Taylor Hutton: Prioritizing Fun and What We Want to Read
In this interview, author Taylor Hutton shares what inspired the first novel by authors Julie Buxbaum and Adele Griffin, what sidetracked them in the drafting process, how things came together, and more.
Taylor Hutton is the pen name for New York Times bestselling author Julie Buxbaum and two-time National Book Award–nominated author Adele Griffin who are making their adult debut with this thrilling romance.
In this interview, Taylor discusses the collaborative writing process, what sidetracked them early on, how things came together, and more.
Name: Taylor Hutton
Literary agent: Jenn Joel (CAA) and Emily Van Beek (Folio Books)
Book title: Strike and Burn
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release date: January 2025
Genre/category: Spicy Romantic Thriller
Elevator pitch: In a world where passion and danger collide, Honor Stone fights to reclaim her life after her sister’s murder pulls her into the orbit of Strike Madden, a dangerously seductive billionaire willing to risk everything to protect her—even if it means facing the darkness within them both.
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What prompted you to write this book?
We were sitting on Adele’s back porch, talking about all the different kinds of romance novels we’d read—what we devoured, what made us cringe, and all the tropes that we loved and couldn’t get enough of. Then one of us said: “Why don’t we just write our own romance?”
The more we thought about it, the more we realized what a fun, exciting challenge it would be.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It took us about two years. The big change was the balance. We started by dedicating only one hour a day, and then by the time we were drafting the third act, we were really crushing it by more than 1,000 words a day.
It was also really fun to see where each of us was more interested. Adele loved writing setting and character descriptions, and the stalker element. Julie loved spearheading the longing and tension, and the flashbacks. We both worked on the banter and dialogue, which turned out to be the sort of natural volley where two writers can really help each other.
In the end, both of us have a hand in all of it—we are equally guilty.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Conflicting advice from early readers was a surprise. In the end, we wrote a spicy thriller with feminist elements, but we had one very early reader who wanted us to get deep into the feminist aspect, and to upend some of the promises of romantic fiction. This was interesting, but not the book we wanted to write and it temporarily threw us off course.
We realized that we both had to dig deep into what we actually, truly thought was spicy and sexy, and lean into our favorite parts of the genre. We needed to write the book we desperately wanted to read.
The cover had to convey a lot, because our book balances lots of different elements—the spicy, the romance, the thrills with complex characters, and so the cover had to convey a lot in a single image. We love this cover, which simultaneously speaks to so many different parts of the book—Honor’s backstory, the steamy element, the passion, and also the slightest menace. We think it’s perfect.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
We were surprised by how seamless it’s been between us. We are a pair of relatively new friends—Adele moved to Los Angeles, right into Julie’s neighborhood in 2021, and we were working on the draft outline by the next year. So we were still getting to know each other, and each other’s writing styles, while we worked on the book.
But that transition to learning how we complement each other on the page (and in real life) happened relatively quickly and has been such a joy! We had no idea it would be so much fun to work together.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
We think Strike and Burn offers a safe and imaginative space to explore complex themes like sexuality and trauma, often without the constraints of reality. Through the lens of fiction, readers can confront fears, desires, and past hurts in ways that feel protected yet powerful.
Strike and Honor’s story creates a buffer that allows people to experience intense emotions and situations from a comfortable distance, making it easier to engage with difficult subjects such as childhood trauma and abuse. At the same time, we hope that the book also fulfills the best promises of romance—vicariously reveling in two characters falling deeply in love.
The act of reading generally can be such a cathartic experience, helping people to process their feelings, gain perspective, and also escape. Ultimately, we want Strike and Burn to feel both like a wild ride and a safe space.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
We started this process by saying one hour a day—and to stop when it didn’t feel fun. And it always did. When we prioritized fun, the writing flowed because it took off the pressure off to be perfect. It also opened up space for creativity. If you enjoy what you’re writing, your readers will feel that joy too.
The genre was new for us, and we allowed ourselves to explore and be imperfect—and always to be encouraging and affirming of each other’s efforts. It was such a delightful friendship experience. We hope the readers has even half as much fun reading Strike and Burn as we did writing it.
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.
