Category Archives: Writer Wednesday

Writer Wednesday: Meet Courtney Hunt!

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courtneyhuntWelcome back to Writer Wednesday, that delightful day of the week on which I get to share with y’all one of the many fabulous authors I’ve met in this writing journey.

This week, I’m pleased to have Courtney Hunt with us. Courtney is the author of smart and sexy romance (my favorite kind!), including, as she puts it, “smart, funny contemporary romances featuring strong heroines and the sexy heroes who steal their hearts.” Oh, yeah! Sign me up!

So grab that cup of tea and settle in for a minute to read a bit about Courtney and her latest work.

Creative Writing, Pencil on notebook with glowing light bulb

What inspires you to write?

Like many writers, I get my inspiration from anywhere and everywhere–a newspaper article, a snippet of dialogue overheard in the elevator, or an anecdote from a friend. I use Evernote to capture all my ideas until I’m ready to develop them. Right now, I have over 50 different series ideas so I’ll be busy for a bit:-) As for what gets me to write daily, if I don’t write my stories no one else will. My characters are counting on me.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

As a lifelong romance reader I love and read all kinds of romance. Any story that contains a happily ever after is fine with me. Some tropes I especially love include second chance, friends to lovers, fairy tale romance, and arranged marriage/marriage of convenience. 

Trunk Bay, St John, United States Virgin Islands.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

When I was writing Coconut Iced Coffee, the August Cupid’s Coffeeshop release, I learned that the US Virgin Islands are considered national parks. Therefore, it’s illegal to take sand and shells home from the islands. As part of the plot, the heroine’s brother and cousin give her a mason jar to bring back sand and shells in. I ended up having her leave it on the island with the hero as a memento of their island fling.

Burning paperName two things people don’t know about you:

  1. Once, when helping my little sister do her homework, I set it on fire–accidentally, of course! The assignment was to create an ancient looking scroll. I thought I’d just burn the edges but that didn’t work out so well and the whole thing went up in flames. Of course, it was late the night before it was due and my sister had worked for days on it. Whoops. My mom wrote a note to the teacher and all was well but I’ve never been allowed to forget it.
  2. I also once won a Harry Potter trivia contest. My sister and I attended all the Harry Potter release parties together. At the one for Half-Blood Prince (the 6th book), the emcee kept trying to stump us with harder and harder questions, but we prevailed. The winning answer? Naming all Hermione Granger’s classes in 3rd year in alphabetical order 🙂

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

There are so many amazing writers out there now, especially with the explosion of e-books and self-publishing. Right at the moment, I’m really enjoying reading Jill Shalvis, Marie Force, and Belle Andre. They have creative contemporary plots that I enjoy. 

Female legs jogging on a trailWhat one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

A writing career is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build up a backlist and that burnout is a very real risk. When I first started publishing, I would get up early and write before work and then write until the wee hours after getting my son down for the night. After I got pneumonia, I learned to be a bit more balanced. 

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

I’ll pick a sentimental favorite here. Partners by Nora Roberts as it was the first romance I ever read. I snuck it out of my mother’s library bag. 

courtneyhunt_applecider-2500

And now, a bit about the latest Cupid’s Coffeeshop, Apple Cider:

September means back-to-school along with crisp weather, ripe apples, and Apple Cider at Cupid’s Coffeeshop. 

Single mom Harper Wells has pined for gorgeous Cooper Mason, ever since he moved in next door two years ago. But the widower seemed focused on raising his only son. Neither single parent had any time for romance. 

As a fall friendship blossoms between them, can Harper and Cooper find their happily ever after right next door? 

Find Apple Cider on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Cider-Cupids-Coffeeshop-Book-ebook/dp/B01GTPSJ9I/

Red heart shapes on a handwritten old journal.

A Bit About Courtney:

Courtney Hunt is the author of the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, the Always a Bridesmaid series, and the Kindle Scout winner, The Lost Art of Second Chances. An attorney by day, Courtney lives outside Washington, DC. with her husband and son. 

Want to connect further with Courtney? Find her here!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Pinterest

Thanks so much for joining us today, Courtney! It was a pleasure to learn more about you. 

Writer Wednesday: Meet Susan Ann Wall!

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susanannwallWelcome to Writer Wednesday! It’s September 21st – the first day of FALL! I am so excited, as this is my favorite time of year (now if only it’d cool down in Virginia enough to match the season).

I’m ALSO super excited to have with us today the delightful, funny Susan Ann Wall, author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. I met Susan when she and fellow romance author Cheri Allan invited me to participate in a Facebook party with them. They both are such a hoot, and I’m just thrilled to have Susan here today, sharing a bit about herself and her latest release, The Perfect Pairing. 

