What would happen if the quarterback of an NFL team had anxiety issues? What if, every time he had to face the press, he struggled with panic attacks? These were the questions that inspired me to write this novel. As someone who has struggled with anxiety, I’ve always marveled at the pressure that public figures have to deal with. Surely, some of them love the sport but hate the part of their job that means they become public figures.

When it comes to romance, hurt/comfort is a theme I’ve always resonated with, so the idea of creating a character against-type — someone the public would expect to be overflowing with confidence and swagger but who is actually humble and filled with self doubt — felt like a chance to write about a character I could fall in love with.

Then I needed to pair him with someone strong, but a man who has his own unique vulnerabilities. Creating Travis was a chance to explore family dynamics and lingering guilt. How would a guy like Travis, whose job is to protect and serve, deal with the guilt left behind when he can’t protect the person he loves? What would it take to recover from that loss?

Once I had these two characters in mind, the rest of the story came to life. Travis’s large, boisterous family was particularly fun to write. They aren’t perfect — they’re messy and loud and make mistakes — but isn’t that true to life?

I hope you have as much fun reading Backup Plans as I had writing it. If you enjoy the novel, please consider posting a review. They are very much appreciated and help others to find the