From Real Estate to Real Suspense: How Kaira Rouda Found Her Voice

“I realized I couldn’t write sex scenes, so I went darker. Turns out, murder is more my thing.” — Kaira Rouda Bestselling author Kaira Rouda returns to Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest psychological thriller Jill Is Not Happy—a twisted, funny, and disturbing journey through a seemingly normal marriage gone off the rails. Kaira shares her journey from marketing executive to novelist, her struggles with writing romance (spoiler: no sex scenes), and how she found her true voice writing deeply flawed characters with secrets they’d kill to protect. Key Takeaways: From Biz to Books: Kaira’s writing journey began in childhood but was reignited after years in marketing, real estate, and publishing a business book for women entrepreneurs. Finding Her Genre: After an awkward foray into romance, she found her true voice writing domestic thrillers—starting with Best Day Ever. Jill’s Not Happy… and It Shows: Her latest book, Jill Is Not Happy, follows a couple on a National Parks road trip where shared secrets—and suppressed rage—drive the tension. Why We Love Marriage Thrillers: Rouda believes dark fiction lets us laugh at the dysfunction and say, “At least we’re not that bad.” Behind the Scenes in D.C.: She offers insight into congressional life from her time as a lawmaker’s spouse—and how that inspired The Widow. Cheddar Cheese Cravings and Cracker Barrel Confusion: Yes, there’s a cheese tangent. Yes, it’s delightful. Family of Creatives: Her son is a music producer and her daughter a screenwriter—both of whom keep her on her toes when adapting her own work for screen. Buy Jill is Not Happy Amazon: https://amzn.to/447n1s8 Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798885281249 Connect with KAira Website: https://kairarouda.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KairaRoudaBooks/ X: https://x.com/KairaRouda Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kairarouda/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kairaroudabooks Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #UncorkingAStory #KairaRouda #JillIsNotHappy #DomesticThriller #MarriageThrillers #AuthorLife #WritersOfInstagram #SuspenseFiction #WomenWriters #PsychologicalThriller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices