Authors Interviewing Characters: Dana Hawkins
NOT IN THE PLAN
Free-spirited coffee shop owner meets uptight coffee addict. Is an opposites-attract match brewing… or burning?
Crushed under the weight of writer’s block and a looming deadline, Mack escapes from New York to Seattle. She meets Charlie, a beautiful, generous, nearly bankrupt coffee shop owner recovering from heartbreak. For the first time, Mack has a muse. And then Mack starts using Charlie’s private stories in her novel…
When a storm traps Mack and Charlie in the coffee shop, they share a mind-bending, knee-shaking kiss. But Charlie is an eternal optimist who sleeps with fairy-lights on, while Mack is an ironing-at-5am worrier who sleeps with… everyone. They could never turn this chemistry into something real, right?
And if Charlie finds out what Mack has been doing, turning Charlie’s most intimate secrets into a juicy page-turner, will they even have a chance to try?
A swoony, steamy queer romcom perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, Casey McQuiston, and Alexis Hall.
Interview: (Dana Hawkins is interviewing Charlie, the MC in the book NOT IN THE PLAN)
Dana: Hey Charlie! Thank you so much for meeting with me.
Charlie: I’m super excited to do this. I brought you a little something from Sugar Mugs. We’ve never met, and I wasn’t sure what you would like.
Dana: Let me guess. Blackberry scones?
Charlie: How did you know? Yes, they seem to be a crowd-pleaser with the Seattle crowd.
Dana: So Charlie, you opened up a business at such a young age. Can you tell me about your thought process and the lessons learned? Wouldn’t working at a pre-established place have been so much easier?
Charlie: You are not the first person to ask me this. And I got in over my head. Growing up with, let’s say, less-than-stellar parents, I spent so much time with my aunt Rosie. When she passed and left this house to me, I wanted to keep all those happy memories contained and spread that joy to others. I’ve had a few friends ask why I converted Rosie’s house into a coffee shop and didn’t just keep it as a home for me. But the structure was always so warm and inviting to me, and I couldn’t see just living in this house by myself. I wanted to spread Rosie’s love to everyone: the queer community, the neighborhood, friends, and family.
Dana: I have to ask, what is it like dating a famous author?
Charlie: Well, Mack is amazing, obviously (giggles). She doesn’t get recognized when we are on the street, so that’s great. I’m pretty sure she would keel over into the fetal position if that happened! She gets really shy around new people, and it takes a bit for her to warm up. If she knows she’s going to an event where a bunch of industry folks will be in attendance, she’ll get a really good night’s sleep and do some deep breathing ahead of time. Oh! Guess what?
Dana: What?
Charlie: I finally convinced her to take my rose quartz worry rock to her last event. She said it helped! Now, between us chickens, she might have just been saying that to make me feel better, but I’m choosing to believe it anyway.
Dana: What is the newest drink on the menu?
Charlie: Well, my bestie Ben actually came up with this. He went to the lavender festival in Sequim, Washington- a place on the coast- and he found a shop that makes homemade lavender-infused syrup. It’s delicious. We experimented a bit and developed an incredible lavender oat milk latte. I’ve been attempting to up my game with the art and make a lavender plant with the foam, but so far, I’m striking out, and it just looks like an awkward plop.
Dana: Speaking of Ben, how has he been?
Charlie: He is really great, honestly, in a really good place. He and his roommate, Remi, are getting along super well, and he is settling into his new life. He just had dinner with his aunt Gabriella and Abuelita last week, and that went really well. I don’t want to tell too much of his story, but he’s been dating someone special for almost six months and brought them to meet his family. I’m pretty sure he’s found the one!
Dana: Alright, I’m going to call out the elephant in the room. Mack did some not-so-great things to you in the past. It seemed like you forgave her super quickly. Can you talk to us about that?
Charlie: Well, it probably seemed like I forgave her in like a day. And I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. I decided I loved her and wanted to be with her, but it took several months to fully trust her. Of course, my trust was broken. And it hurt. But I have a tenancy to run when things get tough, so it wasn’t all her fault. And she really tried to make amends. She was devastated by her actions, and it was a good lesson for her to learn. She didn’t know she’d fall in love when she started using me for intel. How many times have you been somewhere and witnessed something? Like an argument, someone tripping, an interaction between a store employee, a waiter spilling drinks on a customer, whatever, and you went home and shared that story. I mean, we all do it, right? Sure, sure, she took it too far. But trust me, I scour her new work for any references of me, and I am her first reader.
Dana: So, what’s next for you?
Charlie: We have Sunday Drag Queen reading hour at Sugar Mugs next week. Mack and I are planning a weekend getaway to the coast, and Ben and I are planning a movie night with him and Remi the following week. Career-wise, I have been slowly letting go and letting the staff take over. I’m enjoying a healthier work-life balance, spending time with loved ones, hanging out with Mack’s family, and just trying to center myself.
Dana: OK, final question. Did you ever get to meet Macklemore?
Charlie: (laughs) Not yet. But I will never remove that dream from my bucket list! I keep hoping someday he will just pop into the shop.
Dana: Thank you for this chat, Charlie! Please say hi to Mack, Ben, and everyone else!
Charlie: Thanks, Dana!
BUY HERE
Dana Hawkins Bio:
Dana Hawkins is a contemporary romance author of sparkly sapphic stories. When not searching the country for the perfect cup of piping hot Americano, she spends her time chasing her kids and rewatching ’90s movies. After living for twenty years in Seattle, she recently trekked back to her hometown in Minnesota. She is a huge romance-genre book nerd and borderline obsessed with happy-ever-afters.
Social and website:
You can find Dana here: https://danahawkins.com/
Listen to her as a co-host on the Authorish Podcast
Follow Dana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.hawkinsauthor/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@d.hawkinsauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DHawkinsAuthor
Trailer for: Not in the Plan
Category: On Writing
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
