Tuesday Special: Cruising for Love

Cruising for Love: 4 Shipshape Romances 

by R.C. Matthews,‎ Cait O'Sullivan,‎ 

Angela Adams,‎ and Peggy Gaddis

Set a course for adventure with these four couples as they take to the high seas only to find new romance.

Little White Lies: (R. C. Matthews)
Attorney Madalyn Russell may have dumped her fiancé at the altar, but no way is she rejecting the honeymoon cruise. Unfortunately, she didn’t cancel the newlywed package, and now she’s stuck as a single in a lovebird world. That is, until a devilishly handsome man with a secret, Royce Spencer, offers a deliciously indecent proposal: He’ll pose as her husband in exchange for companionship during the cruise. She can’t deny their attraction, but will their little white lies make too many waves when Royce’s past finally catches up with him?

Romancing the Seas: (Cait O’ Sullivan)
When a relationship gone bad sinks sous-chef Pippa Renshaw’s plans, she swaps her job in a prestigious London restaurant to become the head chef on a cruise ship sailing around New Zealand. It’s a great escape plan until a mix-up means she has to share a suite with her new boss, the delectable Jonathon Eagleton, who is no happier about the circumstances. These two can handle the simmer… but when the heat turns up, is it a recipe for true love?

Magic Moment: (Angela Adams)
Shortly after the FBI brings in Laura Roberts for questioning regarding activities at the warehouse where she keeps the books, a gang of thugs snatch her off the street. Chase Donovan boarded his boat intending to spend a few peaceful days getting his head together, but instead he finds trouble when he interrupts two men assaulting a woman in his cabin. What’s more, they claim his father told them to do it. Chase doesn’t want to believe his father could hurt anyone. Laura doesn’t understand why she’s a target. Can they put their mutual attraction and time on his yacht to work to discover the truth before someone dies?

Reach for Tomorrow: (Peggy Gaddis)
Nurse Claire Frazier was devoted to her fiancé, until he threw that love back in her face. Disillusioned and burning with shame, she books passage on a world cruise, along with an intriguing collection of fellow passengers: an attractive second officer, a detective, and a confidence artist. Is love waiting once again at the next port of call?

Sensuality Level: Sensual

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About Angela:  Writing and reviewing contemporary romances, Angela Adams’ work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream Reviews, Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, “Burgers and Hot Chocolate,” was featured in the anthology, Winter Wonders published by Whimsical Publications. Her romantic suspense novel, Magic Moment, was published by Crimson Romance.

     Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America. Growing up in Philadelphia, PA, her passions are reading, strolling through Philadelphia’s Historic District, and cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies.

You can find her at www.authorangela.blogspot.com

Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorangela

Creative Liberties

The Write Way Café welcomes Angela Adams, who discusses creative liberties, as in “Can you get internet access and cell phone reception in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean?”

As fiction writers, we sometimes have to be “creative” and ignore common sense, or reality, in order to make things work. The best example of this comes when watching police dramas on television. I’m always amazed how they can get DNA results and autopsies back in 60 seconds.

In my novel, Magic Moment, Chase Donovan heads to the boat he keeps docked in Magic Lake Island, New Jersey. He stumbles upon two men assaulting Laura Roberts, the bookkeeper employed by his father. The men, assuming Chase is aware, refer to his father having approved the use of the boat to kill Laura. Although taken aback, Chase decides it's safer for Laura if he plays along with these men. Insisting he’ll finish the job, Chase runs them off the boat.

After freeing Laura from her restraints, Chase convinces her that his words were pretense. He has no intention of hurting her. He’s bewildered by what’s taking place around him and the implication of his father’s involvement, fears for both his and Laura’s safety, and persuades her they need to leave the area. He decides they should sail to his aunt’s house on the Chesapeake Bay.

While writing this story, I needed Laura to initially be suspicious of Chase and for an act to take place where she eventually became convinced of his sincerity in wanting to help her. I decided to have her find him reading articles from the Internet on how to help a woman who has been assaulted and traumatized. I also needed for Chase to be able to hear voice mail messages from his father on his cell phone.

When I wrote the first draft of this novel several years ago, I posed these questions. “If you’re in the middle of the Atlantic, can you get online? How about using your cell phone?”

The answers I received ranged from “no” to “maybe” to “interesting question.” I searched the internet myself and found, “yes, for a cruise ship, but very expensive.”

As I worked on the scenes, I decided if a cruise ship could have internet access and cell phone capabilities, so could Chase.

