What are the things you should (or shouldn’t) do as a new author? Author Lia Huni discusses her most recent release and shares three simple but powerful tips for new writers.
Lia Huni’s Book & Writing Process
Table of Contents
Q: What is the title of your book and what is it about?
A: When You Renovate a Grump
Publication date: February 10, 2025
Q: What genre is When You Renovate a Grump?
A: Sweet small-town rom-com
Q: What inspired you to write When You Renovate a Grump, and how did you come up with the idea for it?
A: My series is set in a fictional faux-Bavarian town in the mountains of Oregon. Rotheberg is like Leavenworth, Washington, Frankenmuth, Michigan, or Helen, Georgia, but more over the top, because it’s fictional.
They have a Sound of Music festival every summer (even though it’s actually set in Austria) beer fests almost every weekend, and a haunted house called “The Hills are Alive.” The architecture is all alpine village.
I live in the eastern Cascades in a small town, so a lot of the non-German activities, events, and locations are borrowed from my own town.
I served nine years on active duty in the Air Force, and two of those years were in Germany, which is where I met and married my husband. So the Germany/romance connection is cemented in my brain.
Once I had the setting, the character just showed up. I did learn I need an outsider in each story–someone to experience the wonder of Rotheberg for the first time so readers can live it with them.
I love that this story’s roots have connections to your personal life.
Q: What themes and tropes are included in your book?
A: This book is about learning to stand on your own while understanding that getting support from family and friends is not a weakness.
The tropes are grumpy-sunshine and brother’s (second) best friend with a royalty twist.
There are also a bunch of micro-tropes: comforting her in a storm, one bed, home renovation, taking care of her when she’s hurt, and some general damsel in distress.
This theme will resonate with readers as many of us struggle to accept help without feeling or believing we’re weak.
As for your tropes and micro-tropes, you’ve listed several of my favorites.
Q: Who is the ideal reader for When You Renovate a Grump?
A: Anyone who loves romances with found family, fun banter, goofy side-kicks, and sweet kisses that won’t steam your glasses.
Found family is another favorite. Also, I love that, “sweet kisses that won’t steam your glasses.” Great tagline!
Q: What’s the one thing you want readers to take away from reading your book?
A: My goal is to make you smile. Even better if you laugh out loud. I want you to have an escape from whatever is dragging you down in the real world, and leave you with the hope that life can be better.
Yes! While realistic fiction has its place, it’s also important to have stories that will transport us away from our difficult situations.
Q: Share a favorite quote or two from When You Renovate a Grump.
A: She smiles, and something in my chest responds with a burst of warmth. I surreptitiously rub my sternum. Maybe indigestion from the fish and chips I ate earlier.
A few minutes ago, she couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Now she’s desperate to keep me in tow. “Why not? You said you didn’t need my help.” She flushes and looks away. “That was before I got on the wrong train. Now I’m doubting all my decisions.” Her tone makes me think she’s questioning more than just the route home. Like maybe she’s regretting some major choices in her life. I can’t help her with those, but I can make sure she finds her apartment.
A speculative look crosses his face then vanishes. “Do you know how to get a green card?” He rubs the back of his neck. “The movies would have us believe getting married to a citizen is the easiest. I have no idea if that’s true.” I laugh as I reach for the doorknob. “Yeah, that’s probably not going to work for me. You kind of need a partner for that.” His hand closes around mine. “I know a guy.”
Q: Are you a plotter, pantser, or plantser? Share a bit of your writing process.
A: I’m a pantser with a whole army of plotters living in my subconscious. I start with a setting and a couple of characters and they tell me what happens.
They frequently throw in details that feel random, but end up being useful or meaningful later on—Chekov’s guns, if you will. I’ve learned to trust my inner plotter and include all of those random things.
This particular book took a bit of rearranging to make it work—I’d originally planned for Reece to be a cowboy. But when he showed up in London, he made it clear that was not his role in life.
Did I listen?
Kind of.
It took me a while to understand who he was, so I had to re-write some parts, but I think the story turned out great in the end. Reece and Andi seem happy.
An army of inner plotters…where can I get one of those? Lol. I understand what you mean by the seemingly random facts. It always amazes me when I read my work and find evidence of foretelling when I had no clue what would happen next.
Q: How do you develop your plots?
A: A lot of authors say the story unfolds in their imagination like a movie. I am not one of those authors. In fact, I don’t “see” much at all—maybe some small details if I really think about it.
Mostly I “hear” the story, which I think is why I have a lot of dialogue in my books. It took me a while to learn to make some of that dialogue into inner monologue instead.
