I always believe that the biggest gift of doing Bookstagram is discovering and connecting with new authors. Every so often, you come across a writer whose journey you follow from their debut and become a fan of instantly. For me, Hazel Calder is certainly one of those authors, and if her work isn’t on your radar yet, it absolutely should be.

If you love women’s fiction with high stakes, international flair, and real emotional weight, Hazel is an independent author who needs to be on your reading list at all times. Writing under a pen name and drawing from her extensive life abroad, she crafts fast-paced, sharp stories about ambition, modern relationships, and pivotal life choices. Her work has already made waves in publications like Cosmopolitan Middle East and The National, and I couldn’t be happier that she agreed to sit down with me (virtually, of course!) to talk about her journey.

On Her Writing Journey

What inspired you to start writing fiction, and what ultimately led you to publishing your debut novel?

I have a full-time corporate job, and writing began as the creative thing I did outside of it. I had been working on stories for years, mostly for myself, and always thought I might publish a book one day. About a year and a half ago, I realised I was already putting so much time into writing that I wanted to take it more seriously. I love telling stories, and I decided to stop keeping it as a private hobby and actually put my work out into the world. That is what eventually led to my debut novel.

Can you tell a little about your journey from an aspiring writer to a published author?

Honestly, it was a lot of learning by doing. Writing the book was only one part of it. I then had to work out how self-publishing actually works, from finalising the manuscript and hiring freelancers for editing, cover design, and typesetting, to learning Amazon KDP, setting up social media accounts, and eventually reaching out to the press and book influencers. There was a lot of Googling, trial and error, and figuring things out as I went. At times it was completely overwhelming, but seeing the finished book out in the world made it worth it.

What authors or books have had the biggest influence on your writing style?

I would not say I write like any one author, but I read completely across genres, and I am sure all of it sneaks in somewhere. My Kindle library is super chaotic. I love Taylor Jenkins Reid, Joël Dicker, Freida McFadden, and Holly Bourne, which is not exactly one neat category. I also watch a ridiculous amount of TV shows, so ideas come from everywhere. A great plot twist, a character making a terrible decision, a scene that makes me think, okay, but what happens after that? I love stories that pull you in and make you keep reading when you should probably be asleep, so I think that is something I always try to create in my own books.

On Her Debut: Not the Woman You Think

Your debut novel follows an expat woman in Dubai who writes a memoir exposing difficult truths about her relationship and corporate life. What sparked the idea for this story, and were any aspects inspired by your own experiences or observations?

The book is based on a mix of personal experiences and observations from living in Dubai for the past fifteen years. It is such a fast-paced, ambitious place, and I have always found the contrast between the polished surface and what people are actually dealing with behind closed doors really interesting. I wanted to write about a woman who has built a life that looks successful from the outside, but is carrying more than anyone around her realises. The setting, the corporate world, and some of the emotional storylines all came from things I have seen, felt, or heard over the years.

I have worked in corporate jobs for years, so the office side of the book comes from things I have seen first-hand. The strange power games, people being lovely in a meeting and then saying something completely different afterwards, and how much effort can go into looking like you have everything under control. And Dubai can be a very expensive place to keep up appearances. I know people who have posted beach clubs, dinners and shopping trips, then told me over coffee that they are carrying thousands of dollars in credit card debt. There is no pension waiting for you at the end of it, and jobs can be temporary, so that pressure is real. That gap between the life people show and what is actually going on behind the scenes was something I wanted to explore in the book.

What drew you to exploring themes of toxic relationships and workplace culture?

A lot of it came from my own experiences and from things friends have told me over the years. I think most of us have had at least one relationship, job, or friendship where, looking back, we think, why did I put up with that for so long? I was interested in how those situations can become normal when you are in them. You make excuses, you adjust, you tell yourself it is not that bad. A lot of the examples in the book came from real life in some form, either things I have experienced myself or things I have seen happen to people around me. It felt important to write about that honestly.

As you also mentioned, Dubai often appears glamorous in popular media. What made you want to explore a different side of life there?

