Writer’s write, that’s what we do. Find out why and how in this new Blog Hop for 2014:
Thanks so much to J.R. Richardson for inviting me to join this blog hop. I have never done anything like this before so bear with me. I was supposed to find three people to tag at the end of this but didn’t manage that many. I did get two, though! The hop hops on!
1) What am I working on right now?
I actually just sent in the manuscript for my next book, The Better Man. The story centers on a widow and mother, Kendall Montgomery, who is not only dealing with the death of her husband but her son’s difficulty coping with it. Simon is a selective mute. His anxiety makes it impossible for him to speak in front of anyone other than his mother. That is until he meets Max Jordan.
 |
| This is my Max |
Max has moved to Chicago to be closer to his son, Aidan. Max hasn’t been the father he wants to be and his ex doesn’t believe he’s capable of caring about anything but himself and his career. When Max meets Simon and Kendall, he’s surprised the little boy finds him so interesting and his mother looks at him like he has a third head. That may have something to do with the fact that … he looks exactly like Simon’s father/Kendall’s husband. Let the drama begin!
With that off to my editor, I am beginning the second book in this series of three I am writing for Harlequin Heartwarming. The second book is tentatively titled The Better Plan. The series follows Kendall and her two sisters, each dealing with their own drama and finding love where they never expected to find it. I am so very excited to share these new characters with the world!
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
That’s a great question. I have been writing for Harlequin Heartwarming, which is their clean romance line. I think what I bring to clean romances is a good mix of humor and drama. I’ve been told my sense of humor is a strength and hopefully that comes through in my writing.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I often ask myself this considering that erotica seems to be the thing to write right now. Throw some sex in there and the book sells like hotcakes. I’ve chosen this genre because it was important to me that I could share what I write with everyone in my family, from my seventy-eight year old mother-in-law to my eleven-year-old daughter. I wanted something that my children could feel proud about showing their friends and teachers. One of my proudest moments was when my youngest son brought a copy of THE WEATHER GIRL to school to show his whole 4th grade class because he thinks it is so cool his mom wrote a book.
I write romance because I love putting my characters through all this drama only to find their happily ever after in the midst of all the darkness. I’m a sucker for a HEA.
4) How does my writing process work?
I love technology and I use a writing program called Scrivener. It is a fantastic tool that allows me to plot out the whole story on virtual note cards and move chapters and scenes around easily. But at the very beginning of any story, I always use an old-fashioned notebook and pen. I start out by writing an outline that simply consists of a sentence or two about the overall idea I want to get across chapter by chapter. Then, I write out more detailed notes on some key scenes and general character traits. What are the emotional stakes? Where is the hero/heroine at the beginning of the book and where do I want him or her by the end? Why are they the way they are? What drives them? Sometimes those things end up in the story and sometimes they are just for me to better understand my character’s motivations. I even write out little bits of dialogue that I hear in my head so I don’t forget. Once I do all that, I transfer the info into my writing program and start writing. Things usually (always) change once I start writing. I love how things evolve when you get into the heart of a story. Sometimes the characters take me in another direction once I get to know them a little better.
Well, that’s it for me. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. Don’t be a stranger!
xoxo,
Amy
For next week’s entry, I’ve tagged two lovely ladies to find out how they answer the same questions. You won’t want to miss it.
Jennifer Garcia’s lifelong love for reading and writing was put aside for many years while she made her way in the world and nurtured her young family. Originally from Boston, she currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. Even though she is older, and life never seems to settle, she’s finding her way while attending college full-time in pursuit of a B.A. in English Literature. She also runs a business, and is still caring for her family. Believing she can do it all, with the help of her family, she worked on her first novel during the late hours of the night while balancing the rest of her life during the day. Her hard work paid off, as her first novel, My Mr. Manny, was released August 2013 and her first novella, In My Mother’s Footsteps, was released July 2013.
Jennifer’s website: http://jenniferfgarcia.com
Elks lives near London, England and writes contemporary romance with a dash of intrigue.
Carrie Elks lives near London, England and writes contemporary romance with a dash of intrigue. At the age of twenty-one she left college with a political science degree, a healthy overdraft and a soon-to-be husband. She loves to travel and meet new people, and has lived in the USA and Switzerland as well as the UK. An avid social networker, she tries to limit her Facebook and Twitter time to stolen moments between writing chapters. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can usually be found baking, drinking wine or working out how to combine the two.
Carrie’s website:owww.carrieelks.com/blogn, England and writes contemporary romance with a dash of int
Today I’m welcoming Amy Vastine to Wednesday Writers. Amy’s sweet romance book The Weather Girl has been described as heart-warming and funny with a swoony, sexy hero. I’m looking forward to reading this one. She’s going to be talking about weather today, which fits perfectly with her book. She has some phenomenal photos to share and a free e-book for a lucky commenter. Please leave your email address along with your comment so we can get in touch with you if your name is chosen.
Well, I’m not sure what anyone would find appealing about a beta. I need my hero to have some charisma and physical presence. That doesn’t mean they can’t be sweet guys. Men with personality and charm win me over every time. Good looks don’t hurt, but attitude and confidence play a big part in attraction. I tend to write about guys who have hearts of gold and don’t hide it. On the flip side, I like to read about guys who seem a little heartless until the love of their life shows the world there’s more to him than a face and some ego. I guess I like to write about those alphas as well, they just haven’t been published … yet.
I have a husband, but I do not usually consult him when it comes to my heroes because he would say something outrageous just to be funny. I do steal things from him without him knowing. His sense of humor is his greatest strength and I have used some of his lines in my writing. I figure if he cracks me up, he’ll make others laugh as well.
I like my heroes confident on the outside and just a little bit vulnerable on the inside. I need a hero who shows up like he owns the place but worries the heroine is going to figure him out any minute (which she usually does!) I need someone with a sense of humor, especially about himself. I can’t be all ego – he needs to be intent on doing somethings for others. There needs to be that part of him that wants to better the world he’s in, even if it’s only for the woman he loves. I like a man to be capable of being selfless.
Amy Vastine 
