Welcome to Day 29 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Sherry Gammon and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Sherry and her book Unloveable.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

I feel the biggest challenge in writing romance in today society is really not just about the romance industry. The biggest challenge about writing is the flooded market. There are so many books to choose from. You really have to market your book to get it noticed in the sea of books that are out there. Doing blog tours, finding reviewers, and making sure your book has been professionally edited, all of these things will help you to get your book noticed by the reader.

I also believe it is important to remember that book bloggers work hard to promote our (author’s) books so treat them with respect. I’ve heard of author becoming anger because they didn’t receive a good enough review or the blogger was a day or two late in their posting…Seriously? Bloggers are doing us the favor, for free, I might add. So rude authors: play nice or go home ;}

Probably the most important thing is to write a quality book. All the marketing in the world will not make your book successful if the quality is not there. It is a tough market. There are not many stories like JK Rowley out there, sadly. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if there were?!

Biography

Unlovable was Sherry’s debut novel and quickly rose to many top seller lists on Amazon. She is pleased to announce that Unlovable is currently being made into a movie. She has added two more novels to her body of work. Souls in Peril, the poignant story of Max Sanchez who is on a journey to help the struggling JD Miller survive high school, and Pete & Tink, a fun, light-hearted novella of a manga-loving geek and a five-and-a-half inch fairy.
Sherry and her husband, along with their children and a couple of crazy dogs, call Upstate New York home. It is where she spends her nights writing instead of sleeping.{:
Her Blog is:WordpaintingsUnlimited.com
Unlovable Video book trailer:
youtube.com/watch?v=AGsz1q_DYZM
Souls in Peril book trailer:
youtube.com/watch?v=0ZoHO_sfP8c

UNLOVABLE
Seventeen year-old Maggie Brown is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes. But drugs are not Maggie’s problem… her mother is.
Maggie’s struggling with her growing feelings for the new guy at school, Seth Prescott, and fears he is just another person who will let her down, like everyone in her life has done thus far.
Seth Prescott is an undercover cop assigned to Port Fare High, and despite his job, he’s developed strong feelings for Maggie.
Seth’s working tirelessly to flush out the sadistic drug peddlers that have invaded the small town of Port Fare, New York, while Maggie fights to stay alive as the search turns deadly. Seth and Maggie’s romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak and self-discovery as their world is about to change forever.

Check out Sherry and her book. I know you won’t be disappointed.

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2zm

Welcome to Day 30 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?” I can’t believe it’s the last day. It’s been a great tour, thanks to all the great authors that participated. Thanks ladies!

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Cynthia Harrision and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Cynthia and her book Blue Heaven.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

My answer to that question is some of the things that publishers (not my publisher, they are the best!) think readers want and so we romance writers must write them even if it is out of our comfort zone. A good example is the “condom mention” which to me always seems awkward, stops cold the momentum of a hot scene. 

Biography

Cynthia Harrison had already published one novel “Sister Issues” through Amazon’s Kindle Digital Platform as an eBook when The Wild Rose Press offered her a contract for her second novel “The Paris Notebook” available in print and eBook editions from a variety of booksellers, including Amazon.

Set at the popular 99 cent price point, “Sister Issues” comically illuminates the relationship of half-siblings Cher and Ariel. Spoiled younger sibling Ariel thinks “half” means she gets half of everything that belongs to Cher. Cher’s not perfect either, and both sisters make mistakes as they seek their true hearts’ desires. 

“The Paris Notebook” is part campus romance, part comic caper. Jack and Deena, two teachers sharing an office, fight their attraction all year. Then Deena’s rock star ex steals a notebook of Deena’s poetry, claiming the words are his original lyrics. Jack offers to help Deena get back her notebook, and soon they act on the desire that has been building for two college terms. 

The award winning “Your Words, Your Story” Harrison’s non-fiction manual for writers, again at that great 99 cent price, is available in print and Kindle editions. The text is part memoir, part instruction manual, for writers at all levels. Harrison uses the text in the popular creative writing classes she teaches at her local community college. 
Harrison has been posting writing-related entries at “A Writer’s Diary” since 2002 at http://www.cynthiaharrison.com. Her work has been published in national magazines, journals, and anthologies. She has been a staff reviewer for “Romantic Times” and “Publishers Weekly.” Cindy’s poem “Africa” recently won an excellence award from the heritage organization Detroit Working Writers and her short prize-winning memoir “Snow Day” has been anthologized in “Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women.”
An avid Tweeter (CynthiaHarriso1)and Facebook fan (Cynthia Hines Harrison) Harrison is busy at work on her next novel. She loves to hear from readers and writers. Email her at cindy@cynthiaharrison.com. 

Have you ever been so into a story that you got lost? This could happen either when writing the story or reading the story. You know when you’re reading a story and get lost, well the author has done a good job. When you’re writing a story and get lost, well, maybe you’re doing a good job.

