Bookwild - It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier: An Erotic Assassin Thriller

Episode Date: July 16, 2024

This week, I got to chat with Eliza Jane Brazier about her new erotic assassin thriller It Had to Be You.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, and how she never intended for it to be taken as anything other than fantasy.It Had to Be You SynopsisTwo contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work.Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This encounter is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . .  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian 

I had actually written a version of this book in like 2010, but it was more like just straight erotica. Like it was just then sex like this way and that way because that was like when erotica was kind of big in the public consciousness. For me, when I was approaching this story, I wasn't, it was not my intention that it would ever be taken literally. Like I was trying to create like a fantasy. This week I got to talk with Eliza Jane Brazier about her newest thriller. It had to be you, which is a really fun take on the Mr. and Mrs. Smith dynamic. And I devoured it. It is fantastic. But the synopsis is, when Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris,

they think they'll never see each other again, which is too bad because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn't on the agenda in their line of work. Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This meeting is not by chance because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She's a contract killer, and what she doesn't know is that he is too. Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes cross-continent adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism, there will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they also are being hunted by something even more dangerous than love. so fun. It is action-packed. It is steamy A-F. Eliza actually said in another draft, it was even steamier, so just imagine how much is left in if she felt that way. And I had a really good time talking with her about the relationship dynamic and how it carries into an action thriller. So that being said, let's hear from Eliza. devoured this one. I thought it was so much fun and like I just love action thrillers. So when I saw you wrote one, I was so excited. But I wanted to know, was there anything different about writing

this book compared to your other books? Well, I will say I feel like every single book. It's like, is different. Yeah. Like the whole way that I approach it and the way that it like falls apart is always different. Like there's so, you know, and I think that's like an important. thing for me to like remember because a lot of times I've cracked it like I know how to write a book but the reality is that the idea it will tell you how to write it if you try to force it to be like you know it's siblings it doesn't work so yeah this one was probably easier in some ways because I had actually written a version of this book in like 2010 oh wow I really liked the voice that was like the same like the setting of like a woman's thing but it was more like just straight erotica like

it was just oh yeah sex like everywhere this way that way because that was like when erotica was kind of big in the public consciousness yeah and so it's like oh i'm gonna write like a really literary erotica in my mind at least i thought it was literary and so it developed the voice that was all in jonathan's ways and it always just really loved it and so whenever it came time to pitch a book i was you know, I would really love to, like, find a way to publish this. And so I used it. So that kind of be easier in a way. I felt like I had the character already.

I had the setting already, you know, both characters already. So, right. Yeah, that's cool. So it sounds like some of your inspiration was that there is more erotica being written at that time. But what was, like, what made you want to write about two assassins who have, have great chemistry. I mean, yeah, like I said, I think originally I was really, I wanted to like push it as far as I could with like traditional publishing because I think erotica is really cool.

But I also, like my previous book Girls and Their Horses was a really character-driven story and it was like multiple character perspectives and it was like a lot of intervening storylines. It was very difficult because of that. Yeah. So I was like I kind of wanted to write. something that was going to have like a plot that was baked into the premise. You know, like with this whole idea of saying, they're assassins,

they're going to kill each other. You kind of like know the beats that it has to hit or that I did. Yeah. So that was kind of a part of what the reasoning, I guess, for me, like choosing to do that. Yeah. No, that makes sense, though.

Like I, and kind of like action thrillers are a little bit similar. to that, like, you kind of know the things that are going to go up against. Exactly. It feels like it unschools so much more naturally. Like, I definitely, like, from the first draft to the second draft, I definitely did change things. Like, there was a lot more sex scenes, like I said.

