Katelyn Becker

Romance Author

The Fanart of Falling in Love

A L E X

Demisexual, Nerd, NSFW Fanartist

Releasing in 2027 from Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House

M A T T

Roommate, Teacher, Sunshiney

Art Credits

Alex and Matt with three items each by erimel.art
"The Fanart of Falling in Love" poster by kamissatto
Alex and Matt sitting together (above) by seth_korbin_ducklord

The Fanart of Falling in Love

About Katelyn

Katelyn Becker (she/they) is an Arizona author of nerdy adult romances. When not writing or reading, you can find her watching anime, organizing her library, traveling, visiting breweries and wineries, or spending time with her spouse and two adorable cats.

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Attended Nina Simon’s event at @stacksbookclubaz last night for her latest release. She is SUCH a fun, dynamic speaker. Funny, intelligent, thoughtful. So many great insights, from the power of quitting, to approaching writing like an engineer understanding how a car works. Also, male-coded lie detectors, volcano dolphins, what living off the grid can entail, and how the Grand Canyon isn’t just a big hole in the ground. 😂 I had such a good time. And I’m so glad I finished MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT literally the day of the event (it was fabulous btw—love a story centered on multiple generations of women bonding and mending old wounds…and solving a murder 😉). Congrats on your latest release, @ninaksimon!

(Bonus pic of Tiger with a huge blep.)

To say that I’m shocked about my hometown experiencing a violent hate crime would be an understatement. I’ve lived in Tucson my entire life, and while it’s certainly had its fair share of issues, violence like this is extremely out of the ordinary here (which, given that the suspect supposedly hadn’t been here long, maybe makes sense). Tucson has a vibrant and supportive queer community, so to see violent bigotry infiltrate my own backyard is devastating. When I go on tirades about my hatred of Trump and his supporters, THIS is why. I cannot stand being angry all the time, especially in moments that should be reserved for grief and mourning. It’s exhausting. But this is where we are now. I fucking despise anyone who supports him because they share blame in these horrific crimes against humanity. The hateful, escalating rhetoric spewed against the queer community. The utter disregard in even ATTEMPTING to reduce gun violence. Trump, his allies, and his supporters are dangerous, abhorrent people who should never, ever be tolerated or allowed back into civil society. I just grieve that we are going to continue paying for their words and actions for the foreseeable future.

RIP, Vincent and Cameron. I wish this world had been kinder.

Japan: Day 4

teamLab Planets was basically a museum meets an art installation meets a glorified selfie museum. It was so much fun and really thoughtfully curated. This was only the first room we went into. More to share soon. 🪻🌷🌻

Getting ready to ask for blurbs for FANART has to be the most intimidating process ever. So many talented people I admire, while I’m just standing there with imposter syndrome.🧍‍♀️Def going to be shooting my shot for a lot of these wonderful authors and creators!

Just supporting a fellow Tucson author. 🥰😂

Finally jumped on the DCC train. I had fun! Lots of humor and action and world-building. Plus, you had me at “talking cat + dinosaur.” I will say that I wish this was getting an animated adaptation rather than live-action. But keeping my fingers crossed it’s good, especially as a fan of Seth MacFarlane, whose studio is producing it.

Wrapping up FANART copyedits today. Rewatching DARK MATTER season one to prep for season two (go watch it!). Maybe some Pokopia because I haven’t kicked the addiction yet, despite a long time away from it due to travel. Hang more prints, if there’s time.

Hope everyone has a pleasant Sunday, and don’t forget to bully your local T*ump voter! 🫶

Experts are predicting mass food shortages and widespread famine to occur within the next year. So can someone remind me why people voted for illegal wars, toxic food, reemerging diseases, unreasonable tariffs, continued climate change denial, unregulated tech companies, transphobia, fascism, ped*philia protection, wild horse culling(?), stripping women’s rights, mass deportations, etcetera etcetera? Cause literally F U CK everyone who voted for this x 1000. And not to be a selfish c*nt, but I’m really not looking forward to promoting my book next year while people are literally battling to fucking survive.

Selfie I took from Mt. Fuji. What tf ever.

(I know the answer to my query is racism. It’s ALWAYS fucking racism.)

