An Absolute Joy: A Guest Post by Kristy Boyce

This D&D group is all fun and games until Quinn realizes she has a crush — and there’s nothing she can do about it. Feel-good, cozy and sweet, this gaming romance is sure to sweep you off your feet. Read on for Kristy Boyce’s exclusive essay on writing our latest YA Monthly Pick, Dating and Dragons.

Dungeons & Dragons has had a huge impact on my life, so it’s been an absolute joy to incorporate the game into Dating and Dragons, my latest YA romance novel. My original inspiration for writing this book came from my own experiences in high school. I joined my first D&D campaign at the urging of a group of guy friends, and we had the best time creating characters and battling monsters from the comfort of our living room couches. Years later, I married the Dungeon Master from that game, and I am still best friends with the other players. I truly believe D&D has a unique ability to bond people together, and that makes it the perfect backdrop for a story about first love.

There are so many nerdy topics I can tap into when writing these books, and it’s fun to choose different ones for each novel. For Dating and Dragons, I wanted to delve into the growing passion for livestream D&D games. Whether it be Critical Role, Dimension 20, or the multitude of livestreamed games available on platforms like Twitch, more and more people are discovering (or rediscovering) D&D through livestreaming. I was interested in exploring what that might look like for high school students, and how being incredibly dedicated to D&D could affect the relationships between players.

I also love to sprinkle nostalgic elements into my books. This time, nostalgia came in the form of the 1980’s Dungeons & Dragons animated TV series. Today’s teens didn’t grow up watching the show, but they can still have fun dressing up as the characters. I hope that readers already familiar with the series will enjoy the reminders of Hank the Ranger and Presto the Magician, while younger generations might be motivated to go watch an episode for the first time.

Inspiration for these books can honestly come from anywhere. When my earlier book, Dungeons and Drama, came out, my husband—the Dungeon Master—gave me D20 beaded friendship bracelets as a gift. I love them, and that led me to writing about Quinn, who is obsessed with jewelry and making her own friendship bracelets. Of course, these types of bracelets have taken over the world thanks to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. But what could make them even more awesome? The addition of dice, of course! Plus, this is something readers can try out for themselves if they’d like—I’ve already purchased supplies and plan to make bracelets with readers at my 2025 book events!

Ultimately, I hope readers of Dating and Dragons will connect with my nerdy characters as they look for friendship, acceptance, and love. And, just maybe, it’ll inspire them to play a game themselves.