But it does feel like there's such, like, a story. It's like, there's such a, like, kind of, I don't like to say, like, formula, but, like, a pattern or something that it does just feel like you've, like, I watched so many of those movies. I love those kind of like fun, like acting adventure, really plotty movies. So you feel like naturally already in your consciousness, like you know what kind of has to happen in a way. And obviously you try to give it like a bit of a spin or a twist, which I feel like that's pretty

easy when you're saying your characters are murderers. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So it takes place kind of all across. Europe and like the imagery was so cool like I felt like I was legit in Europe even though I've been to same but I haven't been to any of the other places. So I know you lived there for a little while. Have you been to most of the settings that you included in it?

Yeah, I've been to all of them. I mean, I lived in London for like 10 years and I also used to just go to Europe. I went to like they got like a URL past and I was really young and did like whole train thing by myself for like six weeks and just go all of the place. The very first time I went to Europe was actually in high school and I went to Florence and took the overnight train to Paris, which they don't actually have anymore, but it was like inspired by that like specific trains. It's such like a cool. I freaking love and like that experience was still like I don't remember a lot of things in my life, but I feel like experiences like that are so memorable. They like stay with you forever. Yeah.

Yeah, I live in Indiana, so I have not been on many trains in my life, but it was kind of crazy because I read a book called The Man on the Train. And then I read this for your book. And then there was something else. Oh, just like one of the podcasters I was talking about was talking about like how convenient the trains are. She was going from like New York to I can't remember somewhere close to New York. But she was talking about. talking about like it's just so convenient like you can just like drink and stare out the window and she was like saying all this and like all of that happened in a couple weeks and all of a sudden I was like am I becoming a train person through other people's stories basically but now I'm like so intrigued by them and I was like Googling them like when I was reading yours too because I was like what does this look like to be in a train like that but it seems like it actually seems like such a fun way to transport yourself places yeah I think the trains like a

Inspection in Europe, they're very, like, romantic. Mm. And it is, like, right. Like, you can just sit there. You can kind of do whatever you want, but you get to see, like, all this scenery. You actually, like, feel like you're in place. You have no possibility, like, so much better than an airplane.

You don't get a seating thing. The boat, all sets. You just see the ocean. Driving, you're always paranoid and thinking, oh, this person's going to crash. Yep. Yeah, totally. Magical. You're on your way to, you know, perhaps a magical school somewhere.

Right. So it's you kind of mention this. It's written from both perspectives. Is it you, is it Eva or Eva? I know some people pronounce it either way. I think of it as Eva. Okay, cool. So there's Eva and there's Jonathan.

So did you have more fun writing one of the perspectives? I don't, I wouldn't say I had more fun. I feel like Eva's is lighter. Yeah. But like I said, so I heard. already had like the Jonathan voice is the exact same voice as the character that I'd already previously developed. So Eva was more and it was a similar character, but it was like more like bringing out that character. I think her character would be more funny and then like or more

intentionally funny. And then I think like more funny just because he's like weird. I don't know if I'm weird, but I didn't think he was that weird. I mean, I love both of them. But I know what you mean. His is like, he's more serious. So like you're saying, like if he's funny. But in a way, it is kind of unintentionally funny because it's like a very pretentious way to consider oneself. Yeah. Yeah, that too, for sure.

So they both have really like rich and emotional backstories. And something, because I love watching like action movies too. I feel like I've been reading more action thrillers this year too, but sometimes what you lose is character development and some of them. So how did you approach making them like accessible assassins? I mean, so I think I specifically, because I wanted to talk about like an emotional, I think that's kind of important to have like an emotional heart to the center of your story. So like I did want to talk about specifically how people have,

trauma in their past that leads to, I feel like there's a period in life, especially if you have, like, past trauma where you're being, like, compelled by this trauma to do things that are, like, bad for you and bad for the world's large. And I really wanted to talk about that in, like, a kind of highly symbolic way. So that was always, like, very much a core of the story, because it's about, like, getting to that point where you're recognizing that, like, your behavior is so damaging and where it's coming from. And now I actually want to like change. And like maybe like a better life,

I don't have to keep like reliving this or punishing myself or whatever it is. Right. So that was really important. And then like specifically the, so this is like kind of an interesting story. So Eva's backstory is based on something that happened to me, but obviously it's much more dramatic.