I love Dubai. It has been my home for a long time, and there are so many things about living here that I genuinely love. But it is often shown as this glossy, easy life where everyone is having brunch by the beach and buying designer bags every weekend, and that is only one version of it. People struggle here too. Jobs can be uncertain, relationships can be complicated, money can be tight, and for women especially there can be a lot of pressure around how your life is supposed to look. I wanted to write about that side as well. A big theme in the book is perception versus reality, and honestly, that could apply anywhere. Dubai just felt like a very fitting place to explore it because the gap can be so visible.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing such an emotionally honest story?

Probably having to look at some of my own choices a bit more honestly. When you write about difficult relationships or situations, you cannot only focus on what the other person did wrong. You also end up thinking about the moments where you ignored red flags, made excuses, or stayed longer than you should have. That can be uncomfortable, but I think it is also why the story feels emotionally real. A lot of people have been there in one way or another.

Did your perception of any of the characters change as you wrote them?

Not really. I had a pretty clear idea of who the characters were before I started writing, and that stayed consistent throughout the book. Harriet was always going to stay with Dean. I know some readers found that frustrating and felt she should have left much earlier, which I completely understand. From the outside, it can seem obvious what someone should do. But when you are in that relationship, it is rarely that simple. There is history, love, hope, fear, and a lot of reasons people convince themselves to stay. I did not want to give Harriet a neat, easy decision just because it would be more satisfying for the reader. I wanted her choices to feel real, even when they are difficult to watch.

What do you hope readers take away from the novel after turning the final page?

I hope it leaves women thinking about financial independence. Not in a preachy, have-your-whole-life-planned-by-thirty kind of way, but more as a reminder that having your own money gives you options. Relationships change, jobs change, life can change very quickly, and it is easier to make the right decision for yourself when you are not financially trapped. I also hope readers come away a little more sceptical about what they see online. We all know social media is curated, but it is still easy to look at someone’s perfect relationship, apartment, holidays or career and assume they have it all figured out. Usually, there is a lot more going on behind the photos. Mostly, I hope the book makes people feel less alone in the messy bits of life that nobody tends to post about.

On Character Creation

How did you develop your protagonist’s voice, especially as someone writing a memoir within the story?

Harriet is a very controlled person. She is smart, strategic, and always trying to stay a few steps ahead, especially when it comes to how other people see her. But the memoir is the one place where she does not have to manage anyone’s opinion of her. Because she writes it anonymously, she can say the things she would never say out loud. The ugly thoughts, the moments where she has made bad choices, the things that do not make her look particularly good. I wanted her voice to be very direct because she is finally telling the truth without worrying whether people will like her afterwards. Some readers did not like Harriet, which is completely fine. But she did not need to be likeable all the time. She needed to feel real.

Which character was the easiest to write, and which was the most difficult?

Harriet was the easiest, because I knew her voice and her contradictions from the start. Dean was much harder. I did not want to write him as some obvious monster, because that is not how a lot of difficult relationships look in real life. He is emotionally unavailable, very focused on money and practical things, and he uses that without always saying it outright. A lot of readers have said they could not understand why Harriet stayed with him. Looking back, maybe I could have shown more clearly what kept her there. But I also think that was part of the point. From the outside, it is always easy to say, just leave. When you are in it, there is history, hope, fear, and a hundred little reasons to give someone one more chance.

Were there any scenes that surprised you while writing them?

I planned the book quite closely, so there were not many scenes that suddenly went off in a completely different direction. But the one that stayed with me was Harriet deciding not to send the tax fraud email. She could have really damaged Dean, and part of me thought she might do it. It would have been a very satisfying revenge moment. But in the end, it did not feel true to her. She is angry, obviously, but she is not someone who wants to blow up another person’s life just because he has hurt hers. I think that decision says a lot about who she is.

On Her Writing Process

What does your writing process look like? Are you a meticulous planner or more of a discovery writer?

