Success Story Interview - Jennifer Rios

An Interview with Jennifer Rios (jennifermrios on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary.

05/26/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Jennifer Rios:
LOVE IN INK is an adult contemporary romance following former reality star Juliet Rivers, who has sworn off commitment following her public breakup with her co-star fiancé. A one-night hookup with Brooklyn bar owner and tattoo artist, Dane King, dares her to choose between the vices that keep her numb and the kind of love she didn't think she deserved.

I was inspired by my love of NYC, my obsession with Josh from Younger, and the daughter I will never have. I'm a proud boy, Mom, but Juliet was the girl name I never got to use. So, I created her on the page instead!

QT: How long have you been writing?

Jennifer Rios:
I've always loved writing, but didn't seriously start pursuing it until a little over a year ago. I've been creating stories in my heads for years and finally dared to put them on the page.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Jennifer Rios:
I started writing it September 2025, Queried January 2026, Agented May 2026 : about 8 months

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Jennifer Rios:
This entire process has been a roller coaster. There have certainly been extreme highs and lows, but I'm so glad I kept going. A strong writing community helped so much!

QT: Is this your first book?

Jennifer Rios:
I wrote one book before this one, but I shelved it before completing edits and querying to see this one through.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Jennifer Rios:
No! I've completed a few courses over the year, but nothing formal.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Jennifer Rios:
I don't! I work two part-time jobs, and I'm a Mom, so every day is different. There is a lot of night and weekend writing. A lot of grabbing 15 mins here and there, even parked in the car!

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Jennifer Rios:
As I head into agent edits, I will be starting draft 9. I queried with Draft 7, did an R&R (Draft 8) halfway through.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Jennifer Rios:
I had 2-3 rounds of Beats before querying and mid-querying. I had around 10-12 Beta readers total. A mix of other writers, critique partners, avid readers, and friends/family.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Jennifer Rios:
I always start writing to meet the characters and get grounded in the story, and then around 25%, I will outline to get me to the finish line, and make sure I'm hitting all the plot points.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Jennifer Rios:
I queried this book for a little less than 4 months. It was my first book to query.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Jennifer Rios:
I queried around 150 agents! It was probably overkill in hindsight.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Jennifer Rios:
I started researching agents long before I was ready to query. I started on query tracker, slowly building my list and later on, transfered to a spreadsheet so I could really track everything more detailed. I followed everyone I could on social media for vibe checks and then scoured MSWL.

They had to rep romance obviously, and then any specifics from there like similar comps, media that resonates with my story, etc.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Jennifer Rios:
Maybe 50/50? If there were clear call-outs from their MSWL, or socials, etc I tried to make it as personalized as possible. But I also didn't force it.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Jennifer Rios:
I have a ton, but I will try to keep it brief-ish.

- Everything they say is true, so do your research and listen to the advice.
- Don't query too early. It's so easy to do, and most people do. Take your time and do it right!
- Build a community, not just for critique but for support and hype too. I would be lost without mine!
- Most rejections have nothing to do with your writing. The sooner you start thinking about it like a business and less like "your art" the easier the rejections are
- Start something new! I waited to do this, and wish I had sooner. Once I was able to let go a bit, things started moving.
- Don't give up! Everything can change overnight, and when you least expect it.

Query Letter:

Former reality star Juliet Rivers isn't here to feel.

Determined not to, Juliet sparks a steamy one-night hookup with bar owner Dane King, who dares her to choose between the vices that keep her numb and a love that’s real.

LOVE IN INK is an 85,000-word contemporary romance told through dual POVs and epistolary elements. Capturing the nostalgia of ‘The Hills’ era of reality television, LOVE IN INK blends the humor-forward healing of Katherine Center’s The Love Haters with the reality-TV chaos, loveable ensemble cast, and swoony romance of Christina Lauren’s True Love Experiment.
After a year hiding out in Texas following the public collapse of her engagement to her reality TV co-star, Juliet is back in New York. All she craves is a camera-free, fresh start. Her strategy for coping is simple: sourdough, shopping, and sex.

Dane isn’t looking for love, either. Between expanding his tattoo and art gallery, helping his brother run their bar, and grieving the loss of his mother, complications are the last thing he needs. But when Juliet strolls in with her devil-may-care attitude, Dane knows it’ll take more than one night to get her out of his system.

Juliet keeps Dane at arm’s length until mutual friends, chance encounters, and intimate tattoos bring them closer. But when Juliet’s ex resurfaces, dredging up past trauma and targeting Dane’s gallery, their fragile connection shatters. Dane puts everything on the line to protect her, but when Juliet mistakes that for betrayal, she returns to her vicious cycle of relying on men to keep her numb. Now, Juliet must choose to take a chance on a love that heals instead of hurts—or risk losing the only person who can make her feel alive.

As a Texas-based wedding planner, I’ve spent fifteen years witnessing love stories first-hand. When I’m not wrangling timelines or tantrums (from my clients and children), I indulge in healthier vices: reading, running, and iced coffee. LOVE IN INK would be my debut novel and has series potential with interconnected standalones.