{"id":4536,"date":"2020-01-21T08:30:28","date_gmt":"2020-01-21T14:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/?p=4536"},"modified":"2021-11-23T20:15:07","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T20:15:07","slug":"romance-author-qa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/romance-author-qa\/","title":{"rendered":"Romance Author Q&amp;A: four novelists on writing romance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/01\/Copy-of-CTAs-13.png\" alt=\"Exclusive Q&amp;A with four Tyndale Fiction novelist\" class=\"wp-image-4647\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n<blockquote>\n<p>Have you ever read a sweet line in a romance that made you swoon or wondered where authors gather inspiration for characters in their love stories? In the new Q&amp;A below, see what Tyndale novelists Tessa Afshar, Heidi Chiavaroli, Carla Laureano, and Courtney Walsh had to say about romance and couples in their stories + more:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<a id=\"tessa\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/01\/Copy-of-CTAs-11.png\" alt=\"Q&amp;A with Tyndale biblical fiction novelist Tessa Afshar\" class=\"wp-image-4644\"><\/figure><\/a>\n\n\n<p>Tessa Afshar&#8217;s newest novel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/daughter-of-rome\/9781496428714?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Daughter%20of%20Rome&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Daughter of Rome<\/em><\/a> is both an emotive love story and an immersive journey through first-century Rome and Corinth. Read what Tessa shared about the couple in <em>Daughter of Rome&#8217;s<\/em> love story:<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Relationships aren\u2019t always smooth sailing. Priscilla and Aquila in <\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">Daughter of Rome<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\"> have their share of challenges. How did you decide what obstacles to have them overcome together and how do you hope their story will encourage others?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Priscilla and Aquila were expelled from Rome, which meant they were forced to leave their home, dear friends, and established business ties. The implied emotional and financial stress in such an unexpected move is enormous and bound to affect even the strongest of relationships. In <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">Daughter of Rome<\/span><\/em>, I tried to capture some of the complexities of love in troubled times. The story reminds us how important it is to choose love in marriage, to guard it, to fight for it. To avoid listening to the negative conclusions that our wounded hearts press upon us. I hope readers will be inspired by Priscilla and Aquila\u2019s brave love for each other, for God, and for friend and foe alike.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Your novels are set during biblical times when courtship customs were different from today. How do you give characters in your novels romances that will resonate with contemporary readers while also not making the love stories feel too modern for the setting? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\"><em>A: <\/em>I believe there are certain things about the human heart that never change regardless of the era. Women will always want to be known and cherished. Pursued. Men still need to feel honored and respected. They still dread failure. The ancient Romans and Israelites might not have gone out to the local Italian restaurant for a first date. But the main ingredients of a good romance never change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Is there a scene between Priscilla and Aquila in <\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">Daughter of Rome<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\"> that was the most fun for you to write? Which scene is it?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Oddly, it is the scene where Aquila almost ruins everything. He withdraws his first proposal. Caught in a whirlwind of judgment, he can\u2019t wait to walk away. But the reader is also aware, perhaps more than Aquila himself, that he can\u2019t really let Priscilla go. I love the charged tension Aquila feels in this scene, his heart torn between a consuming love and sharp censure. Even though the scene doesn\u2019t have a happy conclusion, as readers we are aware that it will eventually lead to a more satisfying union.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: What\u2019s one of your favorite romantic lines a character says in your novels?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Goodness! This one is really difficult to answer. The romance of a line usually comes from the buildup of many previous scenes, adding momentum. But here is a stab at an answer. I chose a short scene from <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">Land of Silence<\/span><\/em>:<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-text-sp\">He strode toward me without a word and, before I could object, grabbed hold of my hands and hauled me into his arms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-text\">\u201cEthan! I am unclean!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-text\">He cradled my head against his shoulder. \u201cI have never known a cleaner woman.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>To read more from Tessa, check out:<\/strong><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/2018\/08\/07\/choices-that-heal\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Choices%20that%20Heal&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Choices that Heal<\/a><\/em><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/2018\/11\/05\/nanowrimo-qa\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Recharge%20and%20Write&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Recharge and Write: Writing Tips from Tyndale Fiction Authors<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>More novels by Tessa:<\/strong><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/thief-of-corinth\/9781496428660?