And, there goes my “Creative Liberty.”

If you’re curious, here’s a sneak peak at the Internet scene:

As she opened the cabin door, a pleasant, tangy sea breeze tickled her senses. Stiff limbs hindered her movements, but she climbed the stairs to the deck. The sun blazed in the clear blue sky. The boat teetered, alone, in a vast mass of water. A brisk chill nipped the air, and Laura hugged herself.

“Chase,” she called. No answer. She called his name again, this time her voice having an edge.

He wasn’t in the wheelhouse. She darted back down the stairs. If he had been moving around in the bathroom or “head” as he had called it, she would have heard him.

“Chase.” Panic gripped her. “Chase.”

Her heart pounding, she ran through the narrow corridor and stopped dead in the eating area. Propped up on the stool, he was asleep at the bar with a half-filled liquor bottle and an empty glass. His head rested on folded arms, his breathing deep. A laptop was also on the bar. The monitor was dark, but the yellow light blinked. Laura hit the space bar and print appeared on the screen. Several windows had been minimized.

Clicking on one minimized window, she skimmed the on-screen print and gasped, amazed at the words she read. She clicked another window and saw a search engine page. Chase had been reading articles on women who had been assaulted. Her eyes scanned the list of titles. He had wanted to understand, wanted to know how he could help her. From what she had observed of Chase in the last three years, she never guessed he had this sensitive, compassionate side to his personality. Her perception of Chase had been that of a friendly, but overindulged, self-absorbed playboy.

Who would have guessed?

*******
Magic Moment is one of the many Crimson Romance digital backlist titles now available exclusively through Amazon Encore.

For more information on Amazon Encore:
https://www.apub.com/imprint-detail?imprint=4

Paperback edition of Magic Moment

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About Angela: Angela Adams writes and reviews contemporary romances. Her work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream  and The Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, "Burgers and Hot Chocolate" appeared in the Whimsical Publications' anthology, Winter Wonders. Her first novel Magic Moment, was published by Crimson Romance. This past October, Magic Moment was included Crimson Romance's romantic suspense bundle, limited-time only release, Running to Love.
     Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America, and its chapters From the Heart Romance Writers and Elements of RWA.

Where to find Angela Adams:
http://www.facebook.com/authorangela
http://authorangela.blogspot.com
http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Adams/e/B00D0R03A2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

An Interview with Angela Adams

Today, The Write Way Café welcomes Crimson Romance author Angela Adams.  Angela talks about turning her love of reading happy-ever-afters into a writing career, despite the challenges.

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Thank you for inviting me to be a part of The Write Way Café today! I appreciate the opportunity to meet your readers and talk about Magic Moment.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
     Always being a fan of the “happy ever after” ending, I’ve been reading romance novels since high school. Like so many other authors, I have old manuscripts tucked away that were written and never went anywhere.  Persistence is part of an author’s nature. Whenever I got a new idea, I’d write the story, send it out and hope that sooner or later, something would click.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
     I queried lots of publishers with Magic Moment. I was also entering parts of the manuscript in writing contests. One of the contest judges commented that my hero, Chase Donovan, wasn’t likeable when we first meet him. I rewrote the first chapter, sent the manuscript to Crimson Romance, and had a contract. I’m a big fan of writing contests and the feedback they give.
     I thought having the couple travel by boat, on the open sea, would be more interesting than a car. But, I know very little about boats and contacted the Philadelphia Yacht Club and Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May for information on sailing and boat terminology.  Both were very helpful, and now I know why a college friend of mine always used the phrase, “I have to hit the head” before going to the Mens’ room.  On a boat, a “head” is the bathroom.