So read on, friends, and then leave Susan some love in the comments section! <3

A1What inspires you to write?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had voices in my head. Walking home from school, I would have complete conversations going on in there. Sometimes the conversations were with real people, other times it was soap opera characters (as I’m rushing home to watch General Hospital), and others it was make believe people who seemed to have a story to tell. I didn’t figure out how to do anything with those conversations until about seven years ago when I reconnected with someone I’d grown up with and found out she was a romance writer. She introduced me to RWA and NHRWA, and the rest is history.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

I’m a sucker for a fun contemporary romance. I love stories that I can relate to, that give you hope, and make your heart beat a little faster.

Female legs jogging on a trailName one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

The last book I finished is Mistletoe Marathon, the story of a woman who is training for a marathon to try and win the attention of the man who tops her “perfect husband material” list, but who ends up falling for her trainer instead. I’m not a runner…honestly, if you see me running, it is because I’m being chased by zombies. So I reached out to my runner friends for input on training for a marathon. The most interesting thing I learned (outside of smelly shoes and protein bars) is that your miles are supposed to get faster as you progress in the marathon, so your first mile is your slowest and your last mile is your fastest. Seems like quite a challenge.

halloween festival illustration and background

Name two things people don’t know about you:

I’m an open book, so there aren’t many things people don’t know about me, but I’ll share a couple lesser known things that maybe I haven’t shared on a blog before.

  1. My very first job was delivering newspapers to homes around my town. Lots of walking and bike riding, giving me plenty of time to let those voices in my head chatter away.

2. Zombies FREAK ME OUT. I can’t watch anything on TV that has Zombies in it. Hero Husband loves The Walking Dead, so if he watches that while I’m writing, I have to lift the computer up to block the TV screen during the Zombie scenes.

waitingonyouWhat’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins.

Colleen O’Rourke is a fun heroine and I love stories about second chance at love.

romancingthewineA Bit About The Perfect Pairing, available in the Romancing the Wine set:

She thought she landed the perfect job, but what her sexy new boss offers is the perfect pairing.

Courtney Daniels thought she landed the perfect job, but instead of being the marketing specialist at a local winery, she’s hired by the cocky and cute owner as the front desk receptionist. Courtney’s determined to make an impression on Aiden Black and slide into the marketing role, but her attraction to her new boss sends her down a slippery slope. When Aiden kisses her, and kisses her again, and insists he take Courtney on a date, she breaks all the rules she’s lived by since her teenage years, knowing it is going to burn her in the end. With Aiden’s promise that he won’t fire her when their relationship goes south, Courtney finds the attraction growing into something she isn’t ready for but can’t live without, just like the foster dog who keeps humping Aiden’s leg.

After his father’s death, Aiden returns home to rescue his family’s winery from financial disaster. He needs to run things his way, and on his own to prove to his mother he is capable of keeping the winery afloat. His attraction to Courtney complicates matters, especially when her ideas and marketing savvy set the winery on a path to success. Aiden finds putting his ego aside to do what’s best for his business, and his heart, is a bigger challenge than getting the winery in the black, but he’ll do anything to prove to Courtney they are the perfect pairing.

Find The Perfect Pairing on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JVAZFZY

Red heart shapes on a handwritten old journal.

A Bit About Susan:

Big dreamer and certifiable overachiever Susan Ann Wall embraces life at full speed and volume. She’s a beer and tea snob, can be bribed with dark chocolate, and the #1 thing on her bucket list is to be the center of a Bon Jovi flash mob.

Susan is a national bestselling, multi-genre author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. Her bragging rights include the Fighting Back for Love series, Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love series, Superstitious Brides Romance series, Sunset Valley Women’s Fiction series, and Devon Taggart Suspense series. She also likes to boast about her three perfect children, two amazing rescue dogs, and a happily ever after that started while serving in the U.S. Army and has spanned two decades (which is crazy since she’s not a day over 29).

In her next life, Susan plans to be a 5 foot 10, size 8 rock star married to a chiropractor and will not be terrified of large bridges, spiders, or quiet people (shiver).

Want to connect further with Susan? Find her here!:

Website: www.authorsusanannwall.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/susanannwall.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@susanannwall

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/susanannwall

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Ann-Wall/e/B007NZU7X0

Goodreads:  www.goodreads.com/susanannwall

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/nQ7wH

Thanks so much for being here, Susan! It was grand! 

Writer Wednesday: Meet Michele Stegman!

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michelestegmanWelcome, welcome to #WriterWednesday, that wonderful day of the week in which I host a fellow author for a brief interview – the perfect bite-sized break to go along with that Kit Kat you’re thinking about (or is that just me?).