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Thief%20of%20Corinth&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thief of Corinth<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/land-of-silence\/9781496406460?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Land%20of%20Silence&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Land of Silence<\/a><\/em><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/bread-of-angels\/9781496406477?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Bread%20of%20Angels&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bread of Angels<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<a id=\"carla\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/01\/Copy-of-CTAs-12.png\" alt=\"Q&amp;A with contemporary romance novelist Carla Laureano\" class=\"wp-image-4645\"><\/figure><\/a>\n\n\n<p>Carla Laureano is the author of the new contemporary romance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/the-solid-grounds-coffee-company\/9781496420329?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=The%20Solid%20Grounds%20Coffee%20Company&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\"><em>The Solid Grounds Coffee Company<\/em><\/a>, book three in the Supper Club series, which features the love story of Bryan Shaw and Analyn Sanchez who work together to start a coffee roasting company. In this Q&amp;A, read about Carla&#8217;s favorite scene featuring Ana and Bryan:<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: How do you balance giving your couples a delightful romance and letting them experience real-life challenges couples sometimes face? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: In general, the greater the conflict or the obstacle the characters face, the stronger the connection they need to have at the outset. After all, I want the characters and the readers to understand that the relationship is worth fighting for, even when it gets hard, so I try to give them plenty of time to get to know each other, have fun, and fall in love. Come to think of it, that must be one of the lessons from twenty-one years of marriage that has subconsciously seeped into my writing: eventually you\u2019re going to hit rough patches, so you need those warm, fuzzy, romantic memories to remind you both of why you said, \u201cI do!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Is there a couple from the Supper Club series or The MacDonald Family Trilogy that was the easiest to write? Which couple is it?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: It would have to be Bryan and Ana in <span class=\"cs-italic\">T<em>he Solid Grounds Coffee Company<\/em><\/span>. Part of the reason is that Ana is so much like me (okay, a less healthy me) that I instinctively understood her. So much so that my editors kept telling me things like \u201cI know her behavior makes sense to you, but it has to make sense to the reader, too!\u201d And I really enjoy writing friends-to-more stories because my offbeat, sarcastic sense of humor can shine through. When characters are naturally comfortable with each other, it\u2019s easy to write fun, flirty banter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: What\u2019s one of your favorite scenes between Ana and Bryan in your latest contemporary romance, <\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">The Solid Grounds Coffee Company<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\">?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Speaking of fun, flirty banter . . . my favorite scene, hands down, is the yoga scene. I don\u2019t want to give too much away, but Ana thinks she\u2019s going to show off and ends up being the one who gets the surprise. How Bryan teases her afterward makes me laugh out loud every time I read it. It\u2019s just so fun. It\u2019s somewhat late in the book, but that\u2019s where I thought, <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">These two really <\/span>are<\/em><span class=\"cs-italic\"><em> meant for each other<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: What\u2019s one of your favorite romantic lines a character says in your novels?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: It\u2019s more of a scene than a line, but I love James\u2019s declaration to Andrea at the end of <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">Five Days in Skye<\/span><\/em>. He\u2019s gone halfway around the world for her and lays his heart bare to her without knowing how she\u2019s going to respond. It\u2019s vulnerable and true and oh-so-romantic. Many books later, I like to change up the denouement and make it funny or unexpected or quirky, but there\u2019s a purity about this ending that gets me every time. No matter how many more books I write, this scene will always be a favorite.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To read more from Carla, check out:<\/strong><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/2019\/02\/18\/my-pastry-chef-heroine\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=My%20Pastry%20Chef%20Heroine&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">My Pastry Chef Heroine: A look at Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe&#8217;s Melody Johansson<\/a><\/em><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/sites\/readthearc\/how-to-prep-easy-book-club-snacks\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=How%20to%20Prep%20Easy%20Book%20Club%20Snacks&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>How to Prep Easy Book Club Snacks<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>More novels by Carla:<\/strong><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/five-days-in-skye\/9781496426215?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Five%20Days%20in%20Skye&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\">Five Days in Skye<\/a><\/em><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/london-tides\/9781496426253?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=London%20Tides&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Social\">London Tides<\/a><\/em><br \/><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/\/p\/under-scottish-stars\/9781496426291?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Under%20Scottish%20Stars&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Social\">Under Scottish Stars<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/the-saturday-night-supper-club\/9781496420244?