Jen Craven: Authors Interviewing Characters

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW

For readers of domestic suspense, book club fiction, and character-driven dramas like Big Little Lies, The Whispers, and Little Fires Everywhere, Something You Should Know (Book 1 of the After Ever series) follows four lifelong friends inspired by beloved fairy tale heroines (Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Aurora) as they navigate marriage, motherhood, ambition, family secrets, and the dangerous gap between the lives they show the world and the truths they keep hidden.

It’s Big Little Lies energy meets Disney vibes. Because happily ever after comes with far darker consequences than any fairy tale ever warned.

Picture this:

What if the most beloved Disney princesses were modern-day thirty-something women living in Pittsburgh? Meet Bellamy, Jaz, Ella, and Rory—four friends whose lives are anything but a fairy tale.

Bellamy seems to have it all, but behind closed doors her marriage is quietly becoming a prison. Ella is balancing motherhood, financial strain, and grief when a family inheritance sparks a legal battle that threatens everything she’s built. Rory has spent her life saying yes—to her parents, their expectations, and the future they’ve chosen for her. But one shocking discovery will force her to decide who she really wants to be. And Jaz, bold and fiercely independent, is falling for a woman she knows her conservative family may never accept.

When the women reunite to celebrate Bellamy’s thirty-second birthday, tensions, secrets, and lies ignite—and by the end of the night, someone will be dead.

Coffee with Rory: A Conversation with the Woman at the Heart of Something You Should Know

If you’ve ever rooted for the dreamer, believed in love a little too quickly, or struggled to balance your own desires with everyone else’s expectations, you’ll probably find a kindred spirit in Rory. I recently sat down with her to talk about work, family, friendship, animals, and the complicated business of figuring out who you are when everyone seems to have an opinion about who you should be.

Jen: Rory, thanks for chatting with me today.

Rory: Of course! Though if I’d known this was going to involve talking about myself, I might have tried to bring one of the shelter dogs as a distraction.

Jen: That’s actually a great place to start. Tell us about your love of animals.

Rory: Oh, where do I begin? I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds—I don’t discriminate. Animals are honest…and they don’t play games. If a dog likes you, you know it. 

Jen: And you volunteer at a local animal shelter.

Rory: Every chance I get. It’s my favorite part of the week. Walking dogs, helping with adoptions, cleaning kennels—honestly, I love all of it. Seeing an animal find a forever home never gets old.

Jen: Is it fair to say that’s where your real passion lies?

Rory: Completely fair.

Jen: Yet that’s not your full-time job.

Rory: No. I work for my family’s coffee company.

Jen: How do you feel about that?

Rory: Well, that’s…complicated.

Jen: Go on.

Rory: I don’t hate it. I actually enjoy a lot of what I do. But if you asked me what I’d choose if there were no expectations attached, I’d be working with animals in some capacity.

Jen: The expectations are hard to ignore?

Rory: Very hard with parents like mine. 

Jen: Oh? Tell me about them.

Rory: My parents love me.

Jen: That’s a diplomatic answer.

Rory: It’s also true. They love me. They want what’s best for me. The challenge is that they’ve always had very specific ideas about what “best” looks like.

Jen: And those ideas don’t always align with yours.

Rory: Not exactly. They’re planners. And they believe success comes from following a certain path. 

Jen: And it sounds like you’re more of a dreamer.

Rory: I prefer “optimist.”

Jen: Fair enough.

Rory: I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to make everyone happy. Sometimes that means making choices because they’re expected of me rather than because they’re what I truly want.

Jen: I think a lot of readers will relate to that.

Rory: I hope so. It’s easy to lose sight of your own voice when everyone else’s opinions are so loud.

Jen: Speaking of following your heart, let’s talk about Phil.

Rory: I knew this was coming.

Jen: Readers will never forgive me if I don’t ask.

Rory: Fine.

Jen: How did you meet?

Rory: At the shelter, actually.

Jen: Of course you did.

Rory: He came in one day, and…

Jen: And?

Rory: Have you ever had one of those moments where you just know your life is about to change?

Jen: That’s a very Rory answer.

Rory: I know.

Jen: Was it love at first sight?

Rory: I wish I could pretend it wasn’t.

Jen: But?

Rory: It absolutely was.

Jen: No hesitation?

Rory: None.

Jen: That’s either incredibly romantic or slightly concerning.

Rory: Haha…my friends would say it’s both. I mean, look, I know I’m a hopeless romantic. I’ve accepted it. 

Jen: Even when it’s risky?

Rory: I never would have considered myself a risk-taker, but I guess so. But I’d rather live in a world where I give people a chance than one where I assume the worst about everyone. That doesn’t mean being blind. It just means staying open.

Jen: That’s a lesson you learn throughout the story, isn’t it?

Rory: Definitely. There’s a difference between seeing the good in people and ignoring what’s right in front of you. Unfortunately, I had to learn that the hard way.

Jen: You didn’t navigate it alone, though.

Rory: Oh, no. Never.

Jen: Let’s talk about your friends.

Rory: My favorite topic.

Jen: Bellamy, Jaz, and Ella.

Rory: My lifelines.

Jen: What do they mean to you?

Rory: Everything. They’re the people who show up when things fall apart. They tell me the truth, even when I don’t want to hear it. Especially when I don’t want to hear it.

Jen: That’s rare.

Rory: It sure is. I’m super lucky to have them.

Jen: Last question. What do you hope readers take away from your story?

Rory: That it’s okay to write your own version of happiness. You can love people and still choose yourself. You can be kind without being naïve. You can believe in good things without ignoring reality. And you don’t have to have everything figured out to move forward.

Jen: That’s beautiful.

Rory: Thanks.

Jen: And very fitting coming from someone who still believes in happy endings.

Rory: I do.

Jen: Even now?

Rory: Especially now.

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About Something You Should Know

Something You Should Know is the first novel in the After Ever series, a dark fairy tale retelling series, inspired by the stories we grew up with but reimagined for adulthood. Through the interconnected lives of these Disney-inspired women, the novel explores friendship, identity, love, ambition, and the complicated journey of discovering who you are when happily-ever-after isn’t a guarantee. Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven book club fiction with heart, depth, and plenty to discuss. Learn more at www.aftereverbooks.com and by following Jen Craven on social media @jencravenauthor. Jen’s other stand-alone domestic suspense novels can be found at www.jencraven.com. 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews