Day 19 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 19 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Jade Reyner and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Jade and her book 12 Days – The Beginning

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

Great question – what is my greatest challenge writing romance in today’s society? Okay, here goes…

“For me, I think the greatest challenge is finding an edge. I grew up in the Mills and Boon era when romance was written a certain way and many books were written in a similar vein. In recent years however, I think that romance has moved on massively and has expanded into much more risque areas which is kind of where my book sits. Whilst this is a popular and rapidly expanding arm of romance, it is also hugely competitive and for me, it is trying to give my book something slightly different so that it can hold its own in amongst the much bigger names in terms of reviews and ratings. This is what I mean when I talk about finding an edge and it is something that I find the hardest to achieve.

In ‘Twelve Days – The Beginning’ which is my debut novel, I have included a thriller element which builds throughout the book and is explored in further detail in the sequel, ‘Twelve Days – The Future’ which is due for release later this year. I have also added an unexpected ending and as many twists and turns as I can to keep the reader engaged and guessing, and I hope that by combining this with a fantastic cover design and competitive price, I can begin to reach readers who will enjoy and even maybe identify with my work. To have complete strangers reading something that you have written is mind blowing and if I succeed in doing this, then I will hopefully have found my edge and thus my tiny slice of this fantastic and wonderful genre.”

Biography

Jade Reyner is nearing her fortieth birthday.. and has finally got around to publishing the book she always promised herself she would! She’s had a varying career working in a number of different industries including hospitality and surveying, before finally becoming a full time Mum, ten years ago. Now that both of her boys are at school, she has found the time to sit down and write, and after starting a creative writing course, she has found the courage to publish her first novel, Twelve Days – The Beginning. This is the first in the Twelve Days series that Jade plans to write throughout 2013/2014.

Jade lives in the UK with her husband, two boys and a cat.

Publication Date: April 29, 2013

Elise Grayson lives a life that no one should have to. Beneath the professional exterior lies a troubled existence, one whose ugly truth is known only to her best friend. With his support she gets through her day to day existence – just.

When Elise crosses paths with Vaughn Granger twelve days before Christmas, nothing could have prepared her for the impact that this man and this meeting would have on her life. During those brief twelve days, her world is turned upside down and as she begins to find the courage to leave the ugliness behind, forces outside of her control relentlessly work against her as friends become enemies and fear, betrayal and addiction form part of everyday life.

Ultimately the repercussions of those twelve days have a shattering impact on the lives of everyone around them and before the past can be finally left behind, a decision has to be made which has consequences more far reaching and emotionally devastating than either Elise or Vaughn could ever have foreseen.

Twelve Days – The Beginning is a powerful book about love, desire, hope and betrayal and is the first in the brand new Twelve Days series from Jade Reyner.

Go over and check out Jade

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2rE

Day 18 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 18 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Layla Tarar (Pen Name is Tara Quan) and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Layla and her book More Than Strangers – Safe Harbor 1.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

When the Excitement Wears Off

The biggest challenge I’ve faced as a romance author is a time-honored one—finishing my book. In this respect, not much has changed since the days of yore.

Beginning a story is a period filled with promise and hope. Plot bunnies are vying for attention. I’m in love with my characters and entranced by the world I’ve pictured. I can hammer out thousands of words per day, and the manic writing rate makes me confident about being able to type “The End” in a short while.

But soon enough, continuing the story becomes a chore. There are so many details I need to get right. Fatigue sets in, and adding pages becomes painful. The final chapter is now a light at the end of the tunnel, not a finish line populated by cheering fans.

Completing the story means the hard work has just begun. I read my own words over and over again, all the while marveling at the gaping plot holes and missing pieces. I slash word count, rearrange story arcs, and add details that never made it to the page.

Then I give someone else my manuscript, only to discover I have a long way to go. By the time I make those changes, I’m not excited about my book anymore. I just want the process to be over. The roaring fire of creativity is gone, replaced by smoldering embers I have to nurse until the bitter end.

After writing query letters, going through the submissions process, and reading the form rejections that are part and parcel of an author’s life, I get to go back to my manuscript. During content edits, I end up adding even more words as my story gets reorganized and whipped into shape. By this time, it’s been so long I don’t remember why I started it. All I can do is focus on the comment bubbles threatening to crash my computer.

And on one sunny day, I accept the final line edits and the manuscript is out of my hands. I’m free to give my full attention to the next plot bunny. It’s done, and I never want to see it again.

On so many points along the way, the urge not to finish is overwhelming. The excitement wears off, and it’s an uphill battle to send my story out the door. Whether or not it sells, getting a book to market is an accomplishment every author should be proud of. But for most of us, we’re too busy working on the next book to appreciate all the hard work.

Biography

Tara Quan spent her college years daydreaming about becoming a romance author. After graduating with two degrees she never uses, she tried to pursue a traditional career at a law firm. But the stubborn characters in her head refused to be ignored. She now spends most of her time overseas, crafting fun quick reads heavy on fantasy, paranormal, and suspense. If you’re a fan of kick-ass heroines, alpha males, and a smidgen of kink, visit Tara at http://www.taraquan.com.

Her latest release More Than Strangers, a contemporary romantic suspense set in the Dubai, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major electronic book retailers.

Scorching desert heat, ice-cold champagne, and a world of opulence—the perfect setting for a one-night stand. Certain they will never meet again, two strangers agree to casual, no-strings sex that turns into something more.

Jason Reynolds has his life mapped out, and it doesn’t include a smart-mouthed redhead on a mission to save the world. A security specialist at the top of his game, he is on the cusp of wealth and power. Love is a distraction he simply can’t afford.

Struggling to bury memories of an unforgettable night, Nulli O’Hara chases her dream to a city fraught with violence and death. Six months later, she becomes a kidnapping target, and Jason is the man sent to keep her safe.

Content Notes: Spicy, Light BDSM, Descriptive Erotic Sex, Light Bondage, Spanking

Check out Layla’s work on her website http://www.taraquan.com.

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2tB

Day 17 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 17 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Marina de Nadous and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Marina and her book The Celestial Sea.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

The story, although a romance, was never planned. I faced no challenges apart from the huge ones interwoven through the tale—namely those of moral expectation and accepted codes of practice. My story is more of a personal discovery/quest and will resonate with readers interested in self-development, spirituality and mystery. I could speak about considered restraint versus overt sexuality; poetic nuance versus the currently popular BDSM, but I would rather readers read my books and decided for themselves.

Biography

For privacy Marina has kept her face in the dark. She is from Frome in Somerset, UK and has only been writing for 7 years.

Publication Date: June 20, 2012

A glorious, exciting and heart-wrenching tale, The Celestial Sea is the first book in a new series.

This is the story of an English housewife and mother and an artistic Kiwi man; musician, woodsman and teacher, who find themselves embracing life in the Southern Hemisphere in the most unexpected and extraordinary way. Plucked from the bosom of all she has ever known; she finds herself exploring the beautiful land of Aotearoa, New Zealand, in the company of a thrilling companion whose own settled, community life is challenged by her arrival.

Walking a fine line between blessing and disaster their creative liaison becomes a clandestine love affair of epic proportion, surprising them both with its spiritual truth. Dare they merge their growing affection into an everyday reality? Through the often hilarious adventures that make up their ‘ordinary’ routines they find themselves escaping to the tranquillity of their imaginary boat, The Celestial Sea; sailing for many months in uncharted waters and alighting upon shores of such passion and sensuality that they risk capsizing, causing an almighty scandal in the harbour.

The Celestial Sea culminates as the profundity of their connection leads to a tragic ending of thwarted love – but is it really the end…? Find out in the subsequent books planned for the series entitled Dry-Dock, Setting Sail, Calm Waters, No Horizon, Kookaburra on the Deck, Time is the Brake.

Go over to Amazon and check out Marina’s books.

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2uM

Day 16 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 16 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Lizzie Lamb and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Lizzie and her book Tall, Dark and Kilted.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

As a reader and writer of romance I enjoy novels with a satisfying resolution and incumbent happy ending. One where the hero and heroine survive the trials and tribulations of their – often stormy – relationship, but in the end realise they are meant to be together. Forever.

However, I have noticed that many ‘romances’ nowadays feature as their central themes: infidelity, abusive relationships, and single/divorced parent struggling against the odds. Add to those tropes novels which regularly feature middle-aged/middle class heroines suffering from low self-esteem and/or ‘empty nest’ syndrome. In short, novels which hold a mirror up to society and encourage the reader to examine their own lives against its reflection.

Bucking that trend, perhaps, I write about the moment when one falls in love and I want readers to recapture the buzz, whatever their ages. I know from feedback that my readership wants to remember the magic of that moment, too. I also enjoy writing about warm, emotion driven sex between my hero and heroine – once their internal/external conflicts have been resolved, naturally! Judging by the reviews I’ve received (67 in amazon.co.uk/56 in amazon.com) the majority of my readers feel the same way.

I like romances full of sparky dialogue between the hero/heroine – and the funnier, the better. I enjoy placing my heroine in a situation where she has to use native wit, intelligence and resourcefulness to get her out of trouble – without the hero’s help. My second rom com: Boot Camp Bride, which is due out this autumn, contains a large element of romantic suspense.

In short I couldn’t write a book I wouldn’t enjoy reading. I want my readers to close my novel with a happy sigh and with a smile on their lips. And to search the internet for my next book!!

Biography

If you have a dream – go for it.
Life is not a rehearsal

With Scottish, Irish, and Brazilian blood in her veins, it’s hardly surprising that Lizzie Lamb is a writer. She even wrote extra scenes for the films she watched as a child and acted out in the playground with her friends. She is shamed to admit that she kept all the good lines for herself. Luckily, she saves them for her readers these days. Lizzie’s love of writing went on hold while she pursued a successful teaching career, finishing up as a Deputy Head teacher of a large primary school. Since deciding to leave the profession to realise her dream of becoming a published novelist, Lizzie hasn’t looked back. She wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted – which echoes her love of her homeland in every page, not to mention heroes in kilts – and published it. Lizzie loves the quick fire interchange between the hero and heroine – like in old black and white Hollywood movies – and hope this comes over in her writing.
For her second novel: Boot Camp Bride (due out autumn 2013) she’s had enormous fun researching VW camper vans, the Norfolk Marshes and the world of journalism. Not to mention falling in love with a delicious new hero – Rafael Ffinch.

Fliss Bagshawe longs for a passport out of Pimlico where she works as a holistic therapist. After attending a party in Notting Hill she loses her job and with it the dream of being her own boss. She’s offered the chance to take over a failing therapy centre, but there’s a catch. The centre lies five hundred miles north in Wester Ross, Scotland. Fliss’s romantic view of the highlands populated by Men in Kilts is shattered when she has an upclose and personal encounter with the Laird of Kinloch Mara, Ruairi Urquhart. He’s determined to pull the plug on the business, bring his eccentric family to heel and eject undesirables from his estate – starting with Fliss. Facing the dole queue once more Fliss resolves to make sexy, infuriating Ruairi revise his unflattering opinion of her, turn the therapy centre around and sort out his dysfunctional family. Can Fliss tame the Monarch of the Glen and find the happiness she deserves?

Go over and check out Lizzie at Amazon

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2xX

Day 15 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 15 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Fenella J. Miller and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Fenella and her book A House Party.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

Writing romance today is no more difficult than it ever was – in fact in some ways it is much easier. Thirty years ago mm and ff romances were not acceptable, erotica was something bought in a brown paper bag, and women were expected to be subservient to the male hero.

Today a writer can write anything that interests them. I write historical romances so am fortunate that I don’t have to keep up with trends – one reason I love writing in this genre.”

