Coastal Magic Convention is a beachside reader weekend in Daytona Beach, Florida each February. The 15th annual weekend is February 25-28 2027, celebrating the magic of stories & storytellers. Each year’s goal is to bring authors and readers together for a memorable weekend with old friends (and new!) and to build TBR piles! 

Hi there! I’m Layla Reyne, author of 35 queer romance novels and novellas, including What We May Be and the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Perfect Play series. I write sexy, high-stakes LGBTQIA+ romance featuring competent adults in kitchens, sports arenas, car chases, and plenty of other dangerous situations. Whether it’s adrenaline-fueled suspense, rival athletes, vampires and shifters, or love mixed with mouthwatering foodie goodness, happily-ever-afters for queer characters are always guaranteed.

What got you into writing? How long have you been writing?

I started watching soap operas with my grandparents when I was three, so stories full of romance and drama have always been favorites of mine. That said, the ever first story I wrote in grade school was about my dog. By high school, though, I’d graduated to X-Files fanfiction and carried that into college. I stepped away from writing for a while during grad school and the early years of my career, then returned to fanfic a decade later when I needed a creative outlet. Eventually, I decided I wanted to tell stories of my own—and now I’m working on number thirty-six!

What is your favorite part about being an author?

Making sure the good guys win, especially these days.

How many books have you written? Which of your books is your favorite?

What We May Be, for a lot of reasons. I came up with the mystery hook—men being murdered in the vein of Shakespeare’s wronged heroines—back in high school and held onto the idea for years. It was the first original story I wrote and pitched, earning me award nominations and an agent. But it didn’t sell, in part because the heroine was considered too strong. Six years later, I returned to the story and rewrote it as the polyamorous romance it had always wanted to be—complete with the same bossy heroine. Seeing it finally published exactly as I envisioned was incredibly rewarding. (It doesn’t hurt that it has a smoking-hot cover, too!)

Have you experienced writer's block, and how do you handle it?

Change the music! Once I find the right soundtrack for the story or couple I’m writing, the words usually start flowing again.

How do you choose names for your characters?

I raid the contacts list on my phone. Don’t tell anyone!

Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?

I’m definitely a plotter. I often write the same couple across multiple books, so I like to have things mapped out in advance. I usually create both a book-by-book outline and an overarching series plan.

Do you read much and if so, who are your favorite authors?

Not as much as I’d like, but I always take a couple weeks between writing books to catch up on administrative work and, more importantly, read all the things. Some of my favorites include Allison Temple, Erin McLellan, Hailey Turner, M.A. Grant, Riley Hart, Anna Zabo, Elle Keaton, Annabeth Albert, Brooke Blaine, and Ella Frank.

Any exciting news you'd like to share?

Yes! For the first time ever, my entire Whiskey Verse—more than twenty romantic suspense titles—is available in Kindle Unlimited.

What can you tell us about the Whiskey Verse being added to KU?

I recently got the rights back to the final series that completed the Verse, so I’m thrilled to finally bring everything together in Kindle Unlimited for both longtime readers and newcomers to binge and enjoy. The Whiskey Verse includes five interconnected series and a standalone novel (What We May Be). Readers can jump in with any series—or start with What We May Be—but for the chronologically minded (like me!), there’s a handy reading order on my website: https://www.laylareyne.com/whiskey-verse-reading-order 

What are you most excited about for Coastal Magic 2027?

Honestly, just relaxing by the beach with author and reader friends for a few days. It’s such a well-run, laid-back convention where everyone is kind and excited to celebrate books and reading. I can’t wait to get back there.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

My website (https://www.laylareyne.com) and newsletter (https://www.laylareyne.com/signup) are great places to start. I’m also active on Instagram (@laylareyne) and in my FB Reader Group, Layla’s Lushes (https://www.facebook.com/groups/laylaslushes/). Hope to see you there!

Information about #CMCon27, including this year’s list of Featured Authors and how to register to attend is on the website, http://CoastalMagicConvention.com.

You can also get involved and have some bookish fun between now and February by joining the Facebook Authors & Attendees group: http://Facebook.com/groups/CMConAuthorsandAttendees and Reading Challenge group: http://Facebook.com/groups/CMConReadingChallenge.