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.

Learn More

@wicked_rain_studio once again killed it with their latest dinosaur-fruit plush: the Grapekylosaurus. I love this guy’s design so much.

Thanks to those who reached out about Kisa. She had her follow-up appointment today and is doing just fine. Still felt like the worst pet parent in the world (we’ve lived in this house forever, with more pets, and nothing like this has ever happened). She hates the cone, but she, grudgingly, seems to be getting the hang of it. Treats and snuggles (and antibiotics) for her for the next several days. Bummed I missed seeing Katherine Center’s book event last night. But my little girl is more important to me than anything.

Japan: Day 1

It was so difficult choosing my favorite pics from the Tokyo National Museum. There were too many good ones. The museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan and was established in 1872. It holds over 120,000 items, though only about 3,000 items are on display at any given time (and are rotated very often). The garden outside, which includes historic tea houses, was particularly beautiful.

The museum actually had multiple buildings, each containing different exhibits. We really only visited the “Honkan,” which is the main building. I would love to go back and explore the other buildings one day. Particularly the archeology building.

Japan is widely known for their stamps (I wish I had come more prepared for that). But they are also known for “Ukiyo-e,” which is a unique stamping process involving woodblocks and different layers. You can find several neat ones around the country. I’ll have to eventually take a pic of the one we did at the museum, but you can sorta see it in the twelfth photo.

Billy and Andy are posing with the museum’s more famous pieces (the museum’s mascot, Tohaku-kun, is modeled after them), which are “haniwa,” or terracotta tomb figures. They earned the name “Dancing People” because of their facial features and arms. But a lot still unknown about the sculptures, including if they actually are actually dancing.

We thankfully got through the museum before about 800 students arrived!

Time for a reintroduction post! Between my agent’s transition to Root and meeting folks at Phoenix Fan Fusion, there’s a lot of new people around here. So, welcome! A bit about me…

• My book, THE FANART OF FALLING IN LOVE, comes out next summer with Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House. You can swipe to see more deets. I’m hoping I can announce the official release date soon. 👀

• I’m a huge nerd. I like basically every fandom you can name. Hence having just attended the aforementioned PFF.

• I have two elderly cats (been with me since college), though my husband and I are hoping to add a dog to our family in the near-ish future. 🐕

• I love traveling. I recently returned from Japan and had the absolute best time.

• I enjoy playing poker. I’m part of a group that meets every month. I won my second time ever playing with them.

• I have multiple chronic conditions, which makes having two jobs (and generally living) difficult.

• I love the horror genre. There’s currently a renaissance happening when it comes to horror movies, books, and shows. And I am here. For. It.

• This month marks 13 years at my day job. 🤯

• I never stopped loving Pokémon, but I’ve recently become re-obsessed. (I bought two unreasonably large Pokémon plushies at PFF…)

• I’m coming to terms with the fact that one actually CAN possess too many books (depending on the house’s size, so I guess it’s time for a new house). 😩😭

• I unapologetically love In-N-Out and will choose their burgers over all over fast food burgers. (And their fries…🤭)

• A decade-ish later, and my husband is still my favorite person. ♥️

It’s nice to meet you!*

*Trump voters and supporters can go ahead and unfollow me. I don’t fuck with you. 🫶 Also, please note that I do not follow or support any authors who use gen AI in their writing, on their book covers, or in their marketing materials. Those actions support theft from fellow creatives and will hurt all of us, full stop.

Japan: Day 1

After the guys pounded some beers at the temple (yeah, it does seem kinda strange, doesn’t it? 😅), we made our way to the Tokyo National Museum. On the way there, we encountered two Poké Lids, which was awesome. (I do find it strange that my husband now knows more Pokémon than I do, since he’s kept up with Go, and I haven’t. Maybe that’ll change when I *finally* start Pokopia. But I love a dino dude.) There was yet another market right outside of the museum, and I wish we had perused longer. But we did see these absolutely GORGEOUS bonsai trees. Genuinely didn’t know they could have such beautiful flowers.

Actual museum pics to come! Also, why can’t the U.S. have pretty manhole covers? Japan has over 12,000 uniquely designed manhole covers, apparently 400 of those being Pokémon-themed.

THE EVERLASTING stomped on my heart, stitched it back together, broke it one more time for good measure, then healed me. I don’t know if I’ve ever read such a beautiful book. Smart and sweet Owen. Noble and tender-hearted Una. I really don’t want to say much else to not spoil anything. But please read this book. I need more people to talk about it with. 😭 Easily one of my favorite books of all time and def made me cry, which isn’t something books often achieve for me!

(I really need to catch up posting about books I’ve read this year. I’m very behind despite having read almost 30 books in 2026 so far.)

Japan: Day 1

Because I plan every day within an inch of its life when I travel, I’m going to have to break up a lot of our days into multiple posts. 😅 On our first full day, we made our way to Ueno Park. We wandered through an adorable flea market (I bought my first secondhand haori from a vendor and was close to getting a cute zodiac figure set). We then made our way to Shinobazu-no-Ike Bentendō temple, which stands on an “island” in the park and is dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten, who was often depicted holding a lute called a biwa (sculpture on photo 11). Hundreds of years ago, the pond that borders the temple was known as the “Pond of Release,” as ceremonies of compassion were held (where animals like fish, turtles, and water birds were set free). Today, there are stone monuments on the grounds representing the three animals.

Like I said, every temple we visited was beautiful. But it was also a sobering experience because many were reconstructed after the original temples (most of them hundreds of years old) were destroyed during World War 2 (like this temple) or from other causes like earthquakes, lightning strikes, etc. But I’m glad so many were restored, often funded by donations, grants, and fundraising campaigns.

Japan: Day 0.5 + Glimpse of Day 1

First thing’s first: I will never fly with American Airlines ever again. 😒 It was one of those rare instances where I needed wifi to wrap up some things, so I paid for it (already overpriced), and it worked for maybe 20 minutes before permanently remaining offline. Had to go through the annoying process of getting a refund. The bathrooms were also gross. Some of them had the toilets facing the tail of the plane. But because the plane is going forward, the toilet lid would just…rest against your back. It was disgusting. Then the flight attendants only offered us drinks twice. Once in the beginning, and once with our meal. That was it. For a 12-hour flight. You’d have to press the button to ask for anything. They also had water cups in back people could grab while the flight attendants just sat there, which…felt odd. Then they only provided one meal at the beginning of the flight. So the other 11 hours, you went hungry if you didn’t bring snacks. They blamed the lack of a second meal on shoddy weather. But I can confirm that was an excuse, as there was no turbulence. In fact, it was one of the smoothest flights I’ve been on. Just an awful experience, and laughable compared to Japan Air’s quality on the way back.

Anyway! We stayed in an apartment in Shibuya. It was small but cute and met our needs. We walked around a little bit since we arrived in the evening and ate at Shogun Burger (shoutout to the Triple A guy for recommending it to me while I was getting my International Driving Permit). I had a matcha milkshake, which was pretty dang good. Andy also won a Dragonite plush at an arcade, which unfortunately made me believe that the crane games would actually be winnable. 😅 (I’ve played a lot of claw games, and I could not believe how cheaty they were in Japan. I genuinely question how they’re even legal. Very frustrating, especially since I’m pretty good at them!) Then we went to bed after a long travel day.

(I finished The Boys, and I did not like the final season at all. 😬 Idk what it is about popular shows that have huge downgrades in quality for the final season. But yikes. At least I enjoyed the previous seasons!)

Posting this gem again because my wonderful friend drew her (swipe ➡️) and I love it. 😂

In case I’ve accidentally ignored you, I’ve been in Japan the last 2.5ish weeks! Just got back yesterday, and, while I’m happy to be home, I’m already desperately missing that magically beautiful country (with two of the best travel companions one could ask for). I know all countries have their pros and cons, but I adored Japan. I have older trip pics to post, but maybe I’ll prioritize these (if I don’t get overwhelmed by the hundreds and hundreds of pics I took 😅). Initial observations…

• For some reason, I genuinely had no idea about the sheer number of vending machines everywhere. Literally every single block. Very convenient, though I admit I hate paying for water.

• The konbini food was just as incredible as I expected. Onigiri? Sandos? Chocolate bread? Frozen grape things? Pizza buns?!? The fact that 7-11 alone has 22,000 stores in Japan is mind-blowing to me. I’m absolutely bereft we don’t have something similar here.

• The transit system was amazing and, with maybe two exceptions, very easy to understand. Extremely convenient. Extremely punctual. And the Shinkansens? So freaking cool. Even if one of them made me super fatigued from the speed and gentle rocking. 😅

• I think I could have devoted a trip exploring the temples and shrines alone. I love how unique they all are. Absolutely gorgeous grounds every time.

• Yes. I did buy a suitcase while there to transport souvenirs. 😅 And I still regret not getting more things! Didn’t get basically any snacks/treats (though those would’ve been tough), and I wish I had had more time to research beauty products ahead of time (the Disney resort provided some free skincare samples and I LOVED them). Next time.

• Every meal was a banger. I knew going into it I’d be sad that I wouldn’t be able to eat everything I wanted. And yup. Wish I could’ve tried a hundred more things.

• Gashapons EVERYWHERE. I wish I had collected more. I just (foolishly) didn’t always have ¥100 coins on me. But I couldn’t believe how many there were. Every station, every store, every corner. The people crave trinkets.

Instagram is gonna yell at me about word count. But, suffice to say, I loved Japan, and I can’t wait to go back.

More pictures from Castillo San Cristóbal in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Genuinely couldn’t get over the greens and blues of this beautiful place. I could have walked the grounds for hours. Even in the hot, hot heat!

Agent has Secret Book, so it’s time to revisit the book I *was* working on before SB had me in a chokehold. 😂 I’m very excited about it, and I hope coming at it with a fresh perspective will help. I’m only going to say that it’s nerdy and sapphic—and somewhat within the same universe as FANART. 👀

More Puerto Rico pics! Old San Juan was absolutely gorgeous, but boy was the heat brutal in June (and this is coming from an Arizonan 😂). We started by exploring Castillo San Cristóbal, which is known as the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World and is now a World Heritage Site (since 1983). It was beautiful, with incredible views of the ocean, surrounding greenery, and city. My mind is always blown, stepping onto historic sites like this, knowing people did battle there—from the English attack in 1595 to remaining an active military base in 1942 when the U.S. entered WW2 (the cisterns ready to be used as fallout shelters).

Round 1 of 2 posts dedicated to this breathtaking “castle,” since there were too many good pics!

(The humidity hair frizz was REAL.)

On this day last year (05.15.25 because 5 is our lucky number), the guy and I tied the knot after many, many years together. We got married in our backyard, with our parents, cats, and bff officiant in attendance. We then took a limo to wine country. It was perfect and lowkey (and inexpensive), just how I wanted. A lot of people say marriage is hard. But I couldn’t disagree more. I love you @ndhacker ♥️

(One day I will post more pictures. There are so many that I just get overwhelmed. 😅)

((The wedding dress I ordered didn’t arrive in time. Long story for another time… So I had to use something I already had. But I’m hoping to wear said wedding dress, which did eventually arrive, sometime soon. Especially since it’s not ~strictly~ a wedding dress. 🤭))

When your friend wants to do a bar crawl in a shopping center, you say yes and even make a bar crawl map on Canva (which unfortunately couldn’t fit in the slideshow). Because it sounds awesome and you need to maintain your sense of whimsy. We saw two guys get kicked out of a bar for drinking too much (it was 6pm at this point), and one of the guys apparently had an “accident” in the parking lot, despite being found holed up in the bathroom. 😐 Otherrrr than that, we saw a guard cat on a roof, a Porta Potty in the middle of the street, had crocodile mascots courtesy of Outback’s “crocktail,” played some games, and overall had a good time. I love our silly adventures. Happy Birthday @andy.frang 🎉

(The Mario movie-themed cocktail was *chef’s kiss*)

I’ve always been the kind of person who 1) Likes a “clean” laptop, and 2) Is indecisive about stickers because oh god what if I waste one?! But I realized life is too damn short to have a boring laptop and stickers wasting away in drawers. Looking to stick one or two more on there. Just can’t decide what… 🤔

Still stress city omg. Almost done with FANART’s current revision. Really hoping to finish Secret Book. Then have about two hundred other things to accomplish by the end of the weekend. Thank goodness for anxiety meds! 💊

Off to book club for a brief reprieve from life! 📚

In Puerto Rico, after the hike, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch before doing an evening kayak experience on one of the bioluminescent bays. Because of the time of year (and an issue with more fungi than usual, apparently), we only got to see tiny little sparkles, not the glittery waters you see on social media. But it was still cool. Especially kayaking among the mangrove trees, which are so unique looking (I wish we could’ve gotten pictures). The husband and I felt good about our kayaking skills and chemistry, especially compared to some of the people who were struggling. 😅

I have so much to accomplish in a very short amount of time. The anxiety is off the charts, not helped by the day job/normal responsibilities, followed by working on two different books until 2am every night. 😵‍💫 Can’t wait to be able to chill a bit!

I’m so excited to announce that I’m (still) represented by Andrea Blatt, who has joined the wonderful folks over at @rootliterary! I’m thrilled for her, as well as for this new adventure we are embarking on.

I’d love to connect (or reconnect) with my new agency siblings! For those who don’t know me, my adult romance debut, THE FANART OF FALLING IN LOVE, comes out summer 2027 with @duttonbooks, an imprint of @penguinrandomhouse. It’s about an anxious, demisexual artist who anonymously draws nerdy and ~NSFW~ fanart. When one of her three male roommates discovers her secret, playful blackmail and love ensue. It’s my love letter to creatives in an unappreciative era, and to the girls who never grew out of their nerdy interests. ♥️ Nice to meet you!

In Puerto Rico, we visited a part of El Yunque National Forest, which is the only tropical rainforest with the national forest system. Even though it’s “only” 29,000 acres, it’s one of the most biologically diverse forests. We were with a tour, and we got to slide down a natural stone slide, jump off a cliff into the water (it was scary but I was brave), feed some fish, and generally enjoy the beauty of the rainforest. The light rain was absolutely perfect. I’d love to explore other areas one day.

Here is my final #IndependentBookstoreDay haul, for those curious! I bought some used books, new books, signed books, even got a free ARC. I bought some merch, and I desperately need more indies to have branded merch because I’m an absolute sucker for them. See any fave books? If so, let me know which ones you loved and recommend!

Last round of photos from Independent Bookstore Day yesterday! Completed a side quest by going to Dragoon Brewery, since it was their anniversary. Then headed in over to Antigone Books, picking up a few things. Followed by @thebookstoptucson. We grabbed a couple drinks at @westbound_tapandbottle at the MSA Annex with some friends. Then BKs (my fave Sonoran dogs) to conclude a wonderful day! Can’t wait until next year.

#IndependentBookstoreDay

The Independent Bookstore Day crawl continues! Did I change my outfit? Yes. Extra? Probably. But in my defense, we had to stop home to feed the cats because they are old and needy. Hit up @bookmansaz and bought a romcom. Bought three books and an adorable dinosaur sticker @mostlybooksaz (and got a free ARC!). And refueled @revolutionarygroundsaz. Today has been so much fun. A couple more places to go!

Oh. And watched a Hummer absolutely annihilate another car’s side mirror when pulling out and just drive tf off. I left the car’s owner a note with the Hummer’s description and license plate number. People suck!

#IndependentBookstoreDay

Fourth stop for Independent Bookstore Day done! How can you not love the iconic van AKA @_thebookboutique_? I bought a book, walked through @dilunacandlestore, laughed at a funny hat, and now I’m next door at @prepandpastry drinking my second mimosa of the day. 🥂

#IndependentBookstoreDay

Also, biggest shoutout to my husband for letting me drag him around!

