Writer's Guilt

I've been a writing for fifteen years. I've been a writer at heart all my life, but for argument's sake I've considered myself a writer for the last fifteen years. I still feel guilty when I sit down to write. I think about all the things I should be doing--the dishes piled in the sink, the people I haven't talked to in a while, the money I could be earning if I got a real job. Unlike many writers, I'm fortunate in that I rarely experience writers' block. But I struggle in another way. I don't always feel I deserve to do this, as though writing at will is a privilege to be experienced only by writers who've "made it." 

My definition of "made it" has changed over the years. When I first began writing, I talked to a lot of people who insisted I had a better chance of being struck by lightening than getting published. I was determined to prove them wrong. Though the dawning of self-publishing changed the way many authors are published for the first time, I was determined to sell a manuscript to a publisher, and I did. Though a traditional publisher had also experienced interest in my work, I wound up selling my first manuscript to a digital publisher I felt had a better appreciation of the vision I had for my story. 

Almost immediately, I wondered whether I'd made the right decision. The editor I'd spoken with at the traditional publisher told me in no uncertain terms that when suggestions are made for revising a manuscript, it means the editor making them is seriously interested in acquiring the work. I'd understood that, but didn't see any way to make the suggested changes without sacrificing the rest of the titles in what I intended to become a series, and I still don't to this day. Then there was the opinion of my fellow writers, some of whom believed I should have done whatever I could to sign with the traditional publisher, believing this to be the only way to jump-start my career as an author. Though many traditionally published authors I know complain about what little assistance they are provided in their marketing efforts, I received what I believed to be even less, and I commiserated with my fellow, digitally-published authors. Though I self-published my eighth title, I was also labelled an "indie author" by reviewers and bloggers long before, as though there are only 2 types of authors, and digitally published and small press authors don't exist. 

Eight years after being published for the first time, my definition of having "made it" has indeed changed. Though I doubt I will ever be content where my writing career is concerned, (and perhaps that is the point of being a writer!), I long for the day when I will earn a full living from my writing. Life is full of distractions, but the number one concern on my mind, present even before I ever dreamed of being published, is knowing it's "okay" to write, because my time doing it is justified, namely because I'm paying the bills with my writing. I want to inspire the world with my stories. I want to encourage others to seek out their true love and to never settle for anything else. But in order for me to have a prayer of doing so, I need to survive myself.

I am both a writer and a salesperson. Both, at times, I feel are equated with being the janitor. "Anyone can be a writer." "Writing is easy." Perhaps it's opinions like this that keep readers from finding the time to read, and price our hard-created books to be considered less valuable than a cup of coffee.

The life of a writer is a tough and often discouraging one. I've learned, however, that it is in my blood, and I have no intention of ending my writing career no matter how bleak the bottom line may look, at times. Perhaps I write this to convince myself as much as I do you.

They say if you want a career in any particular field, before anyone can hire you, you must first hire yourself. I've discovered I'm one of those people who prefers working for herself and I daresay I am harder on myself than any boss ever could be. I'm hiring myself. And it's going to be a very exciting ride. 

       

COVER REVEAL!

Ryan Newberry hopes his desires for his new front desk associate won't lead both of them down a path of danger he won't be able to protect them from.

The Pinnacles of Power Series is Re-Releasing in Paperback!

I'll be giving away paperback copies of various titles to the first attendees at my workshop at the Easton Book Festival 
October 26th!

Falling For the Villain

I'll be hosting a workshop at the Easton, PA Book Festival this fall.  It's the first time I'll be speaking to an audience of readers and writers in quite a while and I've started thinking about what I'd like to say about my author brand. I've prided myself on reforming former villains. And though I've often told readers I do this because I believe everyone deserves a second chance, that isn't the whole truth. Yes, I do believe everyone who has the desire to do better deserves a second chance. But it isn't the bigger reason why I started doing what I do, where villains are concerned.

