Did you forget this was a romantic comedy and try to kill off another character in P4L?
Yes, and I hang my head in shame. I wrote a whole death scene for Grandma. It was beautiful. I even cried a little. Then I realized I needed her for Kate’s story and so she was resurrected. When reviews started coming in, nearly everyone mentioned Grandma was their favorite character. I shudder to think of the hate mail I would have received if I’d killed her off.
Who had the idea to give Lucas and Nina a whole chapter in P4L?
Me, me, it was mine!
Okay, it was all my husband’s. He pointed out that readers of All the Lost Pieces (my first book) wanted an epilogue, so why not give them one in P4L? I resisted because it would mean extra work and I was already under a deadline crunch. Anyway, what does he know about romance novels? Turns out, a lot. It worked. He was right. (Spoiler alert, he often is.)
Was your sister, Karina, AGAIN the inspiration for P4L?
Yep. She came home from work one day to proudly tell me she was the only one in the company not to fall for a phishing test (she’s crazily intelligent like that). Phishing? I had no idea what that was. She enlightened me and a story was born.
(I’m happy to say she’s failed a few since then, which makes us mere mortals feel better about ourselves.)
Will your sister inspire any more of your novels?
I doubt it. I mean, it’s not as if she leads a very eventful life. She hasn’t chased a hijacker down with her vehicle because he stole her Gucci handbag. She didn’t once conceal a knife in her knee-high boots in the event of trouble. And she never ever unknowingly dated a member of an armed gang who went to prison and then escaped and dared to go after her.
Do you and your husband have your own Creative Room?
What the heck? What kind of question is that? Stick to writing questions. That’s what readers are really interested in.
Lara Martin 