You both have separately published multiple books in a few different genres. How has crafting The Holiday Swap differed from your previous experiences writing fiction, other than the fact that it was with another person as opposed to alone?

There were times during our brainstorming sessions where we’d veer into more serious territory—themes like the devastating loss of loved ones, for example—and then we’d catch ourselves and remind each other this book was a holiday romance, full of happiness and joy and fun and baked goods! Not that we couldn’t address deeper themes—which we did for both Cass and Charlie—but that the darkness we might give our other fictional characters was neither needed nor appropriate for this novel.

Who do you relate to more—Cass or Charlie—and are either of these characters based on real people?

Karma: I stay away from creating characters based on people I know and prefer to write entirely fictional protagonists. Having said that, both Cass and Charlie have characteristics that resonated with me, either through the decisions they make or the challenges they face. I enjoyed spending time with both of them while writing this book!

Marissa: I agree! At various intervals in the book I found myself wishing I could be friends with both Cass and Charlie and related to them both. I grew up in a small town and can identify with the fishbowl feel of it. My work ambitions are a huge part of my life, so writing about Charlie and her ambitions made me reflect on that. I learned a lot from both the twins—and wish they really did exist so we could continue the conversation.

There are so many delicious recipes mentioned in The Holiday Swap. Where did you get inspiration for these mouth-watering treats? Do you have a personal favorite?

Marissa: A few years ago, a friend gave me some sourdough starter, and I became slightly obsessed with it while writing this book—and that definitely shows up on the page! Karma was often amused and mystified by the things I had to do to keep the starter alive, so we decided we obviously needed to work some sourdough drama into the plot of a book with a bakery in it. As for the sweet recipes, we found inspiration in baking shows and our own preferences. We both love lemon squares, for example, and I can’t imagine reading this book and not craving one immediately. (In fact, I’m craving one right now.)

Karma: I’m a baker, and a reality baking show fan, so some of the inspiration for the recipes came from my own life. For example, the Starlight Bread, full of candied fruits, is reminiscent of the Christmas Cake recipe passed down through generations in my family. We still make it every Christmas, and it’s one of my favorite holiday traditions.

What was your favorite scene in the novel to write and why?

Karma: I have two. The first was the opening chapter, because it’s fun to create a new world and the people who live in it—I love the challenge of setting the stage and starting to unravel the characters and their motivations. And the second one is when Jake rescues Cass’s cat, Gateau, from the backyard tree for Charlie. It’s romantic and charged with energy, and any scene that also features both Gateau and Bonnie, Jake’s overly enthusiastic rescue pup, is a winner for me.