We are excited to welcome romance author and the funniest high school English Teacher of the year in 2023, as voted on by her students, Allie Samberts, to share her writing process and more about her future projects.
What drives your story forward in your books the most, the characters or the plot, or do you feel they are intertwined?
I love to write character-driven romance. I believe that, to really understand what makes people love, you have to get into their psyche. Exploring characters—why they do what they do, what makes them tick—is my favorite part of writing. (Sometimes they even surprise me!) That said, in my newest series, the plot does take more of the wheel because the characters I’m writing are more defined by external circumstances than any of my others. It has been fun to mix it up in this way.
If you were a character in one of your books, which would you be? The protagonist, mentor, villain, love interest, etc.?
As much as I would love to say I’m the protagonist or love interest, I fear at this point in my life, I’m usually the mentor. But even after being married for fifteen years, I think my husband and I would both agree that we still bring that main character energy to our relationship.
Is there a particular genre of fiction that you have always wanted to write, but haven’t yet tackled?
When I started writing, I always thought I’d be writing epic fantasy or fantasy romance. I even have a draft of a fantasy that was shelved when I started writing my first contemporary romance. That one will never see the light of day—trust me, you don’t want it!—but it taught me a lot about craft and the work it takes to write a compelling story. And I might just have a fantasy-adjacent book up my sleeve in the future.
If you could meet a literary character or author, who would you most like to meet?
I would love to meet either Kurt Vonnegut or Toni Morrison. They were such wonderful writers, and their book have shaped my love of literature. If I could pick their brains for even a few minutes, I think I could learn so much.
What do you do to prepare your mind to write? To get into the mind of your characters.
I’m always so envious of writers who have a ritual to begin their writing sessions. With a day job and two small kids, I’m often either typing scenes in my notes app on my phone or frantically trying to get words on the page in the hours between the kids’ bedtime and midnight. But the truth is that I’m never not thinking about my characters. In the car, in the shower, on a run…my mind is always going back to them, talking to them, discovering new things about them. So when I do get to sit down and write, it comes to me pretty quickly.
What book as a child/adolescent most influenced you as a writer?
Like many writers, I devoured books when I was a kid. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is the reason I wanted to become a teacher. Our Town by Thornton Wilder is the reason I wanted to write slice-of-life stories. But that swoony, toe-curling romance? That’s inspired by Emily Henry, who I read when I was much older.
How much research went into your last book?
I’m always doing research, even if I don’t really need to. My background is in academia, and I love to dive into rabbit holes. I always like to joke that I do three hours of research for one sentence. So even though a lot of Scarlett’s story in Not a Strong Enough Word was my own, I did a lot of research into the publishing industry to make sure I got it right.
What’s one of the most important things you’d like your readers to know about you? What defines you most as an author?
Aside from the romance, I think my defining author moments are about character growth and food. All of my characters struggle and grow and change in significant ways throughout the books—sometimes in ways related to their love interest, and sometimes in more internal ways. Because when they fall in love with each other, that’s swoony. But when they fall in love with themselves, too? Chef’s kiss.
They also eat! How do you date someone without going out to dinner? It’s impossible. So food tends to be a supporting actor in all of my books.
Can you tell us what prompted you to write your latest release?
Not a Strong Enough Word was written during a time in my life where I, like Scarlett, was intensely burned out. Unlike Scarlett, writing was the thing I looked forward to, but the rest of my life felt like drudgery. When her and Ryan’s story came to me, it hit me like lightning and wouldn’t let me go until I got it down on the page. And his unconditional love for her even when she was broken down healed something in me. This was a book I wrote for myself, and I’m so glad it has resonated with others, as well.
What’s next for you? What are you working on now?
I am so excited that there will be two more books in the same world as Not a Strong Enough Word. Not on the Same Page follows Scarlett’s agent, Trina, and another editor at the press, Casey. Their no-strings-attached relationship is both fun and heartfelt, and I love them so much. The series will conclude with Not the Way it Ends, which follows the head of the publisher, Anastasios, and his daughter’s dance teacher, Caitlin. They dance, they travel, and they learn that loving someone is hard, but worth it every time.
Thanks so much for joining us and I am glad we were able to get a glimpse into you, as an author! Read on for more information about Alie’s latest book, Not a Strong Enough Word.
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
Five years apart. One unfinished love story.
Scarlett Frye was once a literary genius. With two bestselling novels, a million-dollar book deal, and a love story of her own, she had it all—until the pressure broke her. Five years ago, she canceled her book tour, shredded her contract, and disappeared. She left everything behind, including Ryan Whitlock, the editor who believed in her… and the man she loved.
Now, after years of healing, she’s ready to write again.
For Ryan, Scarlett’s disappearance wasn’t just a professional loss, it was personal. It shattered his heart and sent him into a slump. That is, until an anonymous manuscript lands on his desk. The writing is brilliant, raw, and achingly familiar—it can only be Scarlett’s.
As fate brings them back together, Scarlett reluctantly agrees to let Ryan edit her comeback novel, even though it means working with the man she never stopped loving. Old passions reignite, but when pressure builds and buried secrets resurface, Ryan fears history will repeat itself.
Scarlett walked away once. But as they navigate love, loss, and the weight of the past, she and Ryan must be strong enough to rewrite their story before it’s too late.
Allie Samberts is a romance writer, book lover, and high school English teacher. She was voted funniest teacher of the year for 2023 by her students, which is probably her highest honor to date. She is also a runner, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids, and a very loud beagle.
