It’s been a while since I’ve done a Q & A. I solicited questions from my MVP club members, and thought I’d share some here. Before we get into that, though, if you’re not a member of my MVP club, you should be! MVP club members not only get a special inside peek at things, but they also get specials and freebies that aren’t offered to everyone.
How do you sign up? Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and you should see a spot to subscribe.
Now, on to the questions…
Have you ever started writing a character one way and had them completely change your plans?
Yes! Caleb started off as a side character in Falling for Gypsy, and he originally was going to be a jerk that was roommates with Jacob, the MMC of book 1. He started out being pushy with Lacey (the FMC) which was triggering for her. It constantly felt like I was fighting against the grain with him, though, so in one of my many edits, I wrote him as a sweet guy that helps her begin her healing journey instead. It fit him so much better! He turned into one of my favorite characters, and I loved getting to know him better as I wrote Roping Trouble.
Is there a character you secretly relate to more than you expected to?
This question had me going back and forth. As for shared experiences, I probably relate the most to Lacey. Not to her past relationship, but she's from the Appalachians like me and she has several minor experiences that were inspired by my experiences. Like the bad dates and the memories of riding the back roads with her friend.
That being said, the more I work with Dakota, the more I feel like she and I would be besties IRL. She and I share a lot of similar hobbies and interests, including but not limited to her interest in grumpy cowboys.
If you could spend 24 hours trapped inside one of your books, which would it be?
In some ways this is easy, because Falling for Gypsy and Roping Trouble are set in the same small town. But if choosing between those two, I think I'd have to go with Roping Trouble. However, as we get closer to Christmas (I know it's still super early), getting snowed in a cabin in Gatlinburg, TN and being immersed in some of my favorite Christmas traditions sounds pretty wonderful, too.
Which is harder to write, the first kiss or the first argument?
This one depends on the couple. For Dakota and Austin (Wrangling Red) the first argument came so naturally it changed my plans for how I was going to write their relationship. With Kate and Caleb (Roping Trouble), they'd been waiting for that first kiss for so long, it was a struggle to hold it back.
How long does it take you to write a book?
This is another "it depends" answer. Falling for Gypsy was written within a few months, but when I decided to publish it, I spent a year rewriting and working on edits. Roping Trouble was written in two months, followed by a few months of rewrites and edits. Love in a Flurry was written, edited, and published in a five month span. Wrangling Red has taken the longest for me to write, and I'm still working on it. However, I think a lot of that is because of outside influences and the things I've had requiring my time in the background, both personal and professional. So much time goes into marketing and social media.
That is all the questions for now, but I want to take a moment to thank all of you for being part of my author journey. I love being in the book community and getting to know other readers, and it wouldn't be the same without you!