New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of romantic suspense, Jayne Ann Krentz, returns to speak with me about how she’s published over 120 novels, her advocacy of the merits of romantic fiction, and her latest mystery, THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE.

Dubbed “The Queen of romantic suspense” and a trailblazer of paranormal romance, Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of over 50 New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively.

Her latest novel is THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE (available for preorder from Berkley; on sale January 6, 2026), described as “... a romantic mystery filled with intergenerational family rivalries, paranormal suspense, tension-filled romance, and a pulse-pounding conspiracy.”

Jayne Ann Krentz was the editor of and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. Krentz was also the inspiration for, and first recipient of, the Romantic Times Jane Austen Award, created to "honor those in the romance community who have significantly impacted [the] genre"

[Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠]

[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Jayne Ann Krentz and I discussed:

Overcoming rejection early on

Why she would caution new authors against launching multiple brands under different names

The rise of Romantasy

Her inspiration for the “paranormal twist with a psychic vibe”

Writing plots that don’t require forensic science

The importance of storytelling for future generations

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

jayneannkrentz.com

The Shop on Hidden Lane – January 6, 2026 by Jayne Ann Krentz (Amazon)

Jayne Ann Krentz Amazon Author Page

Jayne Castle Amazon Author Page

Jayne Ann Krentz on Facebook

Jayne Ann Krentz on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices