Get ready to learn more about the book The Naughty List Captain in this discussion with sapphic author Marina Tempest.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Marina Tempest about The Naughty List Captain, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Holiday Romance category in the 2025 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write The Naughty List Captain?
I’m neurodivergent (AuDHD), and I’ve spent most of my life trying to figure out the “right” way to do things, the acceptable way to be. Like Holly, I followed protocols religiously because I thought if I just did everything correctly, I’d be successful and accepted. Learning that sometimes the rules themselves are wrong, that being “good” according to someone else’s definition isn’t the same as being authentic—that’s been a huge part of my journey in the last decade. I wanted to write that revelation into a story where it was funny and romantic and swashbuckling.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
I relate most to Holly. We’re both over-planners who make color-coded spreadsheets, who panic when things don’t go according to protocol, who’ve spent too much time believing that following the rules would keep us safe. Holly’s arc—from believing in the system completely to questioning it entirely—mirrors my own journey with so many aspects of my life. The difference is Holly’s way more optimistic than I am, even when everything’s going wrong. I’m working on that. (Although I’m not as dramatic as Holly.)
What inspired the idea for The Naughty List Captain?
I was thinking that the Naughty/Nice binary is actually kind of sinister when you think about it. Who decides what’s naughty? What about context? What about people who do “bad” things for good reasons, or good things for complicated reasons? And suddenly this silly idea about bureaucratic Christmas elves became a story about questioning moral absolutes and about how we judge people.
What part of The Naughty List Captain was the most fun to write?
All of them! Really, any scene with the gingerbread men. They were never supposed to be recurring characters, but they kept showing up in drafts demanding to provide relationship commentary. Writing their increasingly specific observations about Skye and Holly’s tension was delightful.
What animal or object best represents you as an author or your writing style?
A magpie. Magpies are collectors—they see shiny interesting things and they grab them and bring them back to their nest. That’s exactly how I write. I collect interesting bits from everywhere, then I hoard all these shiny pieces until I figure out how they fit together into a story.
What are three words that describe your personality?
Curious. I’m endlessly fascinated by how things work—systems, people, stories, everything.
Loyal. Once I care about someone or something, I’m all in.
Analytical. I’m the person who watches a movie and immediately wants to discuss the plot structure, the character arcs, the thematic elements. I read romance novels with a mental checklist of beats and tropes. I can’t turn off the analytical part of my brain, which is both useful (for writing and editing) and annoying (I can’t just enjoy things without dissecting them).
When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
I go into hiding where no one will interrupt me. For really difficult scenes, I write by hand first. There’s something about the physical connection between pen and paper that helps me access the raw emotion. I’ll write the scene longhand, then type it up later, usually adding and refining as I go.
What author in your genre do you most admire, and why?
She doesn’t write historical romance – more general historical fiction – but Kristin Hannah is one of my all-time favorite authors. Somehow, she brings you into the story so deep that you are LIVING it. Writers like to say “show, don’t tell” but she takes it five steps further. Being able to wheedle your way into someone’s heart and head to the point where they viscerally FEEL what your characters feel is a feat indeed. Winter Garden is my favorite.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
Outlander. A gazillion times. Until the end of book 7 when I refused to go back after that damn cliffhanger. I don’t know if a Sapphic version of that would have quite the same impact – there are way too many gender dynamics in play in that book/series, but it’s inspired me to write my next Lesbian Pirate (full-length) novel in Scotland. It should be out in early 2026.
Do you only read books in one genre or do you genre hop?
I read a bit of everything. I’ve been popping around to a lot of popular stuff in all kinds of genres, trying to understand what makes readers gravitate towards certain books and not others. Sapphic readers are different from mainstream readers in some ways, but a good story is a good story!
