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INTERVIEW: Heather Grace Stewart's Heart Leaks Into Her Characters
- Christina Boyd
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
CHRISTINA: I recently had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Canadian author Heather Grace Stewart, a delightful new literary discovery for me. Her bio promises stories perfect for readers who love the charm of Bridget Jones, the wit and warmth of Emily Henry, or the sweeping escapism of Outlander—all served with humor. Naturally, I was all in.
When did you first think you had a book to write, and how did you start?
HEATHER: It happened in the most wonderfully chaotic way. I was at Indigo Books, signing copies of my first traditionally published poetry collection, Carry On Dancing. A couple of writer friends from PWAC [Professional Writers Association of Canada] stopped by, handed me a box set titled You Can Write a Novel, and we all burst out laughing. I said, “I take it this is a hint?” They shrugged and said, “Why not?”
At the time, I was a freelance writer and editor with a seven-year-old, juggling lunches, school stuff, deadlines, and the general circus of life. I told them the only way I’d ever write a novel is if a genie showed up to help me. That was the spark.
The actual ignition came a few days later while I was doing Wii Fit. The instructor’s mouth wasn’t synced to his words, and he kept saying things like, “Oh,” when I stepped on the scale, and “You’re a little shaky.” I sassed back, “You’re a little shaky, you piece of—” and suddenly I thought, What if a genie actually did show up? And what if he was as irritated with me as I am with this Wii Fit guy?
That became Strangely, Incredibly Good, my first novel, published in 2014. So yes, my fiction career began with a passive-aggressive argument with a video game.
CHRISTINA: I love that—what a perfectly chaotic origin story! From a joking “hint” at Indigo Books & Music to sass-talking a Wii Fit instructor, it’s proof that inspiration really can strike anywhere.
What do you wish you had known before you started writing a book?
HEATHER: That the biggest obstacle was…me. As my favorite Chance Peña song says, the mountain is you. I spent so much time overthinking, rewriting sentences before they’d even had a chance to breathe, and telling myself no one would want to read what I had to say.
I wish I’d learned earlier to move away from fear and closer to authenticity. Everything got better the moment I stopped trying to impress anyone and just told the truth in my own voice.
CHRISTINA: That’s such a powerful realization. I love the “mountain is you” image from Chance Peña—it captures that inner battle so perfectly. And it’s incredibly relatable: the overthinking, the self-doubt, the urge to polish before the idea can even breathe. There’s something freeing about what you said—how everything shifted when you stopped performing and started telling the truth in your own voice. That’s not just good writing advice; it’s life advice.
What’s more difficult to write: a love scene, a love letter, or something else?
HEATHER: Love scenes used to terrify me. I genuinely thought my friends and relatives would read them and immediately set me on fire. Then I discovered how popular spice is and realized I was allowed to have a sex drive without being disowned.
Now I actually enjoy writing them.
What’s hardest for me is writing how most people react in emotional situations. I’m not “most people”—and I say that with affection, not ego. I can stay perfectly calm while sitting at a table watching people walk past without buying my books…but if there’s water on the bathroom floor and my socks get wet, I will absolutely lose my mind. So, I have to consciously write reactions that make sense for the average human, not me.
CHRISTINA: I love your honesty about writing love scenes. There’s something so freeing about realizing readers want that intimacy—and that writing it doesn’t mean forfeiting your dignity at the next family gathering. Growth!
Do you put people you know, or their characteristics, in your book?
HEATHER: Absolutely. Not in a “guess which neighbor you are” way, but in little glimmers. A gesture. A phrase. A stubborn streak. A kindness. A flaw. I’m a magpie; I collect shiny human details everywhere I go.
Sometimes it’s the way someone puts on their sneakers, or the rhythm of their laugh, or a story they told once that lodged itself in my brain. Sometimes it’s a stranger I saw for thirty seconds who somehow ends up with a whole backstory. I love weaving those tiny, real pieces of humanity into my characters. It makes them feel alive to me.
CHRISTINA: I love the magpie metaphor.
Is there one of your characters you most identify with and why?
HEATHER: There’s always a character who carries a piece of me—my softness, my humor, my stubborn streak, my hopefulness. I don’t write direct self-inserts, but my heart leaks into all of them. I tend to identify most with the characters who are trying their best while juggling too many plates, because that’s been me for most of my life.
CHRISTINA: What a beautiful way to put it—“my heart leaks into all of them.” That’s the kind of authenticity that lingers long after the last page.
Have you gone on an author pilgrimage or research trip? Where and what was the most memorable moment?
