grump. I like inverting that trope because it’s so much fun, especially when you have a golden retriever/cinnamon roll hero type.
Becky: What is one thing you want your readers to take away from your books when they are finished?
Kate: Happy sighs, and a bit of a swoon. Mostly, that they were able to forget their troubles for a short while.
About Hot in Chicago Rookies
Becky: How do you feel your writing has evolved from your first release to your most recent books?
Kate: In my early novels, I was a big fan of banter, which I used to mistake for conflict. If a couple were sniping away and saying sharp yet clever things to each other, I thought: yay, achievement unlocked, we have ourselves a romance! But I soon learned that I actually needed a story with goals and motivations and character arcs. In learning about that, I figured out most characters (at least in my books) have self-worth and esteem issues, so tying those themes into the tropes was always my goal. Why is this guy such a dick? Why does this woman think she’s unlovable? I also think my earlier books were much more interior and maybe not quite as well-paced as my later ones. I’m still proud of them, of course, but the writing has definitely evolved and is a bit more snappy.
Becky: What about this series/story that holds a special place in your heart? Why do they resonate with you?
Kate: The Hot in Chicago Rookies series is a spin-off of an earlier firefighter series I wrote called Hot in Chicago. No prior knowledge is necessary, but with this newer series I wanted to return to my Chicago firefighter world, which was considered my first breakout hit. I love this world so much! Brave firefighters, band of brothers and sisters, set in Chicago, and I also saw an opportunity to connect it with my Rookie Rebels hockey series. I wanted to do another mixed MM/MF series, which I had already done for the Chicago Rebels and Hot in Chicago series. I love the idea of bringing characters with all these different backgrounds together in one series.
Becky: Which of your characters in this book or series are you most proud of, and what makes them stand out to you?
Kate: This series features three couples: UP IN SMOKE has a single dad, burned by divorce, attracted to his trainee firefighter, who is trying to follow in her deceased firefighter mom’s footsteps, against her dad’s wishes. DOWN IN FLAMES is a gay romance featuring a firefighter and a hockey player, a crossover between my Hot in Chicago Rookies and Rookie Rebels series. Finally, HOT TO THE TOUCH, features a playboy firefighter who, in the aftermath of a tragedy, becomes a co-parent of his niece and nephew Jude, and is forced to do that with his nemesis, who is also his sister in law.
I love them all, but the second book, DOWN IN FLAMES is probably my favorite. Jude, the firefighter has major self-worth issues while Hudson, the hockey players suffers from anxiety. Both of them are out so their romance focuses on navigating a relationship when you don’t feel good enough. I love how supportive they are of each other. This book is also one of my hottest!
Becky: Have there been any books from your backlist that you feel didn’t get as much attention as they deserved?
Kate: I think the Laws of Attraction series about Chicago divorce attorneys is one that doesn’t get as much attention as the others. It was a bit of a departure for me in style (first person, more rom-com vibes), but it’s such a fun and heartfelt series that I hope people will re-discover it.
Becky: How do you approach balancing standalone novels with series? Do you find it easier to revisit characters in a series, or do you prefer writing new stories?
Kate: All my books are usually connected standalones in a series. So, new couple, no cliffhangers, same world. I definitely prefer writing in series, but with the freshness of writing a new couple.
Becky: Are there any particular lessons or themes in this series that you feel still resonate strongly with readers?
Kate: I really enjoy writing about the redemptive power of love—the idea that love can help you to recognize your self-worth and the power inherent in a loving, supporting relationship. Those themes are fairly prevalent in all my books, and none more so than in the Hot in Chicago Rookies series.
Becky: What was the most challenging book in this series to write, and what did you learn from the experience?
Kate: Probably HOT TO THE TOUCH, the final book in the series. The theme is more serious than some of my other books because it features the death of the hero’s brother and heroine’s sister, which brings the MCs together as adoptive parents after the tragedy. The characters are dealing with grief and guilt while falling for each other, so that’s tricky to write in terms of tone. I think I pulled it off, but you’ll have to read it and see.
Becky: Do you ever see yourself revisiting (second gen or expanding) on this series/story’s characters in future projects?
Kate: I’m currently writing a second gen series for my hockey series and as my firefighter and hockey worlds are connected, then there’s a chance one of the kids in the Hot in Chicago Rookies world will show up in my new Chicago Players series (starts with SWEET THING, July 2025).
Thank you so much to Kate Meader for taking the time to answer our questions. Happy Reading!
