Meet Bailey Thomas | Romance Novelist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bailey Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bailey, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I started my own publishing company, Bailey Thomas Books, LLC, so that I could write and publish my own romance novels. Growing up, I loved everything about “love”. I watched rom coms, read romance books, interviewed couples, and tuned in to reality dating shows. Little did I know that my interest for love and romance was inadvertently preparing me and providing me the knowledge I needed to be able to create my own story. My mom always said, “if it doesn’t feel like work, you probably found your passion.”, and she was definitely right. I would get lost in the tale of a cute couple, whether in reality or in fiction.

My favorite author is Colleen Hoover, and it didn’t take me long to finish almost every single one of her books. After that, I tried out other writers, but ultimately decided to craft my own novel. I wasn’t a huge fan of smut in books, so my business revolves around publishing stories that are of a lower spice level. So far, being an entrepreneur has been a wild journey, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am releasing my debut novel, “They Always Come Back”, on Amazon on June 28th, 2024. It is a contemporary romance book based in Las Vegas, Nevada detailing the story of a summer fling.

Avery Kline, the main female character, is on a journey to find love when she comes across her apartment pool’s security guard, Kyle Kingsley. Kyle has a rule against dating residents, but Avery pursues him anyway. She desires a committed relationship with him, but Kyle just wants to keep things casual. “They Always Come Back” follows the story of Avery trying to change Kyle’s mind and get him to fall in love with her, but she ends up finding out more about him than she bargained for. Will his dark secrets leave them both heartbroken or will their summer fling turn into a forever thing?

I am super excited about this book because, although it is fiction, it is inspired by true events. I am also super proud of the fact that I am entering the “low spice” genre of books. It is still an ever-growing category, but I am super excited to provide entertaining stories to those that would like a breather from smutty books.

It has been a tough journey finally getting to the point of actually releasing a book. I have doubted myself numerous times and have almost given up more times than I can count. My support system has helped me overcome these challenges and has even pushed me to work harder. I started a social media page, @authorbaileythomas, for those that wanted to follow my journey, and the amount of positive comments I got has also helped me keep going!

I learned that the most important thing to keep in mind along the way is your purpose. Why are you writing? Why did you start this business? For me, it was a chance to be able to share my passion with the rest of the world. Books make me smile, and I want to spread that sense of joy to as many people as I can.

When people come across my brand, I just want them to know that my heart and soul has gone into every single story. Although entirely fiction, my healing journey inspires my work. Even my wildest imaginations are rooted in reality’s inspiration.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend was visiting Colorado for a week long trip, I would definitely have to show them as much as I could regarding what the state has to offer!

My favorite breakfast spot is, Pig and Sprout, in downtown Denver, so we would definitely have to go there at least once! They have the best chicken and waffles. I would also have to take my best friend to a sporting event. Colorado has some of the best sports teams in the entire country. I am a big Nuggets fan, so hopefully they would be playing in town.

If visiting Colorado, I would also have to take my friend to see the beautiful scenery. I love going to the mountains and seeing all the talented skiers and snowboarders. Vail is a beautiful town, but I also like to visit Blackhawk. I am originally from Vegas, so Blackhawk feels like a mini Las Vegas!

Colorado is home to many restaurants, breweries, mountain towns, and beautiful parks. Although everything cannot be visited in one week, it is such a fun place to visit that anyone would come back again!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shoutout my family for being there for every step of the way in supporting me in my author journey. My mother, father, two sisters, and brother have always been my biggest cheerleaders. I have dabbled in numerous entrepreneurial ventures and they have always been super encouraging. My biggest fear was having a book published without any readers, but thanks to my family, I know I will be guaranteed at least 5!

Instagram: @authorbaileythomas

Other: TikTok: @authorbaileythomas

Image Credits
Casey Skeen
Ashley Santoro