Lily Chu strikes the perfect balance of bitter and sweet in “Drop Dead”

In her latest rom-com, Drop Dead, Lily Chu blends the sharp edges of rivalry with the soft sweetness of romance. Set in a mysterious mansion, the story follows the journey of two rival journalists, Nadine and Wesley, as they try to uncover a long-buried, high-stakes scandal that challenges both their professional ambitions and their personal boundaries. Chu’s longtime choice performer Phillipa Soo is joined by John Cho, making Drop Dead Chu’s first dual-narrated novel.

Patty Rivera: When we interviewed you in 2021 before the release of your debut, The Stand-In, you told us that you draw from your career and personal life to create your stories. What was your inspiration for Drop Dead?

Lily Chu: A few things combined for Drop Dead to happen. I’d wanted to write a story about an obituary writer for a long time, because I love obituaries. I know it sounds morbid, but like Dot, I feel that they offer a final story of someone’s life to the world. As well, I had worked in a media organization and, for some unknown reason, had started looking at wallpaper and maximalist designs online, and had gotten back into reading Agatha Christie. Somehow all of those disparate topics swirled together to form the story, and the vision for Dot Voline’s house. The book draws from my life in strange ways sometimes. For instance, the cats are taken from real life. I have a tabby and a black cat, and they became Erma, Sidonie-Gabrielle, Octavia, and Murasaki, named after fabulous women writers.

Drop Dead tells the story of Nadine and Wesley, rival journalists working together to uncover a scandal in a recently deceased writer’s past. Why did you decide to blend romance with elements of mystery in this book?

To be honest, this is a perfect example of how a book can evolve while it’s being written. When I first started thinking of Drop Dead, there were a few elements that were must-haves—they had to be rival journalists; there had to be a botched obituary; and there had to be a hidden scandal.

It was the scandal that led to me adding more of a mystery flair to the book, since Nadine and Wes needed to do something besides antagonize each other (as fun as that is). I also loved how the mystery allows the reader to learn so much about the two of them, and Dot’s house of wonders. The mystery aspect of the story went through a few iterations, with multiple spreadsheets mapping clues and timelines, and gave me a whole new respect for mystery writers.

Your longtime narrator Phillipa Soo is joined by actor John Cho, making Drop Dead your first dual-narrated romance. What’s it like hearing them bring this audiobook to life?

Being lucky enough to have Phillipa bring my characters to life was already mind-blowing. Adding John Cho to the mix truly sent me into the stratosphere. I loved the interplay between Nadine and Wes on the page, but hearing it performed is an entirely new experience.

When you hand over a book for narration, there’s a huge amount of trust that goes along with those pages, as well as a sense of release because the book is now in someone else’s hands. I think it’s fascinating how actors can take the script and make it their own, and I’m always intrigued at the way they interpret scenes through their own understanding of the characters. I usually have voices in my head for the characters, but after listening to the audiobook, it shifts to take on the intonations that Phillipa and John have given the characters.

Your books feature strong and complex Asian characters, often dealing with issues such as mental health and racism that make me briefly forget that I’m listening to a rom-com, yet doesn’t detract from the central love story. How do you strike the right balance between romance and these heavier topics?

Truthfully, I don’t actively try to strike a balance between romance and the heavier topics when I’m writing. It’s when I’m editing that I look at what the characters are dealing with, and judge whether a scene is too weighed down and I need to let the reader breathe for a moment. My natural inclination is to face a bad situation with humor, and that often comes out in my characters. I also think that since all of those heavier topics—mental health, racism, sexism, general unfairness—are things that people face in real life, it’s reasonable to have them experienced by characters in the book and for them to turn to their friends, family, and partners for help. I love books that deal with hard topics because it’s the combination that’s emotionally resonant. There’s some bitter and some sweet.

Do you have a favorite moment or scene from Drop Dead that was especially fun to write?

My favorite scenes are the ones with Dot Voline. I loved writing her—and her house and her cats and her estate and her outfits—because she’s so epic. In particular, the scenes where she has Nadine and Wes vying to get into her house for an interview were a huge amount of fun to write. Not only did I get to have the two rivals trying to one-up each other, I could have Dot egging them on, and doing her best to have them show their worst selves. That being said, I have another scene I loved writing that is not Dot-based, but I don’t want to put in a spoiler! All I’ll say is grotto scene.

What are your favorite romance tropes to write and listen to?

Drop Dead is a rivals-to-lovers romance because that is hands-down one of my favorite tropes. It’s perfection. Having the chemistry between the characters right from the beginning is the perfect way to make that romantic tension sing. I also have a soft spot for fake relationships. They’re usually so implausible—I have never met someone who has been in a fake relationship in my life—but I can suspend any amount of disbelief to follow the story of two people who need to pretend they’re in love. Bonus points if they dislike each other in the beginning. And hidden relationship is another big yes for me. Three of my books have hidden relationship elements, because I live for the sneaking.