You may not have heard of Joan O’Leary, but if you’ve ever spent a late night on the couch watching Jimmy Fallon, you’ve seen her work. Joan spent over five years behind the scenes of The Tonight Show, three of them as an associate producer. Now, she enters the literary world with a debut full of glamour, intrigue…and bloodshed. A Killer Wedding follows fashion journalist Christine as she travels to Ireland to attend a wealthy heir’s upcoming nuptials. But then his grandmother, beauty magnate Gloria Beaufort, is found dead, and Christine finds herself searching for the killer amid a tangled web of family secrets.
We cordially invite you, dear reader, to join us as we sit down with Joan to discuss writing in quarantine, lessons from Late Night writers’ rooms, and planning not one but two Irish weddings — one fictional, one real.
About the Author
Joan O’Leary was a producer at The Tonight Show and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of San Diego. She’s recently taken an NYC sabbatical and currently lives in Abu Dhabi with her husband — whom, yes, she did marry in an Irish castle, but the similarities end there.
Thanks for joining us, Joan! Let’s get started.
Your professional background is in television production, specifically with a major late-night talk show. How did your experience in that high-energy, fast-paced world influence your decision to write a novel, and how did it prepare you for the process?
I actually wrote the first draft of A Killer Wedding during the pandemic when the world (and TV) initially shut down. At the time, I was just beginning my career in Late Night, and I desperately wanted to be a writer. I figured if I couldn’t write Late Night jokes for the time being, I’d try another medium: fiction! I found once I started writing that I really couldn’t stop. Sometimes characters just come to life in your head. Working on A Killer Wedding was definitely my “making sourdough bread” Covid passion project, ha-ha.
As the pandemic slowly started to come to an end with life and work returning to normal, I kept tinkering with A Killer Wedding on the side. I think my experience working in Late Night really taught me not to be afraid to think outside of the box, and to write well under pressure. At The Tonight Show, we’d have tight turnaround times a lot as a nature of the news cycle, and I watched our writers churn out amazing work in record time. I sort of adopted that mindset while working on A Killer Wedding — get words on the page now, make it better later.
A Killer Wedding is described as a humorous mystery. Is the wit and comedic timing in the book something you drew from your time working in late-night comedy? How did you balance the humor with the suspense and mystery of the plot?
Definitely! Working at The Tonight Show was a masterclass in the art of comedy and entertaining, thanks to Jimmy and his amazing staff of writers. When I write now, I’m constantly hearing their voices in my head and asking myself how I can “punch this up,” or “make this tighter.” The lingo of the writer’s room will probably linger in my head forever.
In terms of balancing humor and suspense, I followed the lead of the greats. Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare are two of my favorite writers (I know, I’m so unique and interesting). Both juggle humor and suspense deftly in their works, and I’ve been reading them religiously for years. English major over here!
My husband has also helpfully pointed out that I am “naturally a snarky and sarcastic person.” Is this a compliment? We can’t be sure, but I do think anything I write will always lean into humor because it’s part of my personality and voice.
The novel’s setting — a lavish wedding at an Irish castle — is incredibly specific and glamorous. Did you draw on any real-life experiences or locations to create this atmosphere, or was it purely a product of your imagination?
Funny you should ask! The book is set in County Clare, Ireland — loosely based on the castle-hotel in Ireland where I actually got married. As a Covid bride, I (like so many) constantly had to push back my wedding celebrations. After the third canceled date, I thought: if I can’t have my dream wedding, why don’t I write it instead? After all, what was I going to do with all of these Pinterest boards?
I quickly discovered that writing about a wedding is way more fun than actually planning one. You get to make up the crazy people instead of having to invite them, and also: no budget. Overall, I would say the setting of A Killer Wedding is a combination of experience and imagination.
The book’s premise centers on a murder at a wedding, with an amateur sleuth trying to uncover the truth. What drew you to the murder mystery genre, and who are some of your literary inspirations within that space?
I’ve always been a major mystery and whodunit fan, starting with Nancy Drew and working my way up to Agatha Christie. This is probably because I am nosy by nature, and I like knowing other people’s secrets.
Your main character, Christine, is a fashion journalist. What made you choose a protagonist with a background in the fashion world, and how does her unique perspective inform her investigation of the murder?
Since most of the story is told from Christine’s POV, I wanted her to be keyed into glamour and style so she could paint a vivid picture for readers about what this wedding was like; but at the same time, I wanted her to be sharp and inquisitive — traits that would make her a natural detective. Fashion journalist fit the bill perfectly!
Also, at the time I wrote the first draft of A Killer Wedding, I was inhaling Vogue Weddings (like most brides-to-be). I loved the rich, intricate tales that the Vogue writers spun about the lavish parties and the couples at the center of it all. It got my wheels turning about what it might be like to be one of these culture curators — invited to be a fly on the wall at A-list affairs — and thus, Christine was born.
As a debut novelist, what was the most surprising or challenging part of the writing and publishing process for you? What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring writer based on your journey?
The most challenging part of the writing process for me was getting through the “sticky middle,” as writers call it. Inevitably, you’ll come to a point in the writing process (probably a hundred pages in or so) where you feel very lost in the weeds and not sure how to keep the story moving. My advice is simply that: keep moving. A mantra I repeat to myself often while writing is “you can’t edit a blank page.” Keep going and finish the damn thing! Yes, it will be terrible, but all first drafts are terrible.
A Killer Wedding has been praised for its intricate plot and clever twists. Can you give us a glimpse into your writing process? Are you a meticulous plotter, or do you let the story and characters unfold more organically?
I think one unique piece of my writing process is that I often will write the first draft of a chapter in dialogue only. I’ve always been drawn to conversations and attuned to how humans actually speak to each other, so writing dialogue comes the most naturally to me on the page. Once I have the characters’ back-and-forth written, I backfill all the important stuff (inner thoughts, atmosphere, action, etc.).
I will say, though, I am a meticulous plotter. I am Type-A, so I love a schedule; I love an outline. I was a producer for crying out loud! I would advise building a solid outline for your story, especially if you’re writing a mystery. The story will inevitably change as you start writing, but an outline will be your guiding light when you get lost in the sauce (and you will get lost sauce.)
With your background in TV and now a successful debut novel, what does the future of your career look like? Do you plan to continue writing, or are there any other projects you’d like to explore, perhaps combining your television and literary worlds?
I would die (pun intended) if A Killer Wedding was optioned for the big or small screen! I am definitely manifesting that happening one day (maybe soon)… but for now, I am thrilled to share that my publisher has just bought my second novel! I am so excited for book two to make its way into the world; it’s juicy, twisty, and whisks readers away to another fabulous destination. Hint: Aperol Spritzes are definitely a must for future book clubs who choose to read!
Thanks again to Joan for speaking with us! Visit her website or follow her on Instagram and TikTok to keep up with her work — and don’t forget to check out A Killer Wedding!
Click here to read our interview with crime writer Anders de la Motte.
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