One of the things authors are asked over and over again is, “Where do you get your ideas?” And our response is always the same, “Everywhere.”
Let me give you an example of everywhere. Four years ago I was sitting in the spring sunshine, outside a smart French café, chilling out and people watching with my daughters. I have two daughters of marriageable age. They’re beautiful (they’d kill me if they read that, but I’m their mother so I get to say it) independent, career-oriented, super-smart… and ruthlessly… single.
And as a contemporary romance writer having my girls and their life-long besties in my life is literary ‘gold-dust’. You would not believe the dramas about body issues, clothes, the heartbreaks, the falling madly in love with the wrong man, I’ve witnessed over the years. Anyway, we were revelling in the vibe; listening to a language spoken faster than a speeding bullet, savouring chocolate pastries, drinking coffee shots, eyeing immaculately turned out women, beautifully dressed man candy – when my eldest daughter decided to spill all about a blind date. To say we were surprised is an understatement, because she tends to keep pretty tight-lipped about this sort of thing (probably because her mother writes romance).
Apparently, one of her work colleagues had ‘the perfect man’ for her and set-up a date. Now my daughter is nobody’s fool. She knew nothing about him, but he sounded, in her own words, ‘normal’, so she thought she’d give him a chance. However, she also decided on the venue and the time, just in case the whole thing went pear-shaped.
Meanwhile, her sister and I were sitting wide-eyed listening to the tale. I was wondering if they’d put something in her coffee because she never, ever, discusses boyfriends with me. Can’t think why.
So after work, at the appointed time on the appointed day, she arrived at the busy bar of an upmarket hotel to meet her date. First impressions were not great, apparently his hair was at least one day overdue for a wash and his fingernails were not exactly clean and bitten to the quick (she has a thing about nice hands). But she soldiered on, deciding to have one drink before she let him down gently and left. He very kindly bought her a drink, a soft drink because she was driving.
And then he sat back, gave her the once-over, his eyes lingering on her breasts, and said, “Dontcha think the rooms in this place are too expensive for a quickie?”
She blinked, opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.
“You’re obviously gagging for it, love. Why don’t we drink up and find somewhere cheaper.”
It’s not often my daughter is rendered speechless, she takes after me in that respect. But she kept her cool, placed her drink on the table, and excused herself to visit the restrooms.
Once there, she took off her shoes, used a stool to step onto a big glass sink to open the window, tossed out her shoes, her handbag, climbed out (she’s bendy, she does yoga and pilates), ran to her car, and left.
By this time her sister and I, visualising the creep waiting and waiting for her to return and maybe even asking bar staff to check the toilet, were howling with laughter.
Wiping my eyes, I said, ‘Good for you, baby.’
Then, looking at us with big blue eyes, she gave us the kicker.
“That’s the second time I’ve done it. I always meet my first dates there. Last time the bar staff let me leave through the kitchens in case I broke my neck climbing out of the window.”
And right there Reckless Nights In Rome was born – download it free at stores listed below.
Reckless Nights In Rome
Betrayed but unbroken, now she must fight to save her home and her heart!
…She’s lost everything. Her parents, her home, and her fiancé. It’s taken two years, but now Bronte has it all. A successful business, and a life that brings her happiness. But now the charismatic Italian, Nico Ferranti, wants to take it all.
Bronte isn’t looking for a fling, she certainly isn’t looking for love… will she be able to resist sweet temptation? Or is the pastry chef about to get burned…
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Now it’s your turn to spill the beans.
Contest
What’s the worst/best/funniest first date you or your bestie have had?
The world demands to know.
And the lovely Delilah, thank you for having me, will pick out a winner who will receive an eBook copy of my latest release, Desert Orchid.
Think Memoirs of a Geisha meets Taken.
…A young Arabian Queen must marry a wild, wicked and wilful Desert Prince to save her people from civil unrest and protect the wealth of her Kingdom…Charisse never expected to find love with a man who looked and lived like a rock star rather than a prince…But tragic events in her past threaten to destroy her Kingdom and her life, too…Can their fragile love survive…
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Author’s Bio
CC was fourteen when she read her first romance – ‘The Grand Sophy’ by Georgette Heyer. And right there her future as a romance author was born. Of course, it took a while. Writing romance, she was told by her teachers, does not an income make. In order to write about the lives of others, she needed to live a very full one of her own. And she did.
Fast forward a few decades later: a husband and three children and a couple of careers, she found her fourteen year old self again. And decided to follow her dream and write a contemporary romance. Five years later and Reckless Nights In Rome, book one of The Ludlow Hall series, was published. CC loves to write about deliciously handsome men and strong women. Since then Reckless has been downloaded over 450,000 times and hit the best seller lists across thirty countries. There are now five books in the series published with two more coming very soon.
CC is also working on a paranormal romance series, The Vampyre Legal Chronicles. She loves those suckers, so watch this space!
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Keep in Touch on:
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Email: ccmackenzie@ccmackenzie.com
Comment
I was setup on a blind date by friends. We met, had dinner and were attracted to each other. Tall, blond and trim things progressed rapidly. After a heated make out session, I ran my hand though his hair and found myself holding a wig. Trying not to laugh I excused myself and went to the bathroom. The date did not go well after that. We never saw each other after.
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I was 19 and went on a first date with an older man I new from work. He suggested where we ate and ask me to choose a movie. I was in a rather pretentious phase film-wise, so of course I chose the latest French art film, which happened to be Betty Blue. We were running late and so seated ourselves just as the opening credits ended and the film began.
Now those of you who have seen Betty Blue know how it opens – a hard core, very explicit sex scene. And this was 1986, long before the internet and cable TV inured us all to looking at sex scenes with people we barely know. Heck half the neighborhood watches Game of Thrones in my home theater now. But I was 19 and rather innocent. I had never seen a scene like this outside of Penthouse magazine. I sat, burning with embarrassment as the rather long scene continued, mortified that I had chosen this film. Eventually my date leaned over to me and whispered “Do you think the whole movie will be like this?” Thankfully it was not. We never had another date though.
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Years ago a coworker set me up on a date with a friend of hers but when we met he turn out to be a cousin I haven’t seen in years.
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I never had a blind date..I think that’s a good thing. 🙂 This wasn’t a first date, but it was an embarrassing one. I was on a date (with my now husband), his best buddy and his girlfriend. We drove to the lakefront and parked near a cropping of rocks. It was a nice evening so the other couple left the car and went to sit on the rocks. We stayed in the car and we were shamelessly necking, & fogging up the windows. About 10-15 minutes later, we see a flashlight beaming in the window, and a cop is asking our friends is that’s another couple in the car or a dog! A dog?! 😳 We were horrified at first , but we saw the humor and laughed & laughed about it. 😆
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LOL! Pat, how embarrassing! 😳
Gabrielle, maybe the movie didn’t float his boat. 😛
It’s a small world, Toni! 😯
Steamy, Gail, love it.