The story I’m working on now has me immersed in the story. I just love romance and especially the build up to a relationship between the characters in my mind. It’s funny the architecture of a story. First you have to build the characters to let the readers know a little about them. Then of course you have to work on the story. It’s amazing how into a story you can get. 

I love the build up. Sometimes I get ahead of my fingers in my mind. I have to be careful when doing this. It’s difficult to slow down my brain when the story is pouring out. Yesterday as I typed my mind was overflowing. That’s a good problem to have when you’re a writer. 

I hope all of you are lost in a story. It helps you to get out of this crazy world for a little while. As I finish this post I will open my manuscript and continue the story. The outline is clear and now we’ll just see how the story fills in the blanks. Have a wonderful Thursday and enjoy the crisp Fall air.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. This is the time of year that I feel like shedding my problems as the trees shed their leaves. I feel like it’s time to go dormant and rewaken refreshed in the Spring. I love the beauty of this time of the year. The many colors are the work of God’s hand and he really shows out this time of the year.

As the colors change I get inspired to write. As the air starts to get crisp I feel the need to express it. Soon a fire will crackle in the fireplace. I’ll curl up by the fire and type out my thoughts. As the days grow shorter and Christmas nears I get the excitement of a child. During Christmas I keep a smile on my face and a giggle in my throat.

Today I’m going to the Church to decorate with my fellow members for our annual Fall Festival. We will have games, food, a 64′ obstacle course and just plain out Christian fun. I get so excited. I’ve been getting my supplies together for a couple of weeks and as the time nears me heart swells with the excitement of the moment.

So go out today and enjoy the day. It’s a fleeting time we have on this earth, so enjoy every day…

As always, great writing and May God Bless You…

Ok, I’ve listened. Lately several of my fans have contacted me regarding putting these three stand alone books together. So here it is in one neat little download. All three are Cowboy Romances and now you can get three cowboys wrapped into one for only $8.99. It’s available on Amazon ony for the moment. I will be expanding it’s reach when I see how it’s received.

Hope everyone is having an awesome Sunday. As for me today is our Fall Festival at Church. I’m excited and ready for the challenge. We’ve got food, games, inflatables, prizes, and lots of worshipping. So if you are anywhere near Milner, GA come by Friendship Church and check it out. I’d love to see you there.

It’s such a beautiful day in Georgia so get out and enjoy a festival or just a walk outside today. Get some fresh air. 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Come over to Goodreads and sign up for my Giveaway. Of all weeks for me to set up a Giveaway and need to be positive. Well, I guess it will help to keep my mind occupied. Here’s the link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/69641?utm_medium=api&utm_source=giveaway_widget

How many writers have been told they’re nuts? I know I have. It’s almost hilarious the looks you get when you say you’re a writer. Some give you a sympathetic look. Some give you that ‘you can’t do anything else with your life,’ look. The one I love is the one where they look like ‘you’re nuts.” Ok, well maybe I am, but it’s something I love. 

Now anyone can say they’re writers, but how many can say they’re published writers? The first question usually asked is, “How’s that working out for you?” I always laugh and say it’s going wonderfully for me. I can finally say what I dreamed of years and years ago, “I’m a published author and am making money with my dream.” 

As for the “you can’t do anything else with your life”, well if you’ve read my bio you know I do a lot with my life. We are only given one chance at the pie so why not dip your fork into every slice you can. I run a successful accounting business which I built through experience and passion for the work. I’m a Children’s Ministry Director and dearly love what I do to minister to children. Then I get to do what only some sit and dream about. I get to put my dreams and thoughts into writing. I get to put romance, love, tears, heart and other emotions into someone’s life through my words. It’s a very humbling feeling to hear from my fans. Good or bad I have some faithful fans that ask when’s the next book coming out, where’s this character going from here, and so many more questions.

So where am I going with this post? I’m so thankful for the fans that support my writing. I’m thankful for the ones that write the adoring reviews and emails that I love reading every morning. This past year I’ve made friends all over the world and it’s been a very exciting time in my life. So, without further ado, I want to announce a huge sale. I’m doing a sale that will start today and run throughout Novemeber to show my thanks to all that follow me and even those that don’t but might start later.

The sales will be on all my stand alone books, not the bundles as they’re already reduced based on the amount of books included. You can find them at http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Hurt/e/B00850W7U8 and https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/StephaniePayneHurt and http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Stephanie+Payne+Hurt.

Soon they will show up on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Sony and the other sites where my books are located. It usually takes about a week for the prices to show up on these sites, but the above link should start showing today and tommorow. So thanks and if you feel like it, give a review. I love to hear your thoughts.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Do you love what you do? Whether you’re an accountant, doctor, writer, factory worker or a housewife, you have to love what you do. It helps keep you going. I love writing. I also love being an accountant and children’s ministry director. It makes things so much easier when you love what you do.

