Picture this: Me, in an overcrowded elevator at the 2010 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Conference. I’m standing nose to name tag with a petite blonde woman. Her nose. My name tag. The conversation goes like this: Woman: Oh, you’re Beth Vogt. You finaled in the Frasier. Me (uncomfortable & now a bit surprised she could even read my name …
Contemporary Romance Writer: My (least) Favorite Word
I’ve informed my family they won’t be seeing much of me for the next few months. Why, you ask? I’m diving into my second novel. Which is due to my publisher, Howard Books, in May. Yep. Four months from now. No. I am not panicking. Much. My editor approved the synopsis for my next inspirational contemporary romance — but …
Contemporary Romance Writer: How Do I Achieve Success as a Writer?
Some days the writing road is lined with ledges. Ledges perfect to climb up and then stand and ponder the “why” of my existence in the writing universe. And yes, these ledges are ideal to throw myself off of when my hopes are dashed, my dreams seem nothing more than taunting specters, and my efforts seem … wasted. (I need …
Contemporary Romance Writer: How Do You Define Happily Ever After?
Every self-respecting romance novel or movie ends with a happily ever after, or HEA in writer-speak. But if we were all sitting around my family room talking romance (lovely idea, that!) and we tried to determine the components of a HEA … well, I’m not sure we could. Spoiler Alert: I give away the endings to some books, so …
Contemporary Romance Writer: What is the appeal of Christmas Romances?
A blog post or two ago, we chatted about how romance sells. Side note: I love when the conversation flows on this blog. I read every comment and am determined to respond to every one. After all, if you take time to read and comment on my post, I want to respond in kind. Back to today’s topic: ‘Tis …
Contemporary Romance Writer: Do You Read Debut Novels?
How do you feel about debut novelists? Not personally … I mean, do you read a novel by a debut author? I’m not asking for myself. Really. I have other friends wearing the title “debut novelist” too: Lisa Jordan (Lakeside Reunion, available now!) Camille Eide (Savanna’s Gift, available Dec. 3, 2011!) Gina Conroy (Cherry Blossom Capers, January 2012) …
Contemporary Romance Writer:That “Can’t Put It Down” Book
We lose sleep for lots of different reasons. Illness. Anxiety. Sometimes we even stay up into the wee small hours because we’re celebrating something fun. But how often have you stayed up too late because of a book? You start reading a novel and you get so caught up in the story — the conflict between the hero and the …
Contemporary Romance Writers: Telling the Truth
I love the characters I run into when I read a novel. It doesn’t matter whether I’m reading a romantic suspense, a la Susan May Warren, a low country romance, a la Rachel Hauck, an historical a la Siri Mitchell, or even a contemporary romance, a la … well, all three of those authors (and even my upcoming debut novel, …
Kiss Da Girl
If you write romance, plan on writing a scene with a kiss in it. Maybe two. And, yeah, I know there are authors out there who write scenes with a whole lot more than kissin’ going on. I am not one of those authors. You know what? It’s tough to write a good kiss. I know what a good …
Heiress: Susan May Warren’s Historical Set in the Gilded Age (& Book Giveaway)
Award-winning author Susie May Warren’s book, Heiress, grabbed my attention — twice. We’ve all heard the adage: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. But really, isn’t that exactly how we first judge a book? We walk into a bookstore (or a library) and we scan the shelves until — whoa! — a book’s cover art captures us, saying, “You …
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