On Writing

Someone asked me today what part of writing a book is my favorite. Is it the beginning when everything is new and anything is possible? Is it the dreaded middle during which we fight the battle of the sag? Or is it the climatic finish? Before I answer that question, I want to reminisce back to the first book I wrote, Treading Water. That book started and finished with a bang. I remember reaching the point where I had to write the middle and not being all that excited about it. However, that section was very necessary to raise the stakes for the final act. It had to be there, but I had to make myself write it. Now, when I read through that book, it's my favorite part. It's not explosive like the beginning or end, but rather it's made up of small moments that combine to turn a group of people into a family.

Like other romance writers, I most look forward to writing the scenes that involve my hero and heroine interacting with each other. Because the romance usually takes hold in the middle of the book, I'd have to say that's my favorite part. I'm writing a middle right now. I'm working on book 2 in a series that features the same hero and heroine in each book. My challenge in book 2 has been to keep their relationship fresh and conflicted. They're already in love and committed to each other for the long haul, but they're still working out the boundaries and the challenges of accommodating two very public and demanding careers. This is the first time I've written a book that continues a hero and heroine's story from a previous book. At times it has tried me like no other book ever has, but it's been a joy to write this hero and heroine I've come to love so much. He's about to find out that she kept something big from him, so I've got to get back to them. Talk to you tomorrow.