When I have a story in my brain I look forward to every time I open my laptop. It’s exhilerating just getting the story out to everyone. Maybe what goes through my brain doesn’t appeal to you, but some people like it. According to some of my adoring fans they love it, which for a writer is awesome to hear. That means I’ve accomplished part of my goal and thats to reach someone with my writing. A couple have asked me several times, where on earth do you get all these story lines. 

What’s fun is when you’re writing and you actually laugh out loud or wipe tears. One of the stories that I’m working on is a Christian romance that is about grief and going beyond the loss of a spouse to find love again through faith. As I wrote the death scene I kept a box of tissues next to me. I wrote it while thinking of what if this was me. How would I react or feel? How would I handle telling my child? How would I move on from there? It was a very eye opening experience.

That’s what the “Lean on Him” series is all about. It’s to help people realize that faith can get you through life’s many facets. Life throws so many things at us and sometimes we need to be reminded that we are stronger than we think.

Another thing I love about writing is living my characters lives through their eyes. I emmerse myself in the character and imagine the way I’d respond to certain things. I get to live anywhere in the world through my characters. I get to experience things, ride horses, own a ranch, go to Switzerland (childhood dream), and so much more. Through my characters I get to right wrongs, build faith and just be myself. It’s a wonderful feeling. 

Fans help make it a wonderful experience also. Hearing from those that love my books helps inspire me. It’s great when someone sends me an email and asks when’s the next book coming out. Some fans keep up with me through this post, my Facebook, Twitter and other areas. It’s awesome to talk to someone from across the world that has been touched by something in one of my books. That makes it so worth every long night, neck strain, finger trauma and everything that comes with being a writer.

So, come join me for the adventure that is a Writer.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

The day after the feast and I sit here feeling like I’m still full. I don’t even think I can eat breakfast. Although I will make room for a cup of coffee. I always have room for that. It’s crazy the feeling I have on the day after Thanksgiving. The excitement of the Christmas season is stirring around in my mind. I feel the decorating bug coming on heavily and know that by the end of the day my house will look like as my hubby would say “Christmas threw up all over the place”. 

I’m not a shopper like most on black Friday. Going out into the wilds of shopper frenzy is not the least enticing to me. Now cyber Monday is my day to shop. I can sit in my living room and shop til my fingers cramp. No hassles, no crowds, no fighting over the last sale item, just me and my laptop. 

Now that the Christmas book is finished and the other books are in the works I feel a little better. But the stories dance in my head like sugar plums. I’m trying to finish the works I’ve got started, but the stories keep popping in and taking over. So as I sit here and enjoy a long leisurely morning of movies, coffee and Christmas decorations my mind is whirling with stories and covers and other bookish things.

Why is it a writer never takes a vacation or holiday? Since my accounting office is closed until Monday I don’t have figures dancing in my head, but the writer in me stays awake at night with thoughts and ideas. I watch movies and ideas pop in my head, I listen to music and ideas pop into my head, I see a picture and ideas pop into my head. yeah I’ve got it bad. 

Someone asked me one day, ‘Don’t you ever run out of things to write?’ Well, sometimes I have writer’s block on a certain story line. That’s when I move on to the other work in progress and eventually I move back the one that was blocked for a little time. As a writer your mind is usually on overdrive. Crazy how it works. 

The only bad thing about the stories whirling in your brain is the times you want them to stop they usually speed up. As I slipped into bed last night I thought I was sleepy, but as soon as my head hit the pillow I knew it was useless. I lay on one side and then the other, fighting with sleep, try desperately to win. Finally I sat up realizing it was futile. I grabbed my Kindle and headed to sit by the fire in the den. I needed to clear my head so I read for three hours, yeah three hours. When I looked up at the clock I was glad that I didn’t have to go into the office the next morning. 

As I sit here this morning watching Sabrina and enjoying my coffee the stories are pushing past this post, wanting to escape. I know what all needs to be done to get ready to decorate, but the writer in me wants to just sit here all day with Christmas movies in the background and my laptop in my lap. Oh I love this life.

But alas, I do need to make my house look festive as this is my favorite time of year. So buckle yourself up and get ready for the ride because from now until Christmas I’ll be in high gear. Let’s get our Christmas on…

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

When you’re a writer you get the chance to meet many characters through your books. Sometimes the characters leave a lasting memory on you. I’ve fell in love with  many of my characters. Wes in “Moonbeam and Roses”, Jared in “Ghost Lover, and  Drake in “Open the Heart” just to name a couple of them. It’s amazing the way characters in your writing get in your heart.