This week I’m honored to have Michele Stegman, author of warm, sensuous romance, with us. So I’ll duck out of the way while she tells us a bit about herself and her latest work…

Rich blue Lapis Lazuli spheres and rough from AfghanistanWhat inspires you to write?

Pure and simple, I love to tell stories.

At a party the other day, a friend complimented my necklace. Instead of just saying thank you, I started telling her about the lapis in it, how it came from the misty mountains of Afghanistan, and about Michelangelo grinding up lapis to make ultramarine blue, etc, until I suddenly realized I was telling my friends a lot more than they ever wanted to know about my necklace. They were fascinated, but still, I really need to confine my storytelling to my books!

Wythe Gardens at the George Wythe house in Colonial Williamsburg, VAWhich type of romance do you love most, and why?

Historical romance, of course! There is just something about the clothes and the horses and the heroes that attract me. When I visited Williamsburg, VA, they were making a film and I couldn’t take my eyes off the dashing man in 18th century clothes riding a horse.

I have always, even as a child, loved reading about history, learning how things were made, and how food was cooked and preserved. So now, I am a hand spinner and weaver and live in an 1840’s log cabin surrounded by antiques.

jobevWhat fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

Please, please can I recommend more than one?

Jo Beverley is a real favorite of mine. Not only are her stories riveting, but her knowledge of history and of the English upper class is spot on.

Madeline Hunter is another I would recommend for historical accuracy. Sometimes I think she cheats and uses a time machine because her descriptions are so real. How could she know all this stuff unless she has been there?

And one more, Roberta Gellis, because I have learned so much history from her books. Yet she works it in without one boring sentence.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

That would have to be Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in Winter. I like everything about that book, but maybe my main reason is that it is a “beauty and the beast” story, which was my all-time favorite fairy tale as a child.

conquest-cover-comp1A Bit About Conquest of the Heart:

In 1067 England, Madeline, a Norman, wants a big, brash, never-defeated-in-battle, Norman knight. What she gets, by order of the king, is a wiry Saxon who once studied for the priesthood instead of warfare. But is this gentle man she is falling in love with entangled in the rebellion now sweeping the land?

Ranulf wants to marry the girl next door. What he gets, by order of the king, is a lush, strong Norman woman who just might be a spy reporting his every move. He wants her in every way a man can possibly want a woman. But can he trust his heart to a woman might have been sent to root out the struggle for freedom his people are engaged in? How can the overcome the distrust they feel to find love?

Find Conquest of the Heart here:

Amazon (ebook) |  Amazon (paperback) | Barnes and Noble | Mythical Press (paperback) | Smashwords

Old LetterA Bit About Michele:

Michele Stegman has always loved history and majored in it in college. As a graduate student, she decided that history papers would be more fun to read if they were about people and their relationships. So she added some romance and started writing historical romance.

She lives with her husband, Ron, and two cats at the end of a dead-end road on 46 acres surrounded by wildlife.

Want to connect further with Michele? Find her on her website or on Facebook!

Thanks so much for being here, Michele! It was delightful to host you. 

Writer Wednesday (er, Monday?): Meet Sharleen Scott

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sharleenscottWelcome to Writer Wednesday!

What’s that you say? It’s Monday? Oops. Yup. My bad.

See, much of last week I was at the hospital with a loved one, and, well, I forgot to post dear romantic suspense author Sharleen Scott‘s interview.

I apologize to her (and to you), but am so pleased to share more about Ms. Scott now.

 

Red heart shapes on a handwritten old journal.

What inspires you to write?

I enjoying sharing my stories. I’m inspired to write romance, specifically, because I love the romance journey. It’s great fun to create characters, conflicts, and plot twists, and tie it all up with a happily-ever-after ending.

 

Which type of romance do you love the most, and why?

Romantic suspense. I tried writing contemporary romance but my characters’ worlds always seem to contain mysteries and murders. I enjoy building the suspense.

 

Bull rider at sunset

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.

The hero in Caught in the Spin is a retired champion bull rider and my heroine is a big rodeo fan, so I spent a lot of time reading about bull riding. I discovered that rodeo teams are huge at some colleges, which opened up some interesting backstory for my character. Tom Black was a college rodeo champion while pursuing degrees in business and psychology. Both degrees helped him in my story where he owns a ranch post pro-rodeo career and runs up against a psychotic killer.

 

Testament 1Name two things people don’t know about you:

1. I always include plants in my garden to feed the birds when the snow flies. This year I planted broomcorn as well as sunflowers.

2. I’m a genealogy nut. I can spend hours on it.

 

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time?