Stops 2 AND 3 for Independent Bookstore Day are done! @homeward.books and @whychoose.tucson, who are both amazing. I got the exclusive live-print shirt for Homeward Books, and bought four contemporary romcoms (and a cute fidget Triceratops 😭) from Why Choose. So lovely to run into @phxnestjess doing an amazing job manning the station. Onto the next!

#IndependentBookstoreDay

Happy Independent Bookstore Day! 📚 I absolutely adore indie bookstores. They do so much for our communities. Crazy to think my book may be in some of these stores next year. 🤯 I’m doing an indie bookstore crawl today, starting with @stacksbookclubaz. I bought an autographed book, a sweater, *the exclusive indie bookstore shirt*, a sticker, and a hat. We also got drinks, and I’m ALMOST positive that their Story about champagne referenced our drinks, since I got a mimosa, and the pic was posted within minutes of the order. 😂 I also took the obligatory “my book would be here” picture. Anyway, great start to the day! Follow along as I visit other bookstores. And please support your own indie bookstores today! ♥️

#IndependentBookstoreDay

More Puerto Rico pictures, featuring iguanas I got to meet and feed. You have to be really careful feeding them because they have a decently strong bite (sort of like a turtle, if you’ve ever been on the wrong end of their bites). 😂 I learned they really love bananas. I just love them so much. Pretty little dinosaurs.

As part of the conference, we got to select an “excursion.” I choose the “Dine and Dive” option in Old San Juan, where we got to have a very fancy dinner (El Viejo Almacén), which was delicious (so much wine and appetizers and meat), and then had a quick drink at El Batey Tavern, which is a famous dive bar. It was such a fun night, getting to know other people at the conference, with my husband as my support because he’s much better at socializing than I am. 😅

Close-mouthed smile = hiding my red wine teeth because my teeth stain after one glass

Last summer, I had the opportunity to visit Puerto Rico for a work conference, and we, of course, tacked on a few days to explore. We got in late, with just enough time to go to Restaurante Raíces and order chuleta kan kan and mofongo, which are PR staples. They were both really good, but I think, depending on how it’s prepped, the mofongo can be a little bland. 🫣 Naturally, I was OBSESSED with the iguanas. I love love love reptiles, and they’re just so silly looking and have beautiful colorings. The hotel we stayed at had 5(?) living on the property, and our room happened to overlook their habitat. They had their own bridge and mini lake and island. There were two macaws that stayed in the reception area. I felt kinda bad for them because they just kinda sat there, but they were beautiful. We explored the property and beach until the conference’s reception. Then visited the beach again, where my husband took absolutely stunning photos. I also LOVED the sound of the coquis. 😭🐸 Such a lovely, peaceful sound. I will say, the number of stray cats and dogs upset me, to the point I might’ve cried over a dog that seemed to “live” on the hotel’s property. 😢

Another TFOB read was BLACK SHEEP by Rachel Harrison. I adore the way she writes. This one was about a woman who grew up in a cult, who returns to her estranged family’s home when her best friend and ex get engaged. No one is likable, but they’re all real. I had such a fun time, especially when the MC’s scream queen mom and devilish father appear. 😈

Who else is excited for Independent Bookstore Day this Saturday? I have my bookstore crawl almost planned out. We have so many good indie bookstores now. Stacks, Why Choose, Mostly Books, Homeward Books, etc. Might partake in some spontaneous photoshoots* and drinks along the way. 😋

*To prepare for actual author photos I need to get done, which I’m not looking forward to.

Last Weekend + Week

🥂Birthday Brunch🥂

🍣 Sushi (pic not featuring our favorite waitress) 🍣

🎉 Firm party with pickleball and great cocktails 🎉

🐈 Sleepy cat 🐈

🍅 Rescued produce haul 🫑

So much to do that I’m lowkey panicking. 😅 Book deadlines, including administrative work. Trip planning. Celebration planning. Work stuff. It’s just a lot all at once. Trying to tackle it all one step at a time.