But then there are the characters that you love to hate. Those are the characters fans tell you they don’t like which is exactly the point to their bad ways. Take for instance Thomas in “Ghost Lover”. He’s a real snake in the grass. He’s handsome and tries to make everyone including Jess think he’s a wonderful man. But his true colors start to show when Jared comes into the picture to still Jess’s heart. He does everything including attempted murder to get her to love him. 

Oh, then there’s Ty in “A Love Never Lost”. He uses his wealth and horse ranch to woo Lilly. But he is obsessed, not in love. He resorts to kidnapping to try to get what he wants. That’s just not nice at all.

Then you have Brent in “Open The Heart”. He leaves Lacey at the altar and then tries to guilt her back. But he soon finds out that true love wins in the end.

Here are three traits that make a bad character:

1: Jealousy – It gets them everytime. Jealousy can cause a character to take drastic measures and make bad decisions.

2: Obsession – Sometimes an obsessed character can do some nasty things to get what they want and usually their wants are not the same wants as the one they’re obsessed about.

3: Evil – Now evil can really make a bad character. They will stop at nothing, even murder to get what they want.

Sometimes the bad characters have fans too. It’s amazing how some people only remember the bad characters in a book. Some of my fans write to me and ask how some of these nasty characters were started. Were they based on people I know? But usually the good ones are based on people I know, not the bad ones. 

So as you write your characters, try to put in a couple of bad ones. It makes for an interesting read and can enhance a romance as they try to break it up. Some bad characters can even turn good. Wouldn’t that make a good twist?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Here’s some links to the books that have some nasty characters:

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Never-Lost-Stephanie-Hurt-ebook/dp/B009IQ0LQ0

http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Stephanie-Hurt-ebook/dp/B00COQZI5K

http://www.amazon.com/Open-Heart-Alpine-Christmas-Romance-ebook/dp/B00GW6T6AQ

I love Saturday mornings. For one thing I get to sleep in for a little longer and when I get that first cup of coffee I can sit and enjoy it. This morning is no different. I sit here sipping coffee and eating the biscuits my hubby pulled out of the oven as I walked down the hall. It’s wonderful to wake up to breakfast already cooked and the aroma of coffee drifting into the bedroom. 

The day in Georgia will be dreary and rainy, but it’s Saturday so no matter. My day will be filled with decorating our Church for Christmas. I look forward to this every year. As I’ve said before several times, I love Christmas. It’s a fun time as we gather together to adorn His house with garlands, trees, snowflakes, ornaments and whatever else we can get out. When we’re done it’s transformed into another place, a place of excitement and enjoyment. The children will come in tomorrow and their eyes will let us know if we’ve accomplished our goals.

It’s the same with our writing. If the reader isn’t taken to another place or setting we’ve failed. I try to push the envelope. When I was writing Open The Heart I knew it would be different. I strived to put an element of the wow factor. I wanted you to feel the icy cold chill of a Christmas in the snowy Alps of Switzerland. I’ve had readers that said they felt like they were there.

That’s a writer’s goal. Take the reader away from their everyday stressful life, if only for a moment. When I read a book I want to be transported into another time or place. I want to see it in my mind through the words of the writer. If you can’t pull them into the story you’ve cheated them of a experience. When I wrote Open The Heart I could see every detail and I wanted my reader to see it and feel it. One time during a particular scene where they’re in the snow literally I actually had to wrap up. I had a chill as I wrote the story but when they were inside by the fire I shed the blanket. Funny how your writing affects you…

So, enjoy this day and make it your own. Embrace the world you live in. Do something for yourself today. It’s Saturday!!!

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

One more thing, Check out the new link to my book at the bookclubreading.com at:

http://bookclubreading.com/open-the-heart/

and go over to avonromance.com to pick up some great Christmas romances. They’ve got a great selection to choose from.

Today’s post is a step away from my normal writing and publishing blog. I want to ask you a simple question, Do you have the

Christmas Spirit this year? I’m not talking about the I’ve got to go shopping today, the ornaments are up , but the Christmas Spirit.

You may be saying, What are you talking about? Well, it’s quite simple really. Have you done something for someone less fortunate this Christmas season and not just to get a tax benefit, but from the heart? Have you spent time with family and friends and thought about someone or something other than yourself?

I went with my family out to eat last night for Christmas. It was great to be with my uncle and aunt and couisins and their families, not to mention my mom, her friend, my brother and his family and my hubby and son. I sat there looking around the table thinking about how much our family has grown. We’ve gained lots of new members in the last twenty or so years. But it was nice to take a moment out of our busy lives to just be together. Yes it was crowded in the small room we’d reserved but the point was to be together. As we left I felt sad that we didn’t get to spend more time together, but life takes over sometimes. 