But in real life, I had a gun hell to my head. And I was like basically robbed at gunpoint. And there was. at the point where the guy put the gun down and I picked it up and he reached for it and I handed it to him and it's like obviously like in that moment it's a very like it's very sort of obviously sort of traumatic experience it's like you don't really you're in so you're just acting like impulsively so it was just always something that in my mind I was like what if I like I kind of knew at that moment the kind of person that I was that I would way rather someone shoot me than me shoot them but it was just like I was just like I was just It's something that I always thought about because, like, what if I had tried to, like, point the gun at them? Like, what if I had tried? You know what I mean?

Like, certain people would have handled it differently. So I always kind of have had that in mind as something I thought about a lot, I guess. You know, I made it in this version. Obviously, she does shoot them, but it's a different situation, too, because there are people that are already dead. That's not the same. Yeah. Yeah, I loved, I'm going to mark this because I don't, I don't know if you consider a spoiler, but I loved the, but I loved the, like the situation she was in as a kid um i loved the turn that like what happened to her as a kid

by bad people um the way she kind of justifies her actions is that she's trying to keep other kids from having to go through what she went through and i loved that like perspective of like how you could get to the point of killing people because you're like oh they're bad guys Yeah, absolutely, yeah. And I think that we all like, I don't know, I think a lot of times we don't do things that are bad because we think that they're bad. And it's like, especially if you have such a sort of like complicated things that have happened to you. I think we all into an extent to justify things. And it's only maybe like later through like growth and reflection that we're like, oh, I just twisted that situation so much.

And like, she talked about it in the book. It's because she feels like safe in trauma because her life was so traumatic. Yeah. And I think that's like a very real thing that can happen. I hope you're enjoying this episode of Book Wild. And if you are, could I ask you a favor? Could you go and rate and review this podcast and whatever platform you're listening? Ratings and reviews make the biggest difference in discoverability of the podcast.

And I definitely want to find all of our fellow thriller readers out there. So if you could go rate the podcast and leave a short review, that would make a huge difference. Thank you. And let's get back to the show. So one of the cool things that I thought that I just really enjoyed was it does shift perspectives back and forth between them. And since they are assassins, you can't, like, when you're in one person's perspective, you don't know what the other person is thinking. And so sometimes you're like, who's playing who and like basically like who you're getting the information from changes. And so you're.

you can't always tell what each character's motivation is. So did you always know you kind of wanted to do it with the two perspectives? Because it, like, added to the suspense so much. I mean, I definitely, I wanted to do it from two perspectives from the beginning. But I feel like that was because, like I said, I'd already developed a male perspective. And I didn't, I think 2010 was a different time. I really wanted to make sure that the female character was, like, as strong and as important. I mean, I think she's stronger, you know,

so that was kind of like more my thinking. But I think it was also just, it was like how we talked about how just like implicit to the story, it was such like a natural flow where I found it like easy to know like where to end something and where to pick up with the other because there is such like a fun kind of interplay like where you're seeing like her appreciation of something and then what the reason you're finding out what the reason for his behavior is and his. so on and so forth. Yeah.

So the action scenes are super fun. There's like multiple throughout all of it. But I'm always wondering how people write it if they're not like, I don't know, like actively fighting people and some kind of any of the, what am I trying to think of, disciplines, fighting disciplines. So how did you approach writing them? I know some people can do it all in their head. some people like acted out physically.

I wish I did ask it out. I to be honest, this was another thing. I like to challenge myself as a writer. I think that's super important to like making sure that your career like stays engaging for you. It should be about this journey and trying to get better. I've always felt like in my mind, I always thought, oh, I'm not good at action. I always have it in my head.

And in fact, like when I watch like action movies, I find it extremely difficult to pay attention to action sequences. Like if people are sitting in a room and talking about like philosophy or something, I'm literally hanging on every word. I'm like, I'm rewining. I'm like, what did they say? Like, how do they say? Like, how did that line come out? So it was like a huge, in a way, a challenge to me.