Biography

Fenella J Miller

Fenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man. Her father was a Yorkshire man and her mother the daughter of a Rajah. She has worked as a nanny, cleaner, field worker,hotelier,chef, secondary and primary teacher and is now a full time writer.
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and two WW2 historical novels.
She lives in a pretty, riverside village in Essex with her husband. She has two adult children and… Read more at Amazon’s Fenella J Miller Page

A House Party Cover_EBOOK

Publication Date: February 19, 2013

A House Party – published by Robert Hale in 2008 as – The House Party
Regency Romantic Adventure
74 000 words
Sensuous

When Lady Dalrymple, Penelope Coombs great-aunt, accepts Lord Weston’s invitation to join his house party, Penny is most displeased. She was slighted by the Earl of Rushford during her season and has no wish to repeat the experience.
Lord Edward Weston, who secretly works for the British government, is searching for the traitor who is smuggling gold to France. Ned suspects the villain is travelling with an air balloon party, so invites the balloonist to his home in order to investigate his suspicions.
Penny is almost abducted on her ride over to Headingly Court and this is the beginning of a series of ever more alarming events. James Weston is there to offer his support and comfort. He is charming and not at all arrogant and irascible like his cousin Ned.
Will the handsome Frenchman, Count Everex, evade capture or succeed with his nefarious plans?

You need to check out the many books for Fenella on Amazon.

Here’s the link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2sF

Day 14 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 14 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Jean Fullerton and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Jean and her book Call Nurse Millie.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

I write historical fiction set in East London just after WW2 and the most difficult thing about Writing Romance in today’s Society is to try to show readers the vast changes that have occurred in social and moral attitudes over that time.

I’m very interested in twentieth century social history and how women’s lives have changed over the last seventy years in the way men and women interact and fall in love. For example; a woman from a working class background going to university was almost unheard of. Rather than thoughts of a career the ambition of the majority of young women at that time was to get married and have children. It was the socially accepted thing and no one questioned it. Even their education that majored on domestic science cooking and sewing was designed to equip them with the necessary skills to be a housewife.

There is nothing wrong with this of course, but it is very different from the expectation of young women today. Don’t get me wrong working class women have always worked to support their family. My own mother was a sewing machinist who worked at home and my grandmother took in washing to pay the rent but in the post-war period if a young woman seriously wanted to train as a doctor, nurse or teacher they often had to put aside all hopes of a family to achieve their goal.

But readers want a strong heroine that they can identify with even though she might have a much more restrictive life. Millie Sullivan, the heroine in my current book Call Nurse Millie, is a district nurse and midwife and as such has almost unheard of freedom in her working life this made it so much easier for me to have her taking a very proactive and modern approach to the situations she found herself in.

Life inside marriage could be very different, too. Although, modern surveys show that women are still doing the bulk of the cooking and cleaning most have control of their wages. In the 1940s and 50s men took the lead role in the family and their word was law in women’s romantic literature of the time the hero was often portrayed as a strong man who would take care of the heroine whereas today’s female readers would call him a bully.

Women today are also entitled to a great deal more protection under the law than the women of the 1940s and 50s ever knew. It seems strange to this generation of women that their foremothers weren’t automatically entitled to half the property if they divorced and could be the victim of domestic violence to which society, their neighbours, the police and law courts would turn a blind-eye.

Society itself has also changed, in the most part for the better. People with disabilities aren’t hidden away in faceless institutions any longer and quite rightly; it is no longer acceptable to discriminate against someone for their colour, sexuality or religious beliefs. However, it can seem incredible to the modern readers that people belonging to minority groups were described using words that I couldn’t bring myself say but I had to write in Call Nurse Millie so that my readers can see what it was really like just a generation ago.

The challenge I have as an historical author is always to use the fascinating historical detail of our grandmothers’ world around a cracking, page-turning romance story.