Tommorow at Church we’re getting together as a Church family and putting together boxes for the families at the local family and children services. These families won’t have much for Christmas so we try to give them something special to unwrap on Christmas morning. Some gifts are as simple as a doll or car, toothbrush and toothpaste. Actually things we take for granted but they’d be thrilled to have. Even hairbows and brushes, pencils and school supplies, things that they need but don’t have. It warms my heart to help with such a special cause, but it’s never enough. Why can’t we just spend a couple of dollars to help those less fortunate?

It’s not about the huge, pricey gifts. It’s the thought. No child should wake up Christmas morning without at least one thing under the tree. Christmas is by no means just about the gifts, it’s about our Savior’s Birth. But we need to teach our kids the spirit of giving which He spoke of so often and for some reason we’ve stepped away from it. 

It could be something simple like a warm blanket and coat. You may be warm in your house, but what about families that can’t afford heat. Give them something warm to wrap up with. 

But why not all year long. Why do we only think of those less fortunate at Christmas? We should keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts year round. We should follow His word and give to those in need all year. Think of the troops that are away from home. They are not just away at Christmas, they’re away for months to years at a time, but most only think about them at this time of the year.

So my challenge to you is this. Do something nice for someone. Maybe set a goal to do something for someone every month of the year. Plan a special project you can do for someone in need. It could be as simple as cooking a meal for a shut-in or just collecting cans and donating them to a family in need. The smile you’ll receive and the feeling will get contagious and dare I say it, you might become an habital giver.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt220/5239194817/”>Rdoke</a&gt; via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>cc</a&gt;

I know I’ve harped on this before but I can’t stress enough the importance of a great cover. I was looking at some of the new books on Amazon and to tell you the truth a couple of the covers were non imaginative. They were just bland and didn’t exactly go with the book description. But of course there were some that I was just stunned at the creativity and dare I say ‘beauty’. 

Your book cover is the first thing potential readers see. If you go the extra mile it will help you tremendously. Like right now I’m scanning photos for my newest work in progress. I have in my mind what I want and it has to be perfect. I’ve looked at thousands of photos and let me tell you, it’s a lot of work, but the payoff makes it worth it.

If your cover doesn’t fit the book, why even go there. If you write a Christmas romance and put a Easter bunny on it, well you get the picture. Don’t give away too much with your cover either. This means don’t put a picture of the ending on the cover. If all the way through the book you keep the reader in the dark about if the couple is going to marry or get pregnant, you might not want to put them in a wedding dress or looking pregnant. But then again that could increase sales. Sometimes it’s a catch 22, you just have to know how to make it work.

Also, one last thing that’s a huge, big piece of advice. For next to nothing you can purchase a picture from a reputable site and make it really pop. Don’t just pull something from the family photos and make it work, unless it really goes with the book. I use several sites, but my favs are bigstockphoto.com and istockphoto.com. There are several, but these are the two I use.

As always, good writing and may God Bless You…

By the way, don’t forget that my publishing service designs great covers. Check out the tab above for Horseshoe Publishing…

Good chilly morning to all… I do hope everyone is ready for Christmas. I’ve still got some baking to finish and payroll to complete, but the gifts are bought and wrapped. Well all but one and I tripped over it this morning in the bedroom, LOL. I’ll wrap it when I get back from delivering payroll. 

‘Tis the season to be jolly and why is it that most people this year are not jolly? My son and hubby are not in the Christmas spirit. It’s driving my insane. I’m going around singing Christmas carols and decorating everything that’s not standing still. They just sit and look at me like I’ve lost what’s left of my brain. Well, maybe I have, but it all went into my books. 

Last night I was thinking of spending it finishing up the latest manuscript that’s captured my little brain and then it hit me. “I’ve got to put some Christmas spirit in these men of mine.” So I whipped out “Frosty The Snowman” and “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” and told them to sit down and enjoy. Of course I giggled like a school girl and they just sat there and made fun of Rudolph’s red nose. Oh well, I tried.

Speaking of manuscripts, I’m hoping to spend some time off from accounting this week and finish up “Finding The Right Time”. It’s been taking over my brain this week. While I was up and down last night with my pulled back muscle I played with the idea of pulling out my laptop and just working through the night, but my back told me otherwise :( 

So here’s hoping you all have a wonderfully Merry Christmas Eve and hope Santa is very good to you. Remember to smile at someone you don’t normally smile at, hug your loved ones and sing carols even if they’re out of tune. Put the Christmas spirit in your whole day and enjoy the season of joy. Don’t forget the reason for the season as you celebrate with family and friends. Tell Jesus Happy Birthday!

As always good writing and May God Bless You…

Romance novels come in many genres. It’s amazing how they’ve changed since I first picked up my first romance. I remember the intense feelings that the book brought out. It was based in Europe in the World War 2 era. I remember crying, laughing and being inspired to find my Prince Charming. I also remember finding out through reading that my Prince Charming would not always be perfect as the fairy tale goes.