I well, at least I guess I sort of thought it was to try to write something. But I actually found that I, for me, it flowed pretty naturally because it was so, every action sequence is so tied to the characters in the story. you know so it's like I really like I just sort of like it really um yeah like it really just sort of like came out in a way that felt like really natural and it was also like about it's always about their relationship they're really fun like to me at least like I love like the humor and the quips and I feel like that's when you almost see like they're real like their real relationship like come out and they're like the playful side of their relationship you know yeah It's like it's so much like when they're having fun together.

So it didn't even feel like an action sequence to me. Yeah, it just felt like part of the story, which I think was like, to me, I thought was really cool. That's true. And to what you were saying earlier about like having Eva be as strong as him, and I would definitely say emotionally she's more strong as well. it it kind of feels like they're so well matched to even be fighting each other basically and they kind of they almost have like common ground in fighting essentially so it's almost like it's like their shared interest that they're just like partaking together yeah I think it's cool I don't think I really realize like how much that those kind of sequences can actually like

reveal character. Yeah. Yeah. I was talking to Rob Hart, who wrote Assassins Anonymous that just came out this year. And he was saying, when I asked him that, he was saying that when he teaches writing action sequences,

he talks about how, like, musicals and action thrillers or action or this is the same thing. So like with musicals, like all of this emotion and like relationship dynamics like build and then they burst into song about something. And so he was saying like that's how he approaches action as well. It's just that like all the relationship things are happening. And then like they just burst into action. And I was like, I'm never going to stop thinking about action being like musicals.

I love musical. I know. I was like this is like the most unexpected answer that I was just totally not expecting. but I was like, huh, it is like the same thing. Like it's just a lot of emotion happening in motion, basically. But the other thing that I'm always intrigued about with assassin thrillers or just even just action thrillers in general, where there's a lot of killing, is that you can really explore that like gray area of who is good and who is bad. So how did you kind of like make sure that the readers felt like they were still the good guys?

You know, I a lot of people ask this. And I think that for me, when I was approaching this story, I wasn't, it was not my intention that it would ever be taken literally. Like I was trying to create like a fantasy, but the world is obviously very similar to our world, which makes it kind of not feel like a fantasy, but like that's like how I approach it. Like if you have a sort of fantasy, I feel like if I had a dragon and then I had a hero who kills hundreds of people, it wouldn't matter. Like, okay, because it's a dragon. It's not real. That's true. But it's probably like harder, I think, in a way maybe to accept it in the real world. But ultimately, I think that I hopefully, because I was approaching it in a way that like this is just supposed to be a heightened version of an

emotional truth. Like you're never really supposed to believe that they're killing people and you're never supposed to sit there and think like think about the people they killed or like what about their family? Who was it? You know what I mean? Like it's almost like to me like I always wanted it to be like this symbolic thing of like I think that everyone or yeah probably everyone you go through like phases in life or you do things that are I think harmful and that's like what it was about you know. So I think that hopefully that people don't think of the characters as sort of good or bad because I never saw it that way. Like hopefully that comes through in some ways.

You do kind of have to, like even when you're watching action thrillers, you're right, because you're not sitting in the theater like grieving every person who dies. You're just like, ooh, poor, they're winning. Yeah, totally. Imagine if you're watching the book. love me and you're like oh no that explore like treasure hunter right yeah that's gonna i'm gonna i like that idea of like action as fantasy almost because it really it really is like yeah because you're kind of like watching it like a video game too where you're kind of removed from it being like people

you're just like is my hero winning so i like basically i like that perspective well and like every story really is a fantasy. There's just some people that are going to approach it from the wave. I'm going to try to trick you into thinking this is real. In fact, you might even more real than your real life. Yeah. With a very similitude, but to be never aiming for that. You're right, because it's like I was thinking about that before my camera stopped, I was thinking that same thing where like we kind of know that like stories are not real life and like that's why they're more exciting and engaging. Like, it's just like, Someone, like, wrote a book about my life, it would be so boring.

