Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems

It's time for Coffee and Conversation with the Romance Gems! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some fun. This month's topic is: Is that character based on you? 

At some point in every author’s career someone will ask, “Is that character you?” Parts of “us” likely slips into our stories, things we enjoy, (or don’t!) people we meet, issues we’ve faced. Good things, bad things, challenges, triumphs. So, tell me… Do you have characters based on you? OR are there characters inspired by those you know or have met? Was a character sparked by a movie, or a song, maybe a place? Tell me how you come up with those imaginary people in your books. Let’s talk!

“Based on me? LOL ... no. If that were the case, my poor heroine would never get any! I love to people watch and interacting with unusual characters has often given me inspiration. However, I think the best example of basing a character on real-life would have to come from my secret-baby book, Home is Where the Hunk is. The idea for this contemporary novel was based on two sisters I met by chance. The younger sister served as a surrogate and carried her terminally-ill sister’s baby. I found their story compelling and, of course, romantic!” ~ Nancy Fraser

“The only character I ever based on another person was Suzanne, one of The Girls of Tonsil Lake. It wasn't intentional, but it certainly worked out that way. I was so worried my friend Deb would be insulted that I had "used" her in such a way, but she loved it, and Suzanne's presence deepened an already long and profound friendship.”
~ Liz Flaherty

“All my heroines have a bit of me in her. And they usually learn something that I’ve learned over the years—dreams do come true if you make them; it takes two to love. I’ve written about my passions—horses, dogs and cats. My heroines have been writers and teachers and mostly single mothers. However, it did take me twenty years to finally write a story about a divorced single mother. By that time I was ready.” ~ Jan Scarbrough

“I’m moody. Annoyingly so. And I’ve learned to stay away from people during one of my moody-bouts. For the character of Gemma Laine in A Shot at Love, I made her a moody-pus, too. She’s a lot crankier than I am, though, so it was fun to put her in situations that sparked a bad mood and then watch how she reacted.

"Gemma knows martial arts and is a deadly shot with a gun, so I did my best to give her circumstances where she had to choose between reacting moodily or rationally. And it was fun to watch her deal!” ~ Peggy Jaeger

“I have based many characters off people I know, but don’t worry…they ALL know it and LOVE it. My sister was the inspiration for Alice, the heroine in The Sheriff’s Gift. My sister is one of the strongest people I know. She is a leader, a problem-solver and a creator. She is a no-nonsense person, who can see through a lie as if it’s a ragged screen door. Thus, Alice Parker, my determined schoolteacher heroine, was born.” ~ Kara O’Neal

“I probably take a trait from this person and a trait from that person without realizing it. I don’t intentionally pattern an entire person after anyone. There are two exceptions to this. First, the Stone brothers’ aunts in the Stone Mountain Texas series are patterned after my mom and her older sister. I adore those two characters! The other time is in my cozy mystery, DEATH IN THE GARDEN. The great grandmother is a combination of my mom and a friend of hers. Otherwise, there’s a bit of me in all the characters I create, good or bad.”
~ Caroline Clemmons

“My warning to people, “anything you say or do may show up one day in a book, with the name changed to protect the guilty,” always gets a laugh. Sometimes a nervous one, like they’re not quite sure I’m kidding. Which I’m not. My brain is a filing cabinet full of snippets of people and situations that I drag out at will to flesh out a character or bring an extra layer of emotion to a scene. And like most writers, little bits of my heart and soul pepper the pages of my work; the only way I know to make it real. Luckily, there’s always more where that came from.” ~ Kathleen Lawless

“I have a character based on a stranger. I was at the beach a few years back and very pregnant and couldn't teach my son to surf (I am a terrible surfer when I'm not pregnant so maybe that wasn't a bad thing lol), and a girl helped teach him. I wound up writing a character based off her in Highland Games. My surfer girl heroine who worked part time at the library.” ~ Laura Hunsaker

“Lost and Found is loosely based on my internet dating experience when I was single in my early 40's. Cari decides, after 15 years of being a widow, she's going to get back out there. Her daughters explain to her that internet dating is like window shopping and trying on a coat. Let's just say the toads she met, but didn't kiss, were similar to some of my dates. All names were changed to protect the guilty. LOL” ~ Lucinda Race

“Back in the day while working for BET Books, I wrote women’s fiction. Often, I had to deliver four books a year. Truth being stranger than fiction, I turned to newspaper captions for ideas. Those of you may remember the Marla Hanson story. Marla was a model whose face was mutilated by her landlord over a rental deposit. This story sparked the idea for This Way Home. My heroine, Liza Hamilton makes a living as a model until she’s mugged in Central Park. When your livelihood depends on looks, sometimes it seems impossible to move on?” ~ Marcia King-Gamble

“Alex Storm, from Stolen Dreams, Book 3- Storms of New England has lots of my characteristics. He's very scheduled and organized and borderline OCD. He has a place for everything and if it's not there, he can’t function. He has little quirks that come straight from me. Folding straw wrappers, fixing the clasp on a necklace so it’s in the back, sorting pens and pencils on his desk, tapping his fingers in a rhythm simultaneously. And when he freaked about losing his planner, that whole anxiety scene came straight from my head and my experience. I totally identify with Alex.” ~ Kari Lemor

“It’s safe to say I soak up sights, sounds, scents, and people’s behaviors and physical traits EVERYWHERE I go. While some characters have snippets of those I know best, most are a combination of MANY stored thoughts, memories, and experiences. They come from strangers. Some from me. One exception is Dr. Rick Hauser from Hellfire and Handbaskets. He’s an Army Medic Veteran, and he’s based on a few fine, brave men I have the honor to call friends. Their shared experiences and memories helped create the man I envisioned in my story. A powerful hint of truth in fiction.”
~ Kathryn Hills

“None of my characters are based on me, but some characters' may share a personality trait with me once in a while. For instance, in Hot August Night, which I wrote for Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, heroine Chelsea Elliot says something but suppresses part of what she wanted to say because it wasn't exactly nice. I find myself speaking, for instance to the bank officer who told me he was going to write a book as soon as he had time, and saying, "I hope you find the time soon." In my mind, I'm adding, ‘You dumb jerk! As if time were the only requirement for writing a book?’" ~ Joan Reeves

“I think all of my characters have a little bit of me in them, but the most obvious was Eden Sinclair in Man Wanted. I never thought about it until one of my children pointed out that when she was stressed, Eden got great satisfaction not just from cleaning and organizing her closets, but also from sitting and staring at what a good job she did. Like someone else they knew.” ~ Hannah Rowan 

Okay, it's your turn to join the conversation! Add your comments below or send via email through the "contact us” link on the bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make suggestions on what you'd like to discuss here in the future.

 Thanks for joining us!

 ~ The Romance Gems ~

Have you heard about Last Chance Beach?

Escape to Last Chance Beach: Summer's End - a collection of all-new short stories from 14 bestselling and award-winning Romance Gems authors. 

There's something for everyone. 

Some are sweet, some are sizzling hot!

Don't miss out! Enter our JULY CONTEST HERE 

Or go directly to the RAFFLECOPTER 

July Prizes

1st Prize: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize: $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Best of luck to everyone!

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

I’m so excited about all the shares this month, as some of our Romance Gems authors kick off the first-ever boxed set, Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End!

I grew up near the ocean, and I LOVE a beautiful beach. Trust me, Last Chance Beach is a unique island paradise you'll want to visit. And why not? It was imagined into eBook existence by fourteen best selling and award winning romance authors. Sun, sand, sea and salty kisses. *sigh* What's not to love? So, without further ado, here’s my cover reveal for Secondhand Hearts, my contribution to this debut short story set!

Ready for a teaser?

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Tasked with convincing her beloved grandmother to move back to the mainland, Kat Worthington returns to Last Chance Beach. This vacation island paradise is filled with cherished memories, and the thought of relocating her loved one weighs heavy on Kat’s heart. Is the alternative to uproot her life, stay on the island, and help run Gran’s charming B&B and antique shop?