Recently, CBS's Young and the Restless recast the role of Adam Newman. Due to circumstances beyond the producers' control, this role has needed to be recast 3 times, and as anyone who watches daytime television could tell you, that's a lot. In my experience, in most situations like this, the character would have simply been written off the show and other characters would have been brought in to take center stage. But Y & R is crazy about this character, as is its audience. The black sheep of the Newman family, Adam is classified a ruthless villain by the residents of Genoa City. He's known to resorting to nefarious and often highly unethical tactics to get what he wants and has been labelled a psychopath by his brother, Nick, on numerous occasions. When the role was previously played by Justin Hartley, this love-to-hate-em villain was significantly softened, and even romanticized, to the point that his bad-boy days appeared to be a thing of the past. But since newcomer Mark Grossman has stepped in to fill his shoes, the character has returned to his villainous ways, taking such a dramatic turn with the script it almost defies logic. Why would the show fight so hard, risk the credibility of their story line, just to make this character a villain again? I imagine for the same reason I work so hard to make villains center stage.

Shortly before I began my career as a writer, I became engrossed in the TV show Smallville, a drama about the life of Superman before he accepts his destiny. I was immediately taken by Tom Welling, the attractive actor who played the role of Clark, and having come in about mid-way through the series I found myself watching every episode in order to catch up. But as I found myself getting caught up in the larger-than-life universe of "Kryptonite Freaks" and dangerous daily occurrences, I found myself falling not for the hero, but for the villain Lex Luthor. To this day I can't entirely explain my feelings, but I realized at that time something about this character, and about all villains, intrigued me. I'd think about them, and dream about them. And it wasn't long before these misunderstood monsters were inspiring new characters whose stories had to be told.

For a hero to really become a hero, he must possess redeeming qualities. As fellow author Mary Buckham recently pointed out in her workshop PLOT SMARTER, PLOT FASTER, the main characters of a story must grow--they need to change in some big way. Loving villains as much as I do, I set out to reform these blackened-souls, often casting the villains from previous stories as my hero and teaching them the error of their ways. Showing a villain come full circle is critical when reforming him and in making him forgivable in the eyes of the reader. Though, if I'm being honest, I didn't start doing this so much because I wanted to see the villain reform as I did because I really just wanted to see these dastards take center stage.

Falling for the villain may not be as strange a phenomenon as you believe. Fortunately, in romance novels, the bad-boy often wins.

Join me and over 50 fellow authors of various genres at the 

Easton Book Festival 

October 25 - 27th! 

I'll be hosting a workshop about editing and pacing Saturday, October 26th, and signing copies of my latest release, A Sultry Performance!

https://eastonbookfestival.com/adult-authors/

Real Life Love vs Life as a Romance Author - Which is the Greater Challenge?

I've had a busy year. Though 2019 isn't nearly over, it has been one of the busiest years of my life as I planned my wedding, got married, and purchased my first home. Writing time suffered at the mercy of my hectic schedule and at times I considered abandoning one dream at the expense of another. 

Things calmed down eventually and, as I spent some time in the quiet of my imagination I realized I am still a writer at heart. I have a long journey ahead of me as an author, one I am excited to embark upon. 

Of course, it is easy to get discouraged at times. Though the reasons behind it were happy ones, I've been off the horse for a while now and this was a difficult game to play even when I was at my best, putting over eight hours a day into my writing and marketing, often working weekends as well. I've listened to the concerns of my fellow authors and I know that while I am not alone in my frustrations, I need to keep positive thoughts at the forefront of my mind in order to stay the course. Persistence pays off in the long run, and focusing on a past success can be encouraging. It wasn't that long ago that love seemed a million miles away for me. But I found my true love, reminding me that in life, anything is possible.

