Poor, poor men. They’re always being judged on their appearance, shape, and size instead of their personality. The pretty ones have it the worst because people assume they are all beauty and no brains. Just imagine how unappreciated romance heroes feel with their broad shoulders, thick hair perfect for a good hand rake, and ideal […]
Long Live Chivalry
I know we here at Inspy Romance are contemporary romance readers and writers. We read and write about strong, contemporary women, many of whom own their own businesses or have powerful positions. They’re independent and can do things for themselves, maybe even change a tire (I’m thankful I’ve never had to attempt this myself!). At […]
Build-a-Hero + #Giveaway
Have you ever been to a Build-a-Bear store? You know, where a kid (or adult, I suppose!) gets to pick out a bear body and then take it to be stuffed and choose a heart for it and pick out a song for it to play and even choose a scent for it. When my […]
Surprised to be Loved
It was at middle school church camp where I first really felt the love of Jesus. I went down for prayer after a sermon, and I was overcome by the feeling of love. When my dad asked me about it, all I could say was, “Jesus loves me.” That may sound as simple as a […]
Do You Love The Hero? plus #Giveaway
I’ve always believed that it’s the hero, rather than the heroine, who makes or breaks a romance story. As a reader, if I’m uncomfortable in the heroine’s headspace, I’m probably going to struggle to enjoy the book. If it’s written in third person rather than the closer first person point-of-view, that discomfort will be less […]
Fifty, No Make that 5 reasons to love a Cowboy and a Giveaway.
Jolene Navarro’s Top 5 Reasons to Love a Cowboy Hello, Jolene here on this fine Friday morning. I grew up in the Texas Hill Country and around cowboys of all kinds. There are the ones that work the land and would rather be out in the cold than locked in a warm comfy office. Then […]
Christmas is in the Air with Two Cover Reveals
Jolene Navarro checking in from the Texas Hill Country. It might be July but in my inbox, it’s all about Christmas. As an author when I see the subject line: Author Notifier I get all excited, just like a kid on Christmas morning. I have filled out the AFS and the art department has put together a […]
What Makes a Hero?
Have you ever read a book and fallen in love with the male lead? Waving my hand. I still sigh just thinking about Marcus O’Malley from Dee Henderson’s book The Guardian. But the thing that tripped me up is that same man would have driven me crazy in real life. Marcus was a bossy, alpha-male […]
It’s All About the Fuzz
Ever since I can remember, my daddy wore a mustache—from way before me or my siblings were born, until the day he died. It suited him. I think he looked rather dashing—can’t blame my mom for falling for him. This time of the year has men sporting styles they normally don’t … on their dials. […]
Making of a Book Cover by Merrillee Whren
We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” However, a lot of thought goes into a book cover. For my traditionally published books, I have to fill out what is called an art fact sheet. I describe the hero and heroine and the clothing they may be wearing. I also […]