Read my first @authorhannahby and enjoyed it so much. I love how it focused on unconventional family dynamics. A woman who is trying to adopt her half-sister, and who is herself an adoptee. A man fighting for custodial rights for his Deaf younger brother. The story did a magnificent job balancing romance with the broader arcs for the main characters. Those are the types of romances I’m drawn to, where the stakes go beyond the developing relationship. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a tender romance between two people fighting for their respective families…while figuring out how to bring those two families together. 💙

Japan: Day 3

After the baseball game, we went to Akihabara, which is an otaku’s paradise. Video games, manga, anime statues, arcades (still can’t believe how cheaty the claw machines were!). I had a ball. Manga is unbelievably cheap compared to what they cost in the U.S. I found a neat Levi statue (AoT) that wasn’t the most convenient traveling with but worth it. 😅 We visited Super Potato and saw an unbelievable number of retro video games (I’m posing next to Pokémon Crystal, which was my favorite game as a kid, when you actually had to put effort into Pokémon games). Ended the night with conveyor belt sushi because of course (the plates are our combined effort).

I can’t remember all the store names we went into, but one store had a floor that was genuinely disturbing and upsetting. I’ll just say that, even though they’re drawings, you can still clearly estimate the ages of the fictional subjects. :/ I knew Japan still has a huge issue surrounding content like that. But I didn’t expect to see it so plainly in a store for purchase. 🤢 Def soured me on the country a bit!

My absolute FAVORITE pictures of my husband and me during our “not a wedding” wedding celebration, I *think* taken by our wonderful friend Liz. (I may have been just a litttttle tipsy by this point, so memories elude me. 😅) What a perfect, spectacular day it was.

Japan: Day 3

One of the non-negotiables was attending a baseball game in Japan, and omg it was so fun. The crowd is a lot more engaged than at a U.S. baseball game. They have specific chants and even had a dedicated band playing music essentially the entire time. The beer girls were so cool (and convenient). There were adorable mascots, and kids dressed up as sushi to race. The performer was phenomenal, though I’m not sure who he is. They played a song from Demon Slayer, if I’m remembering correctly. Even the dual ketchup/mustard packets were genius, despite taking us a minute to figure out. 😂 Also, serendipitously, there was a former UofA Wildcat on one of the teams, which was neat. I’m also extremely jealous that Pokémon partnered with all the Japan teams to celebrate the 30th anniversary, so they all have exclusive merch. 😭 Everything is just way cooler over there.

This photo series deserved some landscape photos. But alas. Trying to save time. 😅

Japan: Day 3

We experienced our first convenience store food on this day, and when I tell you I’m BEREFT the U.S. doesn’t have something similar. I will think about the sorbet grape bites until I die. The chocolate bread and onigiri were also incredible. I didn’t get my “standard” egg sando until later since the store was sold out. But I genuinely could’ve eaten convenience store food every day and been happy. Did you know that Japan alone has nearly 22,000 Seven-Eleven stores? 🤯 The other two major konbini chains are FamilyMart (16,200 stores) and Lawson (almost 15,000 stores).

We ate at the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens. Many of the parks have a small fee to enter. It was beautiful and is very popular during both cherry blossom season and autumn. This park is one of Tokyo’s oldest, established in the 1600s. You can even get a peek at the Tokyo Dome, which we will say is foreshadowing for my next Japan post. 😉

I’ve read/listened to 44 books so far this year (less than normal due to travel), but I’m behind on posting them because I often cannot find my physicals. 😀 So there actually ARE arguments in favor of the “too many books” debate. 😅

Anyway, I usually save my horror reads for September/October, but I was craving a bite-sized novella, and THE NIGHT GUEST fit the bill. First, I love that it’s set in Reykjavik, since I’ve been lucky enough to have visited the city before. (I’d return to Iceland in a heartbeat.) Second, omg it was so creepy in the absolute best ways. Short book, short chapters, so the story is propulsive but disorienting as we try to figure out what the hell is wrong with the main character. And the ending?? 🤯 I was not prepared. At all. If you’re looking for a quick, spooky read, I highly recommend giving this one a try! Just maybe check trigger warnings because disturbing things occur.

Another pic of the dress of my dreams, taken by our wonderful unofficial photographer, Roland. I just love the details on the back of the dress. 😍

I received some cover-shaped drafts in my inbox today, and when I tell you I legit cried. They are better than anything I could have imagined. FANART is starting to feel really real. 🥲

Returned home yesterday after a busy but absolutely wonderful trip (Chicago > Northern Michigan > Detroit > Colorado 😵‍💫). Pics to be shared eventually. But I’m so glad I was able to attend @lianainbloom’s event at @stacksbookclubaz! It was such a fun evening, with a themed cocktail, shoutouts to the unsung heroic women of history, and discussions about mountain climbing, Arizona love, the cheating trope 👀, and being a girl’s girl. I adore the Luna Sisters series, so I cannot wait to jump into Liana’s contemporary romance debut. Congrats again, Liana!! 💕 (And a hearty kudos to @jendelucawrites for being an amazing last-minute moderator!!)