But plot-wise—I follow a general pattern—a kind of mash-up of several different story templates. But it’s more a feel for the shape of the story than following a list of rules or plot points. And with a romance, of course, I know there will be a happy ending, so I just point my story in that general direction and let the characters get me there.
Interesting…I don’t believe I’ve met another writer who mentions “hearing” their stories, though I guess to some extent we all do. Otherwise, our dialog would be stilted.
I also have an instinctive feel for the shape of my story and use a mashup of plotting methods, so I know what you mean.
Q: What does a typical writing session for you look like?
A: I write from 9 to noon, Monday through Friday. I have a sprint group, so a bit before 9, I’ll open Slack and say hello. Then we sprint for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. We report what we accomplished during that sprint and do some general chitchat. We also have channels for things like advertising, conferences, new releases, and non-book-related stuff.
Having a set schedule that I protect—something has to be really important to take me away from writing time–has increased my output. We’ve been doing this since before COVID, and our group has been pretty steady that entire time.
I love that you have a community that supports you. Having a schedule and accountability partners will definitely keep you more productive and focused.
Q: How do you handle criticism or negative feedback?
A: I don’t read my reviews—my husband does that. He tells me if there’s something I need to address. And I remind myself that every book has an audience, and not every reader is my reader.
I’m with you and have recently recruited my husband to read mine. Feedback is important, but not if it destroys your ability (or desire) to create.
Writing Advice from Lia Huni
Q: What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting?
A: Write the book. Get it completely finished—no matter how bad you think it is. THEN go back and edit.
Find a critique partner—someone who knows your genre and can tell you where you’re going wrong.
Don’t be afraid to put that first book away and start over. Most of us have a “trunk” book that will never see the light of day.
This is excellent advice. So many writers struggle to finish their first book. They worry about making every word perfect, not realizing that if they never get to the end, they won’t learn to finish a story.
Q: If you could go back and change one thing in your author career, what would it be and why?
A: Start sooner.
I’m sure many authors feel the same.
Q: What is one writing resource that you couldn’t do without?
A: Beta readers. Trusted readers who know the genre and can get my story back on track when it runs off the rails.
Yes! Early readers are a valuable resource.
Just for Fun
Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?
A: Teleportation. I love to travel, but I hate flying.
Oh, definitely. This is what I’d choose too and for the same reason.
Q: If you were not a writer, what would you want to be and why?
A: I’ve been a lot of things—stay-at-home mom, Air Force officer, community college professor, tourist information center hostess–and writer is the best. But if I couldn’t be a writer, I would do craft videos on TikTok. Or maybe travel the world.
Lia Huni, World Traveler…I like the sound of that.
Q: If your characters hosted a dinner party, who would cause the most chaos and why?
A: Hans Ingolf is a supporting character who shows up in every book in my series. He’s a 23-year-old, fun-loving, accordion-playing engineering student who loves to cause trouble.
If he came to dinner, Hans would ask inappropriate questions, start a dance competition, or a burping contest, fight with your politically incorrect uncle, and probably put horseradish in someone’s food.
Oh, dear! He sounds like a handful. I suspect Hans is not being invited so much as he’s crashing dinner parties.🤣
Let’s Connect with Lia Huni
Q: What are you working on next?
A: My newest book came out on February 10th, so I’m still figuring that out!
Take a break, you deserve it!7
About When You Renovate a Grump
Royalty, Renovations, and a Roadmap for Love
Life as a princess had its perks—but Andi Feltz gave them up when she walked away from the Freiberg royal family. Determined to succeed on her own, she heads to the quirky little town of Rotheberg, Oregon, to start over. She takes a job as an assistant to a high-strung interior designer. Then she finds out their new client is the man who saved her from an embarrassing situation in London—and her brother’s newest pal.
Reece Turner has one goal: renovate his fixer-upper and flip it fast. But when his best friend’s spirited, strong-willed sister shows up as part of the design team, his plans—and his peace of mind—take a hit. Andi’s charm might be impossible to resist, but crossing the line with her could spell disaster for both his business and his friendships.
Caught between family interference and a little too much chemistry, Andi and Reece find themselves in a battle of wits, wills, and hearts. Can they build something lasting together, or will their foundation crack under the pressure?
With humor, heart, and a dash of small-town charm, this clean romantic comedy will have you rooting for love, laughter, and a happily ever after. Although this is book 6 in the series, all of the books in the When in Rotheberg series can be read as stand-alones.
About Lia Huni
Pacific Northwest native Lia Huni served nine years in the US Air Force, two of them in Germany where she met and married her husband. When he retired, they settled in a small town in the mountains of Oregon that bears no resemblance to the town in her books.
Okay, there’s a strong resemblance, but it’s completely coincidental. Her romantic comedies are linked through family and friendship, but can be read as stand-alones.
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