While bookstores like Los Angeles’s The Ripped Bodice and San Diego’s Meet Cute Romance Bookshop champion romance novels, these stories often don’t get the recognition they deserve as intellectually stimulating and witty works of art. Alexandra ‘Zan’ Romanoff’s latest novella, ‘Big Fan,’ released by the newly launched romance publisher 831 Stories, is a prime example. It tells the story of a political strategist who reconnects with her former boy-band crush, proving that romance novels can be both insightful and entertaining.
Vogue caught up with Romanoff to discuss the significance of taking romance seriously, the art of crafting compelling crushes, and her ideal cast for a film adaptation of her book. Romanoff shared her unique perspective on the connection between romance and politics, stating, “People often talk about romance being a political genre, which it is, in a way, because it’s about prioritizing love and pleasure for women, and sometimes it’s about women having bodily autonomy.” She believes that these themes, often overlooked, contribute to the genre’s depth and relevance.
When asked about the secret to writing a believable and captivating crush, Romanoff highlighted the importance of longing and specificity. “The emotion that I default to is that feeling of looking at someone across the room and wanting to be where they are,” she explained, emphasizing the power of wanting something intensely while also feeling distance from it. Romanoff stressed the importance of going beyond the physical attraction, saying, “I talk about this a lot in terms of sex… it’s not just ‘I want to touch her arm,’ it’s like, ‘I want to hear her laugh and touch her arm and smell her smell. I want her to tell me that joke that she tells in the way that only she can.’ I think that feeling of being specifically obsessed with one person is really what turns it from sort of lustful ogling into that overpowering crush.”
When asked about her dream cast for a film adaptation of ‘Big Fan,’ Romanoff had a clear vision. She envisioned Ryan Gosling as Charlie, the boy-band crush, citing his talent, charisma, and even his Disney background as perfect for the role. For Maya, the political strategist, Romanoff wanted someone who exudes confidence and strength. She emphasized the importance of casting an actress who embodies a mature woman, not a child model or a young actress pretending to be older. Romanoff’s meticulous attention to detail and her commitment to crafting relatable characters with depth contribute to the enduring appeal of her work.
