Cheryl L. Butler writes article about NYT Bestselling Author Marie Force

              Cheryl interviewed Marie Force, a New York Times bestselling author, recently. Force has published well over 50 books—an inspiration to what writers can accomplish.

               Here is a reprint of her published article:  

A Rhode Island Author is a Force to be Reading With

By Cheryl L. Butler   

                                      

              If romance reads are your thing, you’ve probably curled up in your favorite chair and devoured one of Marie Force’s dozens of desirable novels. If you haven’t, you’re about to be introduced to one of Rhode Island’s premier authors who has been keeping readers turning pages fast and furiously since 2008.

              Force, a New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, has published well over 50 books including the indie-published Gansett Island Series and the Fatal Series from Harlequin Books. In addition, she is the author of the Butler, Vermont Series, the Green Mountain Series, and the erotic romance Quantum Series. In 2019, her new historical Gilded series from Kensington Books will debut with Duchess By Deception.

              Candid and witty, Force shares how it all started on her well-designed website, www.marieforce.com. Here fans learn that she graduated from Middletown High School in 1984 and then attended the University of Rhode Island where she double majored in journalism and political science. Right after graduation she dove into life as a writer by working for a small community newspaper. The hours and pay weren’t great, but the experience she gained as well as the comradery she shared with her colleagues made it a good place to start her career.

              A few years later she did something she joked she’d never do after growing up in a Navy town, she married a guy in the Navy. They left Rhode Island and started their new life in Rota, Spain where he was stationed and their adventure began. Here she earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration and started her family. They returned to the states and resided in Maryland where Dan was now stationed and she began working for The Washington Post. Her writing career continued to blossom throughout the different places her husband was stationed as did their family when they welcomed their second child. 

              Their last home during Navy life was in Jacksonville, Florida where they resided until Dan retired in 2001. Soon after, they returned to their roots here in Rhode Island. Though she had been working in a writing/magazine world for many years, she yearned to write a book but notes it was simply a pipe dream to find the time with two young kids and a full-time publishing job.

              She credits her dad for nudging her to make the time, even if it was between the hours of 3am and 6 am! She took his encouragement to heart and began to get a bit more serious about bringing a character she had envisioned for years to life—Jack, an architect with thick dark hair, gray-blue eyes, an engaging grin, and a quick wit. Another couple of years passed after she first began drafting Jack’s story.

              In November 2003, her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “The next nine months were a roller coaster ride, during which I turned to the book more and more often seeking an escape from the nightmare of my mother’s illness.” In August she had four chapters ready for review and her mother was the first to read them. “I made her cry,” she says. Sadly, her mother died on August 31, 2004.

              That was Force’s wake-up call. She knew the time had come where she needed to feed her passion and her muse and write about the characters that continuously danced in her mind.

              She’s since written five series that have stolen her readers’ hearts and she credits each of them for continued inspiration. “My readers really inspire me to keep producing the books, characters and worlds they’ve come to love which is great for me because I love to write them. I’ve been writing the Gansett Island and Fatal Series for 11 years, and I can’t imagine my life without those characters anymore. That the readers love them as much as I do is truly amazing and humbling. I never imagined having such a faithful following asking me every day when the next book would be released. They really keep me focused and motivated to give them more,” she says with deep gratitude.

              The most satisfying part of this author’s job is hearing from readers who’ve devoured a new book in a series they love. “They also ask me, usually on release day, when the next book will be out. I refer to that as job security,” she laughs adding that having happy readers is definitely the best part of the job.

              Force juggles more than one book in progress. “My writing routine is fairly straightforward—I try to get at least 2,000 words a day on the page every morning, seven days a week, which keeps me on schedule. Often, I write much more than that, many times in two different books,” she shares.

              Out of all her series she says hands down her favorite is definitely Gansett Island because it is such a reflection of who she is and what her life has been like with a large, comical family. “While I only have one sibling, my brother and I have 19 first cousins who made life interesting growing up. I’m still close to many of them today. They continue to entertain me and provide fodder for my big family series. In addition to the family theme on Gansett, the real-life Gansett Island—Block Island, RI—has played a huge role in my life. I spend part of every summer on the island, and draw from those experiences to write Gansett.

              “My favorite character of all time, however, is Sam Holland, my irreverent, rule-breaking homicide detective from the Fatal Series. She is so much fun to write, and I’m still having a blast with her as I write book 14,” she states.

              The one thing Force would like her readers to know is that she appreciates every one of them. “They’ve given me a dream-come-true career with their devotion to me and my books, and I never take them for granted. I try my best to continue to give them books that take them away from their everyday concerns for a few hours,” Force says.

              Force, herself an avid reader, enjoys books from all over the romance genre with author Lisa Kleypas topping her favorites.