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=The%20Saturday%20Night%20Supper%20Club&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Social\"><em>The Saturday Night Supper Club\u00a0<\/em><\/a> <br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/brunch-at-bittersweet-cafe\/9781496420282?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Brunch%20at%20Bittersweet%20Cafe&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Brunch at Bittersweet Caf\u00e9<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<a id=\"heidi\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/01\/Copy-of-CTAs-10.png\" alt=\"Q&amp;A with time-slip novelist and romance writer Heidi Chiavaroli\" class=\"wp-image-4643\"><\/figure><\/a>\n\n\n<p>Heidi Chiavaroli&#8217;s new novel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/the-tea-chest\/9781496434784?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=The%20Tea%20Chest&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>The Tea Chest<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;tells the story of two women separated by centuries, who must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith. Read the Q&amp;A below to see what Heidi had to say about writing matches for her heroines in her stories:<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: How do you come up with the perfect match for the heroines in your stories? Is there a heroine who gave you a big challenge when it came to writing the perfect romantic hero for her?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Most of the time, I allow the hero to sort of \u201cshow up\u201d on the page as I write. Subconsciously though, I tend to create a character who will complement my heroine in her struggles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-text\">Hayley in <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">The Tea Chest<\/span><\/em> was definitely a big challenge, though. This is a lady who wants to be a Navy SEAL, after all\u2014that might intimidate most men! Yet I wanted to shine light on the draw for her of Ethan, her old boyfriend\u2014how she is drawn to his inner strength and the history between them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Have any of the love stories in <\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">Freedom\u2019s Ring<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\">,&nbsp;<\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">The Hidden Side<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\">, or&nbsp;<\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">The Tea Chest<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\">&nbsp;been inspired by real-life couples? If not, how do you find inspiration for the love stories in your novels?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: Liberty and Hugh, in <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">Freedom\u2019s Ring<\/span><\/em>, were inspired from my own marriage. Hugh\u2019s solidness and patient, unconditional love were definitely something I drew from my own husband.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: Do you have a favorite scene featuring one of the couples from <\/span><em><span class=\"cs-bold-italic\">The Tea Chest<\/span><\/em><span class=\"cs-bold\">? What scene is it?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: I love the first scene in <em><span class=\"cs-italic\">The Tea Chest<\/span><\/em> where we meet Emma and Noah. Noah is walking Emma home on the dark, cobblestoned Boston streets. Writing it, I could feel not only the political tension in the town, but also the romantic and political tension between them. It\u2019s one of the first times Emma is contemplating giving herself over to the Cause of liberty, and we\u2019re just waiting to see what she will decide and what part Noah will play in all of it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl-sp\"><strong><span class=\"cs-bold\">Q: What\u2019s one of your favorite romantic lines a character says in your novels?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"body-fl\">A: This is from Alexander to Liberty in <span class=\"cs-italic\"><em>Freedom\u2019s Ring<\/em>: <\/span>\u201cTell me you love him, Liberty, and I won\u2019t beg you to come away with me. I won\u2019t profess my own feelings for you. If you tell me such now, I will turn and go back into the tavern a happy enough man knowing you are happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>To read more from Heidi, check out:<\/strong><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/2017\/08\/01\/author-heidi-chiavaroli-shares-five-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-boston-massacre\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Five%20Things%20You%20May%20Not%20Know%20About%20the%20Boston%20Massacre&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Author Heidi Chiavaroli Shares Five Things You May Not Know About The Boston Massacre<\/a><\/em><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/sites\/readthearc\/5-books-that-changed-my-life-heidi-chiavaroli\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=5%20Books%20that%20Changed%20My%20Life%3A%20Heidi%20Chiavaroli&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5 Books that Changed My Life: Heidi Chiavaroli<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>More novels by Heidi:<\/strong><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/\/p\/the-hidden-side\/9781496423238?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=The%20Hidden%20Side&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Hidden Side<\/a><\/em><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/freedoms-ring\/9781496423122?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Freedom's%20Ring&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Freedom&#8217;s Ring<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<a id=\"courtney\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/01\/Copy-of-CTAs-9.png\" alt=\"Q&amp;A with Tyndale contemporary romance novelist Courtney Walsh\" class=\"wp-image-4642\" \/><\/figure><a \/>\n\n\n<p>Courtney Walsh&#8217;s new novel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/\/p\/if-for-any-reason\/9781496434395?