Happy Friday! It’s Week #3 of the 2018 MFRWauthor blog challenge and the topic this week is discussing how much of myself is in my writing.

I’ve got to admit – there are names and characteristics of family and friends, some pets, and even places in my contemporary romance novels that relate to me. They say you should write what you know, so that’s my excuse.

When I’m trying to come up with a name for a “background” character and a friend’s name pops up in my head, it’s easy to include it. They’re used for the characters that enhance the scene for whatever the main characters are doing. For example, in my book, The Santa Bargain, Maria (a main character) goes to the winter festival and buys popcorn from Sue and roasted chestnuts from Bob. That was a nod to a former dentist boss of mine and his wife. I kept in touch with them because they were like family, so it was fun to include them. In my upcoming book, Stealing the Billionaire’s Heart (part of The Billionaire’s Club multi-author boxed set to be released in April, 2018), the hero’s grandmother is an Italian woman named Claudia. She’s named for my good friend’s mother who is Italian and from just north of Venice, Italy, where part of the book is set.

~

In my book, Baby, That’s the Spirit!, the heroine, Amethyst, is clairvoyant and can speak with the dead. The story takes place during Halloween, which means Amethyst just couldn’t have any other type of pet than a black cat. Okay, maybe she could have had a green frog, but something like a white poodle would be out of the question. Seriously. So my own handsome black cat, Boo, was an obvious choice and has now become immortalized as Amethyst’s black cat (also named Boo).

~

I lived in Colorado for almost twenty years, so it makes sense to use the beautiful Rocky Mountains in my settings. I’ve driven ’em, hiked ’em, and skied ’em so I’m familiar enough with places and topography to make my settings realistic. Colorado features in The Santa Bargain and Stealing the Billionaire’s Heart (and, in a partially written book, Meant for You, that I’m hoping to release later in 2018). For the same reason, Georgia (where I live now) is the setting for Baby, Count on Me and Baby, That’s the Spirit!.

Have you ever popped up in an author’s ebooks? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by – see you next week!

Click here to visit the other authors on this blog hop.

I write steamy contemporary romances about everyone from small-town heroes to billionaires. Want to try one of my stories? Sign up for my newsletter and get my free, sexy novelette, Marrying Mr. Wrong. Then, once or twice a month, you’ll find my newsletter in your inbox with info on my new book releases, updates and sneak peaks on my works-in-progress, contests, giveaways and more!