The Times Short Romance Saved Me!

Today we have Destiny Romance author Leisl Leighton visiting LoveCats. She's dropped by to chat about her love of category romance (and we love her for it). Take it away Leisl...

I was writing a blog the other day about what I love about paranormal romance and romantic suspense (the 2 genres I write in). It was titled ‘When Romance Isn’t Enough’ and was about my need for that third character in a romance book – the world building or the evil mastermind or killer who gets a look in. However, within that blog, I mentioned there were times when the romance alone was very much enough and it made me think there was a blog in that. So, here I am at the Lovecats where romance is front and centre.

You hear all the time the put-downs people have about romance books, most especially short romance in what has been traditionally known as the category variety – what all the lovely and talented ladies here on Lovecats write. They often say those books are filled with predictable tropes, you already know the ending – they’re going to end up together – and the fact they are centred on two people falling in love sets unrealistic ideals for women.

Rubbish!

Those people are talking out of their you-know-whats. They fail to understand that the people who write, read and love those novels (people like me and you and the Lovecats) actually want those things. We want to know the hero and heroine are going to get together at the end – the suspense is in how the author will get them there when there’s so many obstacles in the way. In regards to the tropes, it’s said there are only 7 true story types, so how can you write anything but a trope if this is true? But even if it isn’t, we still want the tropes. They are comforting and fun and not predictable at all in the hands of a clever writer who can twist and bend them into a pretzel and then say to their characters, ‘Get out of that one! Ha!’

And the fact that the books are centred on two people falling in love is not setting unrealistic ideals for women. Women aren’t stupid. We know they are the fantastical end of reality. But we want that fantastical end for just a little while in amongst the chaos that is the modern woman’s life. Those romances, the tropes, the predictable endings, they all saved my sanity time and again throughout my life.

I first really started to get into reading category romance when I was in VCE. I like to read before going to bed – it’s part of my ‘go to sleep’ routine. When my eyes were practically popping out of my head from the study grind and I was feeling more stressed than VCE alone was culpable for (my VCE year was filled with personal stresses I won’t go into here suffice to say, it was amazing I even turned up at times and got through the year). My Nanna gave me some of her favourite Nora Roberts category novels and a bunch of others too, because she thought they’d be good to read at the end of a hard day when my mind was too busy for my usual diet of fantasy books. Boy, was she right.

I inhaled those books like they were lollies – a special candy made up of whizz fizz and popping candy put together with a dollop of strawberry chuppa-chups and chocolate on the side. They were bright and sparkly and always made me feel special and cheery at the end (but kind of sad, in a good way, because I didn’t want to leave those characters there.) Those books got me through some very hard times during that year. They were the bright in the dark, and to this day, Nora Roberts is one of my favourite authors.

This trend continued throughout university when I was doing a double major in English and Drama and was reading great thick books from Chaucer, Thackery, Austen and Shakespeare through to Alice Munro and Margaret Attwood, not to mention plays like Hedder Gabler, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Waiting for Godot – heavy stuff. I would put down the heavy at the end of the day and sink into the delights of a romance, full of its twisty-turny pretzel-shaped tropes and delight in the triumph of both author and characters when they finally got their happy ever after. I continued with this trend after I finished uni – whenever the stresses of life were getting to me, I picked up a new category and off I went; an instant sanity refresher!

Years later when I began to write after giving up the theatre world to have a family, I tried my hand at these ‘simple’ romances I loved, only to find that they are not so simple to write. I failed at writing them (had some great ideas, but I just couldn’t manage to keep that third character out of the room!) and had to wave my career as a famous category writer good-bye. L

I turned instead to the other genres I love to read – paranormal and fantasy and romantic suspense – and have succeeded in starting to carve a little career for myself in these. But I tip my cap in awe to the authors who manage to wrestle their story into the pages of a category romance and manage to come up with an enticing, sparkly read with that ‘aahh’ feeling at the end. You ladies saved my sanity (you’re still doing it) and I thank you from the bottom of my filled-with-romance heart.

