I first met Gabby at the Australian Romance Readers Convention in Sydney in 2011. She was in a group of young university students who were attending and I clearly remember sitting around the hotel foyer laughing with this bright, young woman. And this pretty much cpatures my every meeting with Gabby. Whether we would bump into each other at uni, chatting on Twitter, when we would go out for drinks with friends or whether we were at an author or romance fiction event, Gabby makes me laugh with her funny stories, her chaos life and her all round fab presence.

Gabby @penneclearwater

Incognito: Possible Spy

Can you describe yourself?

Gabby is a mess of human who experiences way too many emotions and can’t seem to moderate the volume of her voice. She loves friends to lovers tropes and has a complicated relationship with a lot of authors that she finds problematic but can’t stop reading. Because of that, she complains a lot but usually does so with a good heart. Gabby used to work in publishing but switched to a job that she can’t talk about because she may or may not be a spy. Shhhhhhh.

What is your main reading medium (books, blogs, games, news, etc) and how much time do you spend reading a week?

BOOKS BOOK BOOKS. I used to spend on average 2 hours a day reading which was mainly on public transport. But then people kept laughing at me for not being able to drive so I got my license and it ruined my life. Now I barely scrape in 2 hours a WEEK. Save me.

So now it’s probably not books but news and online articles…

What or who is your joyful reading (guilty or otherwise) pleasure?

This is an easy one. JR Ward is my joyful/hateful reading pleasure/pain. She kills my life. I was OBSESSED with her BDB series and devoured them all and I will still read them even though the release of the Bourbon King has made it a little harder (you just need to read Rudi and mine’s review of it to see why). JR Ward is the author I feel most conflicted about loving.

She was also the focus of my Honours thesis which I always find hard to explain to people because convos usually go like this.

Other People: Oh you wrote a thesis?! What was it on?

Me: Investigating queer relationships in the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Other People: …the what?

Me: It’s a paranormal romance series which is deeply homoerotic but is actually super heteronormative even though they’re all super gay and it’s amazing and terrible at the same time.

Other Person: *walks away quietly*

Do you have a favourite storyline or plot? And do you have one you will not read?

Love me some friends to lovers!! That slow growth!! The will they or won’t they! Ugh so good. Also love the classic “I hate you I hate you but I can’t stop thinking about your hair!”…What else….Chef romances!!! God, they’re so hot. Any story where they’re in a kitchen and you have people being *capable* and *busy*.

I HATE secret pregnancies. Not interested so will definitely steer clear. BUT THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION – Nobody’s Baby But Mine by SEP even though as an adult, I see the issues with the book…

Why do you/don’t you use a public library?

Public libraries rock!! In high school, I used to work in a cafe that was in a library and I would borrow 7 books a week because I was literally reading one a day. That library had an AMAZING romance section but I was such a baby reader that I was still a lil embarrassed over my choices so I never even asked the librarians for more books when they ran out for me.

Do you RUI*. If so, what?

Never, but now I think why the hell not?

Do you have a favourite reading spot?

I love reading on the bus or the train. So much time to just bask in relative silence. I used to share a room with my sister who insisted on listening to loud music when I wanted to read so I became really really good at blocking sound out. Otherwise, I’m not too fussy. I’ll read in bed, on a couch, walking to work, etc.

Toilet reading:

b) Only my own books/phone/tablet/ereader

Romance fiction of the Happily Ever After (not the love tragedy) kind – are you a Lover or a Hater and why?

ROMANCE IS NOT ROMANCE WITHOUT A HEA. I seriously hate when people recommend books to me and they don’t end happily. Like what is even the point of reading?? I need closure! I need happiness!!! Don’t take it away from me!!

What would you give up reading for**?

Well clearly driving *grumble grumble*. But for real, I find that I’m not a whole person when I’m reading. It grounds me, it gives me something to turn over in my mind, it helps me manage my life!! But if it had to be ONE thing..probably a lifetime supply of dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and coconut-taro milk tea with pearls from Gong Cha.

OH and I’d probably give up reading for V from BTS/Gong Yoo.

So clearly I actually don’t care about reading at all.

Can a romance/crime/super/etc hero be the driver of a hatchback?

Um…yes? *Googles hatchback*