In a world that tells women to tone it down, Katherine Center writes stories that turn the volume up on joy, love, and emotional truth. In this episode of Roar, host Danielle Davies chats with the New York Times bestselling author about why romantic comedies aren't fluff—they’re fuel.
Together, they unpack:
· How reclaiming joy can be an act of defiance
· The deeper meaning behind writing “happy endings”
· Why it’s radical to believe women deserve pleasure, hope, and love
· How storytelling helps us process pain and possibility
· And what it means to keep choosing optimism, even when the world makes it hard
This isn’t just a conversation about books.
It’s about how we see ourselves — and what we give ourselves permission to want.
Mentioned in this episode:
· The Rom-Commers, Katherine’s 2nd most recent novel
· The cultural dismissiveness around "women’s fiction"
· Letting characters — and readers — feel deeply
00:00 Introduction to Roar Podcast
00:23 Empowering Reproductive Healthcare
00:51 Welcoming Katherine Center
01:06 Katherine's Journey and Impact
01:26 The Power of Joy and Storytelling
01:59 Personal Anecdotes and Connections
03:28 The Joy of Reading and Writing
09:10 The Importance of Love Stories
25:14 Stories as Activism
32:10 Empowering Women Through Stories
33:37 The Dual Nature of Women's Fiction
34:55 Balancing Hardship with Humor
37:16 The Value of Comedy in Tragedy
43:20 Creating Relatable Characters
52:51 The Writing Process and Its Rewards
01:02:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
🔗 Want more stories like this? Head to listentoroar.comand subscribe to the newsletter for behind-the-scenes stories and powerful women-led conversations.
To learn more and/or get in touch with or follow Katherine:
Instagram: @katherinecenter
Katherine’s Books:
The Love Haters (Brand new, so good!)
The Rom-Commers (Read it twice! Back to back! Might be myfave!)
Hello Stranger (swoon)
The Bodyguard
What You Wish For
Things You Save in a Fire
The Girl in the Plane
How to Walk Away
Happiness for beginners (also a movie!)
The Lost Husband (also a movie!)
Get Lucky
Everyone is Beautiful
The Bright Side of Disaster
Also Mentioned:
Mom 2.0 video: https://katherinecenter.com/defining-a-movement/
Lucky Star Art Camp: www.luckystarartcamp.com
Duran Duran: www.duranduran.com
Vassar College: www.vassar.edu
University of Houston Creative Writing Program: https://www.uh.edu/class/english/programs/graduate-studies/mfa-creative-writing/index.php
Nate Bargatze: https://nateland.com/pages/nate
🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with women breaking barriers, raising their voices, and rewriting the rules.
🎧 Roar is a podcast hosted by Danielle Davies. New episodes drop every Monday.
#RoarPodcast #KatherineCenter #TheRomCommers
#WomenWhoWrite #JoyIsRebellion #LoveStoriesMatter #ChooseJoy #EmotionalTruth #StorytellingHeals #RadicalJoy #FeministFiction #BookLovers #AuthorInterview #ReclaimingJoy #WomenSupportingWomen
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