HEATHER: Yes—and the funny thing is, I didn’t mean for it to be a research trip. I went to the Highlands to rest. I was a little burnt out, so my husband suggested that Finn and I visit Scotland after my publishing conference in the London area. I’d never been to the UK and jumped at the idea.
After some scrolling on Airbnb, I booked us into this tiny place, the listing called The Last Cottage on the Cove on Moray Firth. I imagined peaceful beach walks, quiet mornings, maybe some journaling. What I did not imagine was bonking my head repeatedly on the attic ceiling because the cottage was clearly built for people under five-foot-two.
One morning, while nursing my latest forehead injury, I looked out at the water and saw a very attractive man in a wetsuit out on the firth. Then I noticed an overturned sailboat. And because my brain is wired for chaos and romance, I immediately thought: What if a romcom heroine staying in a cottage like this saw a man in a wetsuit on an overturned sailboat and decided he needed saving?
And that was it. Off to the races.
I put her in a virginal nightie—because of course—and gave her the little orange motorboat I’d seen on the shore. I wandered the area, collecting details: street signs that became family names, the small town of Fortrose and its ancient kirk for scenic inspiration, the feeling of the wind on the water. By the time my kiddo and I boarded the flight home, I had pages of notes for what eventually became The Love Leap, The Love Quest, The Love Curse, and now, two more books in the Timeless Love Chronicles series.
So yes, I went to the Highlands to rest… and accidentally started a whole fictional universe with its own brand of perfume instead.
CHRISTINA: This is the most on-brand “accidental research trip” I’ve ever heard. Love it!
If you could have dinner with three people, who would be at your table—and how might that go?
HEATHER: This is tough. So many authors and artists I admire, and I can only choose three? I would have to choose Michael J. Fox, because I’ve admired him since I was eleven, I’ve read all his books, and he’s inspired so much of my journey—and I’d invite my parents. I miss seeing my parents regularly, and they’d want to watch me interact with Mike, knowing how I feel about him, and add their own fun to the conversation.
They wouldn’t be awkward like most people are with celebrities. They’d just treat him like an interesting person they want to get to know better.
My parents are like who I imagine he is: funny, thoughtful, kind, and a little mischievous—people who can go from deep emotional truths to absolute nonsense in under thirty seconds. So, it would be the kind of dinner where you laugh until you cry, share stories you didn’t expect to tell, and leave with three new ideas and at least one inside joke. Dessert would be mandatory.
CHRISTINA: Oh, I absolutely love this answer. Inviting Michael J. Fox is already a heartfelt choice—but pairing him with your parents? Magic.
Do you hide any secrets in your novels only a select few might know?
HEATHER: I hide Easter eggs for my regular readers all the time. Some are tiny pieces of my heart—a Back to the Future reference here, a Matthew Perry reference there, a recurring number. Others are bigger, like small towns that show up across different books, or characters who wander between series like old friends dropping in unannounced. I have siblings and cousins—and one stubborn pyromaniac—who appear across my romcom scripts and my romance series.
I love creating a sense that my fictional worlds are quietly talking to each other behind my back. Readers who’ve been with me for a while always catch these little connections, and it feels like we’re sharing an inside joke.
CHRISTINA: You've turned reading into a shared secret—and there’s nothing more delightful than being in on the joke.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
HEATHER: I’d still be telling stories somehow—through photography, journalism, a talk show, teaching, something creative and connective. I think I’m wired for narrative and meaning-making. Even if I tried to escape the art of storytelling, it would find me.
CHRISTINA: Aw, I believe you. Storytelling doesn’t feel like something you do. It feels like something you are.
What makes you get up in the morning? What do you love?
HEATHER: My first kiss of the day with Bill. The way the sun falls through our curtain. The possibility of making something today that didn’t exist yesterday. The people I love. The ritual of grinding coffee beans and our cats visiting my lap. Watching the cardinals and blue jays at the bird feeder. The thrill of a new idea. The quiet moments that remind me how lucky I am to be alive.
CHRISTINA: The way you notice the small details—the birds at the feeder, the coffee ritual—makes it feel like gratitude woven into everyday life. And that line about the quiet moments reminding you how lucky you are to be alive? That’s the kind of perspective that sticks with readers long after they’ve read it. Thank you for your time and for sharing your stories and process. Best wishes for your next.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Grace Stewart writes emotionally rich romantic comedies filled with real heart, cozy spice, and a touch of magic. Known for The Timeless Love Chronicles, her stories blend laugh-out-loud banter with deep connection, found family, and swoony Highland romance. If you love Bridget Jones, Emily Henry, or Outlander-style escapism with humor, you're in the right place.
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