“I realized I couldn’t write sex scenes, so I went darker. Turns out, murder is more my thing.” — Kaira Rouda
Bestselling author Kaira Rouda returns to Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest psychological thriller Jill Is Not Happy—a twisted, funny, and disturbing journey through a seemingly normal marriage gone off the rails. Kaira shares her journey from marketing executive to novelist, her struggles with writing romance (spoiler: no sex scenes), and how she found her true voice writing deeply flawed characters with secrets they’d kill to protect.
Key Takeaways:
From Biz to Books: Kaira’s writing journey began in childhood but was reignited after years in marketing, real estate, and publishing a business book for women entrepreneurs.
Finding Her Genre: After an awkward foray into romance, she found her true voice writing domestic thrillers—starting with Best Day Ever.
Jill’s Not Happy… and It Shows: Her latest book, Jill Is Not Happy, follows a couple on a National Parks road trip where shared secrets—and suppressed rage—drive the tension.
Why We Love Marriage Thrillers: Rouda believes dark fiction lets us laugh at the dysfunction and say, “At least we’re not that bad.”
Behind the Scenes in D.C.: She offers insight into congressional life from her time as a lawmaker’s spouse—and how that inspired The Widow.
Cheddar Cheese Cravings and Cracker Barrel Confusion: Yes, there’s a cheese tangent. Yes, it’s delightful.
Family of Creatives: Her son is a music producer and her daughter a screenwriter—both of whom keep her on her toes when adapting her own work for screen.
Buy Jill is Not Happy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/447n1s8
Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798885281249
Connect with KAira
Website: https://kairarouda.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KairaRoudaBooks/
X: https://x.com/KairaRouda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kairarouda/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kairaroudabooks
Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/
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