On December 22, 2019, I sent my friend Genevieve Turner an email that read, “A professor-professor romantic suspense with shades of national treasure is a terrible idea, right?”
A few weeks later, I wrote a follow-up detailing a plot (not the plot that actually ended up in the book, sadly, but a plot). Gen replied that I could pitch it as Hamilton meets National Treasure with kissing, which is pretty killer.
Almost exactly seven years later, I’m sitting in my office listening to the audiobook for You, Me, & the Conspiracy.
This was a difficult book to write. While I’ve dipped my toes into suspenseful waters before–see The One You Need and Free–my books have mostly been quiet character-driven things. Water-color things.
I couldn’t write this book like that; I had to stretch. I wanted You, Me, & the Conspiracy to be bombastic and plot-driven, something akin to my sick-day comfort movies, many of which are action-adventure romances.
Honestly, that was the main goal: I wanted it to be a blast to read.
Don’t get me wrong, You, Me & the Conspiracy is still an Emma Barry book. There are probably too many details about everyone’s jobs. One of my characters learns to stand up for herself, and the other lets go of his professional bitterness. Their banter is full of nerdy references. Kissing would be such a terrible idea, and they want to do it so badly. There are primal screams about academics and how we teach history. A crucial clue is hidden in a REDACTED.
My point is, if you know and love my work, I hope you’ll still love the high-octane version of me. And if you’re new to the party, welcome.
If you’re interested in picking up a copy, my publisher has a full list of buy links here. Just to pull a few popular ones out: it’s available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, Audible, and Spotify. And you can also borrow it in Kindle+.
If you’d like a signed copy, Chapter & Coast in Miami, FL, Teddy’s Best Reads in Oxford, CT, and Fountain Books in Richmond, VA, can help you out.
And if you buy the book in any format from any retailer, if you put in a request for your library to buy it, or if you borrow it from Kindle+, submit the proof here, and I’ll send you a 6K word bonus epilogue. I’m going to close the form on November 15, so submit it by then, okay?
A couple more things:
- I’ll be doing a pop-up signing at Novel Grounds in Chesapeake, VA, on November 21 between 3 and 5 p.m. They still have signed copies of most of my backlist books here.
- If your bookclub wants to read You, Me, & the Conspiracy, I wrote discussion questions. They’re pretty spoiler-y!
- I put together a dream cast for the movie. (Call me, Hollywood!)
- I did an interview with Out SFL.
If you do happen to see You, Me, & the Conspiracy out in the world, I’d love it if you send me a snap.
