Author Interview with Kristina Thornton @KristinaT83 #romance #newrelease #tuesdaybookblog

I’m delighted to welcome Kristina Thornton as my special author guest today. We were both finalists in the RNA Awards 2025 and have stayed in touch ever since. So, when I discovered she had a new book on the way, I jumped at the chance to chat about her writing journey and help spread the word about her latest novel, Forty Going on Nineteen.

About Kristina

Kristina Thornton writes fun and emotional romantic fiction full of self-discovery, friendship, and drama. Her second novel, Forty Going on Nineteen is being published in July 2026 (Harpeth Road Press). Kristina’s first book, Claire Morris is Completely Lost (Northodox Press) was shortlisted for two Romantic Novelists’ Association awards: The Debut Romantic Novel Award 2025 and The Joan Hessayon Award 2024. She grew up in Doncaster and now lives in Derbyshire, England with her husband and two sons. As well as being an author, the former BBC presenter and broadcast journalist is an associate lecturer in journalism at the University of Worcester.

Tell us a little about yourself. (How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?)

I write romantic fiction and my second standalone novel, Forty Going on Nineteen, by US publisher, Harpeth Road Press, is out today. My debut, Claire Morris is Completely Lost was published by Northodox Press and shortlisted for two Romantic Novelists’ Association awards: The Debut Romantic Novel Award 2025 and the Joan Hessayon Award 2024.

I was a broadcast journalist and presenter in commercial and BBC radio for seventeen years before I took voluntary redundancy and started writing fiction. To begin with I wrote flash fiction then I signed up for a year-long novel writing course designed to guide you from idea to first draft, and I haven’t looked back.

When I’m not writing I work at the University of Worcester as an associate lecturer in journalism. I am an editor for the RNA’s members’ magazine, Romance Matters, and I also deliver presentations in schools for the charity, Positive Social. The focus is to challenge young people to think about how they use social media, and to give them the tools to navigate the online world in a positive way. I seem to be collecting part-time jobs!

I spend most of my time looking after my two sons, who’re into lots of sports, and I can often be found shivering by the side of a field, cheering them on to win! I’m addicted to watching Real Housewives of Orange County/Beverly Hills/Miami/Salt Lake City. Reality TV and romance novels are the best.

What genre is your book, and what is it about?

Forty Going on Nineteen is a swoony, laugh-out-loud, small-town, second-chance romance.

Two best friends. One outrageous week. Ten birthday dares. And a plan to turn back the clock… just a little.

Louise Nightingale, a routine-loving single mum, is hitting forty and feeling stuck. Enter Katie Sinclair: party planner, mischief instigator, and her best friend. She’s whisking Louise back to her hometown of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, for a week of pubs, bubbly, and very carefully crafted chaos.

The catch? Ten challenges designed to push Louise out of her comfort zone. Cue the embarrassing moments, questionable decisions, and a very familiar face—Tom Gardner, her school crush, turned slightly-too-charming adult. He’s handsome, smug, and possibly a little off-limits… or maybe not.

Full of laughter, flirting, and the kind of friendship that saves you from yourself, this is a delightfully cheeky story about love, life, and taking a few chances before forty hits.

If you love stories about lifelong friendships, laugh-out-loud mishaps, and swoon-worthy second-chance romance, this charming tale of self-discovery, daring challenges, and unexpected love will have you smiling long after the last page.

What or who inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to write a fun book set over a short timeframe with a definitive structure. So, the majority of Forty Going on Nineteen happens over one week—when the main character, Louise is given ten challenges by her best friend, Katie.

I began writing this novel when I was about to turn forty, so I very much channelled some of my hopes and fears into Louise. The aim was to create a positive book about getting older, empty nest syndrome, and embracing life but also about self-discovery, which happens repeatedly throughout life.

Plus, I made the main character, Louise a celebrant, after my mum trained to be one. Her stories about conducting weddings and funerals inspired me, and I thought what a perfect job for the main character of a romance novel! To be surrounded by romantic love, but to not have it… yet.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Learn about your craft. Read craft books and read plenty of novels in your chosen genre and outside your chosen genre! Obviously keep writing and—people watch. Observing others is great for character development. There’s a part in Forty Going on Nineteen which is inspired by a conversation I overheard in a café. Look at body language and listen to how people speak; studying those around you helps you to write characters that feel real.

What do you enjoy most about writing and why?

I write in order: chapter one, then chapter two etc. So when I finally get to a scene that I’ve been looking forward to writing, and it flows and feels almost effortless; it’s brilliant. I love those moments because there are plenty of times when a couple of hundred words takes forever and it’s hard work.

List three interesting facts about yourself.

I used to produce and present my own radio show which focused on the countryside, farming, and gardening. (I don’t garden!)

I was rescued by five firefighters. At university, I got stuck in my halls of residence bathroom. I was wearing piggy pyjamas.

I have a very loud sneeze, which despite many comments over the years, I can’t make quieter.

What is your least favourite part of the publishing/writing process, and how do you manage this?

Everything is very slow. Writing a book, querying, finding a publisher, editing. Everything. And I’m not a patient person. There’s advice out there about starting your next project while waiting for news—and that is the BEST advice. I never forget what I’m waiting to hear about, but starting something new does provide some distraction and comfort.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Write a review and tell others online and in real life about my book! Reviews really help with getting a book ‘seen’ by potential new readers. Shouting about a great book you enjoyed is a fantastic gift to an author like me.

What is your next project?

My next book is again a fun romance with a romcom feel. It’s about a school exam invigilator who’s lost everything. I think this sums it up pretty well: Grace is heartbroken, back living with her parents, and dealing with a bizarre cheese mystery when she meets Daniel—a divorced George Clooney doppelganger—who says he can help…

And I’ve started writing my fourth book which is an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance.