Amy Lea: Confessions of a Secret Romance Author

Authors write under pen names for all sorts of reasons. Some of us want privacy. Some of us crave a little dramatic flair. Others realize the name Betsy Smith doesn’t exactly scream “bestselling werewolf erotica.” For romance authors in particular, the stakes can be higher. Not everyone is comfortable with their coworkers, exes, or Aunt Diane stumbling across their piping hot love scenes.

In my contemporary romance, The Bodyguard Affair, the heroine Andi is horrified when the world discovers her secret pen name for her steamy novels. See, Andi is the personal assistant to the Prime Minister of Canada’s wife. On a daily basis, she rubs elbows with the people who quite literally keep the country running. The types who probably unwind with WWII non-fiction and black coffee, not “only one bed” tropes and banter as foreplay.

That premise was inspired by my own experience working for the Government. For years, I was a buttoned-up public servant. I studied Public Policy, drafted briefing notes, and typed “per my last email” unironically. After days spent talking global crises and policy priorities, there was something deliciously fun and liberating about escaping into stories of love, humor, and happy endings.

At first, it was easy to keep my writing hobby under wraps. But when I finally signed with a literary agent and got my first book deal with a big publishing house, I realized I’d have to come clean. Telling friends and family was easy enough. They already knew I was a hopeless romantic with an overactive imagination. But telling my coworkers was terrifying. My biggest fear was losing professional credibility. Would my colleagues still take me seriously if they knew I spent my evenings describing the perfect V-line on a fictional man named Nolan?

Eventually, the secret got out. And to my surprise, most of my coworkers were incredibly supportive. The real issue wasn’t them after all. It was me. I was the one who’d internalized the idea that romance was shameful. That writing stories about love somehow made me less serious or less intelligent.

I think a lot of people are finally coming to understand that romance isn’t just fluff. It’s a genre of hope and escape for so many. It’s about finding joy, vulnerability, and connection in a cynical world. Importantly, it’s a place where marginalized characters can finally be main characters, defined by happiness and not struggle.

I’m proud to say I’ve learned to embrace my journey from writing briefing notes to writing bodice rippers. Shockingly (or not so shockingly) it was the most fulfilling career move I’ve ever made!

The Bodyguard Affair by Amy Lea is published by Penguin on 26 February 2026