RomanceEverAfter

Romance Authors Corner

Holly Jacobs

Holly invites you to stop by and surf her site at www.HollysBooks.com!

What do you find romantic?

Now, I could truthfully say an evening alone with my husband. I could say Disney World (which is our personal favorite vacation spot). But to me, the most romantic moments I share with my husband are much smaller than that. It's when he takes his calendar out at the beginning of each month and blocks in all the family activities before he puts in anything else...it's the times he knows I've had a rough day and brings home pizza. It's...well, true romance is mainly little moments.

Why do you like reading and writing romance? 

I grew up a sci-fi/fantasy fan and found romance late. A friend passed me a copy of a Julie Garwood book...and I loved it. I was hooked. Romance appealed to me because it was about people...about relationships...about give-and-take and figuring out what makes people tick. And at heart, that focus on the characters is what drew me first as a reader, and later as a writer.

You have written numerous books for Harlequin. How did you get started working with Harlequin? What do you believe is unique about writing a story under the Harlequin lines?

When I decided I wanted to write romance, I read the lines and quickly zeroed in on Harlequin's Love and Laughter line. My voice--that indefinable something that makes each author's storytelling unique--seemed to fit there. I started submitting. Later, at a conference in Texas, a Silhouette editor suggested I might want to submit to their Romance line as well. So, I did. I kept something at both Love and Laughter, which changed into Duets, and at Romance. If something was rejected, I had another submission ready to go. In March of ‘00, Duets called and bought, I Waxed My Legs For This?, three months later Silhouette called and bought Do You Hear What I Hear?.

Working for Harlequin/Silhouette is fantastic. Both lines fit my voice, they allow me to incorporate varying degrees of humor into my work while supplying an emotionally satisfying romance. Granted, the comedy is a bit more wild at Duets, and the emotional aspect is a bit heavier at Romance, but with both, I concentrate on the characters. That's pretty much the rule for all the lines. They might incorporate other elements (comedy, intrigue, even paranormal elements), but when you get to the heart of it, all the lines are really about relationships...about love. Writing short contemporary romances means I drop the readers into the action and try to keep them there for almost 200 pages. Hopefully it's a fast, fun and satisfying journey for them.

Who or what inspired you to become a romance author?

I could name a number of authors whose work definitely inspired me, but to be honest, my biggest inspiration was my husband. Not only is he the most fantastic guy around, but...well, here's an example. I'd sold three books to Precious Gems, but the line had folded, and I hadn't been able to sell anything at Harlequin or Silhouette. Our youngest was starting school, and I felt that I should be contributing financially. I decided to get a job and try to write when I could. My husband told me not to worry about working outside the house. He was fine with me staying home, and if I'd just wait, he was sure I'd sell soon. He believed in me. Three months later I made that sale to Duets. He's not the kind of guy who brings me flowers often, he's not big into jewelry, but he is absolutely my biggest support and inspiration!

What kinds of "points of conflict" do you like to weave into the plot of your stories?

Each story is different, but I like my characters to be independent people who could manage without the other...but are definitely stronger with the other in their lives. Because of the characters individual strength, conflict often arrives from the two of them butting heads. Whether it's two rival reporters trying to get the other to alter their point-of-view, or a romantic-at-heart woman butting heads with a logic-must-prevail sort of guy, or...well, conflict in my stories tends to be character driven.

What characteristics do you like to give your heroes and heroines?

Like I said, strong, independent characters. Hopefully they all have big hearts. They're smart. They're able to laugh at themselves, which makes it okay for the reader to laugh with them.

You identified 5 releases in 2003 on your web site. Please give us an overview of the books that are coming. Did you have a favorite character(s) in any of these upcoming stories?

NOT PRECISELY PREGNANT, Harlequin Duets, 1/03

This is my Shrek meets Pollyanna story! Riley Calhoon, who writes a column called, Get Real, for the local paper, is a pessimist of the first order. He's at odds with Paige Montgomery, a true glass-half-full sort of girl who covers "fluff" stories for WMAC News...where nice news matters.

A DAY LATE AND A BRIDE SHORT, Silhouette Romance, 3/03

This is my variation on the old marriage-of-convenience plot, only it involves an engagement-of convenience that's not all that convenient when love enters the picture. Donovan needs a fiancée, and Sarah needs a lawyer. They join forces and find that there's more than mutual need between them. It's more than just desire. Maybe it's love?

THE HUNDRED-YEAR ITCH, Harlequin Duets 100th Volume!!, 5/03

I was thrilled when Duets asked me to be a part of their milestone volume! I work with Jennifer Drew (the mother and daughter writing team of Barbara Andrews and Pam Hanson--both fantastic, funny ladies) on two tied stories (The Hundred-Year Itch & You'll Be Mine in ‘99) that are set in Hiho, Ohio. A small town that's celebrating its Centennial...but unfortunately it is not the town's 100th anniversary...it's just 99. More unfortunate, if everyone finds out there are financial ramifications to the community. Mace Mason comes from Erie's WMAC News (where nice news matters) to cover Hiho, Ohio's Centennial Celebration. What he finds is a town with a secret, and a woman who intrigues him, even as she drives him nuts!

DAD TODAY, GROOM TOMORROW, Silhouette Romance, 8/03

Eight years after Louisa leaves Lyonsville, GA, Joe runs into her...and a boy who could only be their son. Why did she leave, and what should he do now? Louisa left Joe...because she loved him. She couldn't stand in the way of his future, just like she can't stand in the way of him getting to know his son now. Together they find that the love they shared all those years ago might not have died...it might just have changed into something different, something stronger than before. 

This is the third of my Perry Square romances for Silhouette. (Do You Hear What I Hear?, and A Day Late and a Bride Short) All the books are independent and stand alone, but because they're all set in a small area of Erie, reoccurring secondary characters tend to come visit.

HOW TO HUNT A HUSBAND, Harlequin Duets, 9/03

Bonnie Tucker and I had a Duet out in Sept of ‘02 (The Great Bridal Escape, by Bonnie Tucker & How To Catch a Groom, by Holly Jacobs) with tied stories. We're revisiting our characters in two more stories. In How To Hunt a Husband, Shannon's mother missed out on a wedding when her daughter (The Great Bridal Escape) ran out before the I-do's, but she is bound and determined to throw the perfect wedding for Shannon...unfortunately Shannon's not even dating. So in addition to finding a church and a reception hall, her mother's looking for a potential husband. Nathan's mother wants grandchildren, but he's not dating anyone either. When these two get together they come up with a crazy plan that involves a stripper and a Harley driving delinquent...and maybe, just maybe, love.

What other projects are you currently working on?

Right now I've totally cleared my desk of contracted work!!! I'm supposed to be taking a vacation and catching up on my mountainous TBR pile. Unfortunately, I don't do vacationing well. Writing isn't a chore, it's a joy for me. So, I'm currently working on a few new proposals while I wait to hear about the proposals my editors currently have on their desks.

What are your three favorite bookmarks (Web-sites)?

Now this might sound like nepotism, but I do love www.EHarlequin.com. Their community section is full of great people, both readers and writers. I visit there often. And the eHarlequin staff is always planning something new and fun.

Then there's www.cataromance.com. Another great site, populated by readers and writers of category romance. Fantastic fun!

And finally...well, there are so many sites I love. I have a huge section at my homepage (www.HollysBooks.com) with links to many of them--including Romance Ever After!  I welcome anyone who wants to stop in and go surfing.

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