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=If%20for%20Any%20Reason&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>If for Any Reason<\/em><\/a> is a love story set on Nantucket where Emily Ackerman&#8217;s recently arrived to renovate and sell her family cottage, never expecting to be reunited with her childhood best friend Hollis McGuire, boy next door\u2013turned\u2013baseball star. Read the Q&amp;A below to discover where Courtney&#8217;s found inspiration for characters in her love stories:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: How did you choose the perfect happily ever after for Emily and Hollis in <em>If for Any Reason<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: I don\u2019t want to give anything away, but I really try to put myself in the characters\u2019 shoes and imagine the scenario that feels the most true. I think coming up with happy endings is one of my favorite parts of writing romance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Where do you find inspiration for your heroines and heroes, such as Hollis and Emily in <em>If for Any Reason<\/em>&nbsp;or Grady and Quinn in&nbsp;<em>Just Let Go<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: Oh, my goodness, everywhere. Every conversation I eavesdrop on in Starbucks. Every person who walks by me in Barnes &amp; Noble. Every love story someone shares with me . . . it\u2019s all inspiration. I often find that in order to really \u201csee\u201d my character, I first have to know how they spend their days, so for me, I\u2019ll figure out who they are, what they do for a living, and then what kind of person they need in their life. All of those things have to interest me or I won\u2019t write the story.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: When you\u2019re writing a new contemporary romance, what helps you envision what the heroines and heroes will look and act like in the story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: It\u2019s funny\u2014I almost never have a storyboard or image of my characters. I don\u2019t imagine them as actors or celebrities (except Trevor Whitney in <em>Change of Heart<\/em>, who looks like Henry Cavill&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.). For the most part, it\u2019s less about what they look like and more about who they are. I honestly think from the beginning I just try to embody the character as much as possible, and they become more and more real to me throughout the whole first draft. Then I go back and hone that character because by that point, I know them so much better than when I first began.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What\u2019s one of your favorite romantic lines a character says in your novels?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A: It\u2019s not a line exactly, but more of a gesture, and again, I don\u2019t want to spoil it, but I really love the way Grady shows Quinn he loves her at the end of <em>Just Let Go<\/em>. I\u2019m a big believer in dreams, in having them, pursuing them, cherishing them, making them come true, and I think the best thing a person can do to show how much they love someone else is to believe in the other person\u2019s dreams. So for me, Grady\u2019s gesture is just that, a way to make a dream come true for the woman he loves. That makes me swoon.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>To read more from Courtney, check out:&nbsp;<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/sites\/readthearc\/five-risks-that-are-absolutely-worth-taking\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Five%20Risks%20that%20are%20Absolutely%20Worth%20Taking&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Five Risks That Are Absolutely Worth Taking<\/em><\/a><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/2016\/02\/06\/author-valentines-favorites-courtney-walsh\/?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Author%20Valentine's%20Favorites%3A%20Courtney%20Walsh&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Author Valentine&#8217;s Favorites: Courtney Walsh<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>More novels by Courtney<\/strong>:<br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/\/p\/just-let-go\/9781496421524?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Just%20Let%20Go&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Just Let Go<\/a><\/em><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/just-look-up\/9781496421487?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Just%20Look%20Up&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Just Look Up<\/a><\/em><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/paper-hearts-2-change-of-heart\/9781414398709?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Change%20of%20Heart&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Change of Heart<\/a><\/em><br><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tyndale.com\/p\/paper-hearts-1-paper-hearts\/9781414398693?utm_source=2020%20Romance%20Author%20Q%26A&amp;utm_medium=Paper%20Hearts&amp;utm_campaign=C4F_Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paper Hearts<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever read a sweet line in a romance that made you swoon or wondered where authors gather inspiration for characters in their love stories? In the new Q&amp;A below, see what Tyndale novelists Tessa Afshar, Heidi Chiavaroli, Carla Laureano...","protected":false},"author":1266,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,12,18,19],"tags":[13,6,7,14,15,17,20,21,22],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Crazy4Fiction | Romance Author Q&amp;A: four novelists on writing romance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/romance-author-qa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Crazy4Fiction | Romance Author Q&amp;A: four novelists on writing romance\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have you ever read a sweet line in a romance that made you swoon or wondered where authors gather inspiration for characters in their love stories? 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