(Bonus pics of my clingy cats, who gave me a good dressing-down for being away for so long.)

Japan: Day 2

After Shibuya Sky, we made our way back to Shinjuku to enjoy the nightlife. We started at Golden Gai, which is an area made up of six narrow alleys that contains more than 200 tiny bars dating back to the post-war era. It was so much fun. All the bars are different. Some have cover charges, some don’t. But it’s busy. Basically, you find a bar that has open seats, and you take it, especially since each bar has maaaaybe 7-10 seats total. We then went to Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane), which is another alleyway (beautifully lit up by lanterns) that contains many izakayas and grills, shanty-style. Apparently it was known as “Piss Alley” when it first emerged post-war. But now it’s a well-known heritage spot. We got some late night bites before heading “home,” seeing the trippy 3D building/screen and famous Hachikō statue on our way back.

Japan: Day 2

After our morning activities, we went to Shibuya Sky so we could see the cityscape during the day, at sunset, and at night. It was an incredible experience and only gave me a mild existential crisis. When I tell you Tokyo goes on FOREVER in EVERY direction. 🤯 It was a lot to take in. But it was beautiful. We paid a little extra so we could sit in a separate area and drink some champagne (worth it, btw). Then took many, mannnny pictures. We also had another drink at an indoor bar that had an amazing view. Don’t listen to people if they tell you Shibuya Sky is overrated. It’s definitely busy, but it’s such a unique experience. 🏙️🌇🌃

I’ll eventually post more pics, but it was so wonderful to finally celebrate our marriage in the dress of my dreams with 30 of our closest friends and family in gorgeous Northern Michigan. ♥️

THE EXES is a fellow @duttonbooks book, and I enjoyed it so much. I genuinely did not know where it was going, with so many twists and turns. The sister. 😳 The brother. 😳😳 The exes. 😳😳😳 I loved the rotating POV, and I was on the edge of my seat during the climax. Such a fun read, and the audiobook cast was fantastic. Highly recommend if you need a twisty, “good for her” thriller!

We had a baby bobcat kitten and their mother in our front yard today. 😭 The pics are a little blurry, but we didn’t want to get too close. They’re absolutely precious.

Kisa would like to show off her feet even though I told her feet pics on the internet is a bad idea.

Finally found time to watch OBSESSION, which I’ve wanted to see since I first saw the trailer. And omg. It was so f’ing good (and extremely stressful). I love all the different ways you can read it. But man. That third act was brutal. 😬 We truly have been spoiled with original horror lately.

Also watched the Punisher special. And genuinely: wtf did I watch? It just seemed…pointless. It didn’t continue any Daredevil storylines. I thought maybe they’d focus on Fisk’s corrupt law enforcement co-opting the Punisher’s symbol. Nope. Then I thought maybe it would lead into Spider-Man in some way. Also no. Instead, we had an unnecessary dog death (they don’t show it, but it was still upsetting), one laughably bad CGI scene, and a very serious case of Evil Boymom. Anyway, the Punisher Netflix show is incredible. The short film was just…weird.

Some weeks, the endo-adeno chronic illness combo is manageable. Other weeks…not so much. 😮‍💨

Japan: Day 2

We walked through Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, which was so pretty. I wish we had parks like this. After, we walked through the iconic Shibuya Scramble to get to lunch. I’ll be honest: I don’t really understand the hype. 😅 But it was fun regardless. The sushi was extremely good. At this restaurant, you ordered on a tablet, so we did several rounds. I learned that different tunas can taste vastly different. I like the less tough kind because my teeth are weak. 😂 We then went to the famous Tower Records. I can see how people could get lost in this place for hours. So many floors, so much to see. We then went to the Pokémon Center in Shibuya but bailed basically immediately because it was packed. I regret it because we didn’t make it back there and I missed some exclusive merch. 😬 But the Mewtwo was sick. I think he would look great in my living room, if anyone wants to recreate him for me. 😂

Slowly but surely setting up the hallway gallery of my dreams. Painting was first. Now to choose from the many, MANY art prints I have to display. Starting with Arcane, Pokémon, dinosaurs, and some cherished horror films. I can’t wait to add more. (Yes, the WiFi extender drives me nuts, but it’s necessary in an old home.)