Where did the idea for your story come from? 
     Magic Moment started about four years ago.  I had the idea for a hero who goes through life believing he has to be the type of person others want him to be, rather than the person he wants to be.  Chase Donovan is a man who grew up torn between a self-centered, unprincipled father and compassionate, selfless mother.
     Then, a colleague of mine said she wished that her family could live on just her husband’s income and that she didn’t have to work.  She was melancholy, feeling she hadn’t spent enough time with her children because she had to work.  She said she would be happy just being a volunteer lunch mom at her daughters’ school and going to PTA meetings.    
     That’s how I thought of the character of Laura Roberts, a woman who never aspired for a high-power career, but a simple, unpretentious life as a wife and mother.
     The idea of bringing the FBI into their lives, and sending the couple on the run, I needed some twists and turns. The most successful romances, the most interesting storylines, were the ones littered with suspense.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
     Every college English professor I had preached, “Write what you know.” I live in Philadelphia where Magic Moment starts out. Sea Tower, Maryland, where Chase and Laura eventually end up, is a combination of Cape May, where I’ve vacationed with my family, and Vermont, where I went to college.
     Several months ago I began drafting a new project. This book’s setting is also in Philadelphia. Every day I walk through Washington Square Park, and one day an idea popped into my mind. It only seems fair to set the story not only in Philadelphia, but in Washington Square.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
     There weren’t any blocks in writing Magic Moment. The road blocks came with finding a publisher. Every author goes through the process of rejection after rejection. I learned from the experience. With each rejection, I felt sorry for myself for a couple of minutes then queried the next person on my list. If I happened to be fortunate enough to get feedback, I listened. Some advice I took, and some I didn’t.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
     I need to have the radio on while I work. I can’t concentrate without it. I listen to a lot of Frank Sinatra, Classic Rock, and Oldies. And, I’m a huge baseball fan. During Baseball season, I’m listening to a Phillies’ game or someone discussing a Phillies game. I also have a bulletin board with sentimental tokens hanging over my desk – including a picture of the 2008 World Series Champion, Philadelphia Phillies.

What are some of your favorite books and why?
     My grandmother gave me a book, when I was maybe 12 or 13, titled Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith.  The book was published in the 1960s and set in pre-depression era New York.  The heroine, Annie McGairy Brown, comes to New York to be with her law student husband, Carl. They have little money, no friends, and are pretty much ostracized from their families for getting married so young.  She also gets pregnant.  Annie is a strong person who faces every challenge thrown her way with a positive disposition and confident outlook.
     Although this book was written over fifty years ago, Annie is exactly the type of heroine a writer wants to write and a reader wants to read no matter what the time period.
     I’m also a fan of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series. Virgin River reminds me of the small town in Vermont where I went to college.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why?
     In college I won an award for a young adult short story, and it was later published. I also had a children’s short (what we refer to now as “flash fiction”) published back in my college days, too.
     I hope to someday write and publish a children’s book. My favorite book as a child was The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. If I can write a story that’s one quarter as touching and as heartwarming as The Velveteen Rabbit, I’ll feel honored.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
     The initial draft – at times, I just stare at the computer screen, nothing comes to mind, and I feel as if I’ve wasted a writing day. It’s very frustrating.
     I’ve heard some writers say they don’t like revising, but I do. Once the initial draft is completed, I find it easy to just go back and rewrite to make it better.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
     Of course, Magic Moment’s Chase Donovan and Laura Roberts! That has to be my answer…or they’ll be angry with me! (smile!).


When the FBI brings Laura Roberts - a quiet, reserved bookkeeper - in for questioning regarding activities at the warehouse where she works, an uneasy Laura resigns her job - only to be attacked by thugs.

Chase Donovan intends to spend a few peaceful days on his boat getting his head together - and finds a woman being assaulted by two men who say his father told them to do it.

Chase doesn’t want to believe his father could hurt anyone. Laura doesn’t understand why she’s a target. Can they learn to work together to discover the truth - before someone dies?

Excerpt
     Caught up their new-found passion for each other, Chase and Laura almost forget that they are on the run from some dangerous characters.
    “Time for this later,” she breathed into his ear. “First, I want to see our new window.”
     He rolled off her and flipped over on his back. “You sure can kill a mood.”
     “I’ll be back.” She slid off the bed. “I want to see our window.”
     “No, too late.” He propped himself up on elbows and looked down at his pelvis. “You ruined it.”
     “I can fix that easily.” 
     She knelt on the window seat, staring out the casement. Chase loved hearing her say our window, jointly, together, like regular, sharing, married people. It felt right. Her divorce notion…He had gone along with her because it was the easiest thing to do. But Chase was convinced he and Laura were good for each other. He had at least nine long months to convince her.
     “Chase,” she said, her voice wary.
     “What? Did I forget a nut or bolt?” He swung off the bed and stood beside her.
     She whirled and looked at him, her previously amused green eyes now alarmingly wide. “Chase, there’s a man watching us.”

Where to find Angela Adams:
http://www.facebook.com/authorangela
http://authorangela.blogspot.com
http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Adams/e/B00D0R03A2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Magic Moment is available at:
Crimson Romance (for information on Crimson’s great book club and webstore opening in May)
Amazon
Books-A-Million
Barnes and Noble
Powell’s Books
iTunes
All Romance ebooks