Casey McQuiston: Difference between revisions

| date_birth=January 21<ref name="Twitterbio">[https://twitter.com/casey_mcquiston Twitter bio], accessed June 10 2021</ref>

'''Casey McQuiston''' is an American author of romance novels, best known for their New York Times best-selling debut novel ''Red, White & Royal Blue'', in which the son of America's first female president falls in love with the prince of England.<ref name="bookpage">{{Cite web|url=https://bookpage.com/interviews/24017-casey-mcquiston-romance|title=Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - Interview - BookPage|website=BookPage.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> She is a 2020 recipient of the Alex Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-03|title=2020 Alex Awards Virtual Celebration|url=http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2020/06/03/2020-alex-awards-virtual-celebration/|access-date=2020-08-22|website=The Hub|language=en-US}}</ref>

McQuiston grew up in southern Louisiana.<ref name="booklist">{{Cite book|url=http://www.booklistonline.com/No-First-Families-or-Royals-Were-Harmed-in-the-Making-of-This-Debut-Rom-Com/pid=9716435|title=No First Families or Royals Were Harmed in the Making of This Debut Rom-Com, by {{!}} Booklist Online}}</ref> They have a degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ktliterary.com/2018/02/welcome-to-our-newest-client-casey-mcquiston/|title=kt literary » Blog Archive » Welcome to our newest client, Casey McQuiston!|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> Prior to becoming an author, they worked in magazine publishing.<ref name="booklist" />

McQuiston is openly [[bisexual]] and [[queer]].<ref name="bookpage" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/232648/red-white-royal-blue-book-casey-mcquiston-interview-queer-romance|title=What If The Prince Of England Fell In Love With The Son Of The President Of The United States?|last=Nicolaou|first=Elena|website=refinery29.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> They live in New York City, New York<ref name="booklist" /> with their poodle mix Pepper.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Casey McQuiston {{!}} Authors {{!}} Macmillan|url=https://us.macmillan.com/author/|access-date=2020-08-27|website=US Macmillan|language=en-US}}</ref>

''Red, White & Royal Blue'' follows Alex, a fictionalized First Son who finds himself in a fight with Henry, an English prince, and is forced to befriend him for PR reasons, developing romantic feelings for him along the way.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/78765-spring-2019-announcements-romance-erotica.html|title=Spring 2019 Announcements: Romance & Erotica|website=publishersweekly.com|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hypable.com/hypable-most-anticipated-of-2019-fandom-moments/|title=Hypable staff picks: Our most anticipated fandom moments of 2019|date=2019-01-01|website=Hypable|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

McQuiston first came up with the idea for what would become ''Red, White & Royal Blue'' while following the 2016 American presidential elections.<ref name="shereads">{{Cite web|url=https://shereads.com/casey-mcquiston-interview/|title=An exclusive interview with Casey McQuiston|website=shereads.com|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> While watching a season of the HBO comedy series ''Veep'' and reading both a Hillary Clinton biography by Carl Bernstein, ''A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton'', and ''The Royal We'' by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, they found themself intrigued by the extravagant, high-profile lifestyle of the royals and wanted to write their own take on a story featuring a royal family.<ref name="shereads" />

McQuiston describes ''Red, White & Royal Blue'' as a queer romcom and says that they writes queer fiction "for the same reason straight people write straight fiction," meaning that they draw from their own experiences.<ref name="shereads" /> For protagonist Alex's realization that he's bisexual, they were inspired by their own experience.<ref name="bookpage" /> The character of the fictional American president Ellen Claremont in the novel was inspired by American politician Wendy Davis, whose filibuster McQuiston watched in 2013 and found themself moved by.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/79609-making-politics-loving-again-pw-talks-with-casey-mcquiston.html|title=Making Politics Loving Again: PW Talks with Casey McQuiston|website=publishersweekly.com|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

In April 2019, Amazon Studios acquired the film rights to the novel at auction, with Ted Malawer attached as writer and Berlanti Studios as producer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/red-white-royal-blue-novel-amazon-studios-berlanti-productions-win-novel-auction-1202593251/|title=Amazon Studios, Berlanti Productions Win Casey McQuiston Novel 'Red White & Royal Blue'|last= Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=2019-04-10|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/books/review/ya-novels-royalty-best-sellers.html|title=Why Have Novels About Royalty Stormed the Y.A. Best-Seller Lists?|first=Karen|last=Valby|date=July 19, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

''Red, White & Royal Blue'' was published by St. Martin's Griffin in May 2019 and debuted on the New York Times Paper Trade Fiction bestseller list, at No. 15.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/trade-fiction-paperback/?module=DropDownNav&action=click&region=navbar&contentCollection=Books&version=Fiction&referrer=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/combined-print-and-e-book-fiction/&pgtype=Reference&mtrref=www.nytimes.com&gwh=2EF95DAD7DBCF47F39801523E872ED6A&gwt=pay|title=Paperback Trade Fiction Books - Best Sellers|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-28|language=en|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It was received favorably by critics, earning a starred review from ''Publishers Weekly'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-250-31677-6|title=Red, White & Royal Blue|website=Publishers Weekly|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> ''Kirkus Reviews',<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/casey-mcquiston/red-white-amp-royal-blue/|title=RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston|work= Kirkus Reviews|language=en}}</ref> ''Booklist'',<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.booklistonline.com/Red-White-Royal-Blue-Casey-McQuiston/pid=9713927|title=Red, White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston|work=Booklist}}</ref> ''Vogue''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/red-white-and-royal-casey-mcquiston-book-review|title=In This Escapist Masterpiece, America Has a Woman President, and Her Son Is in Love With a Prince|website=Vogue|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> and ''Vanity Fair.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/08/red-white-and-royal-blue-author-interview|title=Red, White & Royal BlueIs a Romance Perfectly Tailored for Viral Success|website=Vanity Fair|access-date=2019-08-27}}</ref>

It has been published and translated in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Spain, and Uruguay.<ref>{{Cite web|title=FAQ|url=https://caseymcquiston.com/faq|access-date=2020-07-01|website=CMQ|language=en-US}}</ref>

''Red, White & Royal Blue'' won the Best Debut Novel and Best Romance Novel categories in the 11th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards, making it the only novel to win in two categories in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-debut-novel-2019|title=Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Debut Novel!|website=Goodreads|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-romance-books-2019|title=Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Romance!|website=Goodreads|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>