For me a good romance needs to take you to another place. I want to be taken away from my normal world and transported into a exotic place, mystical place or just another time. I want the book to carry me away with emotions. The writer needs to make me think I’m there with the character, feeling the emotions, the anger, the sadness, the love, and especially the romance. I want to be able to still feel it even after I put the book down.

I can’t even imagine how many romance novels I’ve read in my lifetime. Recently I went through my collection of novels that are stored in my attic. I had to put them in plastic storage boxes as the boxes were falling apart from age and over use. It’s amazing how many times I’ve read some of them over and over. I even pulled some of them out and read them again. There’s nothing like the feel and smell of a aged book. The yellowed pages pull you in and keep you engrossed. 

I had several authors that I bought everytime I saw a new book in their collections. As I reboxed them I separated them by author. The publishers of most of them are still around, such as Harlequin, Avon and many others. I always knew if it had the Harlequin or Avon symbol on the side that it would be great. I remember going to flea markets and browsing hungrily through the many shelves of used books. As a teenager it was like a scavenger hunt for more titles from some of my favorites. 

A couple of my favorite books have been purchased a couple of times. You may be wondering why, well let me explain. I would lend them out and they never got returned. Then I would go on a mad search for them. When I’d find them again, they would stay with me.

So for me a good romance needs to make an impression. I want to think about it again and again even after I’ve read The End. I want to read it over and over and still fall in love. The characters need to pull at my heart strings. I want to be able to see them in my mind’s eye and carry that throughout the book.

Recently I heard from one of my dear fans. She told me that the descriptions of my characters made her see them clearly. She said that she felt like she knew them personally as she read through to the end. I was pleased that I’d accomplished that goal. Sometimes that can be a hard thing for a writer. You have to make sure that your character is well thought out and explained. If they are blonde, make sure they are blonde throughout. I read a book not too long ago and the main character started out as a blonde and the writer somehow I guess forgot and by the end their hair was ebony. And no they didn’t change hair color out of a bottle. It totally blew my mind.

I love to read a romance that makes me cry. It doesn’t have to be from sadness, but it could be just the sweetness of the romance. I have several books that I read over and over that make me cry every time. It’s just such a sweet, tender romance that it draws out the emotional part of me. 

So as you write, think about what draws you in. If you like time travel, then write about time travel. If you like a good, sappy romance, then write that sappy romance. If it’s erotica you love, then write erotica. Everyone has a niche and you have to find that niche. For me it’s the tender, sweet love story that builds throughout the story. I try to throw in a little intrigue and mystery, but in the end it’s the romance that draws you in.

So, as always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Well here in the US we only have hours left in 2013, but many of my friends abroad are celebrating the New Year. For those of you that are already in 2014, Happy New Year. I wish you well in the New Year.

I hope that everyone has a great New Year’s Eve. It’s a time to reflect on the year going out and on the possibilites of the new year. For me I am excited about the coming year. I’ve set many goals that are exciting and extremely positive. I’ll let you in on them as they unfold, but for now I’ll just keep them under wraps. 

I have several books in the works that will come out in 2014. That’s exciting and scary. Why does it always scare me when I hit that publish button? The work will have gone through many edits and rewrites, but it’s still a anxious time. Will my readers like it or will it be a huge disaster? I guess that’s the art of this line of work.

As you celebrate the new year remember those that were lost in 2013 and those that were born. It was a year of many changes and so many laughs. 

I’m honored to have been featured in three magazine articles in 2013 and I gained many new friends through my blog and writing. I want to thank all of my wonderful, adoring fans that write to me and make my work worth while. Thanks to all my colleagues who support me and give wonderful advice and sometimes even a high five when something goes right.

So, celebrate and be safe on this New Year’s Eve. I love you guys, you’re all wonderful. See you in 2014!

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…

Well as you noticed in yesterdays post I’ve been cleaning my office, which is a rather large job. As I was cleaning out some file boxes I ran up on an rather large notebook. When I opened it I found a spiral bound notebook inside. I pulled it out and was going to put it in the office supply pile, which was growing rapidly. I have a bad habit of losing office supplies only to be found later when I open a clients file and there it is. I drive my assistant crazy

On with what I found. I decided to open the notebook to make sure it had paper left in it. Well to my surprise I had started a story inside this hidden notebook. For a moment I just stared at it wondering when I’d started this hidden story. Since I was in a cleaning mode I put it to the side to check out later. My eyes kept straying to the notebook on the corner of my desk.

I carried the notebook in my house and opened it like a child opening a Christmas present. I was so excited because truly I did not remember this story. As I read the first couple of paragraphs I was taken back about five years. This was a story that came to me suddenly in a dream. Of course I was so excited when I finished reading. It was actually about twenty pages of writing. The story started to come into focus and well as any writer would do I started getting excited.

