That guy. The one who’s been doing his own thing for the first five books in the series. Not exactly exemplary behavior, you know? He’s the brother of two previous heroes, but he’s not precisely hero material himself. That guy. What would it take to redeem him? To turn him into a character readers will […]
Tea and Chat with Nancy Morrison
Valerie: Hi, Nancy! Welcome to Inspy Romance! Say hello to all our readers, many of whom have been waiting for your son Garret to fall in love. Nancy (smiles and waves): You’ve been waiting? Think how his mama must feel! That boy is thirty, and it’s been years since he’s last been in a relationship. […]
Where in the World is Saddle Springs, Montana?
Inventing geography is a ton of fun! Right up there with finding character inspiration photos and house floor plans and music that matches the mood or theme of the story. My characters need places to hang out, which means they need a town with a few amenities even if they live out on a ranch […]
Happy Book Birthday!
Today’s the day! If you pre-ordered The Cowboy’s Convenient Marriage, it should have downloaded to your Kindle this morning. Have you started reading it yet? This is the thirtieth CCR (Christian contemporary romance) released under my name since July, 2014. Five years! And thirty books! What kind of crazy number is that?!? That’s not counting […]
Convenient… or Not So Much?
You know what’s a tricky trope to write? Marriage of convenience in a contemporary setting! I mean, what makes two otherwise rational and engaging characters decide to get married in this day and age without love? Historical settings are rife with good reasons to do this. Women needed protection back then, whether from rogue men […]
Interview with a (fictional) Romance Editor
Denae Archibald bounces in her seat, eyes shining. “This is going to be so fun!” she says. “Romance is my favorite thing ever.” “You’re considered somewhat of an expert,” I say. “Could you tell our readers why?” “Hi, everyone!” Denae waves at all the fans of Inspy Romance. She’s still bouncing. “Well, there’s expert and […]
Confused Yet? …plus #Giveaway
Confused yet? Because, if not, I can remedy the situation! Once upon a time, I wrote a series I called the Farm Fresh Romance series. It contains six novels, all set on one farm in northern Idaho. There were a couple of sets of siblings in the mix, but the focus was on friendships on […]
Where Jesus?
Who doesn’t love the annual Sunday school concert, with the children of the church on stage, welcoming all to consider the birth of Jesus? Sit back and enjoy this excerpt from The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion! The cast of characters: • Kade Delgado, hero of the story, single dad • Jericho, Kade’s 27-month-old son • Cheri […]
Interview with Lauren Yanovich… and #Giveaway
Valerie: Hi Lauren! Welcome to Inspy Romance. Our eager romance fans would love to get to know you a bit. Let’s start with some Quick Fives, okay? Lauren (leans forward): Yes! Let’s do it. Valerie: Five favorite foods? Lauren: Hamburgers, French fries, fried chicken, pizza, and ice cream. Valerie: Um… wow. How did you get […]
Cowboys, Christmas, and Second Chances
Ranches aren’t so different from farms, right? A few more horses and cows, a few less sheep and chickens. Still country living near small towns. Still wide open spaces instead of back alleys. Still the smells of nature rather than exhaust fumes. Still romance. Just add cowboys. Stir. Enjoy. I’ve been toying with a cowboy […]