Okay, I know…another blog where I reveal I'm just a tad crazy, but then again, all artists have to be a little nuts to dream up the things we create.

The funny thing is I’d been thinking about this, and then a Twitter friend sent me this great quote.

When I write, I fall in love. Not just with the male protagonist, but all of my characters. Don’t go looking for that straitjacket yet. The difference is I know they are not real, but sometimes I wonder if my heart does.

Yesterday, I had to do the obligatory running around: grocery shopping, gym, errands. You know, the stuff we put off until the last minute and then rush around to finish it.

Anyway, while I was out, I couldn’t stop thinking about my current work in progress. To the point I actually felt the butterflies of anticipation in my stomach. You remember those. Hey, I’ve been married thirty-three years, but I still remember the anticipation of our first kiss. The ache to see my love every minute of the day. Yes, I still feel that way, but life—as it’s supposed to—carries on and eventually you do have to return to work after the honeymoon is over.

My point is, as a writer, I get to experience these feelings every time I start a new book. And hopefully, as the reader, I give you those same feelings, and you do fall in love.

Also, did you know that chocolate can release brain soothing chemicals which increase energy and desire levels proven to produce a natural high which elevates a person's mood and is often equated with feeling in love?

I say, grab some dark chocolate -- as little sugar as possible -- then prepare to fall in love with a new hero! Check out Derrick and his brother and friends as you venture through the Creatus Saga. While there is an ongoing story, each book is a stand-alone story with new heroes and heroines to cheer on! 

Until next time, happy reading!

Carmen

Thank you for stopping by my place and reading my musings. Remember, these are just my opinions and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section, and I promise you I will answer.  If you’re curious about what I write, please visit one of my author pages, where you can read all about my novels and short stories. And hey, I’ll even give you a free book just for stopping by.

​In real life, we usually don’t allow the man of our dreams to walk out the front door thinking we’ve been having an affair with his best friend and secretly plan to leave him, but it makes for a great soap opera, and that’s what that is--a soap opera.

Yes, my characters won’t know all the facts, but I’ll make sure they think they do. That’s the difference between a soap opera and a suspense novel, I believe. Notice, I wrote "misunderstanding and distrust" in my quote, not "lies and deceit."

​Without giving anything away, in Sam's Folly, for instance, to make the story work, I needed to make sure that neither the hero nor the heroine knew all of the facts. But also, I had to give them a reason why they couldn't tell the other. That may sound easy, but it's not always as easy as it sounds. When I write, I have to stop and think, "Why wouldn't he tell her he was hired to find her?" If I can't find a reason, I have to rewrite the story! Or, at minimum, I have to rewrite the situation they're in.

From there, the mystery spins and turns, revealing suspects, secrets, and truths. The key in my mind is to never trick the reader; I hate that. You know everything the protagonist knows and even a little more, as you get to crawl inside the main characters’ heads. 

While I know everyone won't always agree with what I write, I certainly do my best to make sure there aren't any holes in the story.

So if you love your novel twined with a perfect thread of romance and suspense, but not filled with lies and trickery…just a few secrets, please check out my novels. You can sample a few of them below. Just click the image to read an excerpt right online. No download required!

​Until next time, happy reading!

Carmen

March 8th is International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. 

In my stories, I attempt to help my protagonists find a way out of their tragedies and find their happily ever after. The reason I write modern-day fairy tales is because I know somewhere, some woman is going through exactly what I'm writing about, and I want her to know she's NOT alone.

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