Biography

Jean Fullerton is a native Londoner and was born in the East End within the sound of Bow Bells. Until she was five her family lived in Wapping, alongside the Thames, and then moved to Stepney. She is a trained nurse and teaches healthcare and nursing. Her husband is a Church of England vicar, and his parish includes the site of the 2012 Olympic Games. She has three daughters.

Go by Amazon and check out Jean’s Books

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2tg

Day 13 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 13 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Kristy Feltenberger Gillespie and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Kristy and her book Jaded.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

I consider my Young Adult novel, Jaded, as more of a thriller but there’s definitely a romance component included. I think one of the toughest things about writing YA is having friends and families not take the genre seriously. I can’t thank my blogging friends enough because that’s where I receive most of my support!

Biography

About Kristy Feltenberger Gillespie: I work full time as a middle school counselor but when I’m not working, I’m blogging, (http://kristyfgillespie.com/) writing, reading, or traveling. I’ve written a short story collection and a YA thriller/romance JADED. I’m working on the sequel now.

Favorite Books: The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green…

Favorite Quote: “One step taken in the right direction, goes farther than any amount of agonized back- looking.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Favorite Genre: Paranormal

After sixteen-year-old Jade discovers her late grandmother was poisoned, she’s devastated yet determined to find the killer commune member and their motive.
With help from her mysterious friend Tyrian, and Peaches, the commune leader’s sweet daughter; Jade unearths dark secrets that involve her mother’s affair, her maternal grandparent’s abandonment, and a plethora of murders. To make matters worse, someone is hell bent on ending Jade’s mission for the truth.
Jade can’t continue conforming to an evil society and yet she fears the Outside is just as corrupt. If she resolves to flee and is caught, the punishment is banishment to the slave cabins… and blinding.

Go over to Swoonreads.com and check out Kristy.

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the day: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2pK

Day 12 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 12 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Terry Tyler and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Terry and her book Full Circle.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

I’m not a writer of romances as such, but my books all feature love relationships as fairly central themes – because who-ends-up-with-who is always, for me, one of the most important bits of a book! In my novels, I make my characters’ relationships as realistic as possible, because I like to write and to read about people who could actually exist, rather than idealistic heroes and heroines. I think it’s important to relate characters’ relationships to today’s men and women; for instance, it is not very often, these days, that people fall in love with someone in their teens and stay with them forever – everyone has so many more opportunities and experiences now, so we carry on changing and are attracted to different people at different stages in our lives. I like to write about people to whom my readers can really relate!

Biography

Terry Tyler’s first book on Amazon, You Wish, was the winner of the ‘Best Women’s Lit/Chick Lit’ category in the eFestival of Words 2013.

Terry lives in the north of England with her husband. She has six novels on Amazon, all of which she describes as the all-encompassing “contemporary fiction” because, despite the eFestival of Words win, she can’t work out what genre she writes in. If you like reading about love triangles, secret affairs, obsessions, addiction and family relationships, with a little bit of internet dating, social networking and reality TV thrown in, all with delightfully unguessable plot twists, then she’s probably the writer for you!

She has a blog on which she writes about anything she feels like, and also writes for the UK Arts Directory on a weekly basis, about self-publishing. Both blogs are widely read.

She will be publishing a collection of short stories later in the year, and is currently working on her seventh novel, which she is firmly convinced will be her best yet. Probably. Watch this space!

Full Circle

Publication Date: April 11, 2013

FULL CIRCLE
Terry Tyler

FULL CIRCLE is the sequel to Terry Tyler’s fourth novel, DREAM ON, but can be enjoyed as a stand alone work. It’s a tale of love triangles, infidelity, an English rock band, the lure of celebrity, and the destructive nature of alcohol addiction. FULL CIRCLE ~ love, sex and marriage, rock music and secret affairs, with a few laughs along the way!

***

Two years have passed since we left Dave, Ariel, Janice and Shane at the end of DREAM ON.

ARIEL thought her hard work and perseverance had been rewarded when she met record producer Theo Perlmutter ~ then a tragic event turned her dreams to dust.