Dark Moon - Available 15 March

Lately, Skye Collins has been unable to shake the feeling that she's being watched. After a lifetime spent hiding her true nature, she knows that any unusual attention is something to be wary of.  And the only attention she's been receiving lately is from the intense and attractive Jason McVale. 
Jason claims to know things about Skye that can't be true, and it's obvious he's hiding secrets of his own. Yet despite herself, Skye can't resist the attraction between them, and her surrender will set in motion a chain of events that will have consequences for everyone she holds dear.

Gradually, Jason convinces Skye that she has to trust him if she is to solve the riddle of her past and learn the truth about her power.  But believing Jason means that her entire life has been based on a lie.

As her enemies gather strength and the danger increases, Skye is forced to accept who she really is. Will she risk everything and fight for those she loves? Or save herself and let them be destroyed by the forces of darkness? 

Leisl is giving away an ecopy (Amazon only) of Dark Moon. Leave a comment to go into the draw. She'd love to know what books 'saved' you at a difficult time in your life? 

Leisl writes paranormal fantasy and romantic suspense. Her romantic suspense, Killing Me Softly is out now:

Amazon

Kobo

iBooks

Destiny Romance 

Google Play

You can follow Leisl and find out more about her and her books on her website: www.leislleighton.com, Facebook, Goodreads. Follow her on Twitter @LeislLeighton.

Charming inspiration!

Today is release day for my new Destiny Romance novella, "Charmed"! Charmed is a spicy hot read that's a contemporary romance with a magical twist - Melanie, the heroine, just happens to be able to read minds. And is that a blessing or a curse?? Well, you'll just have to read to find out. ;)

A common question for authors is where they get their inspiration. It sounds like a straightforward question, but it's actually got a complicated answer for me, because inspiration for my writing comes from so many different places.

In the case of Charmed, there were two things about the characters that instantly came to my mind. Let's talk about Michael, the hero, first.

He's an accountant. Boring, right? No way! He's the rockstar of accountants -- he's a surfer boy, an adventure traveller, and I'm sure he's done all those dangerous holiday sports, bungy jumping, jet boating, etc.

The thing that stuck in my mind when I pictured him was his hair. I saw him running his fingers through his hair as a gesture whenever he was confused, or overwhelmed, or thinking things through. (Or, possibly, being driven out of his mind by passion!) One actor, famed for his gorgeous locks, came to mind.

Jared Padalecki is probably most famous for playing Sam Winchester in Supernatural. He often runs his fingers through his hair in that role, and that's exactly what I pictured.

My heroine, Melanie, didn't come quite so easily to mind. That is, in terms of her looks. The one thing that I was clear on very early on was her wardrobe. A strange little bit of inspiration, I know! But I could very clearly picture exactly what she would wear, and it was exactly like Nina Proudman from the Aussie TV drama, Offspring.

Those filmy scarves, and jangly beads, and boho-gypsy chic were very clear in my head.

It's Melbourne winter during Charmed, so the weather is typically changeable. That means it's more about jackets and warm coats than flippy skirts, but the aesthetic would still be the same. (There is, in fact, a whole series of blog posts dedicated to helping you dress like Nina Proudman!)

 

Mel and Michael have a few challenges thrown their direction, and they're not just about haircare and fashion choices. There's an entanglement with the magic council, a big matter in Michael's past, and pesky Aunt Gertrude always getting in the way.

 

I hope you'll enjoy Charmed -- it was such fun to write, especially with two such quirky, inspirational characters at the heart of it!

 

Before I go, I just want to add one other little piece of news -- you may know already, but I'm about to head off on a new adventure, living in San Francisco. This is my last blog post with the gorgeous Lovecats, and I'm saying a sad but fond farewell to all the other kitties! I do hope to come back and visit with special news every now and then. In the meantime, my heartfelt thanks to the Lovecats for being such wonderful authors to work with, and my fondest wishes to all the Lovecats readers for you comments and interaction -- wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year!

 

 

To Buy or Not to Buy...How do Romance Readers Decide What to Read Next?

by Jennifer St George

I recently finished reading fellow LoveCat Amy Andrew's Taming a Tycoon (yes, I'm quite behind on my TBR pile!). Obviously the first thing I wanted to do was buy another one of Amy's books...which I could do instantly with my trusty iPad. It got me thinking about how romance readers make the decision of what to buy or read next.

