Do you like heroines who have a checkered past? Do you like a heroine who has a checkered present? How much are you willing to overlook in the heroine’s journey to redemption? As you can see from the blurb above, Annie Payton has a past she is trying to live down. So her bad-girl […]
I Need a Hero
The novel I’m currently working on is titled Hero Rehearsals. I’m starting each chapter with a quote about heroes, and I’ve found some great ones. I’ll share my top ten here, and I’d love any you might have to offer. 10. Romance is at the heart of our lives. The truly blessed among us find […]
Quiz: Could You be a Heroine in a Romance Novel?
It’s wedding season! I love hearing all the stories of how couples got together. It inspires me to write better because, really, there are a lot of overused tropes out there. I’ve overused them myself. Though I’m happily married, and I feel like my love story would make good fodder, do I really have what […]
Tinker? Tailor? Soldier? Sailor?
I should be writing. Seriously writing! I’ve another Christmas story deadline looming (about to whizz right past me). What am I doing instead? Procrastinating! Oh yes…and this. I’ve used up valuable writing time preparing that promo video showcasing my books. I hope you enjoyed it. I certainly loved creating it, although I got little sleep the night […]
Sunrise, Sunset
I’ve been through the educational system. Not as far as my parents would have wanted, but I graduated high school at least. I took science and have read articles pertaining to geography and astronomy. I know how the solar system works and have always been fascinated by it. And yet, in spite of my knowledge, […]
What’s in a Name?
William Shakespeare’s Juliet asked the question “What’s in a name?” And yet, writers spend quite a bit of time wrangling with names. Truth be told, I just may spend more time pondering the names of my imaginary characters than I ever did selecting the names of my children. Surely not. Maybe. I’ve developed several different […]
Beach Reads: What’s Under Your Beach Umbrella?
Don’t you love summer? The sun, the sand, and oh…the beach reads! Okay, so some of us–me included–do not currently live near a beach. Still, the idea of long stretches of time curled up beneath a beach umbrella (or some other spot of blissful solitude) with nothing to do but read is so very wonderful, […]
Imaginary Characters: Ain’t Misbehavin’ — or are they?
Writers often define themselves as plotters or pantsers. Plotters prefer to plot out their stories — beginning, middle, end — scene by scene. We know what’s going to happen to our imaginary characters in our detailed imaginary worlds. Pantsers advocate a write-by-the-seat-of-their-pants approach to stories, following the lead of their imaginary characters or their […]
Come Plot With Me: Survey Results
Back in April, I invited Inspy Romance blog followers to come plot with me. Twenty-seven people took me up on my invitation and answered the 7 questions on the Come Plot with Me survey. This month, I thought it would be fun to share the first and second place answers for each question. There were […]
The Romance Heroine: Your New BFF
There’s been a lot of talk on Inspy Romance about swoon-worthy heroes. A good romance novel depends on a hero that the reader can fall for. Sure, she knows he’s fictional! But she can imagine falling in love with a guy like that, and she can definitely see why the heroine will do so. Being […]