 I can't begin to tell you what a blessing it's been to work with the wonderful authors involved in the Fall Into Romance collection. I'm going to be chatting with one of these amazing people each week leading up to the release of Fall Into Romance. I hope you enjoy these interviews as much as I have! Chatting with Liwen Y. Ho Author of Chasing Romance Hi, Liwen! Your novella, Chasing Romance, is such a fun story. I can't wait for everyone to meet Izzy and Chase! Me: Romance, Oregon is a beautiful place with a small-town atmosphere and big personalities. If you could visit Romance yourself, what one shop or person would you want to make sure was on your itinerary? Liwen: Great question! After researching Oregon for my story and also reading some of the other stories in the set, I almost feel like Romance is a real place. J If I could visit this small town, I’d definitely want to meet Mrs. Cooper, the all-too-helpful and curious neighbor from my book. She was such a fun character to write. She also wins the pumpkin pie contest every year at the Fall Festival, so I’d have to try a slice of her pie. Me: Animals are a big part of the stories that make up our Fall Into Romance compilation. Tell us a little about the critter in your novella. Liwen: The animal friend in my story is a black lab/pit bull mix named Thor. He’s actually based off the dog my sister and brother-in-law adopted two years ago whom I lovingly refer to as my fur-nephew. He’s a sweet dog with the softest, velvety ears. Me: Which of the characters in your story do you relate to the most? Why is that? Liwen: This is a hard one. I think I’d have to say the female main character, Izzy, only because she’s a songwriter and I used to write song lyrics back in the day. A couple of college friends and I wrote a song together that became the official song for our church’s college group. I heard they were still singing the song years after we graduated! Bonus fact: I let my inner songwriter loose again when I wrote this story and included some song lyrics. Unfortunately, I don’t write music, but if there’s someone who wants to put the words to a melody, I’d be thrilled! Me: What’s your favorite snack food or drink to have on hand when you’re writing? Liwen: I always drink tea when I write. During the colder months, I drink chai or peppermint tea; during the warmer months, I like something more fruity and sweet. When I splurge on tea, it’s usually from a local boba place that sells tea with toppings (my favorite is crystal boba, which is also known as white boba). Me: What was your favorite part about writing your novella? Liwen: My favorite part about writing this story was getting inspiration from music. I based the male main character off a real artist, Shawn Mendes, who’s a bit younger than Chase, but is just as passionate and charming. I listened to his songs non-stop and even watched interviews of him online so I could get a good sense of who he is. If you haven’t heard of him or his songs, you need to check him out! Me: What about writing your novella was the most challenging? Liwen: The most challenging part was writing about a relationship between a younger man and an older woman. I have no experience in this area, but I did ask my hubby for a male perspective and also researched some celebrity couples who are in similar relationships. (Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness are a great example of one). Me: If you had to describe the town of Romance with one word, what would it be? Liwen: Familiar. Familiar because it’s a small town and everyone knows everyone else, but also because the people who live there are like the people you’d meet in your town/city.  Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and a romance writer by night. In her pre-author life, she received a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist atwww.2square2behip.com. Chasing Romance  Izzy Sutton shelved away her own needs when her ex-boyfriend left town eighteen years ago, leaving her to raise their daughter alone. With Gracie away at college now, she has time to invest in her Bed and Breakfast, as well as her secret job as a songwriter. Trouble starts though when a handsome singer comes looking for a room, forcing Izzy to decide if it’s worth opening up her heart again, especially to a much younger man. Pop sensation Chase Lockhart owes his overnight fame to one song penned by an anonymous writer. Desperate for more chart-toppers, he travels to Oregon to collect the other songs she owes him. Finding her is the least of his troubles; getting past her defenses, including her dog who hates him, proves to be the real challenge. Can a shared love of music lead a young singer and a single mom to fall in love? Anything’s possible in the small town of Romance. Fall Into Romance - Pre-Order for Only $0.99!  Chasing Romance by Liwen Y. Ho is one of ten sweet novellas in the Fall Into Romance collection. Surround yourself in the romance of the autumn season with 10 heartwarming, sweet novellas from the USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors. Each story takes you inside the heart of a small town-its people-and features adorable animal friends in need of a forever home. Take a trip to Romance, Oregon, where falling in love has never been easier and happily-ever-after is guaranteed!  Like our Facebook page
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3 Comments
8/3/2017 11:33:11 am
Such a fun interview, Liwen! Look forward to reading more of these, Melanie!
Jessica Elliott
8/3/2017 12:30:42 pm
So fun! I enjoyed getting to know more about your story. Leave a Reply. |
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