When I was eleven years old, I experienced my first real crush. I liked a boy in my class who made flirting an art form, and had no intention of following through on what his smooth dialogue promised. Adolescence is a difficult time for everyone, but this particular situation made it especially difficult for me. Though I wasn't yet a teenager, I learned about the pain of not having my feelings reciprocated, and this pain helped shape me into the writer I am today. But, adulthood was still a long way off at that point and I had a long way to go if I was ever going to find my heart's other half.

As an author, I enjoy writing about heroes and heroines with plenty of conflict between them and much to overcome before they can achieve their happily ever after. Though that wasn't so much the case with my husband and I, I had to kiss a lot of frogs before I found him and there were times when I believed that love, perhaps, was for other people, and not something I would ever find for myself. Being the romantic that I am however, I never stayed discouraged long and I kept putting myself out there, taking risks and often bringing myself into uncomfortable situations believing that one day my persistence would finally pay off. When I started writing, I found I enjoyed creating heroes with many demons to conquer, and though I loved working out their inner conflicts on paper, men, for me, were a complex breed I'd yet to comprehend. After a lifetime of taking chances, I found my prince, but not without a lot of bumps and bruises along the way.

There was a time not long ago when I believed that finding love would be the hardest thing I'd ever have to do. Perhaps it was, but as life slowly settles back into a routine I am reminded that not every battle has yet been won, and there are many challenges still on the horizon. I face the battle of a constantly-changing publishing industry, as do my fellow writers, and I wonder whether I will ever reach my goals in this respect. The life of a writer is hardly an easy one, though during this new and very happy time in my life I am reminded that when we stand the test of time and don't give up, anything can be possible. If I can encourage even one of my fellow writers to believe this, perhaps my success is already underway.   

He was her lover in another lifetime, but does Evan know more about Hannah's father's murder than he's letting on?

When Hannah Rabourn, daughter of Rabourn Theater's late owner, is attacked, a surge of flashes prompts her to believe her father may have been murdered. Hannah's antagonistic stage director insists her subconscious is merely seeking closure. But as she and Evan become close once again, Hannah's suspicions about the past deepen, and she wonders if the man she's falling in love with for the second time knows more than he's letting on.

Finding Strength of Self - What SHOULD be Every Authors' Secret Weapon

I've watched the movie Baby Boom dozens of times. It isn't only the great 80s music that draws me in, though that is definitely a big plus! There is much to love about this throwback romantic comedy, but the part that really hits home for me is the main character, J.C. Wyatt's determination to make it on her own in the business world. When a distant relative dies and a baby comes into her life, this driven career woman is forced to take a step back in her current job, and eventually realizes she doesn't really want to make the sacrifices she's been told she must in order to succeed, IE, love, romance, home and family. J.C. dreams of living in the country, as I always have, and also like me, she hits several bumps in the road before settling into her new life. The one thing that never dies in the cold of winter is her ambition. Against all odds, she turns her passion into a reality.

In the early days of my writing career, my goals were actually a lot more like wishes. I knew what I wanted, but much of my plan was pie-in-the-sky with no real vision of how to get there. I'm still not sure where I'm going in every sense, but I've learned much about the craft of writing during the eight years I've been a published author, and even more about the publishing industry. The one thing that's for certain is this business is always changing. Many say it's getting harder to succeed, not easier.

I've been a member of Romance Writers' of America for about a decade and I never miss an issue of the monthly Romance Writers' Report, or the President's address. In recent days, I've appreciated the very candid honesty of our presidents, who've shared their own frustrations with an industry in which many authors today are finding it difficult to earn a living. In some cases, even those who were earning more in years past are earning less now, and there are several possible factors contributing to why that might be. The market price of ebooks has brought the cost of books down overall, and with the dawning of self-publishing, there are so many books in circulation, it is hard for any author to stand out. Add onto that the fact that so many people find it undesirable or simply impossible to read for pleasure as a result of their busy schedule. Talk about a challenging industry!

Like everything in nature, there comes the good with the bad, and though it might be easy to become discouraged about this thing called writing, I always try to look for the positive side of things. Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, it hit me what that is. 