It’s funny how these things happen. I know what you’re thinking and yes I will be finishing my works in progress. I had strength and put the notebook beside my chair. I know this story has a ending in my mind, but I’ve promised my wonderful fans that I will be finishing the 2nd books in three of my series. I do have deadlines to follow, but boy this story has taken a toll of my brain.

So I will reveal a bit of it really soon, but for now I’ll finish up my works in progress. But who knows, maybe I can multi task. No, promise I’ll be a good little writer and finish what I’ve started

As always, great writing and May God Bless You…

Good Morning! It’s Friday people. It’s the last day of the work week for most, but for an author that works a full time job it’s the start of the long work weekend. I work everyday on my manuscripts. Some days not as long as others and especially at this time of year. I have deadlines all around me. There’s W-2′s to finish, end of the year balancing, 1099′s, Tax return prep, manuscripts that are being finalized, covers to design, editing to do, VBS pre season prep, and dare I go on, on my! 

As I sit here nursing my second cup of coffee, I contemplate my morning. I have a hour or so of social media, blogging, and a little editing before I go to the office. It’s funny the life of a writer. I sit down at my computer and my fingers automatically go to the keyboard ready to write. It’s just natural for me to put my thoughts in writing. 

Do you use your morning effectively? The morning hours are very productive for me. It’s the mid day that I sometimes get a little foggy, but then as I sit down after dinner I get creative again. Generally I’m not a morning person, but after about two cups of coffee I start to wake up and get inspired. This morning I have a crackling fire going and a sweet little bird on the banister outside the window watching me. Of course he probably thinks my head is a nest as I’ve yet to run a brush through my hair or even get dressed for that matter. This is “Me” time. The sun is spreading across the front lawn and the world is starting to come alive. 

As you know, I love romance and in the mornings I love to write a little and feel the power behind romance. Have you ever felt it? If you’re a romance writer or reader for that matter, you’ve felt that power. It draws you in and refreshes your faith in life. Yeah, I’m a romance advocate. I had a reader tell me the other day that they don’t believe in romance, well they received a long talk about the possibilites of romance. Needless to say they laughed and said they’d give it another try. But they have read all my books. That’s a start.

Well I’m almost done with my Friday morning rambling, but I must leave you with this question. Do you believe in romance? It’s a simple question. I’m curious about your responses. With romance being the best selling genre in books, I’m pretty sure at least more then 50% of you do. 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Good Monday morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend filled with joy and lots of writing. Of course today is a school holiday so I got to sleep in. That’s always a plus. As I sat down in my office I was met with a really cold chair and desk. My fingers are struggling with this post due to the cold. It was a little warmer on Friday when I left, so I didn’t set the heater to come on as much over the weekend. That’s what I get for not looking ahead at the forecast. It’s freezing this morning.

Have you ever heard the old saying, “Cold Hands, Warm Heart”. That’s me this morning for sure. I always have cold hands. Since I’m a hopeless romantic I guess you could say I always have a warm heart. When I love I do it with my whole heart. I don’t love half heartedly. It’s just not in my makeup. Maybe this is why I’m drawn to writing about love. I love every aspect of it. It mesmerizes me and draws me into it’s depths until I’m lost in it’s beauty.

Now don’t get me wrong. Love can be a tedious thing, like walking on a tight rope over a deep canyon. As you know, I’m afraid of heights so I try to keep off the tight rope as much as possible. I’ve had so many readers ask me if my writing comes from life experiences and I usually laugh. A writer never fully reveals the secrets behind their craft. I will tell you this, I’ve loved and lost, but in the end I’ve loved for eternity. There it is, a writer’s answer. We love to write in riddles, never really giving it all away.

When I was a teenager I looked for Prince Charming. He’d come up on his white horse, of course, and he’d have on a crisp white Stetson with a winning smile. You know the type, the one that’s only in your mind. Oh yeah, I had it bad. I’d read one too many romance novels, if that’s possible. Sometimes it can be dangerous for a girl coming of age. She looks for that one special man. Poor boys, I left several along the road side wondering what they’d done wrong. Hey, I didn’t leave them literally by the roadside, but you get what I’m saying. 

One reader asked if I had a cowboy in my past, well I’m from the country and that’s a resounding yes. You can’t throw a stone without hitting at least one cowboy or country boy. As a writer you have to pull from things that are familiar but then you have to make them stand out and interesting.

So, do you have a warm heart? Do you pull from your past experiences when writing? 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

As I work on my latest manuscript I have to sigh. Have you ever gotten so lost in your work that you react to every detail? This has been such a step away from my normal writing, but I’m really enjoying it. I have some surprises in store for the readers with this one. And yes before you ask, there are horses and a handsome cowboy. I mean it’s me writing it.

