Sioux Falls author who began writing at tire store becomes NYT Best Seller

When Amy Daws’ editor called from HarperCollins last week, she braced herself for disappointment.

She knew the latest New York Times bestsellers’ list had been released, and while the three earlier romance novels in her Mountain Men Matchmaker series had come close to cracking that authorial Rocky Mountain summit, none had made it.

But “Bad Boy Era” did it. The book, set in Colorado, debuted at No. 14 in the paperback trade fiction category.

“I actually thought he was calling to soften the blow. He knew it was the last book in the series, and I would be really disappointed,” the Sioux Falls writer said. “But I made The New York Times list. I thought I’d be more prepared for that moment, but I really wasn’t. I was like: Who else is on the list? What number did I hit?”

This week, Daws will learn if she made the list for a second time. Negative thinking creeping in makes her doubtful, but she won’t allow it to dim the shine of this achievement.

“I’m still wildly successful as an author even without the list, but it has a notoriety,” Daws said. “The fact I have readers at all, that’s the biggest win. Obviously, I’d be over the moon if I did again.”

“Bad Boy Era” tells the story of Everly Fletcher, who has served as a mischievous matchmaker for her uncles in the earlier books. Now it’s her turn, and Daws matched her up with a disgraced Irish rugby player who must work at her aunt’s animal rescue.

The first three books follow a trio of brothers who live on a compound. A self-proclaimed big fan of the musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” Daws decided to move the idea of brothers finding love into a contemporary time.

Goodreads contributors rate the fourth book as 4.4 on a scale of 5, with Barnes & Noble readers giving it 4.5.

The publication of “Bad Boy Era” means Daws now has written “about 25” books. Her first, “Wait for Me,” was made into a movie in 2023; another book has been optioned and may be greenlit for production before year’s end.

Daws’ own story as a writer carries more than a little romance itself. She did most of the writing for that first book at the Tires, Tires, Tires store on South Minnesota Avenue, using its customer-care center as her office. At first, she would take in friends’ cars for oil changes, using that as her excuse to set up her laptop. Eventually, Tires, Tires, Tires learned of her writing project and welcomed her anytime she wanted to come in.

That was in 2014. She spent her first 10 years as an indie writer before signing on with HarperCollins.

“In the past, I really found my success as an independent author, and I’m proud of being an indie author for 10 years before HarperCollins signed me,” Daws said. “But signing with HarperCollins has given me the ability to find my book in more stores, to be on a bigger stage.”

Daws now is working on a novel in which the heroes from the Mountain Men Matchmaker series will make a brief appearance. She moved the action to a different town. While she rarely drafts stand-alone novels, this one will be an exception. Maybe.

“Those are always my famous last words,” Daws said.

Daws initially headed to Tires, Tires, Tires because her writing process had faltered. She still experiences “feast or famine” periods, writing furiously, then taking time to enjoy life with her husband of 20 years and their 14-year-old daughter, Lorelei.

“I’m a good, classic procrastinator. That’s always been a part of my process,” she said. “I like to take breaks, read a book for fun, watch television for fun, see what else is out in the world and be inspired.”

While some authors turn to other genres in their free time, Daws is an unabashed fan of romance novels and the authors who write them. Among her favorites: Ali Hazelwood, Samantha Jones, Carley Fortune and Elle Kennedy, who has multiple titles on the same New York Times bestseller list that Daws joined.

Having a book on The New York Times Best Sellers list won’t heighten the pressure as she writes her next books, Daws said. That’s because every book carries its own special kind of stress.

“I always want to top my last book,” she said. “It’s a competitive market for writing romance novels. I want to keep readers surprised and keep them invested in my stories.”

The woman who once wrote in a tire store doesn’t take her acclaim for granted. She and her husband know that her success as a writer gives the Daws family experiences and an income they never expected.

“Ultimately we’re still, like, Midwest people, hanging out on weekends,” she said. “When I go to book signings and there are lines to see me, I think, this is strange. When I go into Target to sign books on the shelves, someone recognizes me and asks me to sign their book. That’s still strange.”

When she goes into Target to do what? Daws likes to surprise her fans by occasionally going into a Target store, finding her books on the shelves and autographing each one. It’s a way to thank her readers, those who have made her a New York Times bestselling author.

“It’s an honor for me, really,” Daws said.