A SORTA FAIRYTALE by Lydia Drake
I’m by no means the first person to ask this question, but I think it’s a question worth asking over and over again: why do we as writers keep going back to the fairy tale well when we want to tell a story? (As it’s a fairy tale, you should probably imagine the well as… Read More
Lydia Drake
Lydia Drake is a reader of all things romance and a drinker of all things tea. A New Jersey resident, her favorite activities include taking the train to New York City, scouring used bookstores, spending time with her family and wrangling her hyperactive cockapoo puppy. Cinderella and the Duke is her debut novel.
“Mind if I lift your kilt?”
Where a Writer Finds Her Inspiration Thank you so much for having me here on Writerspace today! I’m Heather McCollum, mother of three overly dramatic kids, wife of one Highland hero (so I know what’s under his kilt!), ovarian cancer slayer, lover of chai lattes and dragonflies, and USA Today bestselling author of Scottish historical… Read More
Heather McCollum
Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical paranormal and YA romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor's dismay. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entrances Ms. McCollum's heart and imagination every time she visits. The country's history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since her first journey across the pond. When she is not creating vibrant characters & magical adventures on the page, she is roaring her own battle cry in the war against ovarian cancer. Ms. McCollum recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero, rescued golden retriever & 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.
Michelle McLean’s Relationship Rules
In Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke, my hero and heroine—Silas Spencer, Duke of Whittsley and Miss Arabella Bromley—enter into a marriage of convenience, complete with a set of iron-clad rules to help their fake relationship run smoothly. Now, my own relationship certainly isn’t fake – I’ve been married for almost 21 years now and… Read More
Michelle McLean
Michelle McLean is a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl who is addicted to chocolate and goldfish crackers and spent most of her formative years with her nose in a book. She has a B.S. in History, a M.A. in English, and loves her romance with a touch of suspenseful mystery. She resides in PA with her husband and two amazing children
A New Twist on an Old Tale: The Power of Tropes
by Liana LeFey When writing Tempting the Vicar (Jan 2022) and its “twin” The Devil’s Own (June 2021), I didn’t set out to retell an old story. I didn’t even realize I’d been influenced by two tales my mother read to me when I was young. But after I finished drafting The Devil’s Own, I… Read More
Liana LeFey
As a romance author, I delight in crafting incendiary tales that capture the heart and the imagination, taking the reader out of the now and into another world. Regardless of whether you choose to dive into the past, leap into the future, or lose yourself in another realm entirely, between the pages you'll find deep emotional journeys and passionate romance! The splendor of the Georgian period (1714-1837) provides a lush, glittering backdrop for my sizzling historical romances. Between the pages of my early Georgian pieces you'll find sensuous lovers, lavish royal courts, and deadly intrigues. My Regencies look back to an era of refined manners and strict propriety, while revealing the secret, wicked desires of its elegant ladies and courtly gentlemen. In my sci-fi romances, love transcends all boundaries and spans a future of endless possibility based on what we're learning about our universe today. My fantasy romances will take you on a quest through realms both familiar and unknown, with characters and creatures from myth and folklore, and of course include powerful magic paired with that most potent of all enchantments: love. About moi? I live in Central Texas with my dashing hero/husband of nearly twenty years and our beautiful daughter. I'm also privileged to serve (and it is most definitely servitude) one spoiled-rotten feline overlord. I adore chocolate and just about anything involving the words "salted caramel." When my brain is too fried to weave stories, I read (of course), watch movies or binge-watch television series, make jewelry and knit scarves. What do I read/watch? In addition to being a historical research junkie (there have been interventions), I'm a fan of all things sci-fi and fantasy. Star Wars is the first movie I remember seeing. I was five and watched a double feature of Episodes IV and V with my parents at the big theater downtown...and came out wanting to marry Han Solo. Fed on bedtime stories from authors like Tolkien, Baum, and Herbert, I became a language-loving, book-gobbling monster at the age of four and have yet to be sated. The Kadin by Bertrice Small was the first romance novel I ever devoured. I was fourteen, it was delicious, and I'm now thrilled to be writing romance for fellow enthusiasts.
When Good Girls Go Plaid by Allison B. Hanson
GIVEAWAY!!! Amazon Gift Card Okay, so maybe considering myself a good girl is a bit of a stretch. I’m generally the one in the group who says, “I have an idea” and everyone shakes their head before I’ve even spelled out the steps of my awesome plan. That’s because at some point, my schemes generally… Read More
Allison B. Hanson
One very early morning, Allison B. Hanson woke up with a conversation going on in her head. It wasn't so much a dream as being forced awake by her imagination. Unable to go back to sleep, she gave in, went to the computer, and began writing. Years later it still hasn't stopped. Allison lives near Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her contemporary romances include paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery suspense. She enjoys candy immensely, as well as long motorcycle rides, running and reading.
“What a Powerful Fiddle You Have.”
Words. There are millions of them. They are the tools we use to create and weave together stories. As a writer, I must choose them wisely, especially when writing my historical romances. Many words were not used hundreds of years ago. For example, the word “penis” was not used for the male sexual organ until… Read More
Heather McCollum
Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical paranormal and YA romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor's dismay. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entrances Ms. McCollum's heart and imagination every time she visits. The country's history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since her first journey across the pond. When she is not creating vibrant characters & magical adventures on the page, she is roaring her own battle cry in the war against ovarian cancer. Ms. McCollum recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero, rescued golden retriever & 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.