I’ve based this story in one of my favorite cities, Savannah. It’s so rich with history and beautiful places. I love history. That was my favorite subject in school beside literature. I wonder why I like literature…

I thought I’d give you a little sneak peak of “Finding The Right Time” and as it happens, this books will not be coming out for a little while. I made a huge decision Saturday to enter this manuscript in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Last year I entered “A Love Never Lost” and it made it through to the 2nd round which was exciting. Fingers crossed and hopes abound.

Well, here’s a little bit:

Rafe walked around in front of her and held out his hand. “Would you like to dance?”

“I don’t know how to dance to this, but if you’ll lead.” She smiled up into his handsome face which was full of mischief.

“I’ll lead you anywhere my dear.” He said as he pulled her in amongst the other couples waltzing around the makeshift dance floor. Which actually was just a marked off area of the dirt road.

She grabbed his hand and he gently placed his other on her waist. “You smell wonderful.” He put his nose to her hair as he pulled her closer.

“It’s lavender from your grandmother.” She smiled. It was heavenly dancing close to Rafe. His muscular chest was under her cheek. Every movement caused his muscles to ripple.

“This feels right holding you in my arms. Thank you for staying tonight.” He kissed the side of her head as he held her close. He didn’t care what anyone thought at that moment. All he could think of was holding her for possibly the last time. Could his heart take it if she decided not to come back?

She closed her eyes and almost forgot where she was. Suddenly someone started to sing an old Irish sounding tune. She smiled up at Rafe as he didn’t stop moving to the music. Neither was aware of the whispering among the town. They were mesmerized by the couple in the middle of the dance floor.

Brody sat down beside Mrs. Emma and put his arm around her. “Gran, I do think our boy has finally given his heart.”

“As do I Brody. She’s a wonderful girl. I do hope she’ll make the right decision and stay with us.” Her voice quivered with worry. She’d seen the uncertainty earlier in Lily’s eyes. She knew that feeling only too well. She’d made the right decision for herself, but what was Lily’s?

“Do you think she’ll leave again?” He watched the couple and had his doubts. He saw the love in their eyes and it was mutual.

“I hope tonight will give her reason to stay.” She watched the couple. Then she looked around and everyone there was watching them and smiling. Everyone could see it, but would Lily? She just prayed it would become crystal clear tonight.

After five songs Rafe pulled Lily off to the side. “Let’s get some air.” She followed as he led her to the edge of town away from the buzzing crowd. When they were out of sight of everyone, he turned and pulled her into his arms.

His lips were suddenly on hers and she was lost. He pulled her close to his body. He’d held his emotions all evening, but he was about to snap. It was as though she was his water and he was thirsty. He drank of her as though he’d been without for years.

She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him into the kiss. As she deepened the kiss he groaned. This felt so right to her, but could she leave everything. For tonight she’d be his.

He ran his hands up and down her back. It was as though he couldn’t get her close enough. When he finally released her it was only to pull her between two of the buildings. He pressed her against the side of the building and kissed her passionately.

Their breathing was ragged as passion took over their bodies. He knew he needed to stop but he couldn’t seem to muster up the strength to let her go, not yet. He wanted her badly and the knowledge that this could be their last time together was almost his undoing.

She was the first to push at his chest. If they went any further she’d never be able to make a clear decision. This was so hard to not just give in to her desires. She knew it’d be so easy.

He leaned his head against hers as he tried to control his breathing. “Lily please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I wanted you too, I still do, but this will not help my decision.” She pulled away from his embrace and leaned against the wall. He put his hand on her shoulder.

“If you want me as badly as I do you, then the decision is made.” He looked down at her face. It was hard to see her expression in the darkness. He knew his want was from mostly love and what he knew was also lust.

“It’s not that easy Rafe. I don’t want to make a decision based on passion. That’s not love. I want my decision to be true to my heart, not my body. Can you understand that?” She turned to look up into his face.

“I’ll have to understand it. I just want you to be my wife.” He ran his fingers through his hair in heated frustration. He could use another dip in the cool stream behind the house. He’d had several of those since Lily had come into his life. That’s where he’d been the night she’d seen him from her window.

She realized he’d just laid his heart on the line. “Oh Rafe, you’re such a wonderful man. Please give me until the morning.” She laid her hand on his heart and it was beating wildly. He reached up and covered it with his large hand.

“I am a man of my word. I’ll give you until the morning, but I will tell you this. If you decide to stay, I want us to be married as soon as possible.” His voice was stilled ragged with passion.

“If I decide to stay we will be married before the next setting sun.” She reached up and grasped his face, pulling it down to hers. It was the most passionate, sweet, heart wrenching kiss. It touched her soul in a way she’d never expected. Rafe touched her soul, but was it enough?

I know that was more than a bit, but I just love this part. It’s going to be hard holding back on the publishing of this one. Hopefully I can restrain myself. I have to make my final decision before February 16th. If I get an offer for it before then, I’ll jump but keep your fingers crossed. This book will be a game changer for me.

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…