Friday Friends with Laurie Ryan

Welcome to Friday Friends with author Laurie Ryan.

HWH: Thanks for being with us today, Laurie. Let's get started. PIRATE’S PROMISE will be out this August. How exciting! Tell us where you came up with the idea and a little bit about the story. You also have another book out, STOLEN TREASURES. Tell us a little about that story.

LR: Ah, I love telling this story. A local Tall Ships Festival gave me the opportunity to spend some time amongst gallant ships from a bygone era, envisioning the romance of a sultry night on the water with nothing around. Then, I got the opportunity to spend 5 days on a working 160 foot schooner. Wow! Talk about inspiration! Both stories were born from that experience. Stolen Treasures pits undercover operative Dion and his unplanned passenger, Claire, against a pirate who steals yachts for a living and has his sights set on Dion’s schooner, the Treasure. Pirate’s Promise is the sequel and explains why tall, blond, Hawk turned to a life of crime. And sparks fly when his hot tempered attorney, Julia, gets drawn into the mix, her career in jeopardy thanks to his stubborn, single-minded plans.

HWH: What do you find helpful when you have writer’s block?

LR: A hot cup of cocoa almost always works, especially if it’s gourmet and creamy. If my muse is still being argumentative, it’s time for a long walk. And if that doesn’t work, well, I move on, work on the next scene or another story and come back to what’s troubling me after it’s percolated for a while.

HWH: How do you plot your novel?

LR: I am definitely a plotter. And a little bit OCD about it. I use a process I learned from another writer, Wendy Delaney. I have an easel set up with a large “W” drawn on it. Using the “W” plotting technique, I post-it note my plot, using different colors. Yellow for plot, green for description, pink for emotion, orange for tension. Hmmm. There’s a little bit of Margie Lawson’s technique in there, isn’t there? It’s like Wendy said to our group: You’ve got to find what works for you. For me, it’s a conglomeration of techniques.

HWH: What's the best writing advice you've ever received/read?

LR: Lucy Monroe says that the intention to write a book will not make you an author. Only writing it will. Every time I think I’d rather go to sleep or veg in front of some television program without getting my words in for the day, I remember that.

HWH: What are you working on now?

LR: I’m currently writing the sequel to Pirate’s Promise, called Dare to Love. I fell in love with Aidan, a secondary character from Stolen Treasures. Then, while writing Pirate’s Promise, I knew Gail would be a perfect fit for Aidan. Now, all I have to do is convince THEM of that.

I’d like to thank Heroines With Hearts for having me here today. I’ll be around off an on to answer any questions or comments. You can also get further information by visiting my website:
http://www.laurieryanauthor.com/

Here is an excerpt from Stolen Treasures where the hero (and captain of the Treasure) describes the heroine:

Dion Gaetani watched her as she lay on the bunk. Her face was pale, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll, most likely due to the concussion she must have. That was one hell of a knot on her head. Her long hair fanned out slightly, framing her face with the color of the teakwood he polished every day. Even with her eyes now closed, he could picture them. The cocoa color, a rich, intelligent, dark brown, was seared in his memory.

Claire Saunders. Not a name he would likely forget. She fit the stereotype of a yacht-club princess. She didn’t act like it, though. Long after all the yachting royalty had departed for home or club, she had stayed, apparently not afraid to get her hands dirty.

Her hands looked so small. He gathered one in his, and it seemed even more delicate. Turning it over, it surprised him to feel calluses. These were not hands belonging to the rich and want-to-be famous. No, this woman wouldn’t be easily categorized.

She moaned then. The quiet sound echoed in his head. He laid her hand back on the bunk, but couldn’t resist another touch. His thumb traced her hairline down the side of her heart-shaped face. She shifted then, leaning her cheek into his touch. Her skin felt like warm silk.

Dion yanked his hand back, and straightened, searching the cabin for something, anything, to take his mind off the unconscious woman in his bunk. He refused to go soft over some wisp of a princess. A bad feeling settled in his stomach. She was going to be trouble, and lots of it.

Thanks again for being with us, Laurie.

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