According to research commissioned last year by Romance Writers of America, the top overall decision factors when deciding on a romance are:

• the story
• the author
• it's part of a series
• back cover copy

It was interesting to note the book covers are not a factor listed in the top four. I know I worry incessantly about my covers.  Are they sexy enough? Enticing enough? Is my hero hot enough? Looks like I should be more concerned about nailing those short paragraphs on the back cover.

I also found fascinating (I know it's sad, but I love statistics) the numbers on where romance buyers find information about what they read. The bookstore was still the number one information source. Now, this research was commissioned last year, so things could well have changed...a lot.

My key influences are other romance writers, friends and romance blogs.

Being predominately published in e-format, the top "online" factors in influencing purchase decisions were of particular significance. These were:

• Online bookseller websites (Amazon, BN.com etc)
• Reading about it/seeing it online
• Seeing it on a best-seller list
• Author website.

The saying goes 'lies, damned lies, and statistics' so I'd love to hear how other people make their romance buying decisions.

Jennifer is the author of three romance novels from Destiny Romance. To find out more visit -  website, twitter, facebook or goodreads. Her latest release, The Love Deception is available at Amazon, Apple, Kobo and Destiny Romance.

Welcome Leisl Leighton with her Debut Novel and Giveaway

My Destiny Romance release buddy is the lovely Leisl Leighton with her debut book – Killing Me Softly. Combining a superstar, record producer, an isolated country estate and a campaign of terror, it sounds like a must read.  I have Killing Me Softly downloaded on my iPad and can’t wait. So here to tell us all about it is the author herself. 

Welcome Leisl!

Hi. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Tell us a little bit about your story?

Killing Me Softly is a romantic suspense set in the north of England. It’s about a publicity shy music producer, Alexia Deningham, who has built a successful career in an effort to escape the horror of her past and to build a new life for herself and her traumatised twin. When the opportunity arises to work with talented, yet troubled, rock star, Daemon Flagherty, Lexi jumps at the chance as another way to not deal with the issues from her past that keep haunting her. Despite the fact that both Daemon and Lexi have troubled past and don’t easily trust, a relationship builds between them, helped along by their shared passion for music.

But the past is not so keen to be pushed aside. A man with revenge on his mind has been stalking her, and now he has decided to strike.

Can you tell us what was the inspiration for Killing Me Softly?

I don’t think there was any one inspiration. I tend to dream in stories and I kept on having a series of dreams over and over that wouldn’t let me alone. In the dreams there was a rock star who had lost his ‘muse’ and a woman who he thought was the only one who could help him to find inspiration again. When I sat down to write it though, the story that began to be told at first was the woman’s and it seemed to turn from a contemporary romance into a romantic suspense, with a hidden past, a stalker and a traumatised twin. It kind of just grew from there.

During your career, you’ve been an actor, singer and dancer, as well as script writer, stage manager and musical director for cabaret and theatre restaurants. Did all this experience help for creating the characters of Alexia Deningham and Daemon Flagherty?

I think so. Music is very important to them, and while Alexia has always suffered from terrible stage fright (something I’ve never experienced myself), she longs to share her music and her love of music with people. Daemon loves all aspects of music – writing, recording, performing – which is something I could really relate to. There is nothing like the rush of getting up in front of people and making them laugh and cry and cheer. It is incredibly fulfilling. And there is a moment in the book when Daemon drags Lexi up on stage at a local barn dance and she is able to lose herself in the music and for the first time, experiences that rush she never knew when she was younger because of fear. It’s one of my favourite moments in the novel, because it is a real turning point for her, but also because I know that joy. Obviously, I also know a little about recording in a studio because of my past career, so that helped too.

I love romantic suspense, can you share what you believe are the essential ingredients to make this genre work?

For me, at the heart of a good romantic suspense, there must be a romance that fuels the story; that makes the reader’s heart swoon with desire, and pound with worrying about what is going to happen to the hero and heroine. Without a hot romance, I might as well be reading a crime novel. Then of course there is the suspense. It doesn’t matter how the suspenseful element comes about (the protagonists caught in the middle of a crime, a mystery to solve, murder, espionage, insane stalkers etc), or if we know who the ‘evil’ character is throughout the novel, but it does matter that tension is built constantly, that the pace winds up as each chapter plays out and that all the story/plot threads must come together at the end. I am never more disappointed when I finish a romantic suspense and I go ‘Huh? But that makes no sense’ or, ‘That didn’t just come out of left field, but from a totally different field altogether.’ And if questions are still left hanging, unless it is part of a series, I’m truly disappointed.

