An Interview With Stephanie Vance

Across the Aisle is my debut novel, which is why you don’t know much about me…yet. I thought I’d introduce myself through an imaginary interview. I’m a writer. We’re creative like that.

Interviewer: Stephanie, tell us about Across the Aisle.

Stephanie: It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers romance featuring Dallas McGrath, a female lobbyist working to succeed in a career dominated by men. She’s up against fellow lobbyist Grant Pierce, a handsome charmer who’s sure he’s just one flirt away from defeating Dallas in the lobbying game. Spoiler alert: he’s wrong.

Interviewer: Have you always been drawn to these kinds of protagonists?

Stephanie: Absolutely. My romantic comedy works tend to feature smart, feisty, often sarcastic heroines who absolutely devastate men who are used to having their own way. I also write speculative fiction and non-fiction. In fact, my non-fiction book The Influence Game was on the Washington Post bestseller list.

Interviewer: That’s quite an array of genres. Did you always want to be a writer?

Stephanie: I’ve always been both attracted to and terrified by the prospect of being a writer. It began in elementary school when my main career aspiration was to be a poet. Not surprisingly, I didn’t have many friends in elementary school, and got poetry out of my system pretty quickly. In middle school I decided instead to go into the equally lucrative field of flute performance and even went to college on a music scholarship. I planned to be first flute in the New York Philharmonic. That didn’t happen.

Interviewer: So, once you abandoned poetry and music, what lead you to your current career? You’re in the political world in DC, right?

Stephanie: After deciding not to major in music, I looked at the courses I’d taken in college and realized I’d always been drawn to political science. So, I wound up majoring in it and moved to DC about thirty years ago, planning to save the world.

Interviewer (laughing): How’s that going for you?

Stephanie (laughing): It could be better. That said, my work focuses on grassroots advocacy; my professional mission is to help everyday citizens connect with their government. In fact, my journey back to writing started with my desire to help people do just that.

Interviewer: It can’t have escaped your attention that people aren’t thrilled with politics these days–

Stephanie (laughing): –that’s putting it mildly.

Interviewer: So what do you have to say to readers who are skeptical about the prospect of a “bipartisan romance.”

Stephanie: Although it’s set in DC, Across the Aisle isn’t about politics. Like many enemies-to-lovers stories, it’s about two headstrong people who are more compatible than they’re willing to admit. Sure, Dallas and Grant disagree on a policy issue, but it could just as easily have been a business disagreement, a family-related argument, or even a dogs versus cats dispute.

Interviewer: Yep. Dogs versus cats is a big one. What’s your preference?

Stephanie: Dogs, definitely. My older brother was a beagle. Or, to clarify, until I was 5 years old I believed our beagle Arthur was related to me. This says a great deal about how dogs are treated in my family. Fun fact, I’m missing one of my upper canine teeth. I think that’s why I’m constantly in search of my inner dog.

Interviewer: Speaking of fun facts, let’s go into what I call a lightning round of “getting to know you” questions. First, what’s your favorite color?

Stephanie: I don’t have one. They all have their merits.

Interviewer: Superpower?

Stephanie: I’ve always been interested in telekinesis and believe it’s possible. I’ve seen my dog will me off the couch and to the biscuit jar every. single. night.

Interviewer: Any pet peeves?

Stephanie: Never, ever, refer to a Greek God by his or her Roman name. The Greeks were there first!

Interviewer: What’s your deepest, darkest secret?

Stephanie:  I don’t floss after every meal.

Interviewer (laughing): That’s pretty dark. So, to wrap up, what’s one thing you want our readers to know about Across the Aisle?

Stephanie (laughing): Where to buy it? No, I want readers to know that in Across the Aisle they’ll get a classic enemies-to-lovers story with a gorgeous guy, a smart, beautiful, and successful woman, and a whole lot of witty banter. And in true romantic comedy style, readers will eventually want to shake both protagonists and shout “open your eyes you idiot”! I know I did while writing it.