Category: Guest Bloggers

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Two things before we start: first, big thanks to Cindy for inviting me to party at Muse Interrupted on this very special occasion, my virgin release day. And second—well, I already said it. My first published novel, SEXY BY DESIGN, releases TODAY! (Enter a horde of hyperactive emoticons.)

I have to admit I had a lot of trouble coming up with a topic for this post. I kept reading other guest blogs and searching the Web for profound ideas…and that’s when I discovered that my profound idea is my tendency for lighter subjects.

Writing short contemporary romance can feel a bit elementary at times, in a neurotic, am-I-good-enough kind of way. Trust me, completing any piece of novel-length fiction is no easy task, but when someone asks what I write, “short contemporary” doesn’t sound nearly as powerful as dark paranormal (cue scary music) or sweeping historical (wave dainty fan at heaving, corseted chest). I fully expect my first bad review to mention a lack of drama and too many flirty young women.

But that’s not bad—it’s the point! Remember when life didn’t revolve around money, career, marriage, and kid issues? When terrorism and recession weren’t front page news, and all that mattered was the moment the cute guy in class or the stud in the next cubicle made eye contact and left you floating for a week? That’s what my stories are about. I want people to close the books and smile, maybe laugh, and definitely wish those days would happen to them all over again.

The choice to write romance—especially series romance, which I’ve always loved—seems to shock people, as though they believe all authors should aspire to tragic and controversial tales intense enough to suit Oprah’s book club or a Hollywood adaptation. While bestsellerdom and a six-figure royalty check would be sweet, I often need to explain to naysayers that I’m not actually aiming for those things—I’m after a steady career that brings an hour or two of happiness to readers’ lives. When I wrote the first draft of SEXY BY DESIGN long ago, I did it for no reason other than fun. Had a vision of a conservative woman frantically sneaking out of a stranger’s apartment after a sorry attempt at her first one-night stand, and wrote it down. (That scene became an unnecessary prologue that eventually got thrown out of the book.)

Despite my certainty that the manuscript was too light, too character-driven, too “just the romance” to make it in an industry demanding edge-of-your-seat conflict (or so it seems at times), that story was the one to pull me out of romance-publishing obscurity. Still, there’s pressure to write something tragic and tear-jerking—and to post technical, intelligent blogs all the time instead of the random thoughts that blow through my mind on any given day.

So, what do you think? Do you like your romance novels with a side of danger or a heavy dose of humor? Should an author keep her online presence all business, or is there a place for girls who, well, just want to have fun?

P.S. If you want to have fun, I’m giving away a (digital) copy of SEXY BY DESIGN to one commenter. Talk to me!

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Please leave a comment to enter for your chance to to win an ebook of Avery’s SEXY BY DESIGN. Entries accepted until midnight PST.

To read Avery’s bio and the blurb for SEXY BY DESIGN, please see yesterday’s post. To learn more about Avery and her books, please visit her website.

SERIES: LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM?

Hi Cindy and everyone! Thanks for having me on the Muse Interrupted blog. I’m excited to be here and look forward to a good discussion. Since RESCUE ME, the first book in my back-to-back trilogy just came out a couple of weeks ago, and the second book, RETURN TO ME, comes out on May 19 and the third one, RUN TO ME, is out on June 23, I thought I’d blog about series. Why we love them or hate them. I have to admit, I’m more in the ‘love’ category. And not just because that’s what I’m writing, though that does help.

Here are the reasons I love them:

1. The continuity of a storyline or theme: If it’s a storyline I love, I want to know what happens next. If the series revolves around one particular person, I love sharing their adventures. Or if there are different characters each time but have some kind of link, I love the familiarity of knowing other characters and their storylines. It’s like a good television series. You get close to a character or characters and want to visit them frequently. You can do that in a series.

2. Secondary Characters: I don’t know how many times I’ve read a book and have fallen in love with a secondary character and wished I could read his or her story. Creating characters can be hard work and making them interesting and likeable even harder. So when an author creates a secondary character that captures my attention, I feel a bit cheated when I don’t get another story.

1. 3. Saying goodbye hurts: I have to admit, when I love a book and its characters, I often don’t want to let them go. That’s one of the reasons I love epilogues. I want to extend my happy ending as long as possible. I don’t have epilogues in any of my upcoming books, but I think that’s because most of my characters make an appearance in the next book in the series. If they weren’t so closely connected, I’m sure I’d be tempted to write an epilogue. It’s just so hard to say goodbye, but with a series, you don’t always have to.

