If you liked my last novel, Husband Auditions, then you’re going to love my big news. I signed a contract for two more romantic comedies!!!
Hero Rehearsals: Gemma attends citizen’s police academy as research for the screenplay she’s writing…and to get better acquainted with the cop who “rescued” her when he mistakenly assumed she’d been abducted. Unfortunately for her, Karson only sees her as trouble.
Fiancé Finale: Charlie regrets leaving his fiancé when she wouldn’t travel with him to direct movies, so now that he’s home, he hires her marketing firm to publicize his latest film in an effort to win back her heart. Nicole, however, is livid that she’s forced to help him with the career he chose over her.
I’ve been wanting to write these novels for a while, so I’m super excited for the opportunity. And I’d like to think my experience on the set of my movie, Finding Love in Big Sky, will help lend realism to the stories.
I’ve also attended citizen’s police academy, which has given me lots of fodder.
Not only do I have all kinds of material for these books, but I get to write them while living in the setting for one of my favorite romantic comedies, Sleepless in Seattle.
How much do I love my Sleepless in Seattle nightshirt? THIS much!
I’m currently based in Washington for my new job as a flight attendant, which I guarantee will offer inspiration for a future series. You can find out more about my crazy career by clicking here. And/or keep updated by joining my fan group on Facebook here. But for now, I’m simply pleased that my uniform compliments the little paper airplanes on my first rom/com. In honor of the cover, I even dressed up to read an excerpt:
My world is full of adventure…from the film industry to the airlines. Now that I’ve shared, I’d love to hear about your unique experiences that would make for a great series.
If you were to write a novel inspired by your own life adventures, what would you write about? ***BONUS POINTS for including a personal story that should be in a rom/com.
Angela Ruth Strong survived breast cancer, works as a flight attendant, and uses her own crazy life experiences as inspiration for the stories she writes. Her books have earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been nominated for a Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. She and her husband also got to play extras when her novel Finding Love in Big Sky was adapted for film. To help aspiring authors, Angela started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho.
I actually would not want to. Much too personal for me.
I’m afraid my life isn’t quite ideal for a movie…I guess it could be about how I became, the circumstances that caused me to turn away from God and how I came back. Nothing romantic to report I’m afraid I haven’t had any kind of “meet cute moment ” yet.
I would write about leaving a city to start my first job in a rural, small town where I knew absolutely no one.
The novel would have to be based on my life as nothing I can think of would fit in a book. Now my ancestors we could have some fun witj, but though Christian alas the drama would exclude them from the Christian category. Enjoy fulfilling your dreams with the new books :)
You are one busy lady. If I were to write a comedy from my life it would be when I lived on the farm. One rainy night, mom woke me up. She said something didnt feel right. So dad trouped out with us, all under a huge umbrella. It wasnt windy, just rainy. Well as it turned out, one of our sows decided to have her piglets in the rain. So mom held the umbrella over where the piglets were being born. Dad made sure that all was well as they were being born. And I helped dad put the piglets by mom so they could nurse. Fortunately Posie liked us as her humans and she just did her job and let us do ours. After 10 piglets we thought for sure Posie girl was done. This was a nice size bunch and they were all little. Then in one last push, Posie gave us one more piglet. But this little guy was a runt. I mean really a runt. Dad was going to take care of it. NOOOOOO I couldnt let that happen. Mom gave dad a nod and I got myself a little runt of a piglet. We put the piglets in a large box that dad carried and Posie followed dad into an enclosure we had for this type of thing. Mom dried Posie off and then each little piglet before putting them back next to Posie. Happy grunts all over the place. I put this little runt in a basket we had in the enclosure and carried him into the house when we all went back inside. Mom got me a box and an old rag and this little runt slept by my side of the bed. I got the next day off of school and helped mom take care of Posie and this little runt. Boy did he eat a lot.He was this little pink ball with a few black spots on his sides and when he ran it was so cute. That day mom and I taught him that when he had to do his business, he had to rub on the sliding glass door so one of us would let him out and in. Smart??? oh my goodness. Because every time his snout would go up and down the glass it made a squeaking sound. So I named him Squeak. He grew fast. Soon he was larger than his siblings. But he had free rein of the farm. He would follow us up to the bus stop with Sherrie our Irish Setter and the two would go home together when we boarded the bus. When school was out and we got to our bus stop, there was Sherrie and Squeak waiting for us. Soon his snout would literally move the glass door and that is when mom put a stop to Squeak living inside. He was so not happy but he was smart and obeyed mom. LOL Every one and every thing obeyed mom. She just had a way with kids and animals. Squeak was a tad afraid of the sows. Put put him in a pen with a sow in heat and instinct kicked in. He really gave us the best litters. Soon other people were bringing their sows over for Squeak. One day dad said he got a job in Chicago so we would be moving. Arrrggghhh Well by this time Squeak was well over 700 pounds. But as gentle as ever. There was literally a war as to who was going to get him. Mom settled it by who she knew to be kind and loving with his animals. Who treated them right. I have so many stories of Squeak but this is a nut shell.
