14 I WRITER’S DIGEST I October 2019B
eth O’Leary captured acco-
lades such as “the romantic
comedy read of the sum-
mer” from USA Today and
“Sleepless in Seattle for the 21st cen-
tury” from Sunday Express for her
debut novel Th e Flatshare. Published
by Quercus in the U.K. and Flatiron
Books in the U.S., O’Leary’s debut
subverts the tropes of the rom com
genre and tells a funny, witty story
that also touches on poignant topics
like dealing with emotionally abusive
partners, the importance of therapy,
being kind to others in need, and the
consequences of being wrongly con-
victed of a crime.
Th e two main characters, Tiff y
and Leon, come together when Tiff y
answers an ad Leon placed for a
roommate. Tiff y is an assistant edi-
tor for a small publishing house
making a subpar salary. She has left
her abusive ex-boyfriend for good
and needs a cheap place to live in
London fast. Leon is a night hospice
nurse who’s trying to raise money
for a lawyer to help get his brother
out of prison for a crime he didn’t
commit. Th e only catch is that Tiff y
and Leon must share the same bed,
but will never see each other due
to Leon’s long overnight shift s. Th e
characters quickly become pen pals,
leaving sticky notes and left over
food for each other. And because
this is a rom com, Tiff y and Leon’s
notes develop into something more.
O’Leary’s next novel, The Switch,
is set to be published in March- WD asked O’Leary a few
questions about how she got to
know her unforgettable characters,
her writing process, how she wrote
a page-turner, and more.
A Q&A at the end of The
Flatshare audiobook reveals
that the idea for the book came
to you because you were in a
similar situation. Were thereThe Plotshare
Beth O’Leary reveals the writing process of her hit debut novel, The Flatshare.
BY CASSANDRA LIPPO’LEARY PHOTO ©ELLEN O’LEARY