Last year, I decided, for the first time, to self-publish a book. After previously publishing seven titles with a publisher, I wanted to try something different and I gave it a go. Though I can't speak for my readers, I imagine they saw very little difference with the change whereas for me, the change was big. Becoming the publisher means taking on every aspect of the publishing process, and it goes well beyond hiring an editor and a cover artist. What I didn't realize at the time, what I have only just begun to realize now is that taking control of your own destiny is truly empowering. I believe it holds the power to letting your imagination take you to a place you never dreamed possible. That may sound a little vague but as authors, at the end of the day, we want to get our stories into the hands of readers who are going to love them. There's more than one way of doing that. And rather than believe a myth that we're incapable of doing it on our own, why not prove we can do just that?

I'm still in the early stages of my career as an author. Though at one time, a ten year stint would have sounded like a long run to me, I realize in the grand scheme of things it isn't that much time at all. I many not know where I'm going exactly but I do know I'm excited to find out. Taking a page out of J.C. Wyatt's book, I plan on making the sky the limit. 

Could Alicia's abductor be her lover?

On the heels of a major performance, theater actress Alicia Coleman is attacked in an alleyway. She is struck over the head with a pistol and the blow causes her to lose her memory. Injured and afraid, Alicia struggles to remember the details of her life. The only person who appears to know who she is, is the man she fears may also be her attacker.

In the midst of several attempts to escape, Alicia comes to know the man whose home she awoke in and realizes the two of them share a complicated past. Though Nick refuses to tell her much beyond her first name, a series of dreams in which he and she are sharing a lot more than the second story of a secluded mansion cause Alicia to suspect the most outrageous of possibilities, that the man holding her prisoner may actually be her lover. Proving her theory true may be her only chance of keeping her attacker from coming after her a second time.

Crazy Country Living and a New Lease on Writing

I've always dreamed of living in a more secluded area than the one in which I grew up. The yard I played in as a child was full of trees, many of which collapsed during hurricanes. The same was true of our neighbors' yards, and though living in the suburbs isn't exactly the same as living in the city, I still longed for that feeling of seclusion one can only get from being in a remote, wooded area. I've always written my best work when surrounded by beautiful scenery. To have it all around me, what excuse could I have not to write the best book possible?

When my husband and I started looking for a house, it came as no surprise to me that the ones capturing my attention were in rural neighborhoods, like the ones I'd always dreamed of living in.  We toured many, and lo and behold the one both of us liked best was on a hilltop, surrounded by very tall trees.  Not fenced-in, as the house of my childhood had been, this house had a definite rural appeal and I saw what I had been looking for in my heart for a long time. It was our home, and perhaps, the writing haven of my dreams.

Country living required some adjustments. Originally built in the 1800's, our house came with a few flaws, not the least of which included some improperly sealed windows, which brought with them their share of insects. I'm used to the occasional insect, though I'd never actually seen a black bee before, nor did I have experience with insects who barely flinched at the presence of a human being, almost as though they've never seen one before.

Cosmetic flaws and a couple of uninvited guests are one thing. But our first few weeks as homeowners only got more interesting from there. Determined to create a haven around our koi fish pond, my husband and I went to purchase some lawn chairs. Everything seemed to be going well until we got to the car and attempted to fit them inside. Though Bill tried every which way he could, the chairs did not fit. It was getting late, and we needed groceries for the next morning. Brave soul that he is, Bill volunteered to carry the chairs back to our house if I took his car to the supermarket. Seeing as how our town is on the small side, our local supermarket is in the next town over, on the opposite side of the highway, and has a tricky entrance turn-off. Though I'd yet to drive there successfully, I agreed to his suggestion, figuring it was our best and only option. Bill took off for the opposite side of the parking lot, heavy chairs in hand, only to have me yell out to him, twice, as I attempted to get his unfamiliar car to start.  Bill was later picked up by a truck driver, who offered to drive him the rest of the way to our house while I took several unintended detours as I attempted to find the supermarket. Though the store closed before I was able to get everything we needed, I did manage to get the essentials before I arrived back at home to find Bill waiting on the porch for me, without a key to the house.

