So what does a romance writer do the night before the release of her debut novel? Well, this particular romance writer got down with the fantastically talented, urban novelist, Dennis Lehane. Okay, so it was me, Dennis and approximately 400 other people, but I know that if he’d locked eyes with me sitting in my seat at the back of the orchestra, captivated by his Bostonian genius, he’d have run off with me to some tropical island where we’d indulge in  multiple umbrella drinks and talk fiction.

Okay, again. Maybe not. But a girl can dream, right?

And while, no, I don’t see a quick trip to the Caymans in my immediate future, I did spend last night at a lecture listening to the author of GONE BABY GONE talk about creating the fictive narrative. Hello, swoon.

And it’s true, no one would call a Lehane novel a romance, but the central relationship in one of his series of novels IS romantic and humorous and complex and I left the lecture with all kinds of ideas for my next romance. I left with a new appreciation of truth and humor in writing, and with a slew of thoughts on finding and honing your voice—I felt like a writer.

Then, I woke up this morning and my kids started crabbing about getting ready for school and my husband was running late (where’s my wallet?) and a neighbor kid stopped by to grab a bowl of Cheerios before they all walked to school, and the whole time, I’m thinking…wow, I’m a writer. Yes, I still have to be at my boys’ school today to count hops for an Easter Seals event and later I’ll drive a bunch of first grade hooligans to lacrosse practice through the spring snow.

Not much has changed. But everything has changed. I am a writer. It’s real. Here I am: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/breaking-the-bachelor/

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