#WriteWed At the Shore #2 DANCED ALL NIGHT

Sorry I wasn’t with you earlier this week, but I took the opportunity of a long weekend to plant my butt in the chair and do a marathon writing session on #2 in the AT THE SHORE contemporary romance series. This book is tentatively titled DANCED ALL NIGHT, but I’ve really been rethinking that title based on the themes that are emerging as I plow more and more into the book.

The hero and heroine of the story, uptight lawyer Connie Reyes, and laid-back surfer dude inventor Jon Pierce, are like oil and water. Dynamite and a match. Despite that, they are perfect together and it’s been really interesting so far showing how they came together a long ago summer (wow – another possible title concept) and where they both are now.

I love second chance at love stories like this one, especially when there is an unexpected surprise as well. I suspect that these two characters are going to have yet more surprises for me as I write their story.

Since this book happens at the same time as ONE SUMMER NIGHT (a true writing challenge), you’ll get to see more of Maggie and Owen from that story and also check out the hero and heroine for #3, unromantic wedding planner Emma Grant and sexy chef Carlo Texeira. It is a stand alone story, however. No worries on that one.

Anyway – if you’ve ever wondered what my winter writing place down the shore looks like, here it is! In the summer you’ll find me out on that little balcony amidst the flowers that I plant.
#WriteWed Writer's Desk

February 8, 2017May 10, 2017

#WriteWed Location Inspiration #NYC

I’ve told you about some of the location inspiration for my AT THE SHORE Contemporary Romance Series. Places like the long gone department store B. Altman’s as well as some still with us Jersey Shore mansions.

The first story, ONE SUMMER NIGHT, starts in the fictional Shore town of Sea Kiss and I’ll share more about the inspiration for that town later.

Today’s photo is of the inspiration for where Maggie Sinclair and her best friend Connie Reyes work and hangout – Bryant Park and the Chrysler Building. There are a number of scenes set in this Midtown NYC area, although both Maggie and Connie are Jersey Girls at heart.

I took this photo in the early morning, just as sun was rising. It’s a lovely time in the city. Peaceful. Quiet. Well as quiet as New York can be because even in the quiet there is a nervous hum of activity. I love the juxtaposition of nature against the bricks and the man-made skyscrapers. I hope you will as well!
Chrysler Building and Bryant Park

January 25, 2017December 7, 2018

#WriteWed Inspiration #Amwriting #Amreading

One of the absolute best parts of the writing gig is getting to meet other authors and readers! It’s why I love going to conferences and events. These are the ones I’ll be attending so far this year and if you’re in the area, I would love to see you and get to spend some time with you! Of course, since I’m a reader as well as a writer, I can’t wait to meet other authors and find out more about their books. It’s a win-win situation.

March 18-19, 2017
Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference
Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel
Iselin, NJ

April 19, 2017
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Ocean County Author Fair
Lakewood Branch Library

April 22, 2017
12 pm to 5 pm
A Day of Wine and Romance
Brook Hollow Winery
594 State Route 94, Columbia, New Jersey 07832

July 26â€“29, 2017
RWA Annual Conference
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
Orlando, Florida

October 13th & 14th, 2017
Fall in Love with New England Romance
Reader/Author Conference
Best Western Plus Executive Court
Inn and Conference Center
13500 S Willow Street
Manchester, New Hampshire 03103

#WriteWed Inspiration

November 16, 2016October 19, 2017

#WriteWed Read. Write. Repeat.

For the past two weeks I’ve been struggling with how to get my characters from the Take a Chance series together with Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire & Rescue Series since I’m doing a novella for Paige in her Kindle World.

Since my novella is a crossover, I kept on battling with how to get a Jersey heroine to my Dallas firefighter hero. For two weeks I’ve been banging my head about this when the most obvious answer finally came to me. Move the hero to New Jersey!!

So after some more research, I’ll be starting this novella and getting it banged out in time for the January release. The title? HEAT OF THE NIGHT. The hero? A former Navy Seal turned firefighter who was friends with Rafe Castillo from STAY THE NIGHT and Captain Mark Smith from ONE NIGHT OF PLEASURE. Can’t say more, but I’m looking forward to writing this story!

November 2, 2016July 9, 2019

#WriteWed Throwaway Characters that Refuse to Go Away

Sometimes when you’re creating a world, like that in THE CALLING IS REBORN or even the JERSEY GIRL BRIDESMAIDS, you develop character that you think you’ll only use for a few scenes or as a foil to someone else in the story.

