**Patron Saint of *Healing Through the Power of* Romance: Kristen Granata**

Kristen Granata is one of those unicorns where the laws of space and time don’t seem to apply. She is the awe-inspiring mind behind fifteen heart-wrenching, love-affirming romance novels, including her latest sensational series, *East Coast Hockey*. Jaw-dropping catalog aside, Kristen is also a passionate mental health advocate and full-time elementary school teacher. She joined the Patron Saints of Romance project without hesitation, and stays available to the community by consistently encouraging readers to reach out to her anytime. Through it all she somehow manages to glow like a beautiful human personification of a ray of hope. If we didn’t love her so much, we’d hate her out of pure jealousy.
Can’t get enough of Kristen? Same. Keep an eye out for details on her next release, the highly anticipated book four in the *East Coast Hockey* series. For even more:
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Kristen Granata is a teacher by day, and a bestselling author by night. Known for writing emotional contemporary and new adult romance, she loves creating realistic characters who struggle through the darkest parts of life and come out stronger on the other side. Kristen is a self-proclaimed “bitter cynic trapped in a hopeless romantic’s body.” Her inspirational stories make you laugh, make you think, make you ugly cry – and they will always live happily ever after.
Kristen openly shares her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety with her readers. Her message is a beacon of hope to anyone who is suffering: You are not alone. She delicately weaves this theme into her writing, and her stories demonstrate the ability of love to heal after tragedy.

Kristen ON Dream co-writers, online trolls, AND heR Next Release:

“I’m definitely writing McKinley’s MMF and I’m loving it so much!”

Violit Hour: As I started to pull together your incredible catalog I had to go back and double-check the dates — 15 titles over 6 years?! Do you sleep? Your perfect complexion and apparent glow from within says yes but logistically speaking you’re a wife, a stepmom, a teacher, are genuinely involved in your reader community, and create banger after banger of romance reads. How do you manage your time? What does a typical day look like for you?

Kristen Granata: I’m exhausted ALL THE TIME! Haha - but seriously, I have a very set schedule as far as work and family time goes, so I have to stick writing in wherever I can. Sometimes, I’m writing on the notes app on my phone while I sit in the car, or I write in the early hours before school starts. I have to communicate my needs to my family and let them know when I need writing time on the weekends. I’m very skilled at juggling and trying to find a balance between everything. Some days are harder than others, and I have to be okay with not writing. I’ve learned to let go of expectations and deadlines, and just do what’s right for me.

You’ve been so transparent with your audience about your challenges from mental health to body image, and you are incredibly generous with your time. You keep your DMs and email open for readers to reach out, and speaking from personal experience the offer to reach out anytime isn’t hollow — you are there with the quickness. With how much you constantly give to the community, do you ever struggle with compassion fatigue? How do you recharge?

I don’t ever run out of compassion. I think it’s in my blood, it’s the fibers of my being, and it’s who I am to my core. I’m an open heart and I feel like my purpose in life is to help people. I definitely do get stressed if I’m not able to respond to my DMs and they pile up at times. But I have to set boundaries for myself and realize that I can only give what I’m capable of when I have the time.

You shared some of your challenges and fears in writing FFM romance in your author’s note for Odd Man Rush — namely, that you felt the stakes were that much higher to give that relationship justice, in part because you’re married to a woman. The fanatical response to the book indicates that you nailed it! With retrospect being 20-20, what are your feelings about writing an FF relationship in a future book?

I definitely plan on writing FF in a future book. I think I just needed to know that my readers have my back, and won’t leave me as I try to write different things. It helps knowing they love me for me, and support my writing as well as my personal life.

You recently shared the East Coast Hockey series was in a subgenre that was so explosive you weren’t sure if you wanted to create in, as many authors from across the space seemed to be quickly jumping in. What made you decide to go for it, and have you found it has introduced your work to a new set of readers?

I was dead set on not writing hockey romance because I didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon. I write the stories that come to me, and I didn’t want to force something just because it was a hot topic at the moment. But then one day I came up with a fake dating story, and decided to make it hockey-themed, so it fit in with what was trending at the time… and it was the best decision I ever made! I gained so many new readers because of this series, and those readers went on to read the rest of my backlist after they finished!

You revealed that after your DMs got flooded with requests for a book within the East Coast Hockey series featuring fan favorite, McKinley, and though you originally wrote him to be strictly a lovable side character the more the readers clamored for his book the more you started to think it was a good idea. His character shared in Puck Pact that he had previously been with men and women, and you teased that his story could be MMF and across rival teams. First of all, yes, please. Second of all, this will (hypothetically) make for your second book featuring a polyamorous relationship with multiple POVs. How much more challenging is writing three POVs than two?

I’m definitely writing McKinley’s MMF and I’m loving it so much! I wouldn’t say it’s more challenging to write three POVs instead of two. I love getting into the characters’ stories and minds, so it flows naturally for me. It definitely makes it more interesting in the steamy scenes too!

We were inspired to begin this initiative in part by the many courageous authors and readers who shared how their respective creative production and/or consumption helped them process and heal from trauma. For authors and bookstagrammers alike, I often wonder how they cope with the tension between the very thing that’s helping them heal (reading, writing, sharing) being so volatile — it feels as though even the safest spaces that foster vulnerability are still subject to trolls and negativity. How do you protect your mental health and well-being in your creative process?

It can be difficult with online trolls constantly trying to tear you down. One thing that helps me is reminding myself that those mean people are hurting inside. I feel bad for them. Imagine being so angry at the world/at your life/at yourself that you take it out on strangers on the internet to make yourself feel better? I hope they find the peace they so clearly need.

Would you ever co-write a book and if so, who would be your dream author to work with?

I would absolutely love to one day, but I’d be so in my own head about not measuring up to the other writer! I’d be honored to work with Kandi Steiner, Sara Cate, Emily Rath, or Megan Brandy!

I caught your story on Puck Pact launch day where you shared you were blasting and singing along to Megan thee Stallion’s Girls in the Hood (SUCH an underrated classic imo but I’ll stop myself there before this entire interview turns into me begging you to join at one of her shows — but jfyi her Vegas and Denver dates aren’t sold out yet 👀). Do you listen to music when you’re writing?

I can’t listen to anything with lyrics while I’m writing, otherwise I get distracted haha Classical music helps (I use the BrainFM app).

Where do you typically write?

I write in my dining room because I don’t have an office or a desk.

Do you have any specific snacks or beverages in the mix?

My beverage of choice is a cup of tea!

Are you right or left-handed?

Righty.

You’ve spoken about how the Booksta community taught you about marketing, and really drove so much of the publicity of your books. What advice do you have for indie authors newer to the space?

Interact with authors and readers! It makes all the difference when you’re trying to get your name out there. Make genuine connections with people, not to promote your book, but to make lasting friendships.

We sincerely appreciate your contribution to this initiative to raise funds and awareness RAINN and the National Domestic Abuse Hotline! Can you share a bit about why you chose to support the project?

I’m always interested in helping a good cause, and raising awareness. I was involved in an abusive marriage, and I am one of the lucky ones who was able to get out and had the support of friends and family. My story has a happy ending, and not many others can say the same. I’m willing to do anything I can to help.

Where is the best place for your fans to find and support you?

Instagram and TikTok!