It’s Unexpected What? The “bad girl” in book two is the heroine of book three? Are you serious? That late-to-work, doesn’t-give-a-hoot smart mouth? Her? The one we wished would take a permanent hike, and—she’s baaaack? It’s a Stretch Though we applaud ourselves for being nonjudgmental (admittedly easier in fiction) and open-minded regarding stories, we probably do “label” characters. We expect to see a bad guy—maybe we want that, a character we love to hate. So if that label was neatly tied to a character in book two and suddenly we’re asked to root for her in the next story . . . yes, that’s a big stretch. It Makes Us Dig Deeper There’s nothing more yawn-worthy than a “cardboard” villain; writers are taught this from day one. Readers expect much better. But moving a bad girl (or guy) into believable heroine status requires investment. Proof. We must ferret out what shaped this character, truly understand what made her “go dark,” before we can agree to wave her banner. It Makes Us a Secret Sidekick If the author’s done her job, there comes a point in such a story when readers know the villain-turned-hero better than anyone. We understand what makes…

Like most authors, I get frequent questions about how much of myself is in my books, and I always have to think about how to answer. On the one hand, I include quite a bit based on personal experience. For instance, I truly believe our animal companions can understand a lot about what we think, which is why, in A WEE HOMICIDE IN THE HOTEL, I wrote several scenes from the point of view of Silla, the Scottish Terrier that eventually becomes Peggy’s dog. I don’t think this is a spoiler, because it’s probably pretty obvious from the first time the dog shows up that Silla will become an integral part of the ScotShop. Here’s an example of one of those scenes: Silla pranced beside her person. She did not like the other one, but she enjoyed the walk along the winding streets. She tried not to listen to the two people. When they moved between two houses, left the buildings behind, and entered the forest path, she fairly quivered with excitement. This was a new place, one she had never seen before. “Okay, you win,” her person said, and Silla heard the sadness in his voice. “But after that,…

Thank you so much for hosting me to talk about my recent release, UNEXPECTEDLY HERS. Fans of the Sterling Canyon series have already met Emma Duffy–the shy, conservative innkeeper and supportive friend. What they didn’t know is that she’s also secretly written an erotica romance (Steep and Deep) under a pen name. What motivated this? Let’s face it—Emma is sexually repressed. As a teen, she watched casual sex destroy her family, which thrust her into being a caretaker for her uptight, conservative yet devastated mother. That dynamic eventually turned into a co-dependent pattern of Emma doing (and not doing) things to keep her mother happy. Add to that the fact that Emma lacks any privacy because she also still lives at and manages the inn with her mother, and you’ve got loads of repression. But years of pent up tension needed an outlet, which led to an atypical one-night-stand with a champion snowboarder when she was out of town three years ago. That tryst spurred the idea for her secret novel. Given how her mother and others in her community might feel about it—and her own conflicted feelings about her sexuality—she’s kept it a secret from everyone. It would all…

Writes: Across genre! However, be assured there’s a love story in all Laura Spinella novels—hotter love stories in my L. J. Wilson Clairmont Series Novels. But today I’d love to chat about Unstrung, my newest book baby—women’s fiction with a serious crush on romance. About: I’m the something for everybody author—unless you’re totally opposed to finding a love story in your novel. In that case, we might make good shopping buddies, or share a coffee, but I’m probably not your cup of tea. So what do I mean by “writing across genre?” Well, my books can be ethereal, like in Ghost Gifts, where readers can indulge in mystery, a psychic gift, and slow burning romance. On the other hand, Unstrung travels a different path—grittier, more emotional, a story that examines the “why” behind our choices, as seen through one precarious violinist’s calamitous life. In either case, my writing probably appeals to readers who crave copious amounts of plot and character. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Pace. If you enjoy a story that moves, we might be a match. I appreciate delicate, deft descriptions, but my books focus more on storytelling. If nearly every chapter ends with…