Whether you’re writing your first book or your fiftieth, there are always ups and downs along the way.
Today, 7 of our authors with a July release join us on the blog to tell us about the easiest, hardest, or most fun part of writing their new books.
Her Fairy-Tale Farmer by Elle Douglas
Most fun? Two-stepping into the world of line dancing! Knox Walker, one of my main characters, teaches line dancing, so I wanted to make sure I got every detail right. Lucky for me, my best friend Tara is a line dancing instructor. I tagged along to a class she was teaching at a local senior centre, and it looked like such a blast that I ended up joining one of her beginner lessons.
Fast forward a bit—now I’ve got my own pair of cowboy boots and a hat, and I’m a regular on the dance floor!
Her Hometown Bull Rider by LeAnne Bristow
The hardest part about writing Her Hometown Bull Rider was keeping up with all the characters! Coronado is a close-knit community so all the characters from previous stories in the series appear throughout the book. Thankfully, I have a very detailed spreadsheet that helps me keep track of the little details about every character so that I don’t give someone green eyes in one story and blue eyes in the next! Of course, having so many characters that I’ve come to love is also what made writing it so much fun!
Queen by Royal Demand by Annie West
I adore writing scenes with high stakes where my characters are pitted against immovable obstacles. I love the energy and emotion when hero and heroine find the other one is both the person they are most attracted to and the biggest threat to their goals and emotions.
When Annalena and Benedikt face each other they’re on opposing sides but he soon realises there’s only one solution to their problems – unite in a marriage of convenience to save their country. That scene is full of sparks, drama but also very real feelings. I felt their predicament and their desire.
One-Night Reunion with the Vet by Zoey Gomez
It was so much fun writing my fearless female pilot Molly. She’s so unlike me – confident, wild and adventurous! Strangely enough she was also the hardest part. Writing about Molly piloting her small plane through a storm was pretty scary and did nothing to cure my fear of flying! But by far the easiest part was spending so much time with my gorgeous hero – sexy, grumpy Scottish vet Ethan, whose brooding outer layer hides the sweetest man in Scotland.
The Fire Chief’s Surprise by Chris Maday Schmidt
The most fun part about writing The Fire Chief’s Surprise was returning to historic Sweetwater and revisiting the small-town legend I introduced in my debut. The hardest part—oven mitts down—was *not* taste-testing every recipe featured in my heroine Annie’s bakery (just kidding!). Truly, the challenge was making sure the emergency my hero, Josh, responds to was believable and accurate. The easiest part? Blending in the playful banter between the fire chief and the baker, plus introducing an adorable baby, an irresistible kitten, and a few quirky townsfolk to stir up sweet sparks and second chances.
The Amish Baby Scandal by Virginia Wise
I believe that creating a cozy world for readers to escape into is key to writing inspirational romance. This world building process was the most fun part of writing The Amish Baby Scandal. I loved painting a vivid picture of the goat farm where the story takes place. I also enjoyed bringing animal characters to life. My favorite one is Belinda the Guard Goose, who takes her job very seriously, even when it leads to mishaps with well-meaning visitors. I know I’ve done my job when I want to visit the world I created!
Destination Weddings and Other Disasters by M.C. Vaughan
Hands down, the most fun part of writing this book was the research. Belize has so many adventures to offer, and hooray for the tourists who share their vacations online! Through their generosity, I was able to blend my personal experiences hiking (California), visiting waterfalls (Hawaii), beachside concerts (Maryland), and ziplining (Niagara Falls, CA) with theirs. I’d also be lost without my trusty The Ultimate Belize Bucket List: 101 Insider Tips on What to See and Do. If you’re headed to Belize, I highly recommend you snap it up!
All of these titles are out today! Check out these books and more on Harlequin.com
