Andra Loy shares her debut novel "The Roman Holiday Rule"

 Join me in welcoming friend and award-winning Christian fiction author, Andra Loy, to the Diamond Mine! Andra's debut novel (yes, I've been lucky enough to get an early read) is a fun adventure of romance and magic. If it isn't on your "buy as soon as it releases" list, add it! You won't be disappointed. Without further ado, here's Andra!

ANDRA LOY writes contemporary rom-coms with elements of magical realism. Her unpublished works of fiction have received multiple awards. She lived in Europe for twenty years, where she was locked on an empty train, was shown a super-secret mushroom hunting spot, and fell in love with the only American man in her small Czech town. Now, Andra lives with her husband and three children in Michigan, where she works at the elementary school teaching ELL students and dreaming of more travel. As long as there’s more of the world to discover, there will be stories and secrets to tell. (Except the mushroom location. That one goes with her to the grave.)

First let’s learn a little bit about you. Can you share a few things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing?

I went overseas to teach English and met my husband there. After we got married, we lived in the Czech Republic for over twenty years. I have three children and play the piano. I really wish I could paint. 

That could be a romance novel in itself! What drew you to write?

A thousand hours reading on my mom’s lap, at bedtime, on the bus, and a teacher who prophesied that she’d see my books on our town library’s shelf some day. 

I love that! What’s your writing process? 

Find a premise I’m excited about, draft it without planning as if I were reading the book and have no idea what’ll happen, then spend forever fixing it, because that doesn’t work very well for making tight plots.

Your story ideas are so unique. How do you come up with them?

I think about a lot of weird things, like what if someone could look at a building and be privy to all the conversations that went on there. Or what if we could see emotions as color? Then I sift through and see if anything could make a good storyline.

Well, now I want to see both those explored in books! Fascinating! Tell us about your most recent book. 

The Roman Holiday Rule is magical realism rom-com about an event planner whose late mother left her four sealed envelopes to open at Rome’s most iconic spots. While she’s in Rome — locked in an impromptu bet with her attractive Italian-American seat mate from the flight to find the heart of Italy this week — her mother’s artwork from the envelopes starts appearing in real life. As she follows the letters around the city and falls for Mark, her carefully planned trip turns into something unpredictable. Everyone knows you can’t fall in love with someone who lives somewhere else and expect a happily-ever-after. But maybe with a little magic and a lot of mishaps, they can break the Roman Holiday rule.

Are there certain themes explored in the story?

The story explores the dynamic between mother and daughter, grief, relationships vs plans, and finding a way to notice the life you’re living instead of protecting your heart.

Yep. A must read! Do you have any favorite characters in your books?

Favorites? Will they be reading this? 

(Maybe Lillian from my second manuscript I wrote, and Mark’s Italian grandpa in The Roman Holiday Rule, shhh.)

LOL. What are you working on now?

I’m in edits for my second book for Haven Fiction, The Trouble with Paris, a rom-com with a love cynic who is caught in a magical, glitching series of meet-cutes in the City of Love. Is this her worst nightmare, or can Paris change her mind?

When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Reading

Walking with my family (which I’m putting here just so it doesn’t look like all I ever want to do is read)

Thanks for chatting with us Andra!

You can't fall in love with someone who lives somewhere else and expect a happily-ever-after.

Lexi Walker has finally committed to the Italian adventure that she and her late mother dreamed of for years--complete with a meticulously crafted itinerary, four sealed letters to open at Rome's most iconic sites, and her mother's final painting to present at the art festival Lexi is helping organize. She's ready for the perfect Roman getaway. What she doesn't expect is for her mother's artwork to start manifesting in real life, turning her carefully planned trip into something unpredictable.

Italian-American architect Mark Russo has sworn off American tourists after having his heart broken, and he's certainly not about to let another one distract him from winning the restoration bid that could reunite his estranged father with his grandfather. But when the captivating woman next to him on the flight to Rome proposes a photography challenge--whoever captures the heart of Italy in seven days wins--Mark can't resist the bet or her charm.

As Lexi follows the letters from her mother around the city, she encounters Mark everywhere she goes. Their competitive banter turns to undeniable chemistry, but they both know the cardinal rule of holiday romances. Will a little magic--and a lot of mishaps--break the Roman Holiday Rule?

Pre-order Here:

https://schulerbooks.com/book/9780764245954

Connect with Andra at: www.andraloy.com