Romance Weekly

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! 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 questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever done in the name of research for a book?

I’ve done some pretty unusual things in my life and I consider all of them research in one form or another, even if they weren’t intended to be. I would especially hate for anyone to look at my search history on the internet. I wrote a story (that is yet unpublished) involving a sniper as the hero and for about six months, I read, watched, and Googled anything and everything to do with snipers, guns, and the military. I think my parents might have been worried for a bit.

Currently I’m writing the Felony Romance series which is a new adult contemporary set in a heavy metal club. In the name of research (only), I’ve visited numerous clubs and bars on the seedy side of town. And of course, there is some research involving cocktails and bartending (my favorite part). You might be surprised how willing people are to answer questions when you tell them you are writing a book! The first book in the series, Intoxicated, has a scene involving an absinthe fountain. My friend and I visited a certain downtown establishment in my city to experience the phenomenon for ourselves. I have to say that this establishment made quite a production out of the process for my benefit.

My current work-in-progress is Vindicated (Book 2) of the Felony Romance series. The hero Randy is a mixed martial artist and bouncer at the club, so my next venture is to attend some MMA bouts and see what it’s really all about. There is something about visiting a venue with its sights and smells that you just can’t get unless you actually visit the place. Writing a good scene is all about the details and you can pick up so many more details when you visit the real place.

Name a nonfiction book you’ve read for research that you wouldn’t have read otherwise. Not including writing craft books.

In the name of research, I read a half-dozen books about absinthe. I’m not sure why I felt the need to read so much about something that only got a few pages in my book, but the more I read, the more interesting it became. As a result, I’m now an unofficial expert on absinthe, it’s history, how it’s made, where to buy it, how to serve it. Reading for research is very dangerous for me because I tend to get so immersed in the topic that before I know it, hours have passed and I’ve lost valuable writing time.

If you could travel anywhere to do research for a book, including back in time, where would you go?

Hmm…this is a difficult question. There are so many places/times that I would love to visit. I’d love to write a medieval time-travel and go back in time to visit the knights and castles of that period. The men were definitely alpha males, strong and fierce. It all sounds so romantic, but I have a feeling that I would be missing my TV remote and laptop after a few days.

This week’s questions were provided by Dani Jace. The next author on the tour is Mishka Jenkins. Stop by her website to find out her thoughts on these subjects. https://awriterslifeformeblog.wordpress.com/