Fast forward a few weeks. Much more familiar with our new neighborhood, I decided to go for a walk into the more scenic section of town, where the roads become truly wooded. Bill had jogged the route a number of times, and so I believed I would be back at home within the hour.  I started out by waving to a neighbor who has a colorful, fenced-in garden on her front lawn. Continuing down the hill, I walked under a single-car lane underpass, leading me to the town river, and past a neighbor's pond. The road, or so I believed, was shaped like a U, so eventually I'd come to a part of it that was perpendicular to a familiar street, where I'd cross through and head for home. Only, in several attempts to do so, I lost track of where I was. As the scenery became prettier, I was consumed with two thoughts.  Perhaps we should have bought a home deeper into the woods, and, how in the world was I going to find my way back?  

The further I walked, the prettier the scenery and the more anxious I became. Walking along a particular street, I saw almost nothing besides trees and they looked to be about a thousand feet tall. Though under any other circumstances, I would have been in Heaven, I was terrified, as it was getting darker and I still had no idea where I was. Thinking I'd only be gone a little while, I hadn't taken my phone along. I'd have to knock on someone's door or otherwise find my way home on my own.

Determined to do the latter, I decided to keep going at least until it got dark. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I continued walking near the same road I'd started out on, and it was only taking me further and further away from our town. I saw deer, cows and even sheep, an animal I didn't even come across when we visited the Swiss Alps.  As I came to the end of the road, the sky grew completely dark and as cars whipped by me at what felt like a hundred miles an hour, I realized I had no choice but to ask for help. I knocked on the door of a woman who immediately offered me her phone, and then a ride home. I don't think Bill or I have ever been more relieved to see each other.

My wooded adventure could have turned me off to country living. Actually, it proved to me I made the right decision. Every change in life requires a period of adjustment. But my initial feelings and desires remain. Sitting in my backyard beside our pond, I feel inspired to write in a way I haven't in years. Though writers' block isn't in my vocabulary, I need certain things to make the magic happen. Nature. Beauty. Peace. Perhaps need is too strong of a word. But, they definitely make it better.

I know from experience I can write anywhere. I'm so grateful I no longer have to.        

The Pinnacles of Power Series is now available as a box set!

Read all 5 stories for the price of 1!

http://jessicalauryn.com/book/the-pinnacles-of-power-complete-collection/

Amidst diamond heists and deadly secrets, love still finds a way to take root. But with obstacles hiding around every corner, five couples will struggles will struggle against all odds to get what, and who they want.

In Dangerous Secret, Abigail MacKenzie is trying to get over her father's tragic death. But when a handsome stranger provides a clue about his killer, she becomes determined to get justice and she will face any danger, even if it comes from a man whose eyes cut straight through the walls around her heart.

In Dangerous Proposal, Alec Westwood is running from his past. After abandoning an assignment he couldn't bring himself to complete, Alec has attempted to start a new life. But when a beautiful woman crosses his path bearing the insignia for the organization that recruited him, he suspects his former boss may not be far behind. As he works to learn the truth behind Lena Benson's sudden appearance in North Conway, Alec fears his attraction to the enemy may be greater than all his strength and fortitude combined. 

In Dangerous Proposition, Julia Dyson's father has been abducted and she suspects his illicit profession is to blame. Upon discovering a familiar name in her father's call history, she decides to confront the prime suspect, her teenage crush Colin Westwood. Though he refuses to admit to foul play, Colin agrees to take Julia to New York with him to find her missing father. But the passion that ignites between them is something neither of them are prepared for.

