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Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Story Behinid the Book. #1 Harley Brennan, Running Back #amreading #romance #football



In answer to readers' questions, I'm starting a new series of articles, sharing the "stories behind the books".  Here's the first. I hope you'll stop by to take a peek, or sign up for my newsletter, where they will be published every month. (Scroll down for sign-up link). 


The Story Behind the Book
#1
Harley Brennan, Running Back

I’m often asked if my story ideas come from my life. While I’ve denied a direct connection, there is some truth to the statement that they come from some of my life experiences and those of people I know. Something I’m living or wondering about pops into my head. Then I can’t resist saying to myself, “what if…” and a story idea is born.
            This new section will be a peek into the background that gave birth to my “what if” for each of my books. I’m starting with Harley Brennan, Running Back, since it’s my most recent and most controversial book. I’ll be adding these to my newsletters and posting them on my blog, too.
            I’ve long been a fan of “The Bachelor” television program. In one episode, one of the female contestants, vying for the Bachelor, had spent the night with a member of the crew.  In his desire to escape detection, he’d jumped over a balcony and broken his leg. They shipped him and her home. I wondered what would have happened if the Bachelor, himself, had slept with a member of the crew? And the kernel for Harley Brennan’s story was born.

            Originally, this was supposed to by Shyla Hollings’ story and the seventh book in the Hollywood Hearts series, where Harley had made a brief appearance. But the more into the football series I got, the more convinced I became that it was Harley’s story and belonged in the First & Ten series.
            Although the book idea started with them together on the show, “Marriage Minded”,  I had to develop more to support an entire book than simply one encounter. Their stories evolved on many walks in the park with my pug, Homer, bus rides, car rides, subway rides and strolls through the City. As their story took shape, my enthusiasm grew. They became real in my mind.
            Two years later, the story had grown so compelling, I had to write it. It gripped me with its darker side, with the love, loss, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph of Shyla and Harley –separately and together. The phrase that keeps echoing in my head when I think about this story is “sometimes people have to lose everything to find each other.”

If you haven’t read Harley Brennan, Running Back, I hope you’ll take the time to give it a shot. Harley’s not your Prince Charming hero, but he’s real. Love him, hate him, want to throw his book across the room –I hope you’ll never be bored with his story.  

Questions? Please feel free to put them in the comments and I'll answer here. 

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