Had a fun weekend celebrating the guy’s birthday. A ton of friends were able to help celebrate (I always regret not taking enough pics). 🥂

Recently watched Voicemails for Isabelle, and it was such a fun/funny/sad film. But what made me super impressed was the woman who played one of the MMC’s best friends also wrote and directed the movie??? What a badass.

I’ve listened to so many audiobooks recently. I really need to post about them. 😬 But life is getting busy again. Mostly exciting stuff at least!

Anybody else ever have one of those days where you accidentally spend WAYYY too much? 😅 In my defense, your honor… I needed all of it.

I’ve been spoiled with great movies recently. THE ODYSSEY was phenomenal. Don’t let losers online scare you away from it. I genuinely don’t know how Nolan has released so many movies, and not one of them is bad. Been a fan since The Prestige. Finally watched PROJECT HAIL MARY (I know, I know, I should have seen it in theaters). Adored it. Ryan Gosling plays such a deeply human, funny character and omg Rocky. 😭 The sci-fi hopecore film we all need right now. THE SHEEP DETECTIVES was also a delight. We are in deep need of a cozy murder mystery renaissance, in the same vein as this film and Knives Out. I’ve heard mumblings of a new Clue film and all I can say to that is yes please (even though it can’t beat the original).

Happy birthday to my husband. 🥳 Aging looks good on you. Love you so much and can’t wait to see what the next year brings. ♥️

Off to watch the movie apparently everyone on Twitter hates even though they haven’t seen it yet. 🙏

But honestly, I absolutely DESPISE this trend where people pre-hate everything. Something as simple as a 10-second teaser trailer will have people hating for literal months, if not years, until said media releases. I understand disliking things. I think disliking things bonds people as much as liking things does (like how I hate Trump and like people who also hate Trump, i.e. normal human beings). But to judge something before it even comes out (unless it’s clearly going to be problematic)? What a dull personality trait.

If it’s not obvious, I’m in an extremely bad mood. 🙃 Big ole yikes today.

(Oh, sneak peek of my newly painted hallway btw, which will soon be covered in prints and fanart.)

I don’t think I ever shared one of my favorite gifts from my husband. A ceramic balloon Triceratops by the amazing @brettkernart. Not only that, but he’s also secured for me the limited edition dinosaur ornaments that’s been released the past couple years (I’ll have to post them at some point). But I love this guy so much, especially the golden valve to give it that extra realistic feel. 🦖🦕

Life has been “life-ing” lately, but my husband and I casually celebrated our dating anniversary yesterday, and then I received the best email from my agent today, telling me she loved my latest book. 😭 I may have teared up a little bit. I really hope I can share Secret Book with you all one day. I can’t tell you how much I adore it, and I’m thrilled to be jumping back into that world. ♥️

Had a very bookish weekend, which are my favorite kinds of weekends. I attended the Naomi Kritzer event at @stacksbookclubaz to celebrate her newest release, OBSTETRIX. I genuinely cannot wait to read this book. It sounds incredible (about an obstetrician that is kidnapped by a cult). The discussion touched on bodily autonomy, local politics, “A Wrinkle in Time,” and abortion restrictions (the event raised money for the Tucson Abortion Support Collective, organized by the incredible folks at @tucsontomegnome). I can’t tell you how nervous I was to meet Naomi. She is a highly acclaimed author who has won essentially every prestigious sci-fi award that is out there (Hugo, Nebula, Locus, Lodestar, among others). But she was such a kind human. It was a wonderful night.

The next evening, I attended the bookish market at Di Luna Candles, but it was unfortunately cut short by a very intense storm. Thankfully, I got to have dinner at Mojo Cuban Kitchen with some of the wonderful folks at @whychoose.tucson (after I bought “The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich,” which I can’t wait to read). Really hoping the market can be rescheduled since so many incredible local businesses were in attendance!

