Sapphic Stories with Heart
Erin Zak shares insights into her writing process, character inspiration, and the importance of LGBTQ+ representation, while discussing her novels’ themes of self-discovery, personal setbacks, and forbidden love.
Erin Zak is a dynamic voice in the world of sapphic contemporary romance, known for her ability to craft stories that resonate with authenticity and emotional depth. Her novels, such as “Guarding Evelyn” and “Home for the Holidays,” explore themes of self-discovery, personal setbacks, and forbidden love, all while maintaining a balance between romance and the complexities of real life. Zak’s characters are often dorky and quirky, reflecting her own personality and making them relatable to readers. Her commitment to portraying imperfect people in beautiful places has earned her a dedicated following and critical acclaim.
Zak’s work is a testament to her talent for creating compelling narratives that celebrate the diversity and richness of LGBTQ+ experiences. Her novels have not only entertained readers but have also provided a sense of belonging and understanding for many. With accolades for titles like “Falling into Her” and “Breaking Down Her Walls,” Zak continues to push the boundaries of representation in the romance genre. Her ability to connect with readers on a personal level, as evidenced by heartfelt messages from fans, highlights the profound impact her stories have on those who read them. Erin Zak is a true storyteller, whose passion for writing and dedication to her craft shine through in every book she creates.
Your characters often embody dorky and quirky qualities. How do you draw inspiration for creating such relatable and imperfect characters, and why do you feel it’s important to portray them this way?
I think part of the reason I always write dorky and quirky characters is because I am 100% dorky and quirky. Ever since I was small, interesting characters resonate with me. I connect easily with characters I feel like I could hang out with. And when you’re writing characters, spending all that time with them, I am essentially hanging out with them. So, I want them to be fun and captivating. I want them to have a soul. I want them to be perfectly imperfect. When characters have anxiety or geek out to Star Wars or love Heidi Blickenstaff then I know readers will be able to feel themselves in those characters and be able to connect to them.
In Guarding Evelyn, Arden Ryan is recovering from a challenging time in her career. How do you approach writing characters who are dealing with personal setbacks, and what message do you hope readers take away from Arden’s journey?
Writing about personal setbacks is, well, very personal to me. I’ve gone through a lot in my lifetime. I came to grips with my sexuality in high school after a very tumultuous relationship with religion. I’ve lost all three of my parents. I’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity in the sapphic writing community. I’ve also been going to see a therapist since I was in my early twenties. Intertwining mental health with a healing journey was something I longed to do and do well. Being able to see a character come back from such an awful and traumatic injury is so important. Writing Arden as someone who was so ready to be “okay” again was exciting. Because man, she was not okay. At all! Meeting Evelyn, struggling with Evelyn’s stubbornness, and learning how to navigate Evelyn’s moodiness all became part of Arden’s healing journey. It was fun to write, but also really hard sometimes because I wanted so badly to get it right.
Your novel Home for the Holidays delves into themes of self-discovery and forbidden love. What motivated you to explore these themes, and how do you balance the emotional depth of the story with the romance elements?
Forbidden love is a trope that has always fascinated me. I am a huge fan of older women, too, so writing about Iris Abbott falling in love with her best friend’s mom was one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my life. As strange as that sounds, it’s so true! I loved writing the older woman, Heidi Nowak, as someone who, through understanding her own sexuality, was able to finally be sure of herself. Her confidence was literally my favorite part about writing Heidi. She was so sexy and so ready to find love again, too. Whenever I write older women, I like to make sure everything about them seems so believable. Their “flaws” are never imperfections to me, either. Wrinkles and stretch marks and additional weight in places their 22-year-old bodies didn’t have is so attractive to me. And I want to make sure every time I write an older woman that someone can find her as drop-dead gorgeous as I thought she was when I was creating her.
As a writer of sapphic contemporary romance, how do you see the representation of LGBTQ+ characters evolving in the romance genre, and what role do you hope your books play in this evolution?
When I first started reading sapphic literature, it felt very clandestine when I found a story with two leading ladies falling in love. Now sapphic romance is mainstream. And it’s so very exciting. It’s encouraging, as well, from an author standpoint that the desire is there amongst readers. People want to read these books. They love queer characters. And I am so here for it! Listen, if anyone can pick up my book and see themselves in a character I have written, I feel like I’ve won at life. I want my books to play a huge role in people’s lives. I’ve had a few readers reach out to me to tell me my books helped them figure themselves out. I’ve had other readers tell me that my books saved their lives. I’m just beside myself that my words can move people like that. And I hope to be playing this role for as long as I possibly can!
With your novels Falling into Her, Breaking Down Her Walls, and Create a Life to Love all receiving accolades, how do you maintain the balance between writing for critical acclaim and staying true to the stories you want to tell?
To be completely honest, I have never written for critical acclaim. I write the stories I want to write. I write the characters I want to see on the page (and hell, maybe on screen one day – Netflix, are you listening?). It feels incredible to make a shortlist for an award, obviously. But I’ve come to the stage in my writing career where the readers and their letters to me mean more than any award ever could. I’m so incredibly honored that anyone picks up my book and cracks it open. Not every person is going to love every book I write, but the ones who do love them are exactly the people I keep writing for. And for myself, of course.
Your podcast, The Weekly Wine Down, allows you to discuss a wide range of topics with your best friends. How does engaging in these discussions influence your writing, and have any particular conversations inspired elements of your novels?
The Weekly Wine Down is another form of therapy for me. Not only do I get to chat and giggle with my friends every week, but I also get to engage in some really amazing conversations about politics and pop culture. My friendships with Jackie D, Stacey, Stacy, and Julie are always popping up in my books, too. The discussions we have keep me sharp, keep me funny and on my toes. I’ve written conversations that we’ve had on the podcast into my books between the main characters and their best friends. I’ve gone to my fellow podcasters with questions about whether a plot point will work or will it absolutely mess everything up. They inspire me to be the best version of myself always. And they also encourage me when I feel like I’m awful and the ol’ imposter syndrome is setting up shop in my head. In short, I don’t think I’d be able to write such meaningful characters without their influence.
