Romance author Cate Tayler was supposed to be my #WriterWednesday guest for last week, but, well, uh, my website had a meltdown. I’m so sorry, Cate – thank you and everyone for y’all’s patience!
But what better way to liven up your Memorial Day weekend than by bringing you an author of “sassy & sultry romance”?
So without further ado (meaning babbling from me), here’s a bit about Cate and her new novel, Love Me Now!
What inspires you to write?
Much of my inspiration comes from music, believe it or not. I hear a song, or even just partial lyrics, and it will trigger an entire story in me. What that story ends up looking like when all has been written, revised, and rewritten is normally different from what I started with. But it all begins with a lyric or two that resonates with me.
Which type of romance do you love most, and why?
Contemporary appeals to me most. I like to be able to relate to the stories I read, especially if they are set in a location I know well. Favorite tropes of mine are secret baby (but only when the baby is a secret for a good reason, not just because mom is being stupid), fake fiancé/fiancée, and enemies to lovers. But really, any romance that breaks my heart and puts it back together again by the end is at the top of my list.
Name two things people don’t know about you:
This is a tough one, because I think I’m pretty much an open book. But, the majority of people outside my family probably don’t know that I once wanted to be an astronaut, and read the entire official Space Shuttle Manual cover-to-cover in preparation. I was devastated when they retired the shuttles. There went my dream of being accidentally launched into space a la Space Camp, and piloting the shuttle home!
Another thing most people might not know about me is that I have a degree in German, and while I sometimes dream in Deutsch, it’s been so long since I’ve used it, I’ve forgotten most of it.
What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?
Just one? Really? Okay, then I’d have to say Kristan Higgins, because she writes in such a way, you’re crying on one page and laughing your butt off the next. No, wait… I change my mind. Susan Elizabeth Phillips, because she manages to create complex characters whom you can’t help but love and cheer for, even when they’ve done despicable things. On second thought, I’d have to say Lauren Layne, because she writes a perfect balance of sexy and sweet.
[ML says: I see what you did there, Cate. Well done.]
A Bit About Love Me Now:
A sassy good girl. A rebellious billionaire. A pretend proposal. What could possibly go wrong?
Calista Markatos is failing miserably at saving her family’s Greek diner. Without a miracle, her parents will lose everything. And it’s all the fault of a land developer whose big ideas are destroying her family’s livelihood.
Driven by guilt over his brother’s death, Miles Gardner plays the role of dutiful son. But he rebels against his father’s choice of a bride. A fake engagement can help him avoid the marriage trap. All he has to do is convince the Greek goddess to go along with his plan.
She doesn’t have to like him to pretend to love him.Thirty days later, they’ll both get exactly what they want—and maybe something they didn’t know they needed.
Love Me Now can be found at all major e-book retailers. Find buy links at https://books.pronoun.com/love-me-now/
A Bit About Cate:
Cate Tayler is a beach baby, born and raised on the Connecticut coastline. She met the love of her life while serving in the US Air Force, and after extensive overseas travel, they are now raising their four children in the wild suburbs of Maryland.
When she’s not living her own happily ever after, she’s creating them in her small-town romances. Because the world always needs more happy endings!
You can connect with her at her website: http://www.catetayler.com. Follow her on Facebook (AuthorCateTayler), and on Twitter and Instagram as @writercate.
Thanks so much for joining us, Cate! So glad to have you here.
Writing one book is hard. A fabulous idea pops into your head and you begin to plot or just write (if you are a pantser like me). And you continue writing, editing, researching—and then at some point in the book, (the middle for me!) you lose sight of the end, the goals and motivation of the characters and the conflict. You question yourself – is my conflict strong enough? Do the characters make sense, have chemistry? Have I just wasted hours and hours writing this drivel? But when that book is one of a series, you have just complicated your work exponentially.
Writing a series takes much more planning, plot development, and creation of characters who can carry a series. For my 
Keeping the facts and history straight throughout three books is not a task for the weary. I created several notes and as things changed through the editing process, I had to ensure I made those same changes to the other books. Also, as a writer, sometimes our muse likes to take a u-turn or detour. This can be problematic with a series because you have already established specific norms in the preceding books.
Some things to keep in mind when writing a series (adapted from 
A Bit About Madelyn:
Which type of romance do you love most, and why?
Name one interesting thing you learned in writing/researching your last book.
Name two things people don’t know about you. 
Which type of romance do you love most, and why?
Name two things people don’t know about you:
What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?
Welcome to Writer Wednesday! I love Wednesdays, for they let me connect great authors with fantastic readers. Matches made in heaven, I tell you.
What’s it feel like to have finished TWO young adult fantasy trilogies (
Do you plot your stories out completely from start to finish or let characters surprise you along the way?
What’s next for you?