Darby Bozeman: I’ve Known I Wanted To Write Thrillers Since I Was in High School
In this interview, author Darby Bozeman discusses the process of writing her debut thriller novel, Summer’s Never Over.
Darby Bozeman grew up in Portland, Oregon, but she’s spent the better part of her adult life in the South. She has a master’s in teaching from the University of Georgia and she taught middle school English for five years. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves acting in community theater and discussing pop culture. She lives in Knoxville with her husband, Bryan, and their cat, Claude. Follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Darby discusses the process of writing her debut thriller novel, Summer’s Never Over, the surprising experience of loving feedback, and more.
Name: Darby Bozeman
Literary agent: Hannah Schofield at LBA
Book title: Summer’s Never Over
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: June 9, 2026
Genre/category: Thriller
Elevator pitch: When a woman returns to the summer camp where she grew up—five years after it burned to the ground and her friend and fellow counselor died—she gets entangled in an investigation into the truth about that summer, the fire, and is forced to confront long-buried secrets about the people she loves.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’ve known I wanted to write thrillers since I was in high school. The summer before I went to college, I binged about 20 Lee Child and Harlan Coben books, maybe more. And then when I got serious about writing a novel, the idea of a spooky summer camp kept popping back up for me. Finally, I decided to just go for it.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started writing Summer’s Never Over in early 2023 while I was attempting to find an agent for a different book. That first book took me years to write, but there was something about Summer’s Never Over. The words just flew out of me. I wrote the first draft in about three months. It was all I did on the weekends and when I got home from work each night. I was like a woman possessed. I ended up signing with my literary agent at the very end of 2023, and then we sold the book to Berkley in April of 2024. And now, two long years after that, it’s finally publishing!
That first fast draft had the same setting and the same characters, but almost everything has changed about the book since then. That’s definitely a good thing! I’m insanely proud of how the manuscript has evolved over the years, and I can’t wait for people to read it and (hopefully) love it.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
So much of it has been a surprise! This is my debut novel, so I feel like I’m learning something new every single day.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I consider myself to be a sensitive person, so I was particularly nervous for the editing portion. I was worried that getting notes was going to be overwhelming and cause me to spiral. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I actually love getting notes from my editor and my agent. They’re both incredibly thoughtful and smart, and they really understand me and my writing. That said, because I trust them so much, receiving feedback is way less stressful than I thought it would be when I first started out.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
It’s OK to still be figuring things out in your 20s. It’s OK to take your time and be unsure about what you want. It’s OK to change your mind, then change it back.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Figure out what works best for you, and don’t be afraid to ignore the writing advice that you don’t jive with. I spent a long time trying to decipher the “right” way to draft a novel. But the right way for me may not be the right way for you. And I think that’s totally fine! If your process ends with a finished manuscript, more power to you.