In Dangerous Ally, reporter Lilah Benson wants to write the story of a lifetime. She goes undercover working for the father of diamond smuggling kingpin Lucas Ramone but doesn't expect his son to be so charming..or seductive. Lucas Ramone is not about to let Project Gemstone be stolen out from under him. But when he meets his former fiance's enchanting younger sister he realizes Lilah Benson holds great power where he's concerned and fears she may be his undoing.

In Dangerous Magic, Corinne Johnson was separated from her children following a strange discovery in her husband's briefcase. She's attempting to rebuild her family, but when she has a steamy dream about her former coworker, Jack, her plans go up in flames. Wiccan Jack Madera is on a quest to find his biological father, and he didn't plan on running into Corinne. Drawn to the woman he's always shared a deep connection with, Jack casts a spell that takes the two of them down a path they never saw coming.

For the Love of Writing

Throughout my lifetime, my mind has often been at work, creating a story. I did this long before I ever identified as a writer. But it wasn't until I'd written my first full-length novel when I realized how truly exciting writing can be. There is a feeling of empowerment which derives from creating a world spurred solely by way of one's imagination, a world in which the author alone determines the players, the chain of events and the outcome. Storytelling is addictive. The bridge between fantasy and reality, the path of a writer is a visionary's dream.

Reality is that which can never be fully escaped from, even when our imaginations are hard at play. For me, this has meant different things at different times. But it is often when I am performing the most mundane of tasks when my imagination awakens. If I'm writing a story, it may get to work tackling the plot points and if I'm not, a new idea might come to me out of the blue. I'm fortunate in that, for me, the creative well never does seem to run dry. In my case, it is other obstacles which typically stand between me and the escape my creative brain craves, namely, time.

Though I may try to convince myself there is an abundance of time on the horizon, life often gets in the way of my writing. I've read a lot of advice stating that if a writer wants to write, she simply makes the time for it, no matter what the sacrifice. Sometimes that works for me, sometimes it doesn't. At times, I've been so driven to write a particular story I've put everything else aside, even risked my day-job in order to get the words down on the page. I've learned to write wherever and whenever I can. But, still I dream of solitude, an entire day, a week, a year in which I must do nothing but indulge the voices in my head, let their story come as it will.

I stand in admiration of my fellow writers, all of whom have found a way to make writing a priority in their lives. Though we sometimes fall, our stories are what make this journey worthwhile and sometimes we do need to stand up, dust ourselves off and get back on the horse. I'm not exactly sure where I'm headed. But I know my imagination will always be with me along the way.     

COVER REVEAL!

Check out the gorgeous cover of 

Sacrificed Love [The Power of Love #2] 

coming soon from YA Fantasy Romance Author 

Diana Rose!

Princess Melody, the oldest daughter of Queen Amy and King Darien, led a sheltered life...until she met Augustine. If only love was easy, but no, her love for the stable boy could turn into a scandal if anyone knew what she was hiding.

Secret meetings and stolen moments would only make her secret love more dangerous if someone found out the extent of what Princess Melody was hiding. Being a royal and loving a commoner could begin a journey of danger, sorrow, and loss for the young couple before they have a chance at a happily ever after.

Augustine is a young stable boy who works for the Moon Kingdom. His job is simple enough but the young royal changes everything. His love for Melody is unwelcomed by society. How can a commoner marry a princess? And yet, for one brief moment in time, Augustine and Melody let their love blossom. 

But as fate should have it, both of them must sacrifice their love to prevent the scandal  from happening or risk a secret that might ruin Melody's innocence in the eyes of society forever. Will they be able to find their way back to each other? Will the unavoidable marriage ruin Melody's chance at true love forever?

