Jocelyn Shipley on writing a hi-lo romantic comedy

An entertaining, highly accessible story with special appeal for animal lovers.

—Kirkus Reviews

In Jocelyn Shipley’s new novel, Kat Vs. Dogs, seventeen-year-old Kat must overcome her fear of dogs to succeed at her new pet store job and win the heart of her dog-loving crush. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading-level (hi-lo) book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read. Read on to discover the author’s personal inspiration behind the story and why she decided to write a romantic comedy for striving readers.

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You’ve written four other hi-lo books for Orca, but Kat vs. Dogs is your first romantic comedy! What inspired you to write a hi-lo romcom?

Great question. Since my other books deal with deeper, darker issues, and the world can feel so bleak and scary these days, I wanted a change. My other books also typically have a romantic element, so writing a hi-lo romcom seemed the perfect way to both challenge myself and offer readers something light, hopeful and fun.  

Does your writing process differ when you’re writing hi-lo books?

Definitely. It’s very different. Instead of free-writing without a set plot or outline, for a hi-lo, I figure all that out before I start writing. I create characters, setting and plot, then draft a synopsis of the book and chapter outlines. Only after the editor “okays” those do I start the actual writing, mindful of keeping the words and sentences short, the pace fast and compelling for struggling readers.

How has your own experience with dogs shaped this story?

As a very young child, I was bitten in the face by a “friendly” dog, which left me scared of dogs. But when I was a teen, my younger brother got a corgi puppy for Christmas. I really liked that dog, and think corgis in general are pretty awesome. They’re so handsome and always seem to be smiling. Plus they’re short. They can’t jump up on you like big dogs do. But I’m still not very comfortable around dogs and am trying to get over that, so I wanted to write about a girl who needs to desensitize herself to dogs. Like Kat, I’m not yet a true dog person, but I’m definitely a corgi person.

What made you choose a TikTok influencer as Kat’s romantic interest?

I wanted Hiro to be larger than life so Kat would be unable to see him as a regular person at first. She’s judgy and makes a lot of assumptions about him because he’s famous and has so many fans. Then when she starts to like him, it’s even more important that she overcome her fear of dogs, or she won’t stand a chance. Because Hiro’s not just some guy who likes dogs. He’s #RoverDance!

What was your favorite part about writing the book? Do you have a favorite chapter or scene?

My favorite part is the whole thing! I’ve never had so much fun writing a book. Maybe because I really identified with Kat, the story came easily and almost wrote itself, which doesn’t usually happen for me. I really like all the scenes, but my favorite would have to be the pivotal scene in Chapter 6, when Aunt Grace reveals to Hiro that not only has Kat watched all his videos, she also doesn’t even like dogs and is in fact scared of them. Kat is left cringing while her crush smirks at her.

What do you hope young readers take away from Kat vs. Dogs?

First of all, I hope they’ll feel lifted and entertained and eager to read another hi-lo. But on a more serious level, I hope they’ll see that it’s possible to face your fears. If you keep an open mind and heart, you can work toward overcoming, or at least managing, things that are holding you back. Never say never!