Handsome neighbor, Ben Hadley, sure hopes it is. He and his playful pup are doing their best to upend Kat’s plans. Will their efforts convince her to stay?

Or will it require some of Gran’s special island magic?

***

Ahh...magic. There it is! You knew it would be somewhere in my book. Aside from the romantic magic of the setting, Kat's grandmother seems to possess a special gift for "knowing" what's coming their way. But don't take my word for it. You can read all about it in a few short weeks. Last Chance Beach: Summer's End releases for only 99 cents on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited, August 4th, 2020. Pre-order today for delivery to your device on that day. Psst... There's even a special surprise gift.

Until then, do you know the Legend of Last Chance Beach? Author Joan Reeves shares with us, so don't miss out. I don't know about you, but she had me at, "Many years ago, when travel was done by rails and sails..." My affinity for historic and time travel romances, I suppose.

Here's something else fun until release day, a special video created by our own Maddie James. Ear worm alert! The song sticks with you. 😊

I know I'm heading to Last Chance Beach. I can't wait! Why not join me there?

Thanks for reading!

~ Kathryn

Don't forget to enter our JULY CONTEST HERE!

Or go directly to the RAFFLECOPTER

July Prizes 

1st Prize: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize: $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Best of luck to everyone!

Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems

It's time for Coffee and Conversation with the Romance Gems! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some fun. This month's topic is: Favorite vacation destination or dream trip

No denying we are into summer in the northern hemisphere. Hot, hot, hot! That means vacation time for many. So, tell me… What’s your favorite vacation destination or dream trip? The ocean or a lake? A tropical island getaway? Is there a theme park, hometown, big city, campground, casino, or cruise ship calling your name? Maybe your ideal vacation destination is fictitious, someplace you dreamed up for a book? Tell me!

"Among our all-time favorite trips, my husband and I enjoyed our past trips to Ireland. The entire country is beautiful. What’s more, the Irish apparently like Americans when many countries do not. With the huge number of Americans of Irish descent, the Irish consider Americans “coming home”. We hope to go back someday and rent a cottage for a month—or two. From that base, we could use a rail pass and see those sites we missed."
~ Caroline Clemmons

"Since I live in Las Vegas, when I vacation, I want to beat the heat. I love going to the beach. My favorite is Huntington Beach, CA."
~ Laura Hunsaker

"My dream vacation would be a train trip through the Canadian Rockies. Although I've been to the Colorado Rockies once during a business trip, I think it would be amazing to travel along enjoying the scenery and getting pampered." ~ Lucinda Race

"My dream vacation would be to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. There is a place there where you stay in a cabin with a glass roof so you can see them from inside your bed!" ~ Karen Whiddon

"My favorite vacation destination these days is Florida. We're New Englanders counting down until retirement, and we plan on making sunny Florida our future home. This month we're visiting a town called Dunedin. It's on the west coast and it's high on the "move to" list. I can't wait to kayak on the Shell Key Preserve and visit the quaint stores and restaurants... and of course, the beach!" ~ Elsa Kurt

"This summer, we're taking a road trip to Drumheller, Alberta to see all the fossils and dinosaurs. When I say road trip, I mean with a 5 and 7 y.o. in our back seat. A 2 day drive. Wish us luck." ~ Bonnie Edwards

"My top five future travel destinations are Morocco, Iceland, Turkey (Cappadocia region), Spain, and Argentina. I love traveling and have been lucky to see quite a few places, including Thailand, Myanmar, Ireland, and Switzerland. However, my favorite vacation was going to Peru for my honeymoon and seeing Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest. I firmly believe everybody should try to visit the Amazon Rainforest at least once in their life. You can’t help but be changed by the awesome beauty of Mother Nature when you see it!" ~ Satin Russell

