Romance Weekly #lovechatwrite

If you like to read romance novels of all genres, join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all...about our writing, of course! Every week we'll answer the same questions. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Our blog tour will six months old on July 29th. To celebrate our first milestone, the authors of Romance Weekly are giving back some of the love. We have incredible prizes on offer, including a Kindle Fire and multiple romance libraries. Enter for free by CLICKING HERE!

If you've joined me from Mischka Jenkin's blog, welcome!

1. How much of yourself do you write into your characters? Or do you write characters completely opposite to you?

I think the only answer I can give to this is “a little bit of both.” I can only write from my own perspective as a person, so no matter what, my characters will be coloured by my personality. But that certainly doesn't mean I write clones of myself (for one – I'm not a guy). If I look back on the four heroines I've written (or am writing) I can certainly see some similarities, but a lot of differences. For example, June (MOUNTAIN FIRE) is very athletic and comfortable spending time alone in the wilderness. Definitely NOT me.

2. Has your writing helped you see events in your own life clearer?

Not in the sense that I've written a scene and then realized I'd written something that happened to me, but from a different angle. What writing has done (and what I am consciously, continuously working on) is made me SEE my life. It's so easy to let each day blur together, without taking the time to experience it. I'm a pretty focused person – when I'm going somewhere, I'm going there, and often forget to pay attention to the journey. To bring my stories to life, I have to pay more attention to my own life, in order to include the details and emotions that make good writing great.

3. Have you written a character with more of your personal characteristics than any other? Who are they?

I'd have to say Jemma from my upcoming release, CHEF D'AMOUR, is pretty close. If I had her background, her situation, I think I'd react very similarly. She is fiercely loyal to her family, smart and a hard worker. She is also sarcastic, doesn't accept fools gladly and while she has dreams, often puts them aside in order to deal with “real life.”

Now it's time to move on to J.J. Devine. Have fun!