Writing Romance Is Like...

I’m starting a blog tour here today! It was November 2009 that saw the publication of my first book so in celebration I’m visiting around the web and giving stuff away!

And I have a sort-of theme: Writing Romance Is Like…

Some of the topics include how writing romance is like adopting a new puppy, shaving your legs, a horror film… you get the idea.

At every blog stop (yes, including this one!) all comments get entered for a chance to win a choice from my backlist (I just love saying that—last year at this time I didn’t have a backlist *g*). And if you really want to play along, follow me around to all stops, fill in the answers to the questions on the form (on my site) and then e-mail it to me by December 15th. You’ll be entered to win a chance at a $50 gift certificate to your choice of online bookstore (Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or MyBookstoreandMore.com)!

You’ll learn more about me, more about what it’s like to write romance—kind-of— and be (hopefully) a little entertained. (And did I mention the chances to win stuff?!) So, please join me! The schedule, questions to get entered into the big drawing and blog topics are on my site (www.ErinNicholas.com)

And with no further ado: Writing Romance Is Like…that chocolate candy bar you accidentally left in the car in July: It’s no longer perfect, but it’s still damned good!

Before I was published writing was fun and done whenever I had the time and inspiration. I had visions of quitting my job and sitting at my desk, the sun shining in, the window open to a gentle breeze that ruffles the curtains. Of course, the words flowed effortlessly from my fingers, incredibly witty and emotionally satisfying dialogue appeared as if by magic, the heroes and heroines complex and well developed, their love stories were hot, yet poignant, the sex scenes singed the pages. And of course, I would sell a million copies, have all five-star reviews and need a new e-mail address just to handle the influx of fan mail. Oh, and don’t forget the book signings! People lined up around the block I tell you!

So, now I’m published. Which is awesome! Not perfectly in align with the visions—or even the reality—of before I was published, but still damned good.

Now I have things like deadlines. Doesn’t really matter if I have time or inspiration. Some days it’s really like pulling teeth to get a few paragraphs that don’t suck. I also rarely write at my desk—sun shining or not. The desk is taken over by kids doing homework so my lap top and I get comfortable in my chair. I don’t know why, exactly, the Perfect Writing Vision included sitting at a desk, but it did. I also still have my “day job” which really does get in the way of the writing. Then again, I’ve often suspected that being forced away from the computer makes me appreciate and take advantage of the time I do have there and (usually) increases my word count. But, the words don’t always flow effortlessly, we haven’t quite made it to the million copy mark and there’s no way I’m brave enough to do a book signing at this point!

But there are so many things that make writing sweet now! I do get reader e-mails—which are by far the best thing in the world! I get some great reviews, my editor is wonderful, I’ve met an amazing group of writers who have become cheerleaders, consultants and friends! Heck, I’m thrilled even one other person wanted to read something I wrote and liked it! *g* So there’s a lot of sweetness.

Yep, it really is damned good.

Join me at my next stop! November 4 at Leah Braemel’s blog

Excerpt, Just My Type (a “sweet” scene :))
Erin Nicholas

She pulled out her reading material as they settled into two seats in the gate area. Which got Mac’s attention.

“What the hell is that?” he whispered.

“A catalog.”

“So I see.” He glanced around. “Is that appropriate for reading in public?”

“Everyone else here is reading for pleasure or work. This is a little of both for me,” she whispered back.

“What have I done to deserve this?” he groaned.

“I think most men would be jealous of you having a wife who is studying a sex-toy catalog,” Sara told him. “It’s not all raunchy. I mean look at this: cotton-candy-flavored body powder. Great for licking. I’m so getting that.”

Mac tipped his head back, covered his eyes with his hand and groaned again. “Please don’t.”

“Oh, I am,” she told him. “And these chocolate body pens. You use them to write on each other…then lick it off.”

“Yeah, you could have stopped with chocolate body pens. It’s kind of self-explanatory.”

Mac shifted in his seat and Sara hid a smile. He’d been getting his way all day—and last night when he’d gone back to his condo—if she felt like torturing him a little, she would.

“Do you like piña colada flavor?” she asked.

“No. Not at all.”

She smiled. “Well, there’s lots of choices. How about lemon meringue?”

“No.”

“Bubble gum?”

“Definitely not.”

“Beer flavor?”

That opened his eyes. “What do they have in beer flavor?”

“Nothing that I’ve seen yet. I was just making sure that if I find something I can order it without hesitation.”

He sighed. “What are you looking at?”

“Edible massage lotion.”

“What’s with all the edible stuff?”

“That’s just the catalog section I’m in.”

“I’m not interested.”

A quick glance at his lap told a different story. “Then I’ll flip to a section you are interested in. Oh, look, the nipple-clamp section.”


More on Erin
www.ErinNicholas.com
NineNaughtyNovelists.blogspot.com
ErinNicholas.blogspot.com
http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/erin-nicholas