by Michelle Major
When people learn I’m a writer, there are a variety of reactions. Mostly how cool it must be, how they’ve always wanted to write a book and my personal favorite about how they’d love to have all kinds of time to dream of stories. Well, me too, but that isn’t always how writing works. Most romance authors I know (myself included) balance other jobs, family commitments–either kids or caring for aging parents—community involvement, and a host of other balls to juggle along with their writing.
I joke that I can write anywhere, and I often have. During lunch breaks at work, in the carpool line at school, amidst a never-ending renovation project at my house and at a variety of sporting games with the kids. I have a dream of being one of those writers all alone in a quaint mountain cabin, tapping out words with no interruptions. But that’s not my life.
And I think it makes me a better writer. Romance is all about real issues and how the power of love helps characters overcome them. It’s not corny and it’s not silly. It’s hope and the kind of lessons we all need reminders of. The best heroes and heroines grow and learn and change throughout the course of a book, and readers get to be part of that journey with them. Romance will always be my favorite genre to read and I feel so honored to write books that might connect with a reader when they need it the most.
In my current release, MEANT FOR YOU, the heroine Jenny Castelli is a single mom, raising her son, trying to get a new business off the ground and caring for her own mother. The last thing she needs is a run-in with the one-time mean girls from her high school, who still seem to be able to push all of her buttons, especially when they make snide comments about her son and her high school boyfriend, who dumped her when he found out she was pregnant. Jenny goes on the defensive, claiming she’s got the perfect life, including the perfect fiancé in rich tech entrepreneur Owen Dalton. Now all she needs to do is convince Owen of that.
Owen had his heart broken by Jenny once before but can’t seem to say no to her when she needs him. But this time around there’s something Owen wants in return. Both Jenny and Owen have to risk their hearts to find happiness in this second chance romance. I hope readers can find a bit of hope and lots of humor in the story and enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.