There are actually two. First is Nora Roberts’ Irish Trilogy. Three books, I know, but they go together and all are excellent. The other is Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. Jamie and Claire. Need I say more?

 

citsA Bit About Caught in the Spin:

When Tallie Peters lands the job of assistant to Nashville’s’ premier music manager she’s sure things are finally looking up for her and her son. Meeting gorgeous former bull rider Tom Black confirms it. But Tallie’s new life dives into a chaotic spiral with the premature release of her brutal ex-husband from prison. He wants his son and will stop at nothing to take him. Tom offers Tallie and her son refuge behind the gates of the Masterson-Black ranch but soon finds that the best security measures are no match for a determined ex-con with nothing to lose.

Find Caught In the Spin on Amazon!

 

Vintage TypewriterA Bit About Sharleen: 

Sharleen Scott is the author of the romantic suspense Caught series and Tangles, a novel about a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. She is currently writing the third book in the Caught series.

Want to connect further with Sharleen? Find her here:

Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks so much for being here, Sharleen! It was a delight to host you.

Writer Wednesday: Meet Rebecca Hunter!

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Rebecca HunterIt’s Writer Wednesday! I was going to try to come up with a brilliant introduction for today’s guest, Rebecca Hunter, but she did it for me. Take it away, Rebecca!:

Hi and thanks for welcoming me onto your Writer Wednesdays, Margaret! I’m Rebecca Hunter, author of the Stockholm Diaries contemporary romance series, and I’m excited to be here. I met Margaret at a multi-author event, and I’m so excited about her fun Magic of Love series!

[ML: And I’m so thankful to Rebecca for helping me celebrate the release of A Scandalous Matter! The girl knows how to party.]

Margaret sent me a few questions about my author life that I hope you enjoy reading!

Panorama of Stockholm, Sweden

What inspires you to write?

My husband is Swedish, and we have lived in Sweden twice. Both times, I met women from around the world with interesting stories about meeting Swedish men and moving to Sweden. These stories involved chance meetings, uncertain risks and sacrifice, all in the name of love. The whole Stockholm Diaries series is a kind of tribute to all these stories.

Mystery Books with Deerstalker Cap, Magnifier, Pipe and Pocket Watch - path included

Name one interesting thing you learned when researching/writing your last book:

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with mysteries. I love puzzling them together, but I hate the element of violence in most plots, even if it’s in the background like in cozy mysteries – it’s almost worse for me if death isn’t taken seriously. But the last book I completed was a reworking of my very first book, a mystery/intrigue romance set on the shores of Lake Huron. As I wrote the book, I found that I actually enjoyed the darker sides of mysteries if I can stay away from killing. If a publisher picks it up, I’ll find myself writing another one of these soon!

lostlivingWhat fellow romance author do you recommend reading and why?

If you’re into hot contemporary romance, I’d highly recommend Cara McKenna. She does an amazing job with a lot of the character types that we see in hot romance today, particularly the underground fighter. I also just read a wonderful tribute to Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca by Simone St. James called Lost Among the Living. It’s so skillfully done that it surpasses its model, in this reader’s opinion!

stockholmdiariesA Bit About Stockholm Diaries, Caroline: 

A pro hockey player with a rough reputation.

An American looking for a taste of adventure. 

A chance to turn an intense attraction into something more.

Photographer Caroline Mendoza finally sheds her safe life in Michigan for adventure and a fresh start, and her first stop is Sweden. But Stockholm suddenly becomes more than just a casual stopover when Caroline discovers her reclusive next-door neighbor is ex-Red Wings player Niklas Almquist, whose high-profile alpha bad-boy image, both on and off the ice, has followed him back to Sweden.

While Niklas’s darker side draws her to him, she knows the sensible decision is to move on from Stockholm before she gets too attached. Her time in Stockholm is running out. She must choose between what is safe and what her heart tells her is right. Is she strong enough to take the risk? 

And don’t miss Rebecca’s most recent release in the multi-author box set, Twenty Times Tempted: A Sexy Contemporary Romance Collection!

writingA Bit About Rebecca:  

Rebecca writes sensual, emotional adventures of the heart. She is a writer, editor and translator who has always loved to read and travel. Though she earned a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in English Education, most of what she learned about writing romance has come from other sources. 

Rebecca has, over the years, called many places home, including Michigan, where she grew up, New York City, San Francisco, and, of course, Stockholm, Sweden. After their most recent move from Sweden back to the San Francisco Bay Area, she and her husband assured each other they’ll never move again. Well, probably not. 

To sign up for news, sneak peeks and free stories, go to Rebecca’s website at http://www.rebeccahunterwriter.com. And visit her on Facebook! 

Thanks so much for being here, Rebecca! I loved hearing what you had to share.