contemporary romance

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Why writing 'Mission: Impossible to Wed' was a challenge

Mission: Impossible to Wed is my contribution to the 99¢ multi-author box set, Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge (releasing 10.22.19). When I set out to write this holiday novella, I never anticipated the challenge I had created for myself.

I’ve been writing for a while. I released An Inner Fire, my first contemporary romantic suspense, in 2014. Since then, I’ve released 7 other contemporary military romantic suspense titles.

My newest story in the Impossible Mission series, Mission: Impossible to Wed, is a little different. It’s about a wedding designer and a Special Ops soldier who are thrown together for a country wedding that has them both thinking they’ll never get married. It’s pure romance–no suspense or intrigue or action-adventure.

Writing a contemporary romance without any elements of suspense was much harder than I anticipated. I had to think and plan and create outside my comfort zone. I had to construct the story using different plot devices. I had to come up with other obstacles to keep Gabe and Lauren from their HEA.

The process of writing this book was uncomfortable and laborious. It reminded me what writing romantic suspense fiction felt like when I was just starting out as a writer. I struggled for each word, writing and rewriting. Doing something for the first time makes you very aware of the process and the work. But it also makes you proud that you put in the extra effort.

My editor told me she’s very pleased with the story. I hope you’ll download a copy of this new box set to read Mission: Impossible to Wed and let me know what you think!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA

Apple Books | Kobo | Nook

And here’s wishing you good luck with the next new project you tackle!

'Love Between the Covers' starring romance readers

On Saturday, January 23, the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America hosted a screening of Love Between the Covers, a “feature-length documentary film about the little-known, surprisingly powerful community of women who read and write romance novels.” A panel including Cherry Adair, Christina Dodd, Julia Quinn and Jayne Anne Krentz led a discussion following the viewing.

Produced by Laurie Kahn, screenings of Love Between the Covers have become an effective means of educating those not familiar with romantic fiction about the genre, authors and publishers, and readers. The film is also a celebration and validation of what romance authors and readers already know: There is nothing trivial, trite or shameful about this multi-billion dollar industry–which is actually more of a community.

Thanks to social media, as well as the variety of reader/author events such as RomCon, The Novel Experience Event, RT Booklovers Convention & Bookfair and Barbara Vey’s Reader Appreciation Weekend, opportunity abounds for readers and writers to connect. It is not uncommon for these casual encounters to evolve into mentorships for readers who want to write, close personal friendships and/or strong professional collaborations.

While I savor every sale, every review, and every award, it is the personal connection with readers that affirms my decision to write romantic suspense. I love hearing that some readers look forward to each new release because it’s a favorite indulgence or that escaping into my stories helped someone cope during a personal crisis. Or that reading Grayce Walters was like returning to their favorite city, Seattle. Or that they learned something new about political intrigue during the Napoleonic war in my Code Breakers series. It’s so much fun to start recognizing names on Facebook and discover a shared passion like high heels, theater or dogs.

Love Between the Covers showcases the unique relationships (readers and readers, authors and authors, authors and readers) that do not exist in other fiction genres. This film reminded me how lucky I am, and how much I value, the friends I’ve made in this community!

I’d love to hear about your special connections with other authors and readers. Feel free to comment on this post or send me a message on Facebook.

Release Day - Marriage Under Fire

Now available! MARRIAGE UNDER FIRE, Book 4 in the Grayce Walters Mystery Series

Marine veteran Maddy Jeffers never expected her most demanding and daunting mission would come off the battlefield. Ordered to infiltrate a Seattle terrorist cell, Maddy must pose as a loving wife to Major Hunter Hines. The undercover role begins to feel all too real when Maddy falls hard for the rugged, macho Marine.

Duty and discipline are Hunter Hines’s credo, guiding every decision and every action. But constant proximity with the fierce and enticing Maddy is veering his mission wildly off course. Although their role as man and wife is only pretend, there is nothing false about his out-of-control desire for his partner.

When Maddy’s life is threatened by an ISIS cell, protecting her becomes the only mission that matters, and Hunter is willing to break all the rules to save her. As the danger heats up around these two veteran heroes, Maddy and Hunter must walk a narrow path between passion and survival.

Available at online retailers: Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Google | BN