Newly married JANICE was happier than she’d ever been ~ but the honeymoon ended when born again alcoholic husband Max careered off the wagon and into the nearest bar.

Being forced onto The Jeremy Kyle Show in DREAM ON was not enough to make ladies’ man SHANE learn his lesson – will his philandering ways eventually catch up with him?

Rock band THOR has risen from the ashes…

… but DAVE is unhappy, trapped in a domestic situation not of his choosing.

Will there be a happy ending for any of them?

Go over and check Terry Tyler out…

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the blog tour: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2qq

Day 11 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 11 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Swarupa N Ovalekar and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Swarupa and her book The Blue Eyed Prince Of Natlife.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

“As a first-time romance book writer, my biggest challenge was creating a story with an interesting, sexy and emotional touch. I wanted my readers to identify themselves with the characters…to lead them to a fantasy land where they can fall in love with my novel’s hero or heroine and forget their stressful existence for a while.

In my e-book, The Blue-Eyed Prince of Natlife, although “sparks fly between the hero and the heroine” from the time they first meet, there is a strong play of emotional tenderness and physical chemistry between the two. This is what romance book readers love to experience and this is exactly what I want to give them.

All said and done, once my manuscript was complete, I went for digital self-publishing having full faith in my writing. Getting recognition for their work is every writer’s greatest dream and I’m no exception to it. Still, if I’m able to stir feelings of passion within my readers, trapped in their tiresome routine, I know I have done a great job!”

Biography

Intrepid traveller, polyglot and author of the Epic 3-Book Series on Mexico (“Discovering MEXICO”, “MEXICO: The Country, Its History And The Maya World” and “A Guide To Mexican Cuisine”) and the romance fiction novel, “The Blue-Eyed Prince Of Natlife”.
Besides that, I am a passionate foodie, a huge fan of salsa and ballroom dancing, a great lover of world history & culture, cosmology and more…

A girl from Mexico City comes to Mumbai, discovers the joys of caring and sharing in a large house with seven other international trainees and falls in love with her suave Indian boss.

26-year old Mexican, Sara Velasquez, is the new international trainee at the corporate office of one of India’s top multinational companies, Natlife. Her blonde hair and good looks have always made most men treat her with benign condescension, unwilling to accept her managerial abilities. Experience has taught her not to trust men for this reason, but her tall and handsome Indian boss, the 27-year old blue-eyed Sid Oberoi, is different. He doesn’t question her intelligence only her impulsive nature. She finds herself battling a deep and irresistible attraction between them only to succumb to it whole-heartedly.

A past incident has shattered Sid’s trust in women. Whenever his girlfriends get too close or serious, he bolts. He’s not interested in commitment. So why does he harbour strong, unfamiliar feelings for the feisty Mexican? On learning about the bitter experiences of her past, he’s determined to ensure that she doesn’t get hurt again. Why does he feel so protective about her?

When misfortune strikes, it brings them both closer than ever. Sid offers her a job in his new business and room in his house. But, is he ready to offer her a place in his heart?

Go over to Swarupa’s site at http://thegr8wall.wordpress.com/

Go over to Rosie’s site to check out her side: http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/romancing-september-tour/

Day 10 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 10 of the Romancing September Across The World Blog Tour. The question I put out to all of these authors was “What challenges do you face in writing romance in today’s society?”

Don’t forget to go over to Rosie Amber’s page and check out her page too. I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Today my guest author is Annie Acorn and I want to thank her for blogging with me today. Here is a little about Annie and her book A Man For Susan.

What Challenges do you face writing romance in today’s society?

What an interesting question! From my perspective, the biggest challenge isn’t in the writing of the romance. I imagine writing a quality romance that will spark a readers’ imagination is much the same today as it was for Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer – two of the early greats. One could make a case that there are more subgenres today, ranging from sweet to erotic, but once you’ve identified your genre, then all you have to do as an author is stay true to your choice and your readers’ expectations. Oh, and write a really great story!