4. Predictability: And I mean that in a good way. When I read an author I’ve read before, I have certain expectations of what the book will be like. I recognize the author’s voice and know what type of book they write, so I’m rarely surprised by a completely different kind of story. However, with a series, there’s no doubt. If the book is connected, whether it’s through a relationship, an event or in my case, an organization with a common purpose, you have an assurance that even though it will be a different story, there will be similarities to the previous books. If you liked one, more than likely, you’ll like the others.

5. The anticipation: This kind of goes back to the first point of falling in love with secondary characters. I love looking forward to a book of a secondary character I’ve liked. There’s just something about the excitement it generates. Will it be as good as the book before it? Will it be better? Will it live up to your expectations? Will you be glad that character got their own story? Will you be happy with who the character ended up with? And if it’s by one of your favorite authors, the anticipation blooms even bigger.

6. Back-to-Back Trilogy: Okay, I admit, this one’s a bit different, but it does often apply. More and more publishers are putting out back-to-back trilogies. And I love that they are. Of course, since that’s what I’m doing, I’ll admit I’m a bit biased. However, I love reading back-to-back from other authors and here’s why. Almost immediate gratification. How often have you read a book you’ve loved and found out that indeed there’s another one coming out in the series but you have to wait months, perhaps a year or more to read it? The wait can be agonizing! That’s the great thing about back-to-back releases. Almost no waiting. How cool is that?

So what about you? Do you love or hate them? Why do you feel that way? What are some series that you absolutely adore? What are some upcoming series books you’re anticipating?

Thanks again, everyone. Now let’s talk series!

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Please leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Christy’s RESCUE ME. Entries accepted until midnight PST.

To read Christy’s bio and the back cover for RESCUE ME, please see yesterday’s post. To learn more about Christy and her books, please visit her website.

SPRINGTIME HAPPINESS AND…LOVE

The scene on the cover of my May release, THE DOCTOR’S SURPRISE FAMILY, 3^rd installment of my “Home to Firewood Island mini-series,” makes me think of summer.  A little boy fishing, a lake in the background, trees fully leafed out. No doubt about it, I love summer, and we’re almost there if we look at the calendar.

But in truth, it’s still springtime. It’s also the season that evolves in THE DOCTOR’S SURPRISE FAMILY.

Over the past few years, I’ve set a number of books on the cusp of springtime. I wondered if that held any significance to the stories and/or my characters. I didn’t have to look far to get my answer. Gazing out my window, I knew.

Springtime is a sign of hope.

And hope is what romance novels are all about.

So what is it about springtime that’s so unique? What makes springtime a season of, well, happiness and love?

Off the cuff, there are several reasons spring makes me smile more, laugh more, and just…feel good.

For one, springtime is warmth. It’s sunshine and milder temperatures. It’s about chasing off cold and cloudy days and being able to go for walks without shivering.

Two, springtime is alive. Growing things are edging out of the earth. Trees turn mint green. Forsythia shrubs showcase their yellow bell-shaped flowers. Rebirth is on the horizon.

Spring is melodious. Songbirds fly up from the south and sing in the backyard. They tug worms from my garden. With a sense of urgency, they flash color here and there among shrubs and trees where they build nests. Where life moves forward.

During spring the skies offer shades of blue and cottony clouds. Eagles and hawks hang against them on the breeze, searching the ground below for food to offer their young.

In the greening woods, does hide fawns. In my backyard, squirrels chatter with gusto. Babies appear.

Everywhere I look I see spring hosting one key element: new beginnings. That evolution grew into the backdrop of THE DOCTOR’S SURPRISE FAMILY. Hero and heroine, Dane and Kat, endured a great deal of heartache. In the end, they needed an omen, a sign. So I gave them nature’s forecast that love waits just around the corner.

I gave them springtime. 🙂         

Tell me about your favorite season—and win a chance to choose a copy of your choice of either THEIR SECRET CHILD, AND BABY MAKES FOUR or THE DOCTOR’S SURPRISE FAMILY.  

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Entries accepted until midnight P.S.T.

To read Mary’s bio and the back cover copy for THE DOCTOR’S SURPRISE FAMILY, please see yesterday’s post.

To learn more about Mary and her books, please visit her website.