Saw some bookish controversy, and it never fails to shock me how many Trump voters read and enjoy books that are antithetical to their beliefs. 🥴 May they never find and read my books, in Thor’s name, amen. 🙏

I was recently invited to join a book club, and the first one I attended was so much fun! We got to talk all about the Tucson Festival of Books. The highs, the lows, the fun, the wacky and weird. I ended up reading 20 books by TFOB authors, which was a personal record. This included HONEY BEE MINE by @sarahtdubbwrites, which I absolutely adored. 1) I loveeee bees. Love them. If I see a bumblebee, I WILL pet it. 2) Sarah has this incredible ability to write about family that is so real and raw, healing the hurt with every page. The family dynamics were fun and entertaining, especially Zander’s. 3) Back to the bees: learning more about beekeeping in general was awesome. Nature is weird and amazing. And bees are just so damn cool. 4) The relationship between Zander and Penny was sexy and mature and authentic. I loved the way they communicated and grew together. I was kicking my feet with every interaction. 5) The FMC’s last name is Becker, so it was fate.

I could go on and on about this book. A great sophomore novel following BIRDING WITH BENEFITS (which I also adored). 🐝

Congrats again on your book launch and adult romance debut, @karajmcdowellbooks!! I cannot wait to read THE WRITE OFF. Rival authors? Set at the University of Arizona campus?? While the Tucson Festival of Books is going on??? Yes to all of this, especially as a UofA grad and avid TFOB fan and attendee. ♥️

(And great job moderating @sarahtdubbwrites!)

——

Two rival authors are forced to confront a decade of love and heartbreak on the campus where it all started in this captivating debut romance by Kara McDowell.

It’s been thirteen years since Mars Darling first met West Emerson on a bench outside their writing class. What started out as a friendly rivalry turned into a best friendship and then, for a brief time, a romance. Now over a decade later, as Mars stands at their college campus as a once-esteemed YA fantasy author, ready to take on a book festival, she comes face to face with West—the muse behind her infamous trilogy’s heartthrob hero, the man who betrayed her in the worst way.

Mars is determined not to let her comeback tour be ruined by the fact that West is also at the festival as an author. But the longer they are on the campus that holds so many shared memories, the more time they have to untangle their past, and Mars starts to question if maybe it’s not only her writing career that deserves a second chance.

Told in two unfolding timelines—Mars and West’s frenzied college days where they grapple with their undeniable connection, and their tension-filled present of heartache and familiar yearning—this charming romance shows that while you can’t rewrite the past, it’s never too late to chase your happily ever after and get back the one that got away.

The last few days…

Yoga, for maybbbbeee the third time in my life. Absolutely kicked my ass. 😮‍💨 Can’t wait to go back.

Rescued produce. Made some salsa yesterday. Stuffed peppers with homemade marinara tonight.

UofA game with friends. A disappointing outcome. Always crappy when the worse performance of the season occurs when it matters most. But what a great year for the Wildcats overall! 🐻⬇️

Monopoly Deal and video games with friends. Also some lovely dinosaur-themed gifts from @jeannie_s and @ericfreeman1988, including my weighted pink Stego plush. ♥️

Something most people might not know about me is that I love poker. I learned how to play from my bff’s dad when I was a kid and their family would host occasional poker nights. I don’t get the opportunity to play often, but I enjoy it so much when I do. One of my colleagues recently invited me to his poker group, which meets once a month. Most of these people have played together for 10 or 15+ years, meaning it’s hard as a newbie because you don’t know how they play, but THEY all know how they play. Attended my second ever poker night with them on Friday and won. 😋 It was very satisfying. Especially being the youngest person there and one of the few females. Excited for future poker nights. ♦️♣️♥️♠️

Now working on FANART’s current revision and Secret Book. 🤫 And snuggling with a cat.

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Katelyn Becker

The Fanart of Falling in Love

The Fanart of Falling in Love

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