A Sweet Romance Read for Summer

It's time to relax outside on the patio or head for the beach with a good book to read so this week we're continuing our summer reading tour, looking for new and different authors. Our guest in My Writing Corner today is romance author, Nell Castle. Please tell us a little about your publishing journey and what it took to get your first book published.

I was fortunate to be accepted by The Wild Rose Press with A Leap of Faith, my first submission. But I blush to think of what I put my poor editor through as she patiently explained to me everything I didn’t know about the editing process. I can’t imagine a more supportive publisher than TWRP or a more welcoming environment for a brand new writer.

What made you want to be a writer?

I couldn’t find anyone to pay me for just reading books. (I am really good at reading.) Even as a kid, I dreamed about being a writer. I just couldn’t figure out what to write, outside of whiny journal entries. As an English major, I read the greatest writers of all times, and I wanted to write just like them. A tall order. I only became a writer when I dropped the exalted expectations and allowed myself to write a love story with the kind of romantic scenes that had peppered my daydreams since I was a girl.

Tell us about your book, A Leap of Faith, and where you got the idea for it.

Motivated by a friend who’d made her own creative dreams a reality, I decided to write a romance novel. At our annual St. Patrick’s Day green beer breakfast, I asked my friends to share some of their most romantic moments. The conversation flowed even faster than the pitchers of green beer. One friend in particular inspired me with a story of lost love. I chose to base the character of Sophia on this friend, creating a whole new love interest for her and gifting the character she inspired with a happy ending.

What a great premise. Stories of lost love always make wonderful romances. What do you like best about your heroine and hero?

Like the people I respect most, Sophia and Jackson care about the world they live in and want to make a difference. In fact, they’ve spent so much time nurturing others that they’ve neglected or even sublimated their own desires. The passion they ignite in each other, then, is even more explosive and life-altering.

What is your writing process – outlining or just writing?

Lots of outlining. I work out the plot points and the character arcs of the entire story in the mornings while walking my two old dogs in a field near my house. Something about strolling with my dogs seems to untangle the knots of my narrative. I keep a highly detailed outline next to me as I write the manuscript, but I’m not afraid to stray from it when the story takes an unexpected turn during the writing process.

Any advice for other new writers?

Only you can make it happen. Stop dreaming and start doing.

What is your next project?

I’m awaiting news on my second completed manuscript with the working title of Turning the Tides. Set on a chain of islands on Florida’s Gulf Coast, its impulsive heroine and playboy hero are a quite a departure from the virtuous Sophia and Jackson.

How about a blurb?

Special events coordinator Sophia Anton hears her biological clock ticking louder every day. If only she could lose more weight, she’s sure an old crush would see her as more than a friend. But just as her crash diet starts working its magic, Sophia’s head is turned by Jackson Thomas, the new minister in town. An avowed celibate after a secret tragedy, he never expects to burn for the dark-haired beauty volunteering at his church.

Jackson is dedicated to his ministry. Sophia is pledged to another man. Can they find the courage to follow their hearts and embrace their own desires? Only with a leap of faith.</>
That sounds like the sort of heartwarming story that is perfect for a summer read. Thanks, Nell, for being my guest today and good luck with your first book. . A Leap of Faith is available at  www.thewildrosepress.com and amazon.com.   Are there any questions or comments for Nell?