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 Ruby Release: Flirting with the Fireman!Posted by Cate Rowan Oct 12 2012, 12:01 am in contemporary romance, giveaway, paranormal romance, Ruby Release, writing, Writing ideas I consider myself a fantasy romance author, which means that I get to make stuff up. And it usually means I expect to make stuff up. That’s why I was so surprised to write a tale that includes At first I didn’t think of turning that event into a story. I simply posted it on Facebook as part of my continuing adventures in the Colorado mountains. A friend had to nudge me before the idea even entered my fabrication-focused brain. I’m so glad she did! Naturally, I had to bring magic into things. (I’m still a fantasy romance author.
When Jessica Walker escapes the city life in Atlanta to pursue her dream of being a successful sculptor in Colorado, she departs with a gift: her best friend Lily’s magical recipe for a “Get a Husband” Brunswick stew, guaranteed to work even though Jess recently drop-kicked her two-timing dirtbag boyfriend. Skeptical Jess is sure the Rocky Mountains hold all the “magic” she needs, until a wildfire threatens to drive her from her new home—and a sweet and studly fireman comes to her rescue. Amazon • Barnes & Noble • So here are my questions for you: Have you used any of your own real-life experiences in your stories? Were they good incidents—or ones you’re embarrassed about? To celebrate this release, I’m giving away a digital copy of Flirting with the Fireman: A Romantic Short Story to EVERYONE, visitors and Rubies alike, who requests it by 10p Mountain / midnight Eastern today (October 12). To nab your goodie, head to my contact page and click the “Email me” link. Please mention your preferred e-format—Kindle/mobi, nook/ePub, PDF, etc.—so I can get you the right version. (I respect your email privacy and will only use your address to send you the story.) Thanks for stopping by! 25 Responses to “Ruby Release: Flirting with the Fireman!”Leave a Reply |
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) Flirting with the Fireman: A Romantic Short Story is a “first meet” tale and my second contemporary story published this year.
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Oh Goodie! Goodies for the Rubies! Love the cover Cate. It’s really cute. Just one question. You say this is personal experience, so is there a fireman in you life?
LOL. Technically there is, but he’s a different fireman, and strictly a neighbor! RE the incident on which the story is based…well, it happened at a time when I was in no shape to date. Too bad for me.
Congrats on the release of Flirting with the Fireman, Cate! Sounds like such a fun story.
I haven’t yet written real life events into my stories. However, I did write a particular event into a story (heroine exchanges tweets with her teen idol). A few months later, this actually sort of kind of happened between me and Simon Le Bon in real life.
And we are all still drooling and living vicariously through you!
No real life events in my stuff, although if I ever write anyone getting thrown from a horse, I can do that with authority. *G*
Heh, me too, Gwyn. (My proudest throw was when I tumbled over my horse’s shoulder and somehow landed on my feet facing her, reins perfectly in hand. She and I looked at each other, both very confused.
)
Oh, wow, I bet even a stunt woman would have had difficulty with that move!
I did fall off a horse once…but I’m proud to say that I clung to the saddle (the girth strap–I think that’s what it was called?–had been improperly fastened, so the saddle just tilted sideways and fell off the horse, mid-stride–with me still in it!). But hey, I was like 11 with bones made out of rubber, so I just bounced
I don’t know that any specific real-world event has shown up in my writing, but I know my personal experiences show up in my setting and POV work. I write in very deep third person POV, and specific sensory detail is an important component of that technique. Life experiences definitely enhance my ability to describe a setting or a character’s reaction uniquely and specifically.
Congratulations on “Flirting With the Fireman”, Cate!
Thanks, Tammy! And I agree, sensory details and the feelings behind them can make all the difference.
I can’t say that I’ve used a *specific* real-life event in any of my books, but I can say that my experiences have definitely influenced my writing.
Congrats on your new release, Cate! The cover is so darn cute.
Much appreciated, Cynthia–especially since I did the cover myself.
I wanted it to match the cover I did for Kiss That Frog (http://amzn.to/PQS6qz). For a long time I wasn’t so great about visual branding, but I’m improving. (grin)
Cate:
What a fun post and I love the cover!!!
I don’t use big situations from my life but I will admit to culling small incidents or experiences where they can fit a story. I’ve got one in my next release that harkens back to my teen years and babysitting….had a very unpleasant incident with a dog in heat chewing off her “diaper.” I couldn’t resist using it as a funny story from my heroine.
Addison
LOL, Addison… Yep, that incident would have a lot of comedic possibilities!
Well, there was this one time in college when I got into a car with a total stranger because I thought it was my ex-boyfriend stopping to give me a ride. (Luckily he didn’t turn out to be an axe murderer.) It took some significant tweaking to make it into a happy, romantic, fun story instead of a freaky one, but it ended up being the first story I sold to Woman’s World.
Congrats on the new release, Cate!
Wow, Shoshana! Lemons into lemonade. #nowthatswhatimtalkingabout
Congrats -can’t wait to read this on.
Yes, I have used incidents. No, I’m not telling. A romance, yes a straight romance, I’m working on is filled with them. Like, have you ever gone to the parking lot and found your VW bug filled with packing peanuts?
LOL, Rita! Nope, I can’t say that’s happened to me. Hope you got a picture.
I haven’t used any incident from my life in a story yet – but if I end up writing the story that’s kicking around in my head right now, that will change. We’ll see how it works out… Congrats on the new release! You know I’d love one. Off to your site I go…
Thanks! And now you have me quite intrigued about your incident.
Congrats on the release, Cate. Sounds like a really fun story!
I used in incident in my husband’s life in a book, once. He fell on a glass table a couple of years ago while hanging a light fixture and cut his elbow open–requiring quite a few stitches. In the book version, the heroine stitches him up…I doubt hubby would have let me tackle that in real life.
OUCH!
I have my heroine sewing up my hero’s deadly wound in an upcoming release, and she definitely wishes she had some non-sewing options, LOL.
When I was writing in college, I wrote some short stories that drew on my sister’s experiences and my own. But since I’ve been writing romance? I’d say that the *experiences* I write about have nothing to do with my own life or those close to me, but sometimes the emotional lives of the heroines have echoed some of the challenges and joys I’ve face. Does that make sense?
Absolutely! And I bet it makes you a better writer to have those echo in your work.
ALL the time. And no, I’m not telling, but suffice it to say that a large percentage of the cringe-inducing “oh, I feel so bad for that poor girl” moments in my books are straight out of my own life.
There’s a reason I write chick lit.
LOL, Amanda! I guess there’s a least one good use for those bad experiences.