My Writing Corner : Taking the Plunge

One of the best things about doing a weekly blog featuring authors is getting to meet (via email and books) so many different authors and learn their personal stories. It is fun and interesting to get to know how they come up with their books, why they write and how they develop plots and characters.. Today's guest in My Writing Corner is Terry Newman. Take it away, Terry! Tells us about yourself and introduce us to your latest book, Rewrites of the Heart, and its characters.

Two things you should know about me: I have an offbeat sense of humor and characters are constantly talking to me, trying to get me to tell their stories. Other than that, I’m a normal person.

I’ve spent most of my adult life writing in some fashion, from small-town reporter, to editor-in-chief and ghostwriter for a national natural health publishing firm. The last decade and a half I’ve worked as a freelance writer, penning ebooks that range from starting a doula services business to Native American herbs.

I finally took the plunge to fiction after pushing oh, so many doubts aside. My first novel with The Wild Rose Press, Heartquake, won a 4.5 Crowned Heart review with Ind’Tale Magazine.

All my books are set in fictional towns in northeast Ohio, where I grew up, and I write about things I love—like coffee.

I have a daughter, a son-in-law, and a grandpuppy and live in North Lima, a real town in northeast Ohio with all my characters. Yes, it does get crowded.

Let's get a blurb of your new book, Rewrites of the Heart.

JJ Spritely, romance author, writes characters that jump off the page. Figuratively, that is. She never expects them to make a literal leap off the page and smack dab into her world. But Alex Zurich and Blake Teesdale do just that. And they’re on a mission to help JJ write her own personal love story with a man she recently met, Kennedy King Cooper.

A history professor, Cooper doesn’t see the value of romance novels and he has even less regard for those who write them. Until he meets a woman who haunts his thoughts.

There’s only one small snag in Alex’s and Blake’s plan…okay…two rather large snags. JJ wants nothing to do with Cooper. The other snag? Alex and Blake aren’t able to return to the pages of their own book.

Will JJ ever write her own love story? And will it be with Cooper? Will Alex and Blake return to the pages of their own book?

Let's talk to the characters starting with JJ. Why do you write romance?

I started writing romance when I was in graduate school. It was an antidote to the pressures of my studies. While I was in school, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get my doctorate. But when I write romance, I know how the story is going to end. It’ll be a happily ever after. I believe in an uncertain world, this type of story is a great way to forget your problems, even for a little bit. As I told Kenn at the dinner party my sister hosted, “Because in a romance novel not one person worries about how they’re going to pay the cable bill this month. Not one person winces when the price of milk creeps up another couple of cents.”

We all deserve worry-free time.

JJ, how did you come up with your characters, Alex and Blake?

I chose a name for my heroine that is simple, which reflected her personality in a lot of ways. She’s in love with the idea of being in love. But underneath all of that, she’s complex. And she only allows close friends to see that. When she and Blake take courses at the University of Northern Ohio, psychology is her favorite subject. And I think that’s a reflection of her complexity.

Blake? I wanted a name that gave the impression of just how intellectual this character is. He appears at times to be absent minded or not listening, but when you least expect it, he pops his head out of a book and makes an insightful comment.

What frightens you about Cooper?

Everything. And nothing. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a serious relationship. My husband, Geoff St. Clair, started out as my editor and soon become my husband. What if Kennedy King Cooper breaks my heart? I don’t think I could go through the pain of losing someone I loved again.

Alex tells me he’s the man of my dreams, but she sees life through the pages of her romance novel—where her happily ever after is guaranteed.

But then I realize I love everything about him, from the way he laughs to his mannerisms. I especially love his tenderness and his concern for my happiness. I tell myself there’s nothing to be frightened off. And you know, maybe there isn’t. While we didn’t see eye-to-eye on the merits of romance novels, which was our major conflict when we met, he was open minded about them. And I so love that about him.

Now let's hear from Cooper. What frightens you about JJ?

What doesn’t frighten me about JJ? She’s a smart, sexy woman. Oh, she doesn’t think she’s sexy, but that’s what so appealing about her. She’s fiery in a way I’ve never known a woman to be. I’m frightened because sometimes I’m not sure where I stand with her. There’s a depth to her silence that I’ve never experienced with someone before. And what I really am a pompous ass and she rejects me?