"There are so many places I'd love to visit, I couldn't possibly name them all. But the one place that I truly love, that I've been to many times, and would go many, many more, is Bar Harbor on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. Looking in the shops downtown, or walking around the gorgeous Jordan Pond and nibbling on one of their popovers at the Jordan Pond House after, and especially watching the sun set from the top of Cadillac Mountain. Nothing more beautiful!" ~ Kari Lemor

"My dream vacation always includes sun, sand, and a large dose of romance. As we love the Caribbean, I was excited to explore somewhere new, notably the island of Utila off the coast of Honduras. This is a cute, sleepy island with one main street and no cars. One evening Mr. Romantic whisked me away to one of the few restaurants, which he had booked exclusively for us. I had no inkling until, just before desert, he went down on one knee with the most romantic proposal ever, and a gorgeous diamond ring that fit me perfect. I said ‘yes’." ~ Kathleen Lawless

"A haunted castle in Scotland or Wales would be my dream vacation! I even know the perfect posse to take along. But my other side craves sun and surf. Mr. H. took Darling Daughter and I to the Mayan Riviera, Mexico. A tiny town named Xpu-Ha near Playa del Carmen. From our hotel outpost, we explored Mayan ruins at Tulum, swam with sea turtles, and enjoyed beachside bars. The best experience, by far, was snorkeling with Whale Sharks thirty miles off Isle Mujeres. Majestic creatures the size of a bus, floating in a bottomless sea." ~ Kathryn Hills

"It's not just because I write historical romances set in England that it’s my favorite place to visit. I've always had an affinity for the country. English lit was my second major in college, and there's never been a time when I didn't love books set in England. The first time I went to England more than 30 years ago it felt like coming home. I've been there a dozen times since and been fortunate enough to take a flat in London for several weeks three times. Our whole family loves it and will continue to visit Merry Old England." ~ Cheryl Bolen

"My Fav Vaca Destination. I have so many: The French Quarter of New Orleans, LA; San Francisco, CA; Savannah, GA. However for breath-taking, raw-beauty I must choose the Grand Tetons National Park, WY.

"The first glimpse of the jagged mountain range is beyond description. The wilderness, the wild-life (bear, elk, deer, beaver) the endless sky, the walk along a slow-moving river. The reflection of Mt. Moran at the bend of the Snake River. Horseback riding, hiking trails, and dinner at the Teton Lodge. Bliss." ~ Connie Vines

"I’d go back to the Covered Wagon Ranch, Montana, snug between Bozeman and West Yellowstone. The scenery was gorgeous. The ranch family was friendly. The food was great! It was a real dude ranch experience." ~ Jan Scarbrough

"I loved vacationing in Montana. The mountains and the beauty within always mesmerized me. So much, that we moved there when we retired. Unfortunately, I can't breathe there, so we had to move. But I would go back there in a heartbeat just to visit. We saw so many ghost towns, or old mining towns, that I actually wrote three books about life in Montana. Montana just reminds me that there are so many wonderful places in the United States to visit, who needs to visit other countries?" ~ Constance Bretes

“I love the ocean. Walking on the beach and watching the dolphins play in the surf. It's very relaxing. Port Aransas Beach in Texas is my favorite.” ~ Karen Kelley

"My favorite vacation spot is Las Vegas. Surprisingly to some (perhaps), it's not all about the gambling. Although, truthfully, that's my favorite part! When I go, I make sure to take in at least one or two shows. As someone who can't keep an air fern alive, I am obsessed with the beautiful foliage at the Wynn (one of my two favorite hotels/casinos). The carousel, made from thousands of flowers, is magnificent. Just walking through their display, a near-perfect form of stress-relief!" ~ Nancy Fraser

Okay, it's your turn to join the conversation! Add your comments below or send via email through the "contact us” link on the bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make suggestions on what you'd like to discuss here in the future.

Surprise addition to this month's topic! Some Gems are sharing their personal vacation pics over on Facebook. Here's the link to our Romance Gems Facebook Group if you'd like to see. Maybe even share some of your own pics in "comments" there.

