If anyone can get tea to spill, it’s Dave Quinn. The pop culture beat reporter (and my former colleague at People magazine) is known for landing exclusive scoops in the deliciously dramatic world of the Real Housewives. In his new book Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of The Real Housewives From the People Who Lived It, about the 15-year history of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, Quinn goes behind the scenes of some of the biggest betrayals and backstabbing from the show. (The book’s title, fans will know, is a reference to Lisa Vanderpump’s tagline from season 3.)

For the project, Quinn conducted some 150 interviews with current and former housewives, producers, and series executives. Though Quinn tells ELLE.com there was “so much material” to sort through, if it were up to him, he would have “published 10 books, one about each of the franchises.” After the launch of Not All Diamonds and Rosé, Quinn celebrated with a nice dinner followed by, what else, a new episode of Housewives at home.

Below, Quinn shares how he convinced some of the country’s most contentious women to get candid with him—and what to expect from Bravo’s latest installment, The Real Housewives of Dubai.

What first got you interested in Real Housewives?

I am a day-one Bravo watcher. I remember watching the first episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy when it premiered, and reviewing it for my college newspaper. I recall being unfairly critical of it at the time, likely because I wasn’t out yet myself and subconsciously terrified people would see me as just like them. Bravo became my go-to channel over the years. I never missed anything they put on. When The Real Housewives of Orange County debuted, I was instantly hooked. It was like my favorite soap operas come to life.

What is your all-time favorite moment from the franchise?

It’s nearly impossible for me to pick an all-time favorite moment, because there are so many incredible moments from over the years. There’s the over-the-top, like Teresa’s table flip or Aviva’s leg toss. And then there’s the ridiculous. Who could ever forget Kim Zolciak getting a laser treatment on her behind while eating a slice of pizza, or Kenya’s “Gone with the Wind Fabulous” twirl? Recently, I’ve really been loving a moment from season 3 of The Real Housewives of Potomac, where Karen and Gizelle have a disagreement while sitting at an outdoor restaurant and a mime appears on the street. The mime attempts to steal focus by hamming it up for the camera. Turns out, he was sent by Monique to invite the women on a trip to France, but none of them knew that. Their reactions are just classic in my eyes.

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How did you manage to get such amazing detail in Not All Diamonds and Rosé?

It helped that I had the support of Bravo when writing the book. From the get go, I was told that no question was off limits, no topic unable to be broached. Boy, did I “mention it all,” as Bethenny would say. That’s because I really wanted this to be a book that answered all the burning questions. In fact, when I started this process, I wrote a Twitter thread asking for what people wanted to know. I consulted that list before every interview, to make sure I was keeping the fans happy. It’s a big reason why we have so much in there that fans are going wild for.

You clearly built up a sense of trust with these women. Where there any roadblocks?

Asking the question is one thing; being able to get the answer is another. In this case, I was able to do that because I’ve spent years building relationships with so many of these women through my work as an entertainment reporter In every interview I did, I’d reminded whomever I was speaking with that I was interested in telling their stories as honestly as I could, and that I took the responsibility of doing so seriously. They could always take something out later if they wanted. In the end, all but one did because they trusted me. That trust led to them feeling really comfortable—and to some really revealing quotes. I’m really proud of the women. It’s not easy to live your life out loud like this, and to put your words in the hands of someone else. I hope they all feel happy with the end result. Oh, and I won’t name the name of the Housewife who asked to retract something after the fact out of respect for her. But just know, I wasn’t using it anyway.

What was your favorite moment writing the book?

Easily every single interview I did with the producers and the casting directors. That’s where you get the real tea. Learning how so many of these shows came about and how casts came together was fascinating to this forever fan. A perfect example of that? Hearing from Scott Dunlop, who is The Real Housewives of Orange County’s original producer, about the original pilot for the show, which was called Behind the Gates at that time. I’m still pinching myself that I get to call him friend now.

What was the hardest part about writing a Housewives book?

It was all so hard, because there was so much material. Editing these stories back into a 500-page book was nearly impossible, and I’m grateful for my editors, Rachel Bertsche and James Melia, for all their help in crafting it. If it were up to me, I would have published 10 books, one about each of the franchises.

What is the one thing people don’t know about the Housewives, but should?

We think of the glamour of it all, but living your life so honestly and openly for the camera—and having the chutzpah to say all those things out loud you are only usually thinking in your head—isn’t easy. Factor in having to relive all those moments, many of which you might come to regret, on a national stage, and having to deal with the court of public opinion every time you open up social media—all while raising a family, running a business, and dealing with various life struggles.

What’s your dream Housewives franchise?

I’m thrilled for The Real Housewives of Dubai, because it’ll be rich, honey! The fashions, the locations, the personalities… I’m expecting it to all be over the top. I also love some of the smaller cities like Potomac and Salt Lake City, because they’ve allowed me to discover places I’ve never thought of going. I’m sure there’s a city out there I’ve never heard of still, and Bravo will introduce us to it soon enough.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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