Whether you’re writing your first book or your fiftieth, there are always ups and downs along the way.
Today, 5 of our authors with a January release join us on the blog to tell us about the easiest, hardest, or most fun part of writing their new books.
Holiday Under Wraps by Katie Mettner
The easiest part about writing Holiday Under Wraps was the second chance romance. Lucas and Delilah had a serious relationship years before the book takes place, and he believed Delilah left him because his PTSD was too complex to live with, when she actually left him to keep him safe. They come back together, and there’s this familiarity and intense chemistry between them but also a massive gulf of pain, grief, and misunderstanding. Starting the story where they had to trust each other before they could forgive each other was challenging, but the rest of their love story was beautifully easy to write.
Miss Anna and the Earl by Catherine Tinley
Miss Anna and the Earl is the third in a series, and as well as making sure Anna got her HEA, I had to wrap up the mystery that was set in book one. This made writing both easier–as I had plenty of plot points to fit in–and harder, as I had to make sure I had all the details right. For this series I had a complicated reference document alongside my manuscript to keep myself right! My reference document is an essential part of my work now- it keeps me right on dates, character, and eye colour!
Italian Wife Wanted by Lela May Wight
GMC. Goal, motivation and conflict is so important for every story, and with Dante and Emma, finding theirs, and what was stopping them from finding their happily ever after was the most difficult thing to nail down in their love story. But when they did reveal their secrets, it was a beautiful discovery to realize how their broken bits fitted so perfectly together to make them both whole.
With some characters it takes longer to find their secrets, but keep breaking down their walls and eventually the discovery will give you the opportunity to create the HEA they deserve.
The Triplets’ Holiday Miracle by Tanya Agler
My favorite part about writing The Triplets’ Holiday Miracle was bringing the Holly Theater to life. This historic theater, renowned for its annual production of The Santa Who Forgot Christmas, is the heart of Violet Ridge. It was fun creating a backstory for the Holly, including a secret passageway that traced its origins back to Prohibition. The Holly also served as a backdrop for a pivotal backstory moment for the hero, Ben Irwin, who once suffered from stage fright way back in his childhood. The hardest part was realizing I don’t get to attend this pageant on Christmas Eve!
Beauty and the Brooding CEO by Juliette Hyland
The best part of writing Beauty and the Brooding CEO was getting to write my own “Banksy” storyline. The anonymous artist fascinates me. Their works popping up seemingly overnight. The public awe (and frustration). It was so fun playing with the idea of a wildly rich artist whose success means nothing to their controlling family. I got to research all types of artists, those hanging in prestigious galleries around the globe, and those trying to make a name for themselves on social media. I looked at so many beautiful, meaningful and sometimes just playful pieces. It was a blast!
All of these titles are out today! Check out these books and more on Harlequin.com
