The bad news: that was all we knew.
So, each morning, sitting at the same Starbucks table, we built the story around that premise. In painful “we don’t know what we’re doing” fits and starts, we started with a Beat Board. And when we couldn’t consume any more caffeine without vibrating, we took ourselves back to the hotel, where we opened our laptops and forced ourselves through excruciating “writing sprints,” trying to turn the plot points into a screenplay.
We’d each take the same scene and do our best to write it—remember, novice screenwriters here!—then we’d take the best dialogue and “laughs” from each version and meld them into something new, something uniquely “us.” We’d repeat that process all afternoon until cocktail hour, when we’d mix a few Manhattans, head to the deck overlooking Mirror Lake, and sit for hours discussing Katherine and Tom.
Miraculously, by the time we drove home on Monday, we had about two-thirds of a script written. And a few months after that, we had a finished screenplay! Which we nervously sent to our agent. And a few months after that, interest from actual Hollywood producers!
(And if you’re thinking, Huh, that seems easy, it totally wasn’t, and we’re skipping a ton of detail, like painful learning curves and, oh yeah, a global pandemic.)
After we’d found a home for the script, our amazing agent, Nicole Resciniti, told us what we already knew: “This story needs to be a book.”
And she was right. Lauren’s been a published romance author for a decade. Anthony? A comedian. Writing a romantic comedy? Sort of a no-brainer.
Plus, we already had the entire story and characters figured out.
How hard could it be?
Well. Honestly? Really hard.
Bringing Katherine and Tom’s story to life in novel form was an entirely different beast than it was in script form, but in some ways, it was even more rewarding. It gave us a chance to dig beneath the surface, to delve into characters that are wildly more flawed than characters in a romance are typically allowed to be. We also let ourselves embrace the comedy aspect, too, because nothing chafes us more than something labeled as a romantic comedy that isn’t actually funny.
We allowed ourselves to suspend reality and defy genre rules and simply ask ourselves the most important questions for a romantic comedy:
Does this make us feel?
Does this make us laugh?
Anything else went out the window until we were left with the story you’re holding now.
Perhaps most miraculous of all? We did all of this without a single argument or fight or even an ounce of tension. It was a joint effort through and through, a commitment to tell a story—this story.
Which all sounds very romantic, but let’s be real: all the best fairy tales feature an amazing cast of characters, and ours is no different. A two-person show this was not!
First, if we could take a moment to dramatically slow-clap our agent, Nicole, because there is no way Emergency Contact in any form would exist without her. If we’re the creators of the story, she’s its cheerleader, its fiercest defender, its number one fan. She believed in Emergency Contact even when we wavered, and for that, we owe her everything.
For the team at Blackstone for giving us the chance to bring the story to life in book form, we are so grateful. Rick, Josie, Sarah, Francie, and the other Sarah for the incredible cover that we are just smitten with, plus the entire production team working behind the scenes, especially Caitlin Vander Meulen for her brilliant copyediting . . . thank you for all your time and efforts!
To the incredible Sara Quaranta, whose gift for understanding exactly what a messy manuscript needs in order to shine was an absolute lifesaver and whose deft, kind way of saying “fix this” is unparalleled. We are incredibly indebted for your work on this!
To our family and friends, there are never enough words, really. Knowing that you guys have always been there encouraging us, cheering us on, believing in us. We know it isn’t easy to deal with two “creative types” who disappear for months at a time when the muse demands it, but we are so grateful for your patience, your encouragement, and your love. We can only aspire to return the favor.
And lastly, for you, reader. For taking the time to give Emergency Contact a spot on your reading list. We know how precious your time is, and we are honored, truly, that you spent it with Katherine and Tom. That you gave us a chance.
In gratitude,
Lauren Layne & Anthony LeDonne
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Lauren Layne is a New York Times bestselling author of more than forty romance novels. With millions of books sold worldwide, Lauren has been featured on Inside Edition, the Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, The Skimm, Oprah Magazine, PopSugar, and Cosmopolitan magazine. She is based in New York City.
Anthony LeDonne is a stand-up comedian and writer. He lives in New York City with his high school sweetheart.
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