What is your favourite scene and can we have a sneak peek?

One of my favourite scenes is one early on in the novel when Lexi, unable to sleep at night, gets up to work on an opus of music she’s been writing and recording for the last eleven years. It is the musical story of her life. Daemon’s band has arrived that day, and he, unable to sleep, goes into the studio to do some work himself, and finds her playing something she’d just written. In that moment, Daemon sees who Lexi really is, and for him, it’s the start of the relationship – although he doesn’t know that until much later.

EXTRACT:

Placing the sheet music on the piano, she took a seat and began to play.

As she played she found a lead refrain creeping in from the last movement. Haunting and solemn, speaking of something missing, something lost. She frowned, tried to change the music, but it wouldn’t budge. This thing deep inside her was coming out unbidden, undermining the happiness. Frustrated, she banged her hands down on the keys.

‘That was bloody marvellous. Why’d you stop?’

Lexi jumped, her hand flying up to stifle a scream. Eyes wide, she turned. Daemon leaned casually against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, black hair ruffled, his jaw darkened by stubble. He pushed away from the doorframe and sauntered into the room towards her.

‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’

Lexi grasped her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking and endeavoured to sound natural. ‘No, it’s okay. You just startled me. I didn’t hear you come in.’

The amusement on his face was disarming. ‘You wouldn’t have noticed if the ceiling fell around you.’ He sat beside her at the piano and ran his hands along the keys. ‘I know that feeling myself.’

She coughed, edged away from him. ‘I didn’t expect anyone to be up this late.’

‘No-one else is. Just me.’

His eyes were vibrant blue in the semi-dark room. She could feel his gaze like a touch as it skimmed over her face, came back to her eyes, remained there. How could it feel as if he were drinking her in? She cleared her throat, shifted, tore her gaze away. ‘I like to come down here at this time of the night. I like the quiet. I can work without being disturbed.’

He laughed at her gentle barb, the sound sliding up and down her spine. She stood up abruptly. ‘How come you’re up at this hour?’ She sounded defiant, almost annoyed, but she couldn’t help it. He’d thrown her with his presence.

‘Same as you. I often work at this time of night. Can’t sleep, so I might as well do something productive. If I stay in bed I get angry with myself and start to worry about all sorts of things.’

He looked up at her with those searching eyes. Crossing her arms, she stepped back, chin rising. But before she could think of something to say, he turned to the piano, his long fingers picking out a tune.

No, not a tune - the basic melody of what she’d just written!

He turned to the music in front of him and began to play in earnest. The music soared around her, filling up the small studio with the resounding tones of the piano.

She wanted him to stop. Listening to him play her music created an intimacy she wasn’t ready for. She was reminded of that old song, ‘Killing me Softly’. He played her deepest thoughts and feelings, everything laid bare. She should stop him. He already looked at her with a gaze that pierced too deep. And yet, she couldn’t stop him. Under his fingers, her music sang to her in a way it never had before. The feelings of loss and loneliness were there, but they didn’t overwhelm. Within the refrain, she also heard a resilience and strength she’d never acknowledged. The music said, ‘keep going, show no fear’.

That was what she’d done. That was who she was. His interpretation brought out that strength.

The final notes tumbled to an end, vibrating with a deep resonance from within the polished mahogany piano case.

As she drew in a deep, shuddering breath, trying not to feel the music within her chest, around her heart, Daemon turned to her.

‘That was beautiful. What do you call it?’

Lexi pulled the sheets off the stand, thrusting them into the music folder she kept on a shelf beside the piano. The sheets rustled as her hands fumbled with the folder. She bit her lip. ‘Nothing. I might not even keep it.’

He stood up and took the folder from her trembling hands, slotting it smoothly on the shelf among the other folders and books of music. ‘You have to. That music is you. You can’t throw all that away.’

