Free For All Friday- Meet Megan Kelly!

I'm thrilled to have a MORWA chapter mate here today! And you're going to be thrilled too because MEGAN KELLY author of STAND IN MOM is giving away a signed copy and a Romance Trading Card of this latest release to one lucky commentator:)

You can learn more about Megan and all her wonderful work at http://www.megankellybooks.com/index.htm 

But come on back, grab a cup of coffee and get to know Megan a little better. Then leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. 

If, however, you're not the lucky winner, here's the BUY LINK- http://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=24410&cid=244

Thanks so much for being here with me today, Megan. 

 

1- Was your road to publication a delightful stroll in the park or a tiring jog over hot coals?  Hi, everyone, and thanks to Jen for having me today.  From the time I started writing seriously (to sell) to THE CALL took thirteen years.  My road resembled the Appalachian Trail--highs and lows, shady and sunny, scary and delightful.  I met a few bears and  spooks, but also some wonderful fellow "hikers" who not only educated me but made the trip easier to endure.  I was fortunate enough to be guided toward MORWA, our St. Louis romance chapter, early in the process, and they've been my hiking companions and often my "rescue team."

2 -  What is the most difficult for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions? Definitely conflict. I'm an easy going person, and I hate conflict myself. I'd rather write sweet stories where people meet, date, and fall in love. But those are boring.  J  Characters appear to me first, nudging or insisting I write them an HEA.  Since they are people, they come with those messy emotions.  My current book, Stand-In Mom, was the hardest in this regard because the main character can't conceive and desperately wants a baby.  Her husband divorced her because of her infertility, so her self-esteem is zero.  I ached for her and all her troubles.  Emotion drives stories and I love to "watch" as my characters get themselves into and hopefully out of predicaments.

3 -  How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? Pretty darn.  J  My characters are everyone and no one in particular.  Character traits and ideas come from real life, books, and movies. When writing Stand-In Mom, I flashed back to an episode of "Little House on the Prairie."  Lol  The events and emotional drama in that episode helped me understand my main character better, but no way would a reader think Ginger is Caroline Ingalls.  J 

4- Tell us a little about your Book. Glad to. This is my favorite book (so far). I've wanted to write Ginger's story since she appeared in The Fake Fiancée.  Ginger can't conceive and her husband leaves her.  She's reaffirming her desirableness by going home with men--not that she's conscious of this, of course.  She's hurt, she's suddenly single, she has no intention of starting anything serious, so why not?  She's trying to adopt a baby through an agency and is at the fostering stage.  However, when the book opens, she has been turned down to foster a child over Christmas.  Three strikes.  She's feeling low when she meets Scott.  They have a passionate night, and he says he'll be busy but he'll call.  Typical brush-off--or is it?  Scott is trying to get over being suddenly single also.  Plus he's relocating to Ginger's town, and he has to deal with his two daughters, who are confused and upset by events.  When school resumes in January, it turns out Scott's older girl is enrolled in Ginger's second-grade class.  J  Howard, Missouri is a fictional town we all know--a good place with small minds. Ginger and Scott want to be together, but can't risk Ginger's job.  Oh, and Scott's kids hate her!  That confounds Scott.  He can't put himself before his girls, but he wants to see where things lead with Ginger.  Their animosity hurts Ginger too.  Maybe they sense she'd be an awful mom?  It was fun to write, but I didn't envy my main characters having to make decisions.  J

5- Favorite romance movie? This is a toughie.  I watch the Colin Firth mini-series of Pride & Prejudice a lot.  I like Darcy's repressed passion.  The most recent movie version of it was awful.  While You Were Sleeping is another favorite. The tug of war the hero experiences when he falls for his brother's fiancé is interesting, plus it's funny.  Speed, the bomb-on-the-bus adventure, is an old standard,  (lol)  and The Lake House with the same lead actors.  Unfortunately I can't think of anything more recent that I had to own so I could re-watch it.

6 - What's coming up next for you?  I am self-pubbing an ebook!  This is very exciting.  The cover is done, the book is in revisions, and I plan to have it up for the holidays.  Santa Dear addresses the fulfillment of wishes.  Trish, a single mom, finds a letter from her son to Santa, who he wants to meet.  The line that grabs Trish is when the boy wonders if Santa is "just a story too."  She knows he's referring to his deceased father, and it tears her heart out.  So she needs a man--but just to play Santa.  And she finds a man, but he might have more on his mind than an acting job.  This has been a project I've loved for a while now, and I hope readers not only find my book in "e-land" but enjoy the read.

Thanks so much for having me here, Jen.