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.
Scandinavia
Prior to the pandemic, I travelled a lot. I’ve always had a fascination for “Viking” country and in the spring of 2018 I took a land tour of Scandinavia…Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Most of the time, travelers choose cruise ships for these destinations since all the major cities can be accessed by ship as well… Read More
Cynthia Breeding
Cynthia Breeding is an award-winning author of eighteen novels and twenty-four novellas. She currently lives on the bay in Corpus Christi, Texas, with her absolutely-not-spoiled Bichon Frise and enjoys sailing and horseback riding on the beach.
Diversity in Historical Romance
Hello! I’m Tina Gabrielle and I write adventurous historical romance featuring feisty ladies and bold heroes. I’m excited to be with Writerspace to celebrate my new historical release, ONE NIGHT WITH AN EARL, the first book in my Daring Ladies series. I’ve always wanted to write a diverse historical romance and “One Night with an… Read More
Tina Gabrielle
Best-selling author Tina Gabrielle is an attorney and former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She often picked up a romance and let her fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry her away. She is the author of adventurous Regency historical romances for Entangled Publishing and Kensington Books. Publishers Weekly calls her Regency Barrister's series, "Well-matched lovers...witty comradely repartee." Tina's books have been Barnes & Noble top picks, and her first book, Lady Of Scandal, was nominated as best first historical by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Tina lives in New Jersey and is married to her own hero and is blessed with two daughters. She loves to hear from readers. Visit her website to learn about upcoming releases, join her newsletter, and enter free monthly contests at tinagabrielle.com. You can also find Tina at: Twitter: @TinaGabrielle Facebook: facebook.com/TinaGabrielle Instagram: instagram.com/TinaGabrielleAuthor
A Playlist for Of Trust & Heart
As with every other story that I come up with, making a soundtrack for it is a fundamental part of the process. But for OF TRUST AND HEART this was even more important because, since the book takes place in the 1920s, where music was such a huge focus on the time, it needed to… 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".
What is your favorite romance novel trope, and why is it marriage of convenience?
In all honesty, what is it about two protagonists coming together in holy matrimony for practical purposes only to fall head over heels for each other that is so delicious? Is it the friendly conversation that eventually turns flirtatious? The benign looks that become heated as the characters get to know each other better? The… Read More
Liana De la Rosa
Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance writer whose stories are set in the Georgian and Late Regency periods. As a longtime fan of the romance genre, Liana can remember sneaking Harlequins into her bedroom to read on the sly. After her second child was born, her husband challenged her to write her own book and she's been writing ever since. Liana is a proud graduate of the University of Arizona and enjoys cheering on her alma mater in all things (BEAR DOWN!). When she's not writing witty heroes, saucy heroines, and secondary characters screaming for their own stories, she's a wannabe domestic goddess and fashionista who wrangles a rambunctious brood of small children with her patient husband in Arizona.
Plotting a Full-length Novel
I often hear the comment “I want to write a book someday” from readers. If that’s you—or a friend of yours—here is a guideline as to how I do it. Please keep in mind that there is no one correct way to write a novel. Authors tend to find what best works for them through… Read More
Cynthia Breeding
Cynthia Breeding is an award-winning author of eighteen novels and twenty-four novellas. She currently lives on the bay in Corpus Christi, Texas, with her absolutely-not-spoiled Bichon Frise and enjoys sailing and horseback riding on the beach.
No, Your Muse Has Not Abandoned You
By Liana LeFey A lot of people might think being forced to stay home and not see other human beings beyond immediate family for more than a year is the perfect way to make a writer incredibly productive. I’m here to tell you that wasn’t the case for me. During the first couple of months… 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.
Romance – The Feel Good Factor
A synthesis (aka ‘why’) by Royaline Sing Disclaimer: I am not a professional when it comes to psychology etc. This is for fun and all opinions are my own. I practically grew up on Romance. I’m referring to Bollywood Romance movies (I like some other genre movies in Bollywood too). Even as a young child,… Read More
Royaline Sing
As my first fiction work, I've a notebook length movie script, featuring my favorite stars. I was probably ten. It hasn't seen the light of the day (And it won't). But story telling lingered. Though I have a software engineering job, the creative world teased from afar. So one day, I finally put the pen to the paper (or my fingers to the keyboard?) and started writing. Now, I write through the noise of my lovely two kids, a very supportive (but sweetly clueless) husband and a bank job where numbers rule. Born and brought up in India, I'm a huge fan of Bollywood romantic movies and the music. I also like all things Marvel! I love to travel and so many destinations are on my bucket list. Scotland, London, Agra, you get the picture. I am currently writing Historical Romances, with heroines setting their own norms and coming to toes with heroes worth loving.
When Life is a Hot Mess – Collage
By Heather McCollum These days with social media, readers are able to peek into the worlds of their favorite authors. What you might discover is that we rarely have a place to write uninterrupted. I often dream of living alone in a tiny house in the forest with my dog, sipping chai tea lattes and… 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.
Music and writing by Maddison Michaels – GIVEAWAY – $10 Amazon Gift Card
For me, music goes hand in hand with my writing, and is an essential component during each stage of my writing process. From the get go, even before I start plotting my novel, I firstly have to arrange a ‘playlist’ of songs that will inspire me when plotting and which I can then play aloud… Read More
Maddison Michaels
Indoctrinated into a world of dashing rogues and feisty heroines when she was fourteen years old, Maddison Michaels is a prolific reader and writer of romantic suspense and historical fiction. She gets her daily dose of suspense from working as a police officer, prosecuting real-life villains in the Courts of Australia. A member of the RWA and RWA Australia, Maddison is as passionate about her writing as she is about her other two loves: her family and her cups of tea. Luckily, she gets a healthy dash of romance married to her wonderful husband, and her exercise regime is kept on track by her six-year-old daughter, who ensures Maddison is kept very busy chasing her around. Maddison's debut novel The Devilish Duke is her way of time traveling back to Victorian London to experience a cornucopia of intrigue, romance, and debauchery all from the comfort of her living room!
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Top Five Ways to Pass Time in Captivity – Volume Two
By Samanthe Beck I’m so thrilled to return to the fictional town of Captivity for my latest release, PLAYING DIRTY IN ALASKA. As mentioned before, I’ve never actually been to Alaska, but I didn’t let that stop me from writing a series! In this story, my heroine, bush pilot Bridget Shanahan, is a Captivity native,… Read More
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