‘I’ll do what I want.’

You’ve had enormous success in the competition circuit, how does it feel now to be published?

Amazing. I’ve been working toward this moment for what seems like so long. The competition places and wins were great encouragement at times when I felt like I was going nowhere. It’s hard work being knocked down by rejections, picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and finding the joy to write again. But I really wanted this, so I did just that, worked really hard on improving and learning more about the craft and trying to write what brought joy to me, characters I could fall in love with. The competition successes told me I was heading in the right direction, but also taught me lots of great lessons about dealing with criticism and understanding that I can’t please everyone. It helped me to toughen up my skin and just become more determined. And then, finally, one magical afternoon at home with my son who was home sick from school, I got that wonderful ‘call’. It was the best feeling ever!

Killing Me Softly is now available at: Destiny Romance, Amazon, Kobo, Angus & Robertson and iTunes.

You can find Leisl at her website, twitter, facebook, goodreads and Amazon.

Thanks for popping by Leisl.  I hope Killing Me Softly sells its socks off!

Thanks for having me here on LoveCats. It’s been a thrill.

Leisl would love to know: What song brings back a great memory for you? Why? Leave a comment for a chance to win Killing Me Softly.

Also a reminder that twelve Destiny Romance titles are currently on sale for 99c including Seducing the Secret Heiress.

Destiny Romance to Celebrate its First Anniversary and a Giveaway

It is my great pleasure to welcome my fabulous Destiny Romance editors Sarah Fairhall and Carol George to Lovecats today. It’s been nearly a year since Destiny Romance hit the international e-book scene and I caught up with Carol and Sarah to find out about the year that was and what we might expect in the future.

Carol George and Sarah Fairhall

It's coming up to Destiny Romance's first anniversary, what's been your greatest highlight?
That we managed to stay sane? No, truly, it’s been the joy of discovering and publishing new, quality, Australian writing. Nothing could be more exciting than that.

What reactions have you had from readers to Destiny?  

On the whole the feedback has been fantastic with romance fans loving Destiny books. We are passionate about what we do at Destiny and as genuine fans of romance, we seem to be on track with our readers. And of course, we like to push the envelope a little, as well.

Are there any plans for the future you can share with us?

We’ll continue to be innovative with the range of romances we publish and the way we publish them. We published the unconventional Untamed this year and will continue to roll the dice with any romance we love, even if it isn’t exactly ‘traditional.’ This year we experimented with print versions of Destiny titles going into Australia Post offices around Australia. A few other ideas like this are in the mix.  

Tell us a little about your June releases?

June marks the release of the first romantic suspense from popular Destiny author, Jennifer St George. The Love Deception is about Felicity, a brilliant young lawyer who joins a law firm in order to investigate a case in which she has a huge personal stake.  Only one complication – she wakes up in a stranger’s bed one morning, no idea how she got there and he turns out to be her new boss.   

From new Destiny author, Leisl Leighton, we have the very scary Killing Me Softly. Alexia, a famous, reclusive record producer is being stalked.  The danger seems to ratchet when a famous band joins her on her country property to work on their next album and Alexia finds herself deeply attracted to the lead singer.

Will we see Destiny Romance at the RWA conference, GenreCon or any other literary events this year?

Destiny and many of its writers (the ‘Destineers’), will be at full strength at the RWA conference. Destiny will celebrate it’s first birthday on the Thursday night. Expect balloons and candles.  Sarah Fairhall will be taking pitches for Destiny and you can visit us at the Penguin/Destiny trade table. Please come and say hello! Sarah is also attending RWNZ this year and looks forward to meeting New Zealand readers and writers.   

Thanks Sarah and Carol for joining us on LoveCats today.  I’ve loved my first year as a Destineer. Destiny is giving away four fabulous print Destiny titles – The Convenient Bride, Uncovererd by Love, Cityglitter and Her Italian Aristocrat. Leave a comment for a chance to win.

The Love Deception is available now from Amazon, Apple, Kobo and Destiny Romance.

Covers, characters and a giveaway!

by Emmie Dark

Hi Lovecatters! It's an exciting month for me. Not only has my brand new novella Spellbound hit the e-shelves with Destiny publishing, I've also just received the cover art for my June SuperRomance!