I am definitely a planner, probably to a slightly annoying degree. Before I start writing properly, I usually have the main plot, the characters, and the big turning points mapped out. I need to know where everyone is headed; otherwise, I would get distracted by one side character and accidentally write a completely different book. That said, I never stick to the plan exactly. Once I am actually writing, new ideas come up, scenes change, and sometimes a character does something that makes far more sense than what I had originally planned for them. The outline stops me from getting lost, but I leave enough room for the better ideas that tend to show up halfway through.

Did you encounter any unexpected challenges during the publishing process?

The biggest surprise was realising that hitting publish is not really the end of the process. I genuinely thought I would feel finished once the book was on Amazon. Instead, that was when a completely different job started. I had no idea how important ARC readers and early reviews were, or how difficult it can be to find them as a new indie author. You are asking people to take a chance on a book by someone they have never heard of, while also trying to learn outreach, social media, and marketing on a very limited budget. Writing and publishing the book was one thing. Getting it in front of actual readers was another.

Looking back, is there anything you learned from writing your debut that you’ll carry into future projects?

The biggest thing I learned is that the first book is basically one long series of “wait, how does this work?” moments. By the time I started the second one, I already knew the steps. I knew what kind of editing I needed, who to work with, how the cover and formatting process worked, how to set up a pre-order, and what I needed to start doing before publication rather than after it. It is still a lot of work, but it feels much less chaotic because I am not Googling every single thing for the first time. I also learned that you have to give yourself more time than you think, especially for reviews, outreach, and all the things that happen around the book, not just the writing itself.

On Her Upcoming Rom-Com: The Problem with Wishes

Your next book is a rom-com, which seems quite different from your debut. What inspired this shift in genre?

With the second book, I just wanted to have more fun. My debut was quite personal and dealt with heavier subjects, so I was ready to write something more playful, escapist, and a little bit ridiculous in the best way. I was lying in bed one night, scrolling Instagram, and came across a nostalgia post about I Dream of Jeannie. I used to love that show when I was a child, and I suddenly thought, why has nobody taken the genie idea and made it into a modern rom-com? That was really the starting point for The Problem with Wishes. I liked the idea of giving an ordinary woman three wishes and then letting her discover that getting exactly what you think you want can create a whole new set of problems. Also, obviously, the genie had to be hot.

Can you give readers a spoiler-free glimpse into what they can expect from your new novel?

The Problem with Wishes follows Scarlett, a beauty editor in New York City who accidentally releases a genie from an old perfume bottle and gets three wishes. Which sounds great in theory. In practice, it gets messy very quickly. I created Scarlett to be quite different from Harriet. She is warmer, more impulsive, and a lot more chaotic. She gets things wrong, she overthinks, she makes questionable decisions, but she is very easy to root for. It is a proper romantic comedy with a touch of magic, a very sexy genie, lots of bad decisions, and a few things going spectacularly wrong along the way. The feeling I wanted to create is like a nineties rom-com, funny and escapist, but there is still a real emotional story underneath it.

What was the biggest difference between writing a contemporary women’s fiction/thriller and writing a romantic comedy?

I would probably describe Not the Woman You Think more as women’s fiction with darker elements than a straight thriller, but it is definitely a very different book from a romantic comedy. With the first book, I was writing about heavier things, so there was less room to play around. With The Problem with Wishes, I got to write more humour, more banter, and more ridiculous situations, which was honestly a lot of fun. The tricky part was making sure it did not become too cheesy or feel like everyone was living in a fantasy world just because there is a genie in it. Scarlett still has a job, friends, relationship drama, and all the usual messiness of being an adult. The magic is there to shake things up, but I still wanted her reactions and choices to feel like something a real person might make.

Did writing humor come naturally to you, or was it something you had to work at?

It came more naturally than I expected. Once I got into Scarlett’s world, I had so much fun writing her and putting her into increasingly questionable situations that the funny moments started coming quite easily. I think it helped that I was enjoying the story myself. I was not sitting there thinking, right, now I need to write a joke. It was more about letting the characters react in a real way when things got ridiculous. Hopefully, readers will find it as funny as I did while writing it.

