As I said in my last post, I uploaded my latest historical romance, Back from the Shadowlands, three weeks early. While confident I wasn’t changing anything in the manuscript or the cover, I’ve been on pins and needles waiting for the novel to go live today. Until you get that message from Amazon and D2D, there’s no guarantee there won’t be some last-minute issue. There wasn’t. So, I’m at peace, and on to other things like writing this post which isn’t about BftS, or the fact the novel went live without a hitch. It’s about writing as I promised.

I hit a brick wall two days ago with my latest contemporary romantic suspense. It’s about a third to halfway finished depending on how certain undefined elements weave through the story. I thought I was writing a “romance” with a touch of danger thrown in, but the characters aren’t happy with their lives being so simplistic. The bad guy is a real you-know-what so they feel there is more to the tale than I wanted to spin. Two or three books more. As ideas develop on the periphery and I learn where this story is headed, the words will start flowing again. This isn’t a presale, so I’m comfortable waiting as long as it takes to write a good story.

Since things aren’t coming together as quickly as I’d hoped with Cassie and Neil, I’ve moved on to a different idea so far out of my wheelhouse that it should frighten me. It doesn’t. I didn’t think I could write contemporary novels. My bestselling novel is a contemporary romance. I never believed I could write romantic suspense. Toxic Illusions placed in an RWA contest before it was ever published. I didn’t think I could write fanfiction, and I have. The next genre I’m tackling is a Regency time travel romance with a touch of murder thrown in. Yes, you read that right. Just reading the words out loud sounds screwy, and I have likely lost my mind, but this novel isn’t a presale, so I have time to flesh out the series.

While I have a straight regency romance on the back burner, this strange idea has thrown down the gauntlet and I’m just off-beat enough to accept it. I like the touch of humor already appearing in this story, I like the quirky characters that are developing, I like the twists and turns beginning to appear in the outline, and I adore the fashion and ridiculous cant. Honestly, I like the touch of murder as well. Overall, I like the challenge of discovering whether I can take this idea and write a believable (right!), enjoyable story most of all. I believe I can and that’s half the battle.

However, I can’t say how my immensely talented designer will feel when I request a book cover featuring a male protagonist wearing a stylish Regency gentleman’s outdoor ensemble standing beside a female protagonist wearing a modern English riding outfit minus the jacket. If I know Melody, she’ll roll with it and produce something fabulous that won’t need a single change right out of the gate. Especially since I’ve already chosen my models from an image site. I’m fortunate to have discovered her work years ago, and I’m grateful she still accepts my commissions now that she’s in such high demand.

Until we meet again,

Tori