What draws you to her?

Her intelligence. Don’t get me wrong, JJ is beautiful, but I love the banter we experience. I love the conversations we have at the Physics Café over coffee about everything. History, spirituality, physics, and, yes, romance novels.

Everything about JJ draws me to her.

What kind of woman do you want?

I want the kind of woman JJ is. I know that now. Smart, funny, opinionated. I’ve dated many women—just ask my mother—and all have disappeared on me. Yeah, just walked out on me. Take Rain, for example. Yes, that’s her real name. I thought she was the one. Until she hopped on this motorcycle with some old guy on the premise of researching her dissertation. Yeah, right.

It may seem odd for me to say this, but I want a woman who wants a happily-ever-after. A woman I can spend the rest of my life. That’s JJ.

Want to know more? Let's get an excerpt:

“I was wondering if—” he continued.

Just then, his cell phone rang. He quickly looked at it and groaned.

“Obviously someone you'd prefer not to talk to.”

“My mother,” he said, wincing.

“You know you can't ignore Mom.”

He sighed deeply and answered the call. She noticed he quickly sat up straighter in his chair, using perfect posture when talking with his mother.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Kenn, I have bad news. Sofie Addelmyer just got engaged.”

The volume on his phone was loud enough JJ could hear what his mother said.

“To some accountant from Wilmington, Delaware. I know you're heartbroken dear, but—”

“Mom, I'm kind of busy here.”

“— but there's hope, sweetheart. I just ran into little Mary Margaret O'Mally's mom at a fund raiser. And she isn't dating.”

“Mom. No. Please. I can't talk right now. I'm having a conversation with my new teaching partner. Her name is JJ Spritely.”

Mrs. Cooper fell silent. “Mom, are you there?”

“She's never speechless,” he whispered to JJ.

“I heard that.”

“I thought you left me.”

“You couldn't be so lucky. But for a moment I thought you said you were with JJ Spritely.”

“I did.”

“Not the JJ Spritely.” JJ could hear his mom’s comment and she felt her cheeks get hot.

“I don't know. How do you know JJ Spritely?”

“Well, personally, I don't. But my book club has just finished her latest work, Love's Revenge. She paused, then gave a disappointed sigh and said, “No, it couldn't be that JJ Spritely.”

JJ enjoyed Kenn's bewilderment. “Uhm, I don't know. Let me ask her.” He moved forward so he was sitting on the edge of the chair. Removing the cell phone from his ear, he held it out so his mom could hear and asked, “Is Love's Revenge your latest book?”

He motioned to her to talk loud enough so his mom could listen in, “Yes, Mrs. Cooper, that is my latest book.”

“Kenn, let me talk to her right now, and don't you dare tell your mother no.”

He rolled his eyes and panic flooded his face. JJ, however, remained calm and motioned for him to give her the phone. She enjoyed the moment tremendously.

“Oh, really? Well, thank you. Oh, you are? Well, I’m not sure. Oh, I see.”

She gave her teaching partner an amused look and shrugged her shoulders as she continued to listen.

“What was that all about?”

“Two things: Your lack of a love life and an autographed copy of my book.”

Hearing the words love life he shrank as deeply into the chair as he could. It wasn't difficult to sense his embarrassment, so laughingly, she said, “You'll have to give me her address. She's a fan.”

He straightened up a little with that comment. “Is everyone a fan?”

“According to my royalty checks and several reviews I've read, no, if that comforts you at all.”

Want to know what happens? You'll have to get the book! Here are the buy links and contact information for Terry.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rewrites-Heart-Terry-Newman-ebook/dp/B0BQGP7Y7X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=16V3W4YPSLZOL&keywords=rewrites+of+the+heart+terry+newman&qid=1671466657&sprefix=%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rewrites-of-the-heart-terry-newman/1142841043?ean=9781509246533

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/mY8NLV

Universal url: https://books2read.com/u/bP7YAr

Social Media Links:

Website: https://terrynewmanauthor.com/

Facebook: Terry Newman

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