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Introduction
Iris Lim is a romance author, Broadway lover, geek wife, twin mom, and lifelong trivia fan.
She writes closed door historical romances (mostly Regency) and Jane Austen variations (mostly Pride and Prejudice). She loves reading, writing, coffee, weddings, faith, and family.
Iris’ Books
and so many more!
Interview with Iris Lim
Q: Let’s get started with an introduction. Can you tell me a little about how you first got into writing and what it felt like publishing your very first book?
A: I’ve been making up stories ever since I was in preschool, and I don’t think I have ever really stopped since! But what really made me think of publishing seriously was when a small press saw my Pride and Prejudice work online and approached me about publishing them. I worked with that publisher for two years before they closed down, and I’ve been publishing directly on Amazon ever since.
Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies (other than writing)?
A: Trying new restaurants with my family and drinking more coffee than I should. We also love to travel!
Q: What’s your favorite unusual food combination?
A: I like all sorts of food, but my latest revelation is probably cheese slices mixed with Korean ramen. It’s sticky and spicy and all sorts of perfection!
Q: What book (other than your own) do you recommend to everyone that they have to read?
A: This answer changes from day to day! But my two favorite book discoveries of 2024 so far are probably A Heart Sufficient by Nichole Van (which is her latest publication) and A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (which is a classic in her collection). One is Scottish romance, and the other is Christian fiction; but they both have characters and stories that have really lingered in my heart.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your writing process? Note taking; favorite place to write uninterrupted; etc?
A: As a mom of twin toddlers, I really just write whenever I can squeeze it in. But I have always found coffee shops and airports especially inspiring. They just seem like such fascinating intersections of life where anyone can meet and anything can happen.
Q: Tell us a little about what inspired your latest release.
A: I have always, always loved the enemies-to-lovers trope, and I was really excited to have the chance to redeem Alfred’s character after his not-so-flattering debut in Book 1 of the Beniton Hall series. One thing I often think about when it comes to this trope is how justified someone’s dislike for the other person is. In this book, both Alfred and Tiffany start off in somewhat self-righteous places. And it’s that softening of their characters, towards themselves and towards each other, that fascinated me. This book is also the closest in the series to a romantic comedy, which I’ve always loved as well.
Q: Which one of your books was your most favorite to write?
A: This is like telling me to choose amongst my children! One story I would say that I felt thoroughly inspired to write from start to finish would be my Regency novelette “Lady Flora’s Fiancé.” The idea came to me almost fully formed, it included so many favorite tropes of mine, and Henry and Flora were just delightful to write the entire way through. And if Mr. Avington’s Game of Hearts had some comedic elements, this one is straight up historical romantic comedy, and I love how it can be a pick-me-up for readers looking for something short, humorous, and sweet.
Q: What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
A: I would probably say to do the best you can now while being prepared to keep growing. The most successful writers out there (among which I still aspire to be) are all people who have kept growing in so many ways. We grow in our craft, we grow in our entrepreneurship, and we grow in our personal lives as we go along. Don’t be content with sloppy work, but there is no need to pressure yourself to create your magnum opus right off the bat either!
Follow Iris
Iris grew up reading and rereading every novel in her small family library in Southeast Asia. Her favorite authors have always included Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, and Agatha Christie. Now, thanks to modern technology, she gets to breathe life into her own re-imaginations and forever-love for all things romance.
When she’s not writing or reading, Iris is probably wrangling her adorable twins, chilling with her husband, or burning her latest meal. She dreams every day to save up for a trip to England and to write all she can about that. She has a love-hate relationship with plot bunnies, who are alternately her greatest enemies and most beloved friends, depending on the day of the week.
Looking for book recs…
Adventures in Literature 
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