Summer’s two winners are Marika Weber and Elizabeth H.! Congratulations, and please email Summer to let her know which ebook format you want at katerothwell@gmail.com.
That question that writers either love or hate: where do you get your ideas? I usually hate the question, only because I often don’t know any answer other “on dog walks.” But I can finally give an explanation for how a story came into being. I’m talking about Unnatural Calamities, the book that came out yesterday.
Go on, ask it. I’ll just wait here. Where did I get the ideas for that book, you ask?
I began Janey’s story as an exercise. I’d just read a fun Harlequin Presents and it had a few great tropes (if you need a definition, here’s a link to a trope site http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage but watch out, that site will suck you in and spit you out hours later.)
That Harlequin contained a millionaire, a woman living under a false identity, and a secret baby. Ha, I thought, I can do better than that using even more romance standards. I decided to pile on as many clichés as I could: twins, mistaken identity, secret baby, amnesia, men with odd first names, a kidnapping, a rich guy, a fish out of water—all the while keeping the story believable.
About two chapters in, soon after I’d introduced the “grungy bad boy with mystical powers to attract women,” I became more interested in the actual characters and their story. Toph and Janey turned into real people for me and I wanted to make sure they got a fair shake.
So I continued writing, now employing my usual method—I usually write character-driven stories and I love me some tension. But I still managed to work in the romance standards, mostly disguised as people you’d meet on the street. If you pick up a copy of Unnatural Calamities, and you’re a romance reader, you might see many familiar figures or situations—but all twisted to fit a story I grew to love.
She has a deft hand with banana flambé…and a touch that sets his body on fire.
Janey knows all too well she looks a wreck. What hard-working chef wouldn’t, operating on three hours of sleep? Stuck in a dull Connecticut town, taking care of her beloved niece, Rachel, Janey spends her days looking for a job and her nights working high-end catering gigs.
Just her luck, she runs into Mr. Perfect two days past her designated laundry day. And she’s just found out her niece is passing her off as “Mom” to avoid the embarrassment of admitting her real mother, Janey’s identical twin, is serving time.
Despite Janey’s questionable fashion sense and the juicy gossip about her checkered past, venture capitalist Christopher Dunham finds himself drawn to her spark. And warmed by her obvious affection for Rachel, so like what he feels for his own daughter.
When sexy, way-out-of-her-league Toph offers her a business loan, Janey can’t believe her long string of bad luck with bad boys has come to an end. At least, until a blast from her sister’s shady past turns up the heat on their attraction. And sets off a chain of events that could snuff out the flame just as their love starts to come to a boil…
Product Warnings: A comedy of errors, mistaken identity, poor girl meets rich guy, kidnapping at gunpoint, and hot handcuffed sex in a hotel bathtub—and that’s all before lunch.
I’d like to give away two copies of Unnatural Calamities or any other book by Summer Devon (including any m/m’s I’ve written with Bonnie Dee) winner’s choice from http://summerdevon.com.
THANK YOU!
Kate/Summer
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Unnatural Calamities sounds like a great read. Bonnie is a new author for me and would love to win and read this book. I love to read and always looking for new books and authors to check out. I would definately choose this book if I won, so please choose me for the giveaway. Thanks for the chance to win.
😛
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Sounds like a great read. I love the way you came up with the story idea. Though I do get the “Walking the dog” scenario. Maybe one of these days, someone will write a book about an author getting her ideas while “walking her dog”. LOL I’m not making fun….the funny thing is….that while “walking my dogs”, I get ideas of things to do to!
Happy Holidays!!
Deb
mammy3114(at)yahoo(dot)com
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Sounds great! You get your ideas from from walking your dogs? Cool! I first started out reading Harlequin Presents, they started my love for books! 😉 Thanks for sharing with us.
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
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Sounds great would love to read
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Sounds like a great read. Can’t wait to read this book. I like that you get your ideas “on dog walks”. Thanks for the giveaway.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
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Sounds great I would love .
A copy!! Please enter me.
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Sounds like a fun read. Please enter me into the contest!!
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love the cover. the book sounds wonderful and just what i look for in a romance. it has everything! LOL
seriously congrats on the book and i can’t wait to read it. 😛
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
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This book looks like my cup of tea, its so hard to get all these great books in aus. pls enter me in the competion 🙂
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This sounds like a great read. I love all the Harlequin tropes.
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I love your “voice” and after reading this blog, am now hooked on this premise. (Great cover, btw.) Thanks for sharing.
Sandy
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What a fun type of book! It’s daring, sounds like a blast and had to be skillfully written to pull all the loose ends together with all those cliches!
It should be a fast read because you won’t want to put it down.
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Unnatural Calamities sound like a really fun(ny) read. 😀
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Unnatural Calamities sounds really good.Thanks for the chance to win a copy
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What fun! I just bought Unnatural and will have to keep an eye out for all the romantic tropes you’ve included 🙂
smaccall AT comcast.net
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Sounds like a great read.
I get my ideas while walking the dogs, too.
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Sounds awesome. Loved the blurb & the cover. Would love to read this. Thanks for the chance to win. 🙂
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OMG. Love Harlequins and yes, if you want the trope in a book, definitely Harlequin Presents. Love them; guilty pleasure for sure. 🙂
Congratulations on the release and who doesn’t like romantic comedy and mistaken identity?
Marika
maw1725@gmail.com
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Hi everyone!
for letting me babble on your blog.
I’m not sure if Delilah picks a winner or I do, but thanks for stopping by and commenting. And THANK YOU Delilah!!!
I have another new release contest going on at my blog, too. I’m giving away books, of course, and a $30 gift certificate.
Here’s a link to that contest. It ends December 20.
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Okay! Back from doing an celebratory lap around the internet. I found out this morning that one of my m/m books written with Bonnie Dee came in 3rd in historical romance Elisa Rolle’s Rainbow Awards contest. Another is an honorable mention. I love winning contests I didn’t know I’d entered. Much less stress!
So today’s winners are Marika Weber and Elizabeth H. Congratulations, and please let me know the ebook format you want, ladies. You can email me at katerothwell at gmail.com
Thanks for playing (and don’t forget to play some more at my place).