In August, a song brought me some inspiration for a new contemporary romance--something I had no intention to work on at that time. I sat down to write "just one scene, to get it out of my head." Then I had to write another. And so on.
It drove me crazy in the sweetest possible way.
It all but wrote itself; it felt as though I was just observing actual events in the lives of these people, and just jotting things down.
Six weeks later, the complete first draft. I've never written so easily or so enjoyably. It's called LOVE ONLY KNOWS and it released last month.
That gets me to the tricky part. Although I love Jon Dolan, a pop crossover singer, and his roller coaster lifestyle, and I fell in love with Becca Tillman, up and coming mystery author, the characters just wouldn't play ball.
No. They refused.
I tried to make them do cool believer stuff. I tried to fit them into the "almost perfect character who makes a couple of tiny mistakes" mold that Christian fic seems to demand. Jon and Becca refused to go there.
What's to do?
I let them have the story. Okay, the outcome wasn't a sweet-cute Christian romance, as my readers are accustomed to expect from me. It's a little raunchy in parts. Jon and Becca are not Christians of the stripe many expect in C-fic. They're nominal believers at best. When life turns the heat up under their frying pan, they do pray, but they're not churchgoers and they don't toe the line.
So I'm left with them and their story. Not the usual thing I write.
However, an early reviewer seems to like them, saying: "In a departure from her usual brand of story, Ms. Kinnard here takes on a flight of fancy with the pairing of Rebecca, brand-new bestselling author, and Jon, superstar entertainer. It's a blend of sweet and spicy, propelled by an attraction between the two that neither can explain and at least one of them (Rebecca) wants to fight...but, of course, she can't. And who can blame her? Jon is a forthright, honest, and thoughtful character, a man who readily admits that there's a gap between their two lifestyles but who also tries to bring Rebecca into his world as gently and as smoothly as he can. Becca, for her part, is no shrinking violet: she's a strong woman, usually comfortable in her own skin, but one whose feet are on the ground almost the whole time.
"Romance fans will love the sweet interplay between these two, the special gifts they give each other, and the strength of their commitment; and, although this is not a Christian romance, it shows characters who have a viewpoint on life colored by each's relationship with God and not a little prayer. Above all, this is a book that keeps you turning pages--which I did, several times, long past my bedtime. It's sweet, it's a little spicy, and it hits all the right romantic notes."
Can't argue with an opinion like that.
So if you want to read something a little different, something that kicks out the sides of the box just a wee bit (warning: Jon and Becca do not always close the bedroom door before intimacy), this may be the book for you. If my earlier stories are sweet shortbread cookies, this one's more of a ginger snap.
B00H2IN05U, for the Kindle at Amazon.com
