Hi, all! I’m back again! I’m two months from the release of my book No Matter What and I want to continue the fun here, with Lucy’s wonderful readers! This month I have some “Confessions of a Romance Writer”.
I do not want to give the impression that these confessions, in any way, apply to all romance writers! In fact, they probably don’t apply to anyone else at all! But here’s the thing: the chances of me bumping into you at Target are minuscule at best. So, here are some things that might be therapeutic for me to confess:
- I love Twinkies. Yes, I know that Twinkies and cockroaches would be the only things to survive a nuclear attack, yes, I know that sugar is the only natural ingredient in them, yes, I know that they don’t have any chocolate in them. But I LOVE them.
- I do believe that women are just as good as men and deserve equal votes, equal pay and equal say as to what goes on top of the Friday night pizza, however, I think men should change flat tires, men should have to go into the basement to the fuse box when the lights go off and men should shovel the driveway (okay, he can use a snow-blower) when it snows any amount requiring shoveling.
- I am pretty persnickety (plus I love that word!) about weather and temperatures. Anything between 65 and 80 degrees is fine. Rain is fine about seven days a month… and not in a row… and the wind can blow, but not more than about 10 miles per hour.
Okay, writing confession time:
- I usually know the hero first. That’s usually my starting point, honestly. I don’t know why, but he’s the thing that comes to me first about a story. I think about who he is, what he looks like, why he is the way he is and what he needs to learn or how he needs to change. Then I come up with a story that will make that change happen and the woman that needs to be in that story with him.
- I often write dead end scenes. Meaning that I get to the end and there’s no where to go, nothing interesting happening. So, then I delete the scene, go for a walk or dust my house (desperate times call for desperate measures) and then come back to it and usually find a way out.
- I listen to Frank Sinatra while I write. I don’t think that really needs any explanation.
- I’ve read every single one of Julia Quinn and Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ books three times each. At least. Is that a writing confession, since it’s actually reading? Yes! I don’t think there’s a single romance writer, at least not one worth reading, who isn’t an avid romance reader! J
Okay, enough about me! Here’s an excerpt from my upcoming release No Matter What. In case you like it and want to know what happens next, there’s a longer version of the excerpt on my website! www.ErinNicholas.com
But I’m going to make the contest easy this month! Just post a confession of your own (junk food confessions are welcome… confessions of illegal activities not so much! J Let’s keep in PG-13 if we can, k?) and you’ll be entered to win the prize pack for September: a great CD, two candles (in my favorite scents), chocolate and your pick of books from my keeper shelf!
Erin
www.ErinNicholas.com
Erin@ErinNicholas.com
No Matter What
November e-release, Samhain Publishing
Erin Nicholas
“I didn’t realize I was under house arrest. I have things I have to do. And I did not ‘slip out’.”
“A million dollars is a lot to pay for an eight hour work day.” He lifted the coffee cup that she had not noticed until that moment.
She felt a wave of indignation wash over her but she held her expression stoically. “This is not exactly a typical business arrangement.”
A long silence followed her statement.
“You’re right.” His words took Jaden by surprise. “For instance, any other time I hire someone, I ask a lot of questions about them personally as well as professionally. I like to know about their families, their interests and hobbies. Their habits. I should have asked more questions about you. My primary concern at the time was that I hire the best therapist there was for Emily.”
“You did.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think beyond the therapy sessions. I didn’t fully consider all of the things you would mean to Emily besides being her therapist.”
Jaden frowned, wishing she could see his face more clearly. “What do you mean? And what did you mean by ‘their habits’?” She wasn’t sure why but she felt offended by the comment now that she replayed it in her head.
“I expect Emily will get very attached to you. You are a young, intelligent, successful woman and Emily will likely look up to you.”
“And that concerns you.”
“Frankly, yes.”
“Why?”
He came to his feet in one quick, fluid movement. “Because it’s one in the morning and you’re just getting home.”
Let him guess and assume about what you were doing. Make him a little crazy for a change.
“I don’t like that you’re assuming the worst about me. I have given you no reason not to trust me.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, then, I have only one question for you. Where were you?”
She swallowed hard and tried to get a grip on the thoughts and responses that were stumbling over one another in their haste to make it to her mouth first.
“I was out, Adam. That’s all you need to know.” She added a flip of her hair to emphasize how casual she was about the whole thing.
“Jaden…” He took a deep breath and she saw him consciously work to unclench his fists. It struck her how personal her name sounded from his lips even when he was frustrated. That only increased her aggravation.
His voice slightly calmer, he spoke again. “It is important to me. At least tell me that you weren’t…”
“What? That I wasn’t… doing drugs? Drinking all night at the bars? That I’m not a call girl in the evenings when I’m not at the hospital? Smell my breath, Adam, if you don’t believe me. Diet cola was the strongest thing I had tonight.”
He came toward her quickly and she tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. He leaned in, braced his hands on the counter behind her on either side of her hips, and took a deep breath.
She held hers. Having him suddenly this close was overwhelming and she fought to remember what they had been talking about.
He reminded her quickly. “How about all of the above?” His voice was lower now, huskier, and his eyes studied hers closely. “How about reassuring me that you wouldn’t dream of doing any of those things?”
She didn’t like that he doubted her. She wanted to stomp and yell and demand that he believe in her. But, at the same time, this might just be perfect. She’d been off balance since meeting him. He shook her up, as much as she hated it. Clearly her conduct during off-duty hours interested him, and worried him. So, this might be her chance to turn the tables a bit. Not that getting a man like Adam off balance would be easy. But it would, very likely, be fun.
“I’ll tell you this much. Drugs and prostitution aren’t my thing.”
He pressed closer and she felt the edge of the counter against her low back. Perhaps it was her decision to try to overwhelm him for a change, but for the first time, when he got close to her, dropped his voice low and looked at her like he wanted to make all of her fantasies come true, she reveled in it.
She found the scent of his cologne and the warmth of the arm braced on the counter beside her appealing rather than aggressive. In fact, this close, she found that his blue eyes, swirling with emotion, were impossible to resist. He was a passionate man. He cared about his daughter, his household and stood firm in his convictions. It was his unflinching devotion that made her want to know more about him. For instance, what else stirred Adam Steele’s passions?
“So tell me, what is your kind of thing?”
The huskiness in his voice made her nerve endings dance.
She studied his full lips for a long moment before her eyes traced his strong jaw shadowed with dark stubble. Eventually, she moved up slowly to again meet the midnight blue eyes that seemed to pierce straight through to her soul.
“Arrogant millionaires evidently.”
As his lips met hers, she momentarily stopped disliking anything about him.
Yesterday was the booksigning for RAW attendees. Lots of chatting, laughter and lots and lots and lots of books signed. I love signing books for readers, but I'm always trying to come up with new stuff to say that doesn't take very long to write. It's kind of hard...'cuz there's always a line, so I don't want to get too eloquent, but when I personalize the autograph, I don't want it to be too cheezy either. It's a quandary.
Last night was the Saints & Sinners party. We were supposed to go dressed as our favorite saint or sinner. I went as my mom. My favorite saint...or sinner...depending on who you ask. :) What do you think of the mumu and beehive?
Without missing a beat, he sits up looks at DQ and says, "DQ, I *am* your father." Thanks, Lord Vader. LOL