The rest of my weekend was chores and Pokopia. I can feel upcoming deadlines coming my way, so I’m trying to accomplish as much as I can in that game. 😂😅

Devastated by Sam Neill’s passing. 😔 Jurassic Park is my favorite movie of all time, and he seemed like such a kind soul. I loved his farm life videos. I know the third movie in the Jurassic World series wasn’t great, but I can appreciate it for bringing him and a couple of the other main cast back. I hope he rests in peace. 🦖

Japan: Day 2

We visited Meiji Jingu, which is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and located in a large forest in Shibuya. It was initially completed in 1921 and then destroyed during WWII, with public funds restoring the temple in 1958. We were lucky enough to witness two wedding processions. Everyone was dressed so elegantly as they walked through the courtyard. On the way to the temple, we passed a wall of sake casks, and a wall of wine barrels. Emperor Meiji led the industrial growth and modernization of Japan, so the barrels of sake are yearly offerings from various brewers, and the wine is apparently from wineries located in Bourgogne, France. The sake barrels in particular were all so beautiful and unique. I wonder how many more they can fit until they need to swap some out!

(The difference in how people talk about book pirating on Twitter vs. Threads is actually crazy. Twitter is truly an agent of evil now. But regardless, I think there are many nuanced conversations to be had about access to information, especially in restrictive countries. But book pirates are just fucking mean people, incapable of engaging in meaningful, respectful discussions. They can’t fathom that they’re in the wrong, and they place blame on the very authors whose work they supposedly enjoy. They don’t understand the repercussions for the widespread harm they’re reinforcing, especially toward marginalized authors who already deal with countless barriers. And their tones make it abundantly clear they don’t respect authors, or seemingly art in general. They’re just bad, evil-spirited people who denigrate authors who simply want to be paid for their hard work, and, if they’re lucky, receive livable wages from it. I just don’t get it. When gen AI takes over the industry because authors have their work constantly stolen and are forced to switch careers, what will you be left with?)

(Why do my hands look so large in the first pic? lol)

Man things have been busy lately! Book club with a focus on retellings last week. I took advantage of my work’s holiday closure to paint my hallway (long overdue and still not done). I actually don’t really mind painting. The prep is annoying, but it’s fun to transform a space with not thaaat much effort. It also allows me to burn through audiobooks really quickly (that I’ll post about eventually 😩).

With my patriotism at an all-time low (did this year seem quieter overall to anyone else?), I wore a “Read More” shirt, supported my favorite local sushi place for dinner, and played video games, with a quickish stop to Outback Steakhouse to drink their new shark cocktail where you tip the shark’s mouth with blood-looking grenadine into your drink. It was perfect.

I started played Pokémon Pokopia now that I (temporarily) don’t have any writing-related deadlines for the first time in a very long time, and ohhhhh boy am I obsessed. It’s the perfect cozy, low-stakes game I need that prevents me from doomscrolling as much. There are so many new-to-me Pokémon, and I find myself sometimes overwhelmed with how much you can do. But I love it so much.

Hope everyone else had a fun 4th of July weekend despite wallowing over what our country has become! lol

Japan: Day 2

Of course we had to eat the famous fluffy pancakes. They were so good, but we had them when I didn’t have much of an appetite. I was very sad. 😭 We also thought you ordered either orange or strawberry mimosas, but you got both. 😂🥂 After, we went to Yoyogi Park, and there happened to be a festival going on, which was very cool. Tons of food stalls and music with performances. Got a lemon sour, which I love. Definitely my go-to drink in Japan, as someone who doesn’t like beer. Also came across a neat Quetzalcoatl statue, which was gifted by the Mexican government.

Yes, Day 2 will be a multi-parter. 😂

(Replaced our 46!!! year old washer/dryer set today. The delivery men were mystified and impressed. And, like everyone else, warned us that the new models don’t last nearly as long like the old ones, which *almost* made me regret upgrading. 😂 But it was time. The motor died in the dryer, and every so often, the washer would somehow stain the clothes, which is the opposite of what washers should do.)

Happy last day of Pride featuring a heavily filtered version of me (need to learn how to do my makeup like this) and my new Togepi sticker. Queer people have always existed and will continue to exist, so leave them (especially trans people) the absolute fuck alone. ❤️🧡💛💚💙🩷💜

While I’m glad that the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, it’s concerning that the vote was not unanimous. Like, how the fuck are you not affirming that the Constitution is, indeed, constitutional??? Genuinely hate these people.

Watched UNDERTONE last night and, while I loved the concept (podcast) and sound design and the first half of the movie, the ending was a letdown. 😭 I’m all for an ambiguous ending, but I think we needed a little more there. Still a fun horror that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Everyone has watched WIDOW’S BAY by now, right? If not, tf you waiting for? It’s so good. 😭 Apple TV doesn’t miss.

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Art Credit: LaLaLettie

Katelyn Becker

The Fanart of Falling in Love

The Fanart of Falling in Love

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