Interview With 'Fancy Meeting You Here' Author Julie Tieu
I know it can be tricky to pinpoint a specific source, but what sparked the idea for Fancy Meeting You Here?
Julie: There was a year when most of my best friends were getting married and I was a bridesmaid for a few of them. There was also a brief time when I assisted my sister, who was formerly a florist. I loved being able to combine some of these experiences into a wedding romcom.
Where did you draw your story influences from?
Julie: One of my favorite movies is 27 Dresses. If I ever see it on TV, I stop whatever I’m doing to watch it. Elise is a character that wants to please all of her friends and make sure they have a wonderful wedding experience, so there’s definitely that parallel from the movie.
The book strikes such a lovely balance between Elise’s budding relationship, and her friendship with her core group of girlfriends. Can you talk about what went into striking that balance?
Julie: It was very challenging, so thank you for saying that. It was important for me to show this tight knit group of friends so that readers can see why Elise would go to such lengths to be both florist and bridesmaid. At the same time, Elise’s romance with Ben is the main plot, so I had to be careful to give everyone enough space on the page to be with each other. So, when I pitched the book, I had a vision that the story would center around these three weddings and their related events. It made the most sense that Elise and Ben would spend the most time together because they’re paired up as bridesmaid and groomsman.
Fancy Meeting You Here features three weddings, all different in style and varying levels of tradition. As someone whose culture also features a lot of wedding traditions that aren’t often represented in media, I’m curious if there was ever any pushback/attempts to get you to scale back.
Julie: Not at all. My editor was incredibly supportive of the book all throughout the process. If anything, I was probably the most worried about picking which Chinese and American traditions to highlight. Traditions get modernized and when I conducted research, I would get different perspectives if the source was from Asian American or other Chinese diaspora communities in other countries. In the end, I picked what made the most sense for each of my couples because weddings are personal and should reflect them.
Is it tricky to set so much of your story around something as emotionally charged as a wedding, and still keep the love story so grounded?
Julie: I didn’t really see it as a challenge to keep it grounded because Elise is an observer of these weddings. She invested in them as a friend/bridesmaid, but it’s not the same kind of emotional investment if it was her own wedding. So, I think that allows Elise to have some distance from getting caught up in the stress and focus on what she needs to do. I actually saw it as a great avenue for Elise and Ben’s romance because they get see each other interact with their friends and family in different instances in a way that wouldn’t have happened if they met online or at a bar.
What do you like best about Elise and Ben’s love story?
Julie: I like the way they compliment each other. They’re opposites in many ways and I like that they get under each other’s skin in ways that they least expect.
Of the three weddings - and perhaps Elise and Ben’s eventual one - which sounds the most fun to you? (For what it’s worth, my vote goes to Jesse’s)
Julie: I’m partial to Jesse’s wedding. I had a big, day-long traditional Chinese wedding myself and I have fond (and stressful) memories about it. I think it’s so much more fun as a guest because you get to eat all day and encourage the couple to do fun games. But, I also love Beth’s wedding because I think it’s reflective of what more couples are doing nowadays, mixing traditions in a modern way.
What do you find most exciting about the romance genre these days?
Julie: I love seeing the genre get more diverse every year. It’s beautiful seeing new voices and experiences portrayed in a genre that is about celebrating love and joy. I think it’s transformative for a reader to see themselves in a book and see characters like them find love.
What are you currently reading?
Julie: I just finished reading Role Playing by Cathy Yardley. I think it’s my new favorite of hers. It’s has Gen-X main characters who inadvertently meet in an online game. It’s fantastic. I love a grumpy heroine and a cinnamon roll hero.
What is next for you?
Julie: I am working on my next book (which will hopefully be done by the time this gets posted). It’s romcom about former friends with a complicated past who reunite at their 20th high school reunion.
