Writers are like magpies. They gather their own experiences, couple them with tons and tons of research, and come up with a distinctive realm that they hope will draw readers into their stories. How do they do it? The old adage, “Write What You Know” holds a lot of merit. As an author, I try to follow it whenever I can. For example, I don’t set my stories in Paris, because I’ve never been there. I couldn’t do the city, or the people, justice. And as much as I love to read Regencies, I’ve only been to England once. That doesn’t make me an expert on all things British. However, I do know the United States, especially California. Being a native Californian, I’ve travelled up and down and all around this state. Coincidentally, that’s where my latest release, UNDERCOVER WITH THE NANNY, takes place. The heroine, Kate Munroe, lives in a little beach community near the border of California and Mexico. I haven’t been down that way in a long time. When I did my research, I found that the town of Imperial Beach was the closest to the Mexican border. I scoured pictures of it on the internet, and…

I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot of traveling, and my travels have heavily influenced my writing. My first book, INTO THE SCOTTISH MIST, was a time-travel romance that was inspired by a road trip in Scotland in 2005. Okay, I didn’t time travel, but when I looked upon the sapphire-blue expanse of Loch Ness with the ruins of Urquhart Castle standing sentinel over it, the mist-enshrouded hills of Glencoe, and the numerous standing stones on Orkney, I thought that if magic was possible anywhere, it would be in Scotland. My second book, A STAR TO STEER HER BY, is a romance set on a schooner during a semester at sea program. It was inspired by my own experiences in a similar program in my sophomore year of college. My new book, UNDER A STORM-SWEPT SKY, came about after I hiked Scotland’s West Highland Way, a ninety-six-mile trail that runs from Milngavie, just outside of Glasgow, to Fort William. I’d been to Scotland a few times since that road trip over a decade ago, and in 2015 I decided I wanted to see that incredible landscape on foot. Research led me to a company that does guided treks on…

By Susan Gorman Samantha Chase is my favorite contemporary author. I love her Montgomery Brothers series featuring a matchmaking uncle and his sons, nephews and nieces. William Montgomery’s charming personality and his schemes captivated me and I couldn’t wait to see which couple would be featured in the next novel. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share breakfast with Samantha Chase when she visited The Boston area last weekend! Over orange juice and omelets, we talked about the Montgomery family… Susan Gorman: I was surprised to learn that the Montgomery series was a trilogy—WAIT FOR ME, TRUST IN ME 
and STAY WITH ME featuring Lucas, Jason and Mac Montgomery— and that it was indie published! It seems like a lifetime ago that I first released WAIT FOR ME! Oh my goodness, I had no idea what I was in for when I introduced the Montgomerys! This was the series that really was the breakout for me. Susan Gorman: Can you tell us how the series developed into nine books, and about the journey from indie to traditional publishing? Honestly, I never envisioned the series going beyond the original three. That was the plan – a trilogy. Readers were very…

I read and write other genres of romance, but paranormal calls me back time after time. I do write about werewolves and vampires, but my romances feature other paranormal races as well. Faeries, elves, dryads, necromancers, phantoms even gods and demons. Paranormal romances are as varied as contemporary or historical romances. They feature equally damaged and diverse characters. They are not just about fangs and fur. They can be steamy or sweet, dark and angsty, or quirky and funny. Readers of paranormal romance know what they like. Many of them started reading this genre because they like vampires or werewolves and they still have a preference for their first choice. They may stray and read mermaid or unicorn stories, but they will return to their favorite themes. Just as readers of contemporary romance will know if they prefer billionaires or firefighters and historical romance readers will know if their preference is for regency rakes, pillaging Vikings, or kilted Highlanders. I think it’s precisely because paranormal takes us away to a fantasy world that it appeals to us so deeply. Fairy tales captured us as children (and as adults). I still read fairy tales, they are just darker now. Wouldn’t the…

In April of 2017, I went to Hawaii for a long weekend to research locations, people, and food on Oahu. For readers new to my books, I try to make my stories action-packed with robust love stories and there’s always at least one character with an intense appreciation for food. Oahu has some great local dishes and here’s a bit of insight into the research I did on each of them. Some of these might pop up in TOTAL BRAVERY, or my characters might enjoy them in future books. Loco Moco This meal hits all the right spots either late at night, early in the morning, or just about any time of day. It comes in many variations but the basic concept is white rice topped with one or more hamburger patties, a runny fried egg, and brown gravy. It’s savory and rich, hot and filling. Matthew J. Drake, our friend (we’ll call him The Roaming Artist), and I tried loco moco in several places at several times of day. Our hands-down favorite was late night at the Rainbow Drive-In served simple, with no-frills, on a Styrofoam plate and eaten with plastic cutlery. It was amazing. Actually, we didn’t get…