              Force isn’t slowing down anytime soon and plans on doing exactly what she’s doing now, writing series along with an occasional single title that’s not part of a series. “I'd like to be able to pursue new ideas while tending to my existing series. In my author bio I state that my life goals are simple—to keep writing books for as long as I possibly can, to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, and to never be on a flight that makes the news. That pretty much sums up my wish list,” she says happily.

              Just released is Mine After Dark, which is book 19 in the Gansett Island Series. The first three Gansett Island books—Maid for Love, Fool for Love and Ready for Love—are out this summer in mass-market paperback for the first time, and are available in Target, Walmart, B&N, Books-a-Million and many other book retailers.

              She also has several upcoming books currently available for preorder:

August 14: Outrageous, Book 7 in my Quantum Series

October  9: Five Years Gone, a new single title

November 27: Fatal Invasion, Book 13 in my Fatal Series

January 29: Duchess by Deception, Book 1 in my new Gilded Series (and her first-ever historical romance)

March 26: Fatal Reckoning, Book 14 in my Fatal Series

              Her website is continuously updated where you can also sign up for her newsletter. In addition, for more enjoyment and a few good chuckles, you can find the author and her husband (Marie’s biggest fan and supporter) on You Tube Live where the two banter about all kinds of fun topics on “Live with Marie and Dan.”                    

Beach Reads for Writers: Lisa Kleypas Provides a Masterclass

 

From Kate's Writing Crate…

As a reader, I always love finding books that appeal to me. As a writer, I am twice as pleased when the authors also provide masterclasses within their books.

Masterclasses take place when performance artists and musicians work one-on-one with students. Writers don’t generally have this option, but I have found some books to be masterclasses for characters, backstories, plots, settings, voice, and/or creativity.

 

Before summer comes to an end, I'm recommending several more beach books—historical fiction this time.

        Lisa Kleypas writes both historical and contemporary novels with detailed love scenes. Historicals are not usually my favorite, but Kleypas has a way with words, characters, settings, and plots. Her female leads are not wallflowers although this highlighted four-book series follows four women labeled as such by a society that has deemed them unworthy of suitors from the upper class.

        The first in the series is Secrets of a Summer Night. Annabelle Peyton's family has sunk into poverty since her father's death years ago. Her brother's education is given first priority when bills are paid, but there isn't enough money for both food and shelter. Several Lords are waiting for her desperation to force her to become a mistress, but self-made Simon Hunt offers her marriage. However, she wants to marry an aristocrat, not the son of a butcher turned businessman.

        At balls and social events, Annabelle is left sitting with the same wallflowers—Lillian and Daisy Bowman, American sisters whose father has made millions in manufacturing soap, and Evangeline Jenner, daughter of a wealthy father who runs a gaming establishment. Eventually they begin to talk and then become friends. Together they devise a husband-hunting plan.

        The three rich debutants are invited to a month-long house party at the Westcliff estate and inveigle an invitation for Annabelle who is the first one to benefit from the husband-hunting plan. There is a happy ending, but complications, misunderstandings, and a near-death experience have to be overcome first. (Very romantic.)

        Lillian Bowman is feisty, outspoken, amusing, and infuriating which catches the attention of Lord Marcus Westcliff, the most eligible bachelor in England, in It Happened One Autumn. She wins a bet with Westcliff so his mother must help Lillian and Daisy enter into high society. His mother wants him to marry a woman with the bluest blood, but an American upstart may upset her plans. Lord Westcliff is torn. Will family expectations triumph over love? Lillian's mother just wants her daughters to marry well. Will another aristocrat win Lillian's hand in marriage by any means necessary? (Very romantic and amusing.)

        Next up is Devil in Winter, Evangeline Jenner's story. She turns to the Viscount Sebastian St. Vincent, a man desperate for funds as his father has squandered the family fortune, to save her from a horrible marriage to her cruel cousin who only wants control of her money. Without great expectations, will this relationship become romantic?

The series concludes with Scandal in Spring. Daisy Bowman's father has sworn to marry her to a man she does not like. She dreams of marrying for love as her sister did. With the help of her husband-hunting friends, she does.

 

Especially for writers, I also recommend Suddenly You as the lead character is Amanda Briars, a novelist who, with the help of her publisher, becomes a celebrated editor of a quarterly review journal. 

 

While I wish this novel had a less Chick Lit name, Lady Sophia's Lover is the story of tragedy, revenge, and true love. Sophia's brother died in jail and she blames the man who put him there. She works her way into Sir Ross Cannon's office and home. Becoming indispensable and intriguing are part of her plan to ruin his reputation and break his heart. Will it work? (Very romantic.)