So it is kind of, like, to have an enjoyable story, you don't totally want it to be, like, grounded in reality, really. We're all lying. Maybe some people. I'm just lying more authentically. Yeah. Totally. So the other thing I thought was cool is the name is it had to be you, which is, like, a very romantic or, like, it's used so much. in romance novels but then it works so well in the thriller genre as well so how did you come up

with the title okay if i remember correctly i think i pitched it with the title and i feel like it was one of those like titles that it kind of to me worked on like the two levels of it being like like to be you in terms of like of the person i met by chance and like had a thing for or whatever and then now i'm like assigned to kill you like there's like that kind of like oh like why did it have to be you then there's also like that kind of like it couldn't have been anyone else and you're the perfect person for me side to it. It just felt like it just totally worked instantly. Like sometimes it's like easy. Yeah.

Not. But you know what I later found out? Like I never had seen the one that was full of Keanu Raids, John Wick. And it's in that movie. They used the song between him and his love interest and I was like, oh. Really? Like, yeah. I did not realize that or something.

Oh, that's so cool. Halfway through the movie, there's like some sort of scene where he's like dancing with his love and their song was playing. Oh. Yeah, the beginning of that was that movie was like we're all the same, you know? Yeah. That is so cool. I haven't seen it in forever. I saw the whatever that was, fourth one last year, but I hadn't seen the first one in so long.

I actually read the script. I'm reading on this. That's where I was like, oh. Yeah. Yeah, I love those movies. They're so good. So I have been also asking people if they've read anything recently that they loved. Oh, my God.

If you haven't, that's okay, too. I read that comes out today. Oh, I read two books that come out today, but it's not going to be real today because this is a podcast. I read May Cobbs, Hollywood Assistant. I really liked that. It was so fun. It really, like, I read it, like, so fast. and I really like was very

transportive. I don't know. I don't usually books that are like have just beautiful descriptions and stuff. I know. Me neither. But like I really was like enjoying it. Like she does it in such a way that it's still engaging and it's still like a fast speed, you know? And then I also read Rachel, well, Rachel McGuire.

Yes. I can't say on the surface. And actually, well, they're a writing duo, but one of them is my mom's neighbor. Really? Yeah. So I actually blurbed her book, but I was like, damn, this is like really good. So I've talked to her over the years because I always knew she was a writer and she written different age categories and stuff.

And then she was like, oh, I'm getting this book published. She would want to blur it. And I read it. Like, you never know. You're like, my mom's neighbor. Who knows? And I read it. Holy crap.

I'm like, this is really good. Like to the power. Man, this is inspiring me actually. Yeah. Is it Leanne or Rachel? Rachel. Rachel. Yeah, I just, what's crazy is I just released episodes with Mae, Cobb, and Rachel

McGuire today. So those are like perfect ones. Yeah. Yeah. They were so fun. I mean, May's always fun to talk to. But Rachel and Leanne were cracking me up. We were having so much fun talking about their book.

She was really cool. She's all nice to me. So. Yeah. It's a really fun one. I loved. I loved that. And the colors matched yours, yearbook as well.

I was, like, looking at everything I'd posted. And, like, seven out of the eight books I've just posted about all have, like, prominent blue in their cover. So apparently, in July of 24. Yeah. I decided that this is like, what makes you go buy books? Yeah. Yeah.

I think it must be. I think that was a very popular book, and it's pink and blue. And I can't seem too. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I obviously always love covers with pink, as everyone knows at this point. So I'm here for it. Where should people follow you to stay up to date with everything? I guess Instagram. Yeah. I won't keep them too up to date, though. Let's have a little bit of stories. Well, I'll post about whatever your next one is, so they can keep partying me. Well, thank you so much for coming on and talking about it and for writing it, and for writing it, because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for having me and for reading it.