me muse and ramble about that for
a minute.
I write the story I’m compelled to
write at any given moment.
‘Reckless Endangerment’ was one
of those stories that bled onto the
page for me as a writer. There
were nights when I’d finish writing
and be emotionally spent. I fell in
love with these two characters with
all of their humanity and courage. I
also believe that my audience is
smarter than the average bear so
why not deliver a story that is
unique while still being a story of
true love?
Sure, it’s been a risk. Human
trafficking and wounded warriors
are hot button topics. But in
‘Dancing Barefoot,’ I also stretch
the boundaries of the
contemporary romance genre by
writing about codependency
amidst children of addicts. How on
earth can any of these still be
entertaining and deliver the
qualities of romance? Because love
always prevails and emotion fuels
all good plots.
Let’s look at ‘Reckless
Endangerment’ again. Michael is a
hero, a wounded marine, trying to
figure life out as a civilian with
scars both physical and mental.
He’s not sure about being married,
feels he’ll be a burden to his wife
whose career is in fast forward
momentum. That’s real—this
happens in life. People have doubts
and can be brought down by life’s
burdens, no matter how strong
they’ve been in the past. For me,
the journey Michael goes on to
heal and to get his life back is
authentic and relatable. Perhaps
it’s not the ‘norm’ for a romance
hero, but he’s still sexy, smart,
loveable, and romantic which are
very real elements for any leading
man.
As for the love story between the
Hope and Michael, anyone who’s
ever been in love knows that
sometimes it’s a battle to keep it
going instead of taking the easy
way out. Hope is a fighter—she
fights for the victims of her human
trafficking story and for the love of
her life. She’s not one to
surrender—but she’s also
vulnerable, which is a true
reflection of many amazing
women I know in real life.
In ‘Dancing Barefoot’, Jessica
feels trapped by the expectations of
others and by an obligation to
family. Who hasn’t ever felt that
way? It’s a story about letting go
of what works–of the status quo–
and risking it all for a dream.
At the root of all fiction is truth.
‘Kiss Me Slowly’ may be about
diamond smuggling, but it’s also
about forgiving the past and
second chances. ‘Riptide’ is born
from my own experience with a
stalker! Fiction, no matter the
genre, often works as a vehicle to
present real world problems in a
way that isn’t…well…boring or
preachy. And, hey, if you can
throw in sexy men and a heart
stopping romance, then why not
break free of those boundaries?
I enjoy writing stories that feel
‘real’ to me, as if I could meet
these people in life and end up
being friends with them. Romance
novels, to me, are all about love
triumphing over adversity—if
that’s “cookie cutter”, well, so be
it. I love a happy ending,
especially when I’ve fallen head
over heels for the characters.
An excerpt of ‘Reckless
Endangerment’…
“You’re a selfish bastard.” She
shoved her hands through her hair
and counted silently to twenty.
“Say what you want, I don’t care
because I’d rather fight with you
than mou