The Music Behind THE BREATH BETWEEN WAVES
For me, creating a playlist for a story is a fundamental part of the writing process. And I usually have to make two. The first is for writing with which contains a lot of instrumental pieces from movies/tv shows/games with similar vibes. And the second is a short one with a few songs that serve… Read More
Charlotte Anne Hamilton
Charlotte Anne Hamilton is a blue-haired mermaid-wannabe who lives in Ayrshire, Scotland with her two fur-children, Izzy (chocolate lab) and Smudge (queen cat). She is currently studying Astronomy and Planetary Science and in her spare time she enjoys reading and gaming, as well as dabbling in all forms of art and her craft as an eclectic witch. Her main source of inspiration in writing and in life is the popular phrase: "but make it gay".
Men Don’t Read Romance
“Men Don’t Read Romance, and That’s Fine.” The first part of that statement is generally true. I have a problem with the second part. Before digging into the latter, though, we must address a core question: Why don’t men read romance? My mother was a prolific reader of romance novels. She averaged perhaps a novel… Read More
Sawyer North
As a male writer of historical romance, I am a member of a small but fortunate fraternity. After I ignored the genre for most of my life, discovering many years ago how much I loved it proved more than simply unexpected. It was an epiphany. Reading romance has changed me as a man by eroding my introversion, improving my relationship energy, and kindling hotter the romantic flame of my life. As a writer of other genres, it was only a matter of time until I felt compelled to try my hand at historical romance. After three pedestrian manuscripts, the fourth finally found a home at Entangled Publishing. I am far more lucky than good as a writer, and strive every day to reduce that ratio.
BULLWINKLE J MOOSE READS THE TAROT
I have an author friend with a creative muse named “Boris.” When brainstorming together we often invoke the WWBD question. She is a talented author and a good friend, so the existence of Boris is an accepted given in our interactions. What she doesn’t know (shh, don’t tell her) is that every time she mentions… Read More
Diana Lloyd
Diana Lloyd, mother of gingers, first of her name, is a stay-at-home wife, a hockey mom, and writer of stories with kissing in them. Diana defends her writing time like a rabid goalie while simultaneously volunteering for things she doesn't really have time for. Diana is a member of Hearts Through History chapter of Romance Writers of America and was a 2017 RWA Golden Heart Finalist. Her Regency romp, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BARON, the first book in the "What Happens In the Ballroom" series, was released in 2018.
A care and feeding guide for the romance author in your life
So, Ingrid has asked me to step in and offer a few points from a romance spouse’s perspective, a care and feeding guide for the romance author in your life, if you will. Quite literally care and feeding at times, as anyone who’s lived in the same house with an author on deadline can tell… Read More
Ingrid Hahn
Ingrid Hahn is a failed administrative assistant with a B.A. in Art History. Her love of reading has turned her mortgage payment into a book storage fee, which makes her the friend who you never want to ask you for help moving. Though originally from Seattle, she now lives in the metropolitan DC area with her ship-nerd husband, small son, and four opinionated cats. When she is not reading or writing, she loves knitting, theater, nature walks, travel, history, and is a hopelessly devoted fan of Jane Austen. Please connect with her on social media!
Gilded Age New Orleans ~ The starts and stops of writing Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripper
Let’s play a short word association game. When I say “New Orleans” I’m guessing that you’ll say “Mardi Gras parades! Streetcars! Beignets! Hurricanes! The French Quarter! Jazz!” When I say “Gilded Age New Orleans” I’m guessing that you’ll say “Wait. What?” Or “What’s the Gilded Age?” Fair questions, both of them. The short answer is:… Read More
Ana Brazil
A native of California, Ana Brazil lived in the south for many years. She earned her MA in American history from Florida State University and traveled her way through Mississippi as an architectural historian. Ana loves fried mullet, Greek Revival colonnades, and Miss Welty’s garden. She has a weakness for almost all things New Orleans. (Although she’s not sure just how it happened…but she favors bluegrass over jazz.) The Fanny Newcomb stories celebrate the tenacity, intelligence, and wisdom of the dozens of courageous and outrageous southern women that Ana is proud to call friends. Although Ana, her husband, and their dog Traveller live in the beautiful Oakland foothills, she is forever drawn to the lush mystique of New Orleans, where Fanny Newcomb and her friends are ever prepared to seek a certain justice.
Killer Ideas for an 1889 New Orleans Christmas Story
by Ana Brazil Although I’m still crafting the follow-up story to FANNY NEWCOMB AND THE IRISH CHANNEL RIPPER, this year I took a break from novel writing to write two short stories. One of them, “Kate Chopin Tussles with a Novel Ending”, is slated for publication in 2019 in the upcoming Fault Lines anthology from… Read More
Ana Brazil
A native of California, Ana Brazil lived in the south for many years. She earned her MA in American history from Florida State University and traveled her way through Mississippi as an architectural historian. Ana loves fried mullet, Greek Revival colonnades, and Miss Welty’s garden. She has a weakness for almost all things New Orleans. (Although she’s not sure just how it happened…but she favors bluegrass over jazz.) The Fanny Newcomb stories celebrate the tenacity, intelligence, and wisdom of the dozens of courageous and outrageous southern women that Ana is proud to call friends. Although Ana, her husband, and their dog Traveller live in the beautiful Oakland foothills, she is forever drawn to the lush mystique of New Orleans, where Fanny Newcomb and her friends are ever prepared to seek a certain justice.
Latest from our Blog
What Do a Scientist and a Spy See in Each Other?
I had an author friend once tell me that your hero and heroine should be the absolute worst people in the world for each other. Anything less just wouldn’t be compelling enough to keep readers turning pages. My personal feeling is that’s a tad, well, overboard. But the basic idea definitely creates conflict. Which is… Read More
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