%20(1).png)
Interview Sam Evans' First Book Taught Her to Keep Going
- Christina Boyd
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
CHRISTINA: I first connected with author Sam Evans on Threads, down in the query trenches. I was excited to see she had not one but two books coming this year (one set in the Pacific Northwest!), and I was super glad when she agreed to this little interview.
What comes first: plot or characters?
SAM: When I’m working alone (I’ve co-written one book), it’s typically the characters that come first. I don’t do much plotting—I know where I’m starting from and where I want to end up—but I figure out what happens in between as I go. And I tend to have a good sense of the characters and their personalities from the outset.
Co-writing is a different beast, though (it’s really very fun), and I feel the plot has to be much more developed from the outset there because there are two cooks in the kitchen.
So, I guess it depends on what I’m working on!
CHRISTINA: I really like the distinction you make between solo writing and co-writing. It makes sense that plot needs to be more structured when two writers are collaborating.
What is your current project or latest release?
SAM: I have two planned releases this year. The first, Kill the Puckers, releases on March 31, 2026. It’s a dark hockey romance that was unfortunately inspired by real events. It’s centered around Alyssa Reed, who’s out to get justice for her BFF after the courts fail to do so. Alyssa hatches a plot to get close to Mark Eriksson, the head coach of the Black Bears, with the intention of gaining access to the players who assaulted her friend so that she can do what the justice system didn’t. It becomes a race to see if Alyssa can set things right before Mark and the police figure out what’s going on. A race that’s complicated by Alyssa’s growing feelings for Mark.
The second, Boom Boom Bang, releases on May 26, 2026. It’s a small-town enemies-to-lovers ecoterrorism adventure romance set in the Pacific Northwest that I co-wrote with my partner, Travis Walter. It’s about Fiona Carson and Tre White, who have been enemies since high school. Fiona is, by all appearances, staunchly pro-development, while Tre is leading the local fight to keep the developers out of Kalomish. But when Tre stumbles across Fiona vandalizing the developers’ construction site late one night, he demands they pool their efforts and work together.
CHRISTINA: I’m especially intrigued by the mix of romance and suspense in Kill the Puckers and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic in Boom Boom Bang. I live in the Pac Northwest, so I'm definitely interested in Boom Boom Bang.
Is there a time period you would like to set a future story or genre you’d like to write next?
SAM: I have two published mysteries, In the Woods Somewhere and Down by the Water, and will soon have two published romances I mentioned. Next up, I’d like to work on a modern-day paranormal murder mystery. I love mysteries in all shapes and forms, and I love all things spooky. Blending the two would be an automatic win in my book, so that will likely be my next solo project.
CHRISTINA: A modern-day paranormal mystery seems like the perfect way to combine your love of mysteries and spooky elements.
How do you decide on the ‘heat level’ for your books?
SAM: I have two general things I consider: the first is the genre, and the second is the book’s vibe. First and foremost, the amount of heat in a book has to be close to the accepted norms for the genre.
So, while both In the Woods Somewhere and Down by the Water have a heavy romantic subplot, they are first and foremost mysteries. Making them incredibly spicy would be outside the genre norms (even though I’m technically blending genres) and would be likely to alienate a large portion of mystery readers, while not making them conventional enough to attract the average romance reader.
The second consideration is the book’s vibe, and in my opinion, both In the Woods Somewhere and Down by the Water necessitated heat, even if that might not be what’s most typical in the mystery genre.
Kill the Puckers is a dark romance, and those just require heat by the first metric, so there’s quite a bit. Boom Boom Bang had more leeway than the others, but still contains a fair bit of heat, because that’s what made sense for the characters.
CHRISTINA: That’s a great point about balancing genre expectations with what feels right for the story.
How did writing your first book change your writing process?
SAM: My first book is, as yet, unpublished (I do have plans to publish it eventually, I just haven’t gotten around to it), but I learned a lot while writing it. I’d say the biggest change it made to my writing process was to teach me to just keep going, because while it was the first book I finished writing, it was far from the first book I started. And the only real difference between them is that I kept writing that one, even when I wasn’t completely sure what would happen next. The other major change for me is contrary to most advice you’ll see, but it was to heavily edit as I go (something I didn’t do with the first book I wrote, which is a big part of why I have yet to publish it). Editing as you go saves a lot of work at the end and helps to make sure you catch any plot holes early.
CHRISTINA: I really appreciate your honesty about finishing a book by just keeping going. It’s also interesting to hear a different take on editing while writing. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and insights in this interview. Wishing you continued success with your writing and your upcoming books!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sam Evans has lived all over the US but currently resides in the Upper Midwest. She’s a software engineer by day but letting her imagination run wild is her full-time occupation. She lives with her partner, a high-strung border collie, and an insane kelpie. She routinely drinks too much coffee and gets too little sleep. Connect with Sam via author website. Author Link tree
Comments