Today Tonight Tomorrow

Originally from Seattle, Washington, Rachel Lynn Solomon is a writer and novelist. Solomon writes predominantly young adult literature within the romance genre. She is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of titles including The Ex Talk; Business or Pleasure; Today Tonight Tomorrow; and other YA romantic comedies. Several of her novels have been optioned for film and television and translated into more than 15 languages. Until 2019, Solomon was working full-time in media before making the transition to full-time author in 2021.

Solomon worked for media outlets including The Seattle Times and KUOW Public Radio briefly after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism.

In an interview with blog writer Melanie Hooyenga, Solomon revealed that her favorite genre of literature is romance, just like the protagonist, Rowan Roth, in Today Tonight Tomorrow. Like Rowan, Solomon considers herself to be a major fan of the genre, stating that her literary diet consists mostly of novels that revolve around romantic storylines. Knowing the stigma that still surrounds the romance genre, Solomon was eager to tackle the topic in the novel through Rowan, who loves romance but often feels embarrassed or ashamed of her passion, particularly given that her own writer parents are not fans of it.

In an interview with “Not Just Fiction,” Solomon stated that the book was inspired by two movies she had seen, the first being Before Sunrise, in which two characters meet on a train and spend the day together, exploring Vienna and falling in love. Solomon was also inspired by another film by the same director, Richard Linklater, Dazed and Confused, which she found to be an accurate depiction of the excitement and confusion surrounding one’s last day of high school. When it came to drafting Today Tonight Tomorrow, Solomon was intent on writing a story that captured the tone and love story of both movies.

In speaking about the creation process of the novel, Solomon shared that it was her first novel that was sold on proposal. Similarly, it was the first story that was somewhat inspired by her own life and personality. Like Rowan, Solomon was heavily invested in reading and writing as a young adult but was always anxious when it came to sharing her work with others. Solomon first shared her fiction writing with others at a local writing group, similar to Rowan first sharing hers at a community open mic. Though initially terrified, both Rowan and Solomon find the experience of being vulnerable enough to share one’s work to be ultimately affirming and encouraging.

When asked what she hopes readers might take away from Today Tonight Tomorrow, Solomon emphasizes the importance of bucking stigma and stereotypes and assigning value to media marketed toward women, such as romance novels. Though the genre is often viewed as lesser and therefore unimportant, Solomon hopes that Rowan’s arc allows readers to realize that they should embrace their passions wholeheartedly and without shame.