Thanks for joining us!

~ The Romance Gems ~

Don't forget our July Giveaway!

Starts at 12:01am CDT, July 5, Friday. 

Ends at 12:01am CDT, July 25, Thursday. 

You can click Rafflecopter here at any time, or scroll to the bottom and find the form. Remember, it opens July 5 so enter often and tell your friends.
There are some great prizes up for grabs.

July Prizes

Grand Prize: a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Second Prize: a $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

Third Prize: a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Fourth Prize: 2 print books, each autographed and mailed by the author

5th, 6th, and 7th Prizes: Eboook bundles of 3 Ebooks each 
 Beach Book Bonanza

What's better than a Beach Book in the summer? Not much, especially when you're talking about these beach books by these bestselling authors! Some are sweet; some are spicy; some are downright sizzling hot! There's definitely something for everyone.

Romance Gems July Rafflecopter Giveaway

My Kind of Hero @karilemor #RomanceGems

So many people talk about book boyfriends and I have to admit I don’t really have any. Not that I don’t like the heroes I read about. I do! But typically, I read romance. In these stories I am looking for a connection between the two main characters.  If I end up with the hero, that means the other character does not. Then it wouldn’t be a romance. Or it would be my romance, and since I’m already married, that would be a problem. I’m not into cheating.  In my life or in my books.

When I do choose my heroes, I have to say I like certain things. And some things I’m not a huge fan of. Jerky alpha billionaire, Pass. Any guy who’s ever cheated on a woman, Pass. Royalty, sheik, hit man. Pass. I’m more into those who serve, like military, police, firefighter, or government agent.  Or I like the manly type who work with their hands. Cowboy, carpenter, or farmer.

One of my good friends checked out my ‘Hero’ Pinterest board and said I definitely have a type. Yup, I do. Physically, I like them trim, clean cut, lean muscles, and swoon worthy. I do appreciate a bit of chest hair as well. But that’s all superficial.

What I really want in a hero is vulnerability. Sure, I want them to be macho and strong, physically and emotionally. But I also want them to be real. To have problems they need to work on. I want them to love their woman with every fiber of their being and fight until the death for them. Since many of my books are romantic suspense, they do exactly that. Well, not quite to the death, but often times close.

It’s great that most books now have the hero’s point of view as well. I love the inner thoughts and the struggles they go through in the story. One favorite is Nikko from Peggy Jaeger’s Cant Stand the Heat. He’s a definite alpha male who takes no guff from anyone. But he’s got this teenage daughter who is going through quite an ordeal. Instead of being the absent father, or the one who rules with an iron fist, he is caring and loving and his daughter is more important to him than anything else in his life. And he constantly tells her so. This man, this father, dug so deeply into my heart, I thought I might bleed.

Another great hero with a vulnerability is Ty from Marianne Rice’s What Makes Us Stronger. Ty is a man who works with his hands and very masculine. But he suffers from depression and struggles to get through life with this around his neck. This is a real issue that so many people suffer from.  I love watching him as he finds a way to make things work with the heroine. Swoonworthy.

I’ve got my own vulnerable hero coming out soon. The book, Elusive Dreams, is the first in my new series, Storms of New England. The series is a small-town family contemporary set in…you guessed it… New England.

Erik Storm is the oldest in his family, with three younger Storm siblings. He has always been popular, handsome, well-liked, and successful. But his time as a Marine over seas left him scarred, barely able to walk, and hiding other medical secrets he never wants his family or friends to find out about. But he promised a dying mother he’d take care of her children. How to do that in the physical shape he’s in?

Tessa Porter has bounced around through a variety of foster homes her whole life. In her teens, she finally came to live next door to Erik’s grandparents in coastal Maine, where Erik spent many summers working at a local restaurant. Due to abuse in her past, Tessa hates to be around people and cringes at any form of touch. But she’s willing to help Erik take care of the children. They are younger and weaker and therefore can’t possibly hurt her.