I would right about my busy life with having 12 siblings and 2 nephews and 2 nieces I have 10 younger siblings so I am like a second mom to some of the younger ones
Sign me up now!! For your books!! Afraid my life would not make a great movie, but I’ll bet somebody out there could craft it into a decent one anyway!!☺️
All the ideas for your books sound so good! Love the police and filming sets, and I can’t wait to hear all the flight attendant stories in your next series! As for me, I don’t think it’s rom-com worthy, but a unique experience was being an exchange student for a semester in a different country.
Hi, wow, you sure have been a busy lady and you are doing great! I would write a book about my life growing up and add a few surprises. Have a great weekend and stay safe.
It wouldn’t be about your life but about your world. For example, homeschooling or flower arranging or marathon racing. These are things not everyone knows about that are so fascinating to share!
I bet your story is more fascinating than you realize. I mean, Netflix won awards for a show about Chess. Hearing about unique “worlds” is fascinating to me!
Ooh… Hallmark material.
I don’t like to think there’s anything we can’t write about in Christian fiction. God redeems, which is what it should be about. Also, now I’m really curious about your ancestors.
Oh my gosh. This could be a whole kids’ series!!! I love it. <3
I bet there all your stories are too numerous to count. What adventures you must have!
It wouldn’t have to be about your life so much as your world. I bet your world would fascinate me. Your normal is new and different for a lot of people.
That is TOTALLY rom-com worthy. What country?
Thank you! Where did you grow up? What fun surprises did you have???
That is so exciting!! I was hoping Gemma would get her own story! I loved Husband Auditions so much.
Haha, thanks. The US, actually. I’m from South America.
Mine is to traumatic to write about.
Sometimes, some things are too hard to relive. It is hard enough to dream (nightmares) about incidents in my life. Congratulations on your job as well as the new book deals. God bless you.
I’m writing a book of a rom/com about myself. It’s about my life & how I met my husband & how it became to be today but will include our funny childhood adventures.
I would include how we met & also some crazy things we did as teens.
I think it would be a single travelling overseas to visit friends and to also do some touring on there own. (bus tours, and just staying in a place like Hawaii and Canada) and some antics that happen while on tour.
One instance is when I was in Vancouver for a retreat we went sightseeing. On bus on the way back I tripped over some bags and landed heavy on the knee. I got of quick thinking the bus would keep going and I would then be lost. (mind didn’t click the rest of my friends were behind me on the bus!) Fast forward a few days when most have gone home and I due to a mix up with a taxi a couple of use stayed an extra couple of days. On one of these days I went sightseeing on my own to Grouse mountain. My friend was make sure you hold onto handles using stairs etc. I was going down some stairs saying I’m not holding on! (the sort of sing song way). there was a guy there looking and I was explaining what the friends had said and he was laughing with me as we took the stairs. this could have been the start of a rom com. (The other ladies were older and were so over protective. ring when you get of the bus, ring when you get on the ferry etc). I have travelled half way round the world on my own, stayed in Hawaii on my own and here they were treating me like a little kid. I had to have that rebellious streak. Yes the knee was still quite saw but I didn’t need a couple of mothers ironically even my own mother in Australia wasn’t that controlling. But I had a wonderful time and plenty of laughs.
Congratulations!! These sound like awesome stories!! 🥳
I would write about my adventures as a children’s author….funny author visit mishaps, crazy deadlines, God hugs along the way.
I would make up a romcom where I fall in love with a teacher who I believe at first, is arrogant. Bonus scene: Me running through the hall to my next classroom and I crash into said-teacher crushing the diorama that he is holding. 😆
What a unique experience! I’m sure readers would love to hear your perspective.
Yay!!! Thanks, Megan. I’m having so much fun with Gemma.
Oh, I’m so sorry. I feel that way about cancer. I don’t want to read or write about it. <3
Thank you, Debra. I wouldn’t want you to have to relive your nightmares. I’m more asking about what unique worlds/cultures you’ve been apart of, and that could be anything from high school debate team to experience as a midwife to working for a law firm. So often we don’t realize how rare/fascinating our “normal” is.
I LOVE it already!!!
So sweet. <3 I'm glad you have such beautiful memories.
What beautiful adventures! Such a fun idea for a rom-com.
Oh my gosh. Yep. You’ve got plenty of rom-com material!
fun pics
Well let’s just say they were very adventurous with the opposite sex and lots and lots of illegitimate babies, for lots of generations, plus some needed to emigrate to escape scandals, some illegal entry into countries etc… The family joke is though descendent from Angels (my great grandma Bessie Angel ), mostly not angels. My generation definitely boring in comparison to the oldies. Have you considered a character with the surname Angel? Our Angels were master mariners from England and emigrated to Australia, Canada, South Africa and America.
Thanks!!!