After listening to a presentation by a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent at a meeting of our local chapter of Mystery Writers of America, I knew that was the job for my protagonist, Raisa Jordan. Little did I know how much I had to learn. First came the research. A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is to earn the badge of a DSS agent. The man who spoke to us made it sound interesting, sexy, exotic, dangerous and exciting, but did you know that a DSS agent must have a four-year degree from an accredited university? You could have a B.A. in Underwater Basket-weaving for all they care, but the diploma is required. You must also pass a physical, obtain a medical clearance, a Top Secret Security Clearance, and be determined stable, resourceful, trustworthy, and capable of assuming responsibility. After clearing those hurdles, agents attend the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), and prove proficiency in job-related subjects, including: criminal law, federal court proceedings, use of firearms, personal defensive tactics, driving skills, security techniques and criminal investigation. And it doesn’t hurt to speak multiple languages. Then there was the job description. Most people think all DSS Agents…

A long time ago, in his 2006 acceptance speech for an Equality Now award, Joss Whedon (one of my storytelling heroes) gave a list of reasons why he writes strong female characters. His final reason? “Because you’re still asking me this question.” I grew up on Nancy Drew mysteries. Nancy kicked butt. Yes. She got herself into trouble. But most of the time she got herself out of trouble too. She was also the one who always figured out what was going on long before anyone else. I loved Nancy. I wanted to be Nancy. I still do. And not entirely because I wish I could be sixteen again. Nancy lived. She got out there and just did stuff. Me? Well, I go to work, come home, write, workout, read, and then do it all over again in the morning. Anyway. Putting my Nancy Drew envy aside, why do I write strong female characters? Here are my top 5 reasons. I’m strong. My mother’s strong. My mother-in-law is strong. I write female characters who take the actions I would take in their shoes. Or at least the actions I hope I’d take in their shoes. Writing lets me pretend to…

THE UNCROSSING is a retelling of Rapunzel with contemporary, queer interpretations of the classic tropey characters from curse-driven fairy tales. Prince Charming-type guys, prone to chasing after girls who are trapped, silent, or literally comatose (come on, man), have not traditionally been awesome at consent. So I knew my Prince Charming for this story, set in a contemporary fantasy world, would be careful with consent. He would be aware of boundaries and navigate them in a way that would feel normal, integrated into the story, but still deeply important to him. And maybe even sexy. Sexiness in YA—not just sexual content, but specifically sexual content that’s appealing and aspirational—is a tricky topic, intricately interwoven with our convictions and personal boundaries. For me, I want to make sure that relevant issues of safety and consent are always prominent, and that swoony moods imbue those conversations and moments. Affirmative consent is sexy! Of course, when we say “consent is sexy,” we mean that consent is a minimum requirement for sexiness. Even if the conversation is awkward, or asking for permission leads to a painful rejection—in other words, even when the process of establishing consent isn’t particularly sexy—it’s still necessary. Without working through…

Is this something anyone really needs to be convinced of? Lol! I feel like most women can appreciate a guy who can, and will, cook. Especially if he’s any good at it. But okay, let’s talk about why these guys are so…yeah, I’m going to say it…delicious! My new release, HIGH HEELS AND HAYSTACKS features a guy who can cook. Why? Well, because I love food! Lol! But really, because the diner in my fictional small town of Bliss, Kansas needed an owner and chef and… well, Parker Blake stepped up. And I fell in love. And I knew that Ava Carmichael, one of the triplet sisters, who have been transplanted to this little town in order to fulfill the stipulations in their father’s will, would also fall for Parker. In fact, it was clear to me very early on in writing this series that Parker and Ava could not only handle each other, but they needed to handle each other! So, here are the top five reasons (in my opinion) why guys who can cook are hot 🙂 They appreciate just how important heat Some situations call for a little heat, some for a lot. And these guys are…

My friends often ask me, what made you choose to write romances about Highlanders? My answer: I fell in love with the Highlands of Scotland, the people, the history, and the landscape. But I have another secret reason that I’ll share with you. I believe the myth. I believe the myth of the Highland warrior, the myth born of legendary giants like William Wallace, and Robert the Bruce, and most recently, Diana Gabaldon’s fictional character, Jamie Fraser. And thank you Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns for creating a poetic foundation for the Highland myth. I love believing that Highland warriors were all seven feet tall, built like brick houses, ruggedly handsome, unbeatable on the battlefield, courageous to a fault, honorable, loyal, and, most importantly, amazingly skilled lovers. And I shamelessly perpetuate that myth in my most recent Highland romance, BETTING THE SCOT: Highlanders of Balforss Book 2. Let’s start with the kilt. From an American girl’s stand point, it takes cojones to rock a kilt. Wearing a kilt almost demands that a guy swagger a bit. It’s a tease. We get to see some leg (always nice) and we know he goes commando so, we’re waiting for that breeze….