When you’re writing vampire suspense, that character’s story line may sometimes end up with them dead, which was what I had originally envisioned for Benjamin, the Vampire Slayer in DARE TO LOVE, my story in the TAMING THE VAMPIRE anthology.

But as I “killed off” Benjamin in TO LOVE AND SERVE, his death bothered me. I had really gotten to like Benjamin and since he couldn’t have his happily-ever-after with Michaela, I wanted to find a way for him to find his soul mate and knew I just had to write his story.

Plus, since the world in The Calling had been thrown into upheaval with several major changes in the lives of Diana and Ryder, I knew that the Scooby Gang around them had to grow and change as well. You’ll see more of that group of friends and some old names, like santero Ricardo from DEVOTION CALLS.

I hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes look into DARE TO LOVE and a writer’s inspiration.

You can purchase TAMING THE VAMPIRE at these online retailers:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bfy9Js
Kobo http://bit.ly/2by9MsM
iBooks: http://apple.co/2byaNAP
B&N: http://bit.ly/2byaGoW
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October 26, 2016June 28, 2019

#WriteWed Fixing Broken Things

I’ve always loved taking risks with what I write. Whether it was challenging people to believe in otherworldly beings, like in The Calling is Reborn series, or having them on the edge of their seats, like in The Gambling for Love series, I love taking that risk.

UNDER THE BOARDWALK is about risk, but also about fixing broken things.

Long after I wrote the story, I saw an interview with an older woman who had been married for quite some time. The interviewer asked her how it was possible that she had been married for so long. To paraphrase that wise woman, she said that she hadn’t lived in a disposal world. When something was broken, you tried to fix it.

I hope you enjoy this sexy and emotional story about how Natalie and Chase try to fix their broken marriage. I also hope that this sexy story helps chase away a little of today’s fall chill!

Teaser

Natalie Ramirez has spent less and less time with her husband over the last year and more and more time alone. She longs for the happy days of summer when she and Chase would pass the time together on the beach and under the boardwalk, exploring the passion that simmered between them as hot as any summer sun.

Chase Smith had to work hard for everything he ever had, including his wife Natalie. His wife had never wanted for anything in her life and Chase didnâ€™t want to disappoint her. But somewhere along the way, Chase lost sight of the most important thing she wanted: his love.

A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love and save their marriage?

Excerpt

Click here if you cannot see the excerpt below!

You can purchase UNDER THE BOARDWALK at these retailers!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ae3AU8
B&N: http://bit.ly/2a6vKPc
iBooks: http://apple.co/2a9fZ9X
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2a6xdES
Page Foundry: http://bit.ly/2a6wkfO
Scribd: http://bit.ly/2a6vM9A

October 5, 2016February 17, 2021

#WriteWed Jersey Shore Inspiration in The Calling is Reborn Vampire Novels

I love the Jersey Shore. I have peace there and my creative juices just get going when I’m down the Shore. It’s why I decided to set my new contemporary romance series, the Jersey Girl Bridesmaids, at the Jersey Shore.

It’s also why I decided to add a little bit of the Jersey Shore to The Calling is Reborn series, even though 95% of it is set in New York. There is only one book not set in New York – KISSED BY A VAMPIRE – which detours to South Beach for one of my fav character’s story, namely, Stacia, a two thousand year old vampire.

Stacia has brass and courage, much like Michaela Ramirez, the damphir who first appears in TO LOVE AND SERVE. This is the first story that vampire Slayer Benjamin appears in also and with good reason: Michaela and Benjamin were a thing, sort of. It’s not easy to have a thing with Michaela because she’s wounded and prickly and difficult. At best, Benjamin could only work up a friendship with her and hoped that in time, it would be more.

More doesn’t come with Benjamin, however, and to find out who is the perfect man for Michaela, you can check out DIE FOR LOVE.

Michaela is a Jersey Girl and there are a number of scenes in DIE FOR LOVE that occur on the Jersey Shore. There are also more scenes with Benjamin as he is reborn only to discover that Michaela has found the man for her.

Here are some photos from my beloved Jersey Shore!

To read more about Benjamin and how he finds his perfect woman, check out DARE TO LOVE in the Taming the Vampire box set.
You can purchase TAMING THE VAMPIRE at these online retailers:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bfy9Js
Kobo http://bit.ly/2by9MsM
iBooks: http://apple.co/2byaNAP
B&N: http://bit.ly/2byaGoW