Good morning everyone! I’m delighted to be at Writerspace today to talk about my latest book A GENTLEMAN SAYS “I DO”

Because it’s the middle of the month and I’m the middle child of seven I thought I’d talk about the center of things today.

I love the gooey sweet middle of a piece of milk chocolate and the delicious, chewy center of a brownie. I love the soft, warm inside of bread when it’s hot from the oven and the hard crust is taken off. I have to be in the middle of a ship on a cruise because there is less rocking and motion at the center, which means less chance for that dreaded seasickness. If I ride in the back seat of a car with two other people, I want to be in the middle and not by the door. This must come from being that middle child of seven. And, I will happily mention that I love being in the middle of an argument or at the center of anyone’s attention.

And though some might think it odd, I love the middle of a book because by the time I get there the plot has been set in motion and the pacing has evened out. All the characters have been developed, and we know what is at stake for the hero and heroine, and we know what has to be done before the end of the book can occur and we find the happily-ever- after.

Too many times I’ve heard about that difficult “sagging middle” from authors and it makes me always want to say, “Hey, the middle is one of my favorite parts of a book.” You can always put the hero and heroine in the middle of the bed, in the middle of the book, and it will work like a charm. If more is needed you can take the hero and heroine out of the bed and into the middle of a heated argument. There’s always a way around, through, or past the middle.

In my current book A GENTLEMAN SAYS "I DO" the hero has been following the heroine in hopes she would lead him to her father. So in the middle of the book, I had her turn the tables on him and start following him. Of course, she had no idea that he was going to a brothel! Not for his own secret pleasure but seeking her father.

So tell me, when you read a book, can you tell if the author has had trouble with the middle of the book?

Here is a short synopsis of A GENTLEMAN SAYS "I DO".

Iverson Brentwood has finally met his match. Catalina Crisp heats his blood like no other lady. Her alluring countenance has stopped him dead in his tracks. But no matter how attracted he is to her, he can’t give into his desire to possess her in every way… she is the daughter of the man he’s sworn to destroy.

Catalina’s father is a well-known writer, but he’s a wastrel whose disappearances continuously put them close to destitution. Something drastic must change, so it is with quill in hand, that Catalina completes her father’s latest parody of Iverson and Matson Brentwood’s spectacular arrival in London. When the story hits the newsprint, a darkly handsome man is at her door, looking for her father.

Seeing the dashing rogue in the flesh, for a bewildering moment dallying with the rake seems like the perfect fictional escape—and it’s all she can do not to give into the madness of the intriguing man.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy of A GENTLEMAN SAYS "I DO".

I love to hear from readers. Please visit me at ameliagrey.com, www.Facebook.com/AmeliaGreybooks, or email me at ameliagrey@comcast.net.