Are there any rom-com authors or films that influenced the tone of your upcoming book?

I read across quite a few genres, but for this book the biggest influence was definitely classic rom-com films from the 90s. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Proposal were very much the feeling I had in mind: funny, a bit chaotic, lots of banter, and two people slowly realising that things have become more serious than they expected. I wanted the romance in The Problem with Wishes to be more about chemistry, tension, and the slow-burn between Scarlett and Sahir than making it all about spice. There is attraction, obviously, but I was much more interested in the moments where they get under each other’s skin, make each other laugh, and start seeing each other properly.

Looking Ahead

What has surprised you most about readers’ reactions to your debut novel?

I was probably most surprised by how polarising Harriet turned out to be. Some readers really connected with her, and I have had lovely messages from women who said the book stayed with them, especially the parts about independence and having your own money. But other readers really did not like her at all, or found her choices frustrating. I knew she was not going to be a character everyone would agree with, but I did not expect people to feel quite so strongly either way. It has actually been interesting to see. Harriet makes choices that are hard to watch from the outside, but that was always part of what I wanted to explore.

What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring writers who are currently working on their first book?

My biggest advice would be to start learning about publishing before your book is finished. I treated it a bit like, once the manuscript was done, I would just work out the rest. Then I realised there is a whole other world waiting for you: editing, cover design, formatting, KDP or Kobo, reviews, social media, outreach, all of it. Obviously, focus on writing the book first. But while you are doing that, start looking into what comes after. It makes the whole journey much less overwhelming when you reach the finish line. And also go in with realistic expectations. Self-publishing a book does not mean it will sell overnight, sadly. You still have to find readers and give them a reason to take a chance on your book. I am still figuring that part out myself.

What are you most excited about for readers to discover in your upcoming release?

I cannot wait for readers to meet Scarlett. She is ambitious, a little chaotic, and trying very hard to get her life exactly where she thinks it should be. Then a genie turns up, gives her three wishes, and makes everything far more complicated. There is New York, career chaos, a bit of glamour, plenty of bad decisions, and obviously Sahir, who is not exactly making it easy for her to stay focused. I had so much fun writing Scarlett’s journey, and I really hope readers have fun going along with her. I am very excited to see what they make of her, and of the wishes she decides to make.

If readers could know one thing about you beyond your books, what would it be?

I think I am much less “naturally confident” than people might assume from publishing books. I overthink things, doubt myself, and regularly wonder whether I have any idea what I am doing. But I have learned that you do not need to feel fully ready before you start something. Most of the time, you figure it out by doing it.

Coffee, tea, or something stronger while writing?

Coke Zero!!! I am very addicted (unfortunately). There is usually one next to my laptop when I am writing, even at 7 a.m.

Morning writer or night owl?

Neither, really. I have a full-time corporate job, so I write whenever I can fit it in. Sometimes that means getting up at 5:30 a.m. to write a few pages before work. Other times it is in the evening or on a weekend. It is less about waiting for the perfect writing mood and more about taking whatever time I can get.

A book you wish you could read again for the first time?

The Midnight Library. I went in knowing nothing about it and would love to have that first-read experience again.

Favorite fictional character or couple?

I am a huge Off-Campus fan, obviously :). So the first couple that comes to mind is Allie and Dean. No explanation needed, really. I cannot wait for season two to come out!

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Probably to trust your own voice and the story you want to tell. Feedback is useful, and I have learned a huge amount from editors and readers, but you cannot let every opinion pull you in a different direction. At some point, you have to decide what feels true to the characters and the book you are writing. Not everyone will like every choice, and that is okay.

A huge thank you to Hazel Calder for sharing the real-life inspirations behind her debut novel and giving us such a captivating look behind the scenes.

To grab your copies of Not the Woman You Think and The Problem with Wishes, simply click on any of the book covers above!

You can also follow along for more bookish content on Instagram, or read my full review of Not the Woman You Think over on Goodreads.

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