When you start writing you get all sorts of advice…one of the most common is “write what you know.”

Okay, so that means I should write about life in Nebraska?   Or perhaps my day job for many years in…insurance?  Wow, I’d really like to read those books. lol

I believe the advice should be: “Know What You Write.”

In the book I’m currently writing, “A Sweetheart for Jude Fortune,” (out next February) here are some of the things I’ve had to brush up my knowledge on:

1. This book has a Latina heroine so I had to find common endearments her father would use when speaking with her.

2. She’s had a heart transplant so I’ve had to look up causes (and decide on a cause) of why she needed the transplant, then figure out how many meds she’s still be on etc.

3. I have the hero teaching the heroine to Texas Two-Step while she teaches him to Salsa.  So, I had to brush up my knowledge on those dances.

4. The book takes place not far from Lubbock Tx in February…so I had to become familiar with the average temperatures in the region for that time of year.

5. The heroine’s father is in a plane crash.  I had to decide why the plane crashed and since the crash is being investigated for possible sabotage, I have to know what agency investigates that kind of thing and how long it takes to get a determination.

The list goes on and on.  Most of the time the research is only shown in the book by a sentence or two.  I, like most readers, don’t like an “information dump” which is the author putting a bunch of unnecessary stuff in a book just to show she’s done her research.

But there’s nothing more I like than to read a book and not only enjoy the story, but learn something new.

How about you?  Have you learned anything new in a book?  I’d love to hear what it was….

C’mon, spill and let’s all learn something new today!!!

Cindy Kirk is happy to announce that The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret is a finalist in the short contemporary category of the Booksellers Best Award contest!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post!

Chey,

Please contact me through my website www.cindykirk.com with your snail mail information and I’ll get the book in the mail to you!!

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

* Where did you get the idea for Expecting Fortune’s Heir?  As you probably know, this book is one of six Fortune’s of Texas books released January-June this year.  Harlequin gives the authors who are invited to participate in this “continuity” an overarching storyline and the characters.  It’s up to the author to flesh out the characters–and the basic storyline–they are given.  While each book can be read–and enjoyed–on it’s own, it’s fun to read all six.

* Tell us about the hero of the book? Why will we fall in love with him?  Shane Fortune is a man of honor.  He is his father’s right hand man and the one slated to take over JMF Financial when his father retires.  But when all the evidence seems to point toward his father having a whole other family and giving a large portion of the company to this woman, Shane walks away from the father, and the company he loves.

* Tell us about the heroine? Why is she the perfect woman for the hero? Natalia “Lia” Serrano is struggling to find her place in the world when her path crosses with the hero’s.  She’s a woman of principle who doesn’t shy away from doing the right thing.  She’s also someone who believes strongly in family and helps Shane open his eyes to what’s really going on with his father.

* What life lessons do your H/H have to learn before they can find their happily-ever-after?  The issue that comes between Lia and Shane is one of trust.

* Is there any particular significance in the setting?  The book takes place in Red Rock, Texas just outside of San Antonio.  Many of the Fortunes have settled in this town.  If you’re not familiar with the Fortunes, they are a wealthy and powerful family.

* If this is part of a continuity, tell us about your experience working on connected stories with other authors.  The other authors were fabulous to work with…but that’s been my experience with all the authors who write for Harlequin Special Edition…they’re just all so nice.

* What was your favorite scene to write?  * What was the most difficult scene for you to write?   The first scene was my favorite but also the most difficult.  The books starts with a one night stand between the hero and heroine.  It’s challenging to make the characters sympathetic as well as making it believable that these two people (in particular) would hop into bed with each other. 

* Do any beloved characters from your previous books show up in this one?  Other characters from the other books in the continuity  show up in this one.  An interesting tidbit is that Shane’s brother, Sawyer, who we see a lot of in this book, is also in the next Fortune’s of Texas book I’m currently in the process of writing (though he’s not the hero)  That book will be out next February.

* Why will readers enjoy this book?  I’m not good at hawking my own books, but here’s a little snippet of what the Romantic Times reviewer had to say (and gave it 4 1/2 stars out of 5)….Kirk’s Fortune saga starts out with the sexiest scene first and only gets better from there, with an ongoing mystery and a couple whose difference only strengthen their appeal–all set in a small Texas town full of larger-than-life characters.

In honor of this book’s release, I’m giving away a copy to one lucky person (drawn from everyone who comments).  To be entered into the drawing (with the winner posted on Sunday) all you have to do is tell me some of your favorite settings for books.  Do you like Texas?  Or do you prefer harbor towns?  West coast?  I think you get the drift.  :)

Melody,

Contact me through my website www.cindykirk.com and give me your snail mail addy.  I’ll get a copy of Expecting Fortune’s Heir into the mail pronto!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post.  Much appreciated.

Today, my May book, Expecting Fortune’s Heir, will be released.  

The book is part of the popular Fortunes of Texas continuity.  Other authors in this continuity (which runs from January through June) have done a better job than I ever could explaining exactly what a continuity is…but I’ll summarize.  Basically, there’s a storyline that flows through all six books.  Each of the six books contains common characters.  But, like most mini-series or continuities, each book stands on its own.  Which means, you can read one (without reading any of the others) and enjoy the story.

In a continuity, the author is given the basic storyline for their characters as well as some other elements they need to include that relate to the continuity.  It’s up to the author to come up with the conflict between the characters and to make the story believable.

My story involved a one night stand between Shane Fortune and Natalia Serrano…and an unexpected pregnancy.  For me, a one night stand is always difficult.  You have to structure the story and the characters so that they’re sympathetic.  Think of what you’d say if your daughter told you she’d had sex with a man she met one night.  The response “Have you lost your mind?” seems appropriate.  :)

That’s the challenge I faced in writing the initial scene between Shane and Lia.

I’d be interested in knowing what makes a character unsympathetic in your mind…and if there was anything the author could have done to make the character/situation work for you.  Everyone who comments will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of “Expecting Fortune’s Heir.”   Check back on Sunday to see if you’re a winner!

Susan,

You won a copy of Katie’s debut release.  Please contact her at her email address: katie(at)katieganshert(dot)com  and she’ll get the book in the mail to you.

Thanks to everyone who commented and made Katie feel so welcome!

Ann,

You’re the winner of Judy’s B&N gift certificate.  Contact her through her website www.judyduarte.com to claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone who commented and made her feel so welcome.

Cate, you’re the winner!  Contact me through my website and I’ll get the book in the mail.

Everyone who commented–thanks so much for your stories and for letting me know I should keep including grandparents in my books!  Your feedback is much appreciated.

Often in my books, I have the hero or the heroine have loving grandparents.  Not because I always had them and wanted to bring them to life in the pages of a book, but because I didn’t have them.

My paternal grandfather would have been an eagle, if he’d been a bird.  He had sharp piercing eyes that could bore right into you and a no-nonsense personality.  I never felt close to him (much less liked him).  My paternal grandmother died at a young age of an undiagnosed medical condition that could have been easily treated.

My maternal grandfather died when I was young and I don’t remember him at all.  My maternal grandmother had eight children but the youngest was her favorite.  The only grandchildren who mattered were those from her youngest child.  My mother was a middle child.

My husband had loving grandparents.  Our daughter had loving grandparents.

I was just wondering…do you like to read about grandparents in books?  Did you have loving grandparents?  Or were you like me…out there in the cold in terms of grandparents?

I’ll draw from everyone who comments and that person will win a copy of either my latest release, The Doctor and Mr. Right or my May release: Expecting Fortune’s Heir (winner’s choice)

Remember, the winner will be posted on Sunday by 2 pm…so check back then!