I've totally been blessed by the cover fairies this month. Check out Spellbound:

Isn't it gorgeous? Sexy, a little mysterious, and somehow magical -- perfectly in sync with the quirky spice of the story. Personally, I also think that guy has one very sexy shoulder/chest. I think, maybe, it's because he's wearing a singlet and not showing just bare skin. What do you think? Are we in the romance world a little weary of naked-chested hunks? (Is such a thing possible??)

And here's the cover for Just For Today...

I've got a story about the cover for Just For Today. It's funny how different books can be. For me, most of the time when I'm writing, I don't usually have an exceptionally strong sense of how my characters look. I mean, I know what color their hair is, and their eyes,  as well as any quirks like scars, etc, but when I picture them in my mind's eye, I don't often have a crystal-clear image of their faces.

That was totally different with Just For Today. I knew exactly, right from the start, what my hero and heroine looked like.

My hero was the spitting image of Jensen Ackles from the TV show Supernatural. He seems to be a perennial favourite with romance authors -- I do see his mug pasted up on Facebook more often than most.

And I think you can see why.

Apart from the jaw and chiselled chin, the hair was a big thing. My hero, Sean, does his hair exactly like that. And it gets referred to a lot in the book.

My heroine, Jess, also sprang into my mind's eye just as quickly and fully formed. She was Erin Karpluk from the TV show Being Erica. (If you haven't seen it, you absolutely must! It's wonderful!)

Jess had that same long, flowing hair and very natural, down-to-earth look. She's also a little older than Sean (a little more world-wearied, too) and I thought the two of them worked perfectly together. (I was thrilled to discover, long after the book was written and submitted, that Jensen and Erin shared screen time in the show Dark Angel -- unfortunately not romantically!)

Now go back and look at the cover for Just For Today -- don't I owe the talent scouts in the art department at Harlequin a beer??

I haven't got my advance copies of Just For Today yet. But leave a comment and I'll send one lucky commenter a copy as soon as they arrive. You'll be among the first in the world to read it!

How much notice do you take of the way characters look on the covers as compared to how they're described in the book? How clearly do you picture your characters when you're writing?

G'day Y'all

by Emmie Dark

Hello lovecatters! As you might have guessed from my posts on LoveCats, I tend to travel quite a bit and I'm often posting from different places in the world. Well, it's the same deal this month and that's why my post is a little delayed -- after all, it is still Wednesday (morning!) here in Los Angeles!!

And I have to say, winter here in LA beats the stinkin' summer weather at home in Melbourne right now. We've got blue sky, sunshine, about 25 during the day. Chilly enough at night to need a jacket, but that also means snuggling into bed with the doona. Quite frankly, it's no wonder the rich and famous choose to base themselves here.

Venice Beach. Yes, it is winter.

Spotted my first celeb yesterday -- Jason Segel from "How I Met Your Mother". He was just walking down the street with his arm around his girlfriend, all casual-like. (I imagine his girlfriend is probably someone famous too, but I don't pay enough attention to the right kind of magazines to know that. In fact, I have probably walked passed dozens of celebrities but I just don't know who they are!)

Last weekend I went to Texas to visit with a friend. I got to see Dallas and the gorgeous city of Austin. The slogan for Austin is "Keep Austin Weird", and it's definitely my kind of weird. The city is full of food, music and quirky peeps. It's also the home of the Texas Longhorns (college football team) of whom I have become a serious and loyal supporter (at least, I own a lot of merchandise now). One of these days I'll actually get to see a game, but at least this time I got to meet Bevo, the team mascot -- not surprisingly, a longhorn steer.

G'day, y'all.

Texas is definitely a place for good food and lots of it, if you're so inclined. My friend (a native Austonian) took me to the secret, best barbecue place in the whole of Austin. Do you remember the opening credits of The Flintstones? Where Fred pedals his car into the diner and gets served a rack of ribs that are so huge they tip the car over? Yes, that.

Just a small dinner for me, thanks.

I had the "junior plate" which consisted of two ribs. TWO. I managed to eat one. It was delicious and I kept eating way beyond "full" because it was so yummy. (Oh, and FYI, the beer I drank is a local brew called Shiner Bock, a brewery that's been around for decades which was formed by European immigrants who definitely knew how to made a decent lager.)