Unfortunately, a social service worker doesn’t think Erik is in any shape to care for these children, so Erik and Tessa embark on a marriage of convenience to ensure the children will have a stable home and loving family. Both Erik and Tessa face challenges, so creating a family might be the only thing to heal these two scarred souls.

~~~

As soon as I have a cover and release date, I will share. To get up to date news, you can subscribe to my mailing list (I only send out a newsletter when I have a sale or new release or other exciting news). Or you can follow me on BookBub.

Now tell me, what is your favorite kind of hero?


*********

July Giveaway

Starts at 12:01am CDT, July 5, Friday.

Ends at 12:01am CDT, July 25, Thursday.

You can click Rafflecopter here at any time, or scroll to the bottom and find the form. Remember, it opens July 5 so enter often and tell your friends. There are some great prizes up for grabs.

July Prizes

Grand Prize: a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

Second Prize: a $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

Third Prize: a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Fourth Prize: 2 print books, each autographed and mailed by the author

5th, 6th, and 7th Prizes: Eboook bundles of 3 Ebooks each

Beach Book Bonanza

What's better than a Beach Book in the summer? Not much, especially when you're talking about these beach books by these bestselling authors!

Some are sweet; some are spicy; some are downright sizzling hot! There's definitely something for everyone.

Have fun in the sun, and nobody can take your books away!

Hot and Heavy by @SatinRussell #RomanceGems

July is the month when temperatures really begin to heat up, but I don’t mind. By the time our long New England winters have come to an end, I’m ready for some hot days and sunshine. As long as I have my sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses, I’m good to go.

Of course, weather isn’t the only heat factor romance writers are familiar with. When it comes to romantic love, sexual encounters tend to come with the territory. Quite a few books in this genre have been known to make a reader blush straight to her roots!

Other times, our stories can be a slow burn with lots of anticipation before things get really steamy.

Romance novels can run the gamut, from sweet to sizzling and everything in between. As an avid reader of romance, I’m happy to read all levels of intimacy. However, as a writer, it became a real consideration – just how far did I want to go and how much detail did I want to get into?

Full disclosure: It wasn’t the first time I had tried my hand at a little “risqué” writing. When my husband and I first started dating, I ended up moving to Bangkok, Thailand for six months. One of the BEST things about getting together long-distance is that everything has to be spelled out and you can’t rely on chemistry to do your communicating for you.

On the other hand, one of the WORST things about getting together long-distance is that everything has to be spelled out and you can’t rely on chemistry to do your communicating for you. Let’s just say there were some pretty racy e-mails exchanged between the two of us during those six months of separation.

(And yes, I did print those communications out and save them!)

But writing for a larger, public audience is different than writing personal love letters to your significant other. I still remember when I sat down to write my first sex scene. I’m a coffee shop writer and at the time it was my habit to write at my local Starbucks. Every day for hours on end, I would sit at my favorite table – the one right next to an outlet – and write.

Yet, when it came time to write my first hot and heavy sex scene…I couldn’t do it! The café felt too public. I became hyper-aware of the man sitting next to me working on a spreadsheet, or the young mother and her child at the condiment station, or the business meeting happening at the community table across the way.

I felt too exposed.

After about forty-five minutes of halted, self-conscious writing, I closed my laptop, packed up my stuff, and headed home. There, sitting alone at my dining room table, I was finally able to write that first sex scene.

Warning: These books contain suspense that sizzles!

As a writer, I think I’ve finally found my sweet spot for writing sex and heated exchanges. I don’t shy away from the details, but I really make my characters earn it. There’s something wonderful about the build-up and anticipation of that first intimate encounter shared between people, don’t you think?

If you'd like to see what I'm talking about, check out my books, Secret Hunger or Secret Need. They're both available on Amazon.

How about you? As a reader, what level of heat do you like in your romance novels? Let me know in the comments!

Speaking of hot, don't forget to enter our July Contest featuring Beach Reads and Book Boyfriends. You can find all the details on our Monthly Giveaway page.

Romance Gems July Rafflecopter Giveaway