It's All About the Antagonist

Have you ever read a novel in which the very twisted villain played a prominent role and thought, "I can't put this book down!  Does that make me weird?" I can honestly say I've been there more times than I can count! Villains, for me, are what give a story its excitement. I imagine I'm not alone in this thinking. Stories thrive on conflict, and without conflict, our stories would fall flat. Villains are a great tool for writers, as they can serve to develop both internal and external conflict for the hero and heroine. They may also serve to embellish elements which might not have occurred to you, for instance, humor.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a good historic romance, so I picked up a title I've been meaning to get to for some time, What Happens in London by Julia Quinn. The book got off to a bit of a rough start for me, but I never put a book down once I start reading and so I pressed on. I am so glad I did! Though I found the hero, Harry, a translator for the war office, and heroine, Lady Olivia, to be a bit dry during the initial pages, that all changed for me when the couple attended a ball, at which villain Prince Alexei enters the story. This infamous Russian Prince, believed to be a threat by those Harry reports to, jump-starts the relationship between this unlikely couple by creating a triangle, as the prince becomes both a threat and a challenge to Harry, who is slowly becoming aware of his own feelings for Lady Olivia. I'm big on dialogue and the witty banter between these 2 men had me laughing out loud. Particularly memorable times were when Prince Alexei was having difficulty with his English, or attempting to take advantage of his bilingualism, unbeknownst to the fact that Harry speaks a number of different languages, including that of the prince's origin.

Perhaps a little less surprising, but equally important, is the fact that villains can increase the level of imminent danger in a story. This increases suspense and in turn, may intensify matters between the hero and heroine by raising the stakes. Take Theodore Glenn in Allison Brennan's Killing Fear, for example. Glenn, a murdering psychopath, vows revenge against the dancer whose testimony put him behind bars, heroine Robin McKenna. Putting Robin in danger as this crazed villain escapes from prison, Ms. Brennan creates a sense of fear and urgency, which deepens the feelings already blossoming between Robin and hero Detective Will Hooper. You can just imagine how quickly a romance blossoms between these mutually-attracted characters, as they fear for Robin's life. Danger creates a sense of fear, urgency and passion which emanates heat from the pages. Love-making is so much sexier, when a character's life is at stake!

This may sound a bit strange, but on occasion I'll read a story and actually find myself routing for the villain. That's not to say that I think the bad guys should win or that I want to see evil triumph over good, because assuredly, I don't. But sometimes villains can be so charming, I'll find myself falling for them instead of the hero. Villains can be as suave, handsome and seductive as any hero worth his salt but with a darker edge that is essentially "forbidden," sometimes in an alluring way. As both a reader and an author, I admit to taking the more-than occasional guilty pleasure from this strange fantasy which is no doubt at least partially responsible for why I've sought to reform so many former villains in my stories - perhaps I seek to justify my own quirkiness. Or maybe I'm just dead-set on a happily-ever after for every character.

Great villains are a surefire recipe for suspense and excitement in a story. They're not essential to creating conflict but they can certainly help, creating an element of suspense which is certain to jump-start both suspense and romance alike. I'm addicted to great villains and I'm constantly on the hunt for more. If you're like me, you aren't "weird" because you love the villain. You're simply brave enough to admit that characters with a darker edge sometimes have more fun!

My Review of What Happens in London by Julia Quinn:

Reading the first few chapters of Julia Quinn's What Happens in London, I was on the fence. The prologue drags on and reading about a young man taking care of his drunken father began to wear on me after a while. But this story really takes off when adult Harry Valentine, who has become aware that his neighbor Olivia Bevelstoke is spying on him, finds himself right smack in the middle of a heated triangle between this mysterious lady and a Russian prince, whom the war office believes to be a criminal. Harry, a translator for the war office, is told that both Lady Olivia and Prince Alexei are persons of interest. The trouble with Lady Olivia, aside from her surprising fascination with peering in at Harry through her neighboring window, is that he is already falling for her. Not everything may be as it appears in this story, which had me couched for hours as I laughed aloud at the winter banter between Sir Harry, Prince Alexei, Alexei's manservant Vladimir and Harry's cousin Sebastian. Though the beginning and the ending left a bit to be desired, the middle made for one of the best stories I've read all year. As they say, great characters do make for a great story!