Jane Costello: On Writing About Middle-Aged Women in the 21st Century
In this interview, author Jane Costello discusses how she wrote the book she longed to read with her new romantic comedy, It’s Getting Hot In Here.
Jane Costello is a bestselling British novelist whose romantic comedies have sold over a million copies in the UK. Her novel, You Me Everything, published under the pseudonym Catherine Isaac, has been translated into 26 languages. She lives in Liverpool, England, with her husband and three sons. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, Jane discusses how she wrote the book she longed to read with her new romantic comedy, It’s Getting Hot In Here, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Jane Costello
Literary agent: Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown and Ariele Fredman and Lily Dolin at UTA
Book title: It’s Getting Hot In Here
Publisher: Zibby Books
Release date: February 4, 2025
Genre/category: Romantic comedy
Previous titles by the author: Bridesmaids, The Nearly Weds, My Single Friend, Girl On The Run, The Wish List, The Time Of Our Lives, The Love Shack, Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel; and as Catherine Isaac: You Me Everything, Messy, Wonderful Us, The World at my Feet, The Family House, Come Away with Me.
Elevator pitch: A romantic comedy with a 40-something main character, It’s Getting Hot In Here sees TV executive Lisa Darling navigate perimenopause, raising a teenager, the to-do list from hell … and some steamy thoughts about a handsome new co-worker.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’d written Top 10 bestselling romcoms for over a decade in the U.K., but stopped when I hit my 40s, assuming I was no longer qualified to write relatable fiction about women in their late-20s. Several years later, I found myself wanting to read a book with a funny, smart, leading lady who was going through everything I was in mid-life. When I couldn’t find one, I decided to write it myself.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I had the idea in September 2023, and it took me about five months to write, which is a lot faster than I’d usually spend on a book, and it’s being published in the U.S. in February. But I was very fired up by the idea and had so much material of my own—about lifelong friendships, toxic PTAs, single parenthood and perimenopause—that it flew off my keyboard. The idea definitely evolved: I’d initially considered writing this as a sequel to one of my most successful books from years ago, Girl On The Run. But I decided in the end to create a completely new character, and I think that turned out to be a good decision.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
This is only the second book I’ve had published in the U.S. and it’s been a fascinating—and enjoyable—ride. I particularly loved working with my American editor, Kathleen Harris, alongside my British one, and I’ve loved all the enthusiasm and ideas coming out of the marketing team at Zibby Books.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Quite simply that it was so enjoyable to write—because, as any author will tell you, it really isn’t always like this! I’m a perfectionist and have had books that have made me tear my hair out in the past. But I genuinely found every minute of writing this to be joyous. Hopefully that really shines on every page.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will see the book as a celebration of all the things that are great about midlife—and a way of laughing at those that aren’t. I’ve tackled some weighty subjects in my novels in the past, but I wanted It’s Getting Hot In Here to be a work of pure, unadulterated entertainment.
It’s a comedy, so at its most basic level I hope that it will make readers laugh, but I also want this to be a portrait of life as a middle-aged woman in the 21st century. One reader said in an early review that “this book spoke to my soul!” and I couldn’t ask for more than that: for readers to recognize their own experiences within these pages.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Don’t worry if you find writing hard. We all do. It doesn’t matter how many books you’ve had published, it never gets any easier; you just set the bar higher each time.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