The only thing I missed out on in Texas? I did not once see any sexy cowboys. I didn't even see any non-sexy cowboys. Still.... that's just a reason to go back!!

PS -- My good news is that while I'm over here I'm working on the copy edits for my brand new erotica novella, "Spellbound", due out with Destiny Romance in March! I'll keep you posted.

Meet Debut Author Jennifer St George!

I’m thrilled to welcome Jennifer St George author of The Convenient Bride to the LoveCats today.

She writes contemporary romance for Penguin’s new digital-first imprint, Destiny Romance.  Her debut novel The Convenient Bride is out now!

The Convenient Bride has just been launched by Destiny Romance - can you tell us a little about the story?

Sienna De Luca will do anything to save her family's hotel, and the ruthless Italian businessman Antonio Moretti knows it. With problems of his own, he proposes a marriage of convenience and plans to use Sienna to secure his next business deal. But things don't go quite according to plan.

In keeping with her part of the bargain, Sienna travels to Venice to be with Antonio, who introduces her to a life of great luxury and opulence. But after thinking he can manipulate her at his will, Antonio begins to realise he has seriously underestimated Sienna…her intelligence, her skills, her courage – and her beauty. Unexpectedly, Sienna gets too close and when she discovers his dark secret and Antonio's perfectly planned life begins to unravel.

What was the inspiration for The Convenient Bride?
I visited Venice for the first time not long ago and found it one of the most magical and captivating cities I’ve ever seen.  Venice is the perfect backdrop for a romance and who can’t love a wounded Italian hero?  Unbearable grief also features in the story and unfortunately this is an emotion I know something about having lost my sister in tragic circumstances.

Your story revolves around luxury hotels.  Have you ever stayed in one?

In my life before romance writing, I worked in marketing for large corporations including Guinness and Ford.  My jobs required extensive travel.  For example, I launched Guinness in Russia, marketed forklift trucks across Europe and travelled to Germany, Japan and Korea to select new cars for the Australian market.  So, having spent many day sand nights in five-star hotels, I was able to draw on this experience when writing The Convenient Bride.

The romance writing award season has just wrapped up and you have had some wins.  Can you tell us about them?

It’s funny how everything seems to come together at the same time after several years of hard work.  I came 2nd and 3rd in the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Emerald contest and have just arrived home from New Zealand a few days ago where The Convenient Bride won the 2012 Clendon Award. I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed but obviously delighted.

What keeps you entertained when you’re not writing?

I love keeping fit so I walk up to the Byron Bay Lighthouse about four times a week.  Just today I saw four whales very close to shore, which is always thrilling. I also love walking on the beach with the family and our new puppy, Toffee.  My indulgence is watching my favourite movies over and over.  I’ve enjoyed Sense and Sensibility, Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and Bridget Jones’ Diary more times than I care to count.

Having just been published, what would you say to aspiring authors?
Never give up. 

I decided very early on that to gain publication I had to take my writing very seriously and that it would probably take a long time.  I established a very strict writing routine (including getting up at six am on New Year’s Day when I was rushing to finish a manuscript for RWA’s 5DI program) and worked hard at learning the craft.  I attended every romance writing workshop I could, studied relevant textbooks on writing and devoured stories similar to the line I was targetting. I applied to the RWA critique partner scheme and found a wonderful writer in Melbourne.

Probably the best thing I did was volunteer for RWA.  I’ve met so many multi-published, award-winning authors who have given me advice, guidance and encouragement (obviously Rachel, you were one of those wonderfully generous authors along with a couple of other LoveCats!).  I believe I would not have been published without their help.

Aw, you're too sweet, Jen. :) What’s Next?

Following the last two whirlwind weeks with the Romance Writers of Australia’s annual conference and then the New Zealand conference, it’s back to reality.  I have to plot my next book and return to the discipline of writing every day.

My next book, Seducing the Secret Heiress will be coming out with Destiny Romance in a few months. 


If you’d like more information about Jennifer, visit:
website: www.jenniferstgeorge.com or www.destinyromance.com