The real challenge for romance writers today is the marketing. Major outlets for romances such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes vary widely in the categories they offer to indies and publishers such as Annie Acorn Publishing LLC. This can mean that while you as an author are secure in how you would categorize your work, it may prove to be difficult to denote this to possible readers as they search for your masterpiece on these venues’ websites.

Two other marketing challenges are also making it much harder to achieve real success with a romance, particularly a stand alone volume as opposed to a sequential work in a series.

The first is the sheer number of romances that are now available in the marketplace. Here’s an example, when I published my cozy mystery Chocolate Can Kill, if you searched under Nook books/mysteries/women’s sleuths on the Barnes and Noble website, you would have found approximately 190 pages of volumes from which to choose. When A Man for Susan was published as a romance just a little over a year later, a similar search would have provided a possible reader with over 1200 pages of volumes from which to choose. The pages for Chocolate Can Kill had risen to 236. The mystery genre is not tiny, but the romance genre is HUGE!

The second is the advent of free books for ereaders. I have several friends who read romances almost exclusively. They have individually shared with me that my Captain’s Point Stories romances are the ONLY ONES they have paid for since the advent of free offerings, and they did so only because they knew me personally. True, they tell me, these free books often include erotica they don’t want, bad edits, poor storylines and fewer total pages, but they are willing to sort through the chaff to reach the wheat when the books are free.

As an author, I am deeply concerned about the trend towards free books. Because I was eating, sleeping, indeed living in Captain’s Point in my head while writing A Man for Susan, Juliette and I were able to bring it to publication in a little over two months, thanks to her additions to the text and copyediting along as I wrote. Still, even though I was running on 3-4 hours sleep per night much of time, it took the two of us a fair amount of time working all out in multiple directions to bring a quality, full-length volume to publication.

Biography

Annie Acorn is the pseudonym of a prolific, internationally published author, whose readership recognizes her mainly for her women’s fiction, cozy mysteries and richly woven stories with a warm southern flair. She writes her romantic women’s fiction/family saga Captain’s Point series as Charlotte Kent. She is a founding member of From Women’s Pens – A Cooperative of Women Writers.

Annie is the mother of two sons, one of whom is married to the best daughter-in-law in the world. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area, where she has done extensive technical writing as a contractor.

She owned a tri-state medical outsourcing business for a number of years and was the Director of a behavioral healthcare firm. She once flipped a comic book and collectible retail company comprised of five stores, and she has managed cemeteries and funeral homes. She is the owner of Annie Acorn Publishing LLC.

Ms. Acorn has published in The Inspirational Writer, and she edited an in-house publication for the State of Mississippi. She is a contributor of ezine articles.

In her spare time, Ms. Acorn enjoys reading, writing mysteries, listening to classical music, playing cards, and spending time with her family and friends – often at a restaurant serving delicious food.

Annie is the author of the blog at annieacorn.com. You can friend her on Facebook and tweet her at Annie_Acorn. She will respond to your email sent to annieacorn11@gmail.com.

A Man For Susan

Publication Date: June 16, 2013

The second novel in the women’s fiction series Captain’s Point Stories, A Man for Susan, written by multi-published, internationally known From Women’s Pens authors Annie Acorn and Juliette Hill under the pseudonym Charlotte Kent, offers the reader romance, humor, and adventure in a story of love and personal growth.

Newly married, Adrianna Montgomery Sheffield feels the need to pay forward the happiness she has found with her Chase, determining that her mission will be to find a man for his law partner, Susan. Recognizing her friend as a beautiful woman inside and out, Adrianna believes the task to be an easy one, but soon realizes the depths of the challenge she has set for herself. Will Susan find the strength to open her heart to the tall, dark stranger who has recently moved to their small town, allowing both of them an opportunity for healing and true love?

Don’t miss this chance to fall in love again!

Check out Annie’s books.

Here’s a link to Rosie’s side of the blog: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2sD