Tag: romance

insecure writers support group, writing

Writing My First Novel #IWSG

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Writers, join our fun and caring support group, created by Alex Cavanaugh, HERE.

I appreciate the co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG: Jemima Pett, Nancy Gideon, and Natalie Aguirre!

April 5 question – Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you’re at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

Though I enjoyed creative writing as a child, I never intended to become a writer or author. But the world of fan fiction swept me up in its encouraging community, much like the support of this wonderful writer’s group. I posted one chapter at a time about characters in a favorite TV show, and fellow fans cheered me on (even though my writing was quite amateur at first).

As a psychologist, I listen all day. As a writer, I guess I had a lot to say, because the words poured out of me. After two long, rambling fan fiction stories, I started writing my first novel featuring an ex-psychologist who fell in love with a felon she met at her parole officer’s doorstep (With Good Behavior). And I was lucky to find a small publisher, Omnific Publishing, to release my baby into the world in 2010.

I have since published nine novels and two short stories. Writing is a side gig for me, not a career. Since the pandemic began, I have taken a hiatus from writing. But I recently started outlining novel #10, once again featuring a female psychologist character and a male swim coach character whose trauma she helps heal. I can’t wait to dive in!

Image by David Mark from Pixabay 
insecure writers support group, writing

IWSG: Faves of the Romance Genre

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Created by Alex Cavanaugh, join this supportive group here.

Thank you to today’s amazing co-hosts: Tonja Drecker, Victoria Marie Lees, Mary Aalgaard, and Sandra Cox!

Hey, writers! How’s it going? I’ve been swimming more to train for a swim vacation in Mexico soon. We’ll swim 2-4 miles a day in the ocean while glamping on the beach.

I still haven’t been writing, but I’ve listened to quite a few audiobooks, including Book Lovers and The Cheat Sheet.

Both books are romances, which brings me to this month’s question: What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

It surprised me how many writers answered a previous month’s question by stating that they could never write romance. The romance genre, especially sports romance and romantic suspense, is about all I know as a writer.

Image by Maria Godfrida from Pixabay 

How do I love thee, romance? Let me count the ways:

  1. Unresolved sexual tension. You know that feeling when two characters lust for each other, yet neither ponies up to share their feelings due to fear of being rejected? When they clearly belong together? It’s palpable! The Bridgerton series on Netflix captures UST perfectly, and I’m enjoying the book series as well.
  2. Shared vulnerabilities. Sharing your heart with a potential boo leaves you so exposed, but your partner will likely respond by opening up their inner insecurities, too. Writing romance is an effective way to reveal characters.
  3. Opportunity for creativity. Authors have covered first dates and marriage proposals countless ways, but how can a writer come up with a fresh take? It’s a fun challenge.
  4. Happy endings. Life can be painful, and I relish happy (yet still somewhat realistic) endings.
writing

Author Interview with RelationshipsAreComplicated.com

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I love to write complicated relationships, and the lovely folks at Relationships Are Complicated interviewed me about my characters’ bonds HERE. I mention my sports romance and romantic suspense novels, as well as some past dating complications. 😀

Image by Juan Fernando Yeckle from Pixabay

Do you have relationship questions? Check out https://www.relationshipsarecomplicated.com !

insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG Blurbs, Titles, and Covers Oh My!

jenlanebooks

Happy November to all insecure writers everywhere. Join us here, and thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for creating and sustaining this writer community.

Kudos to the co-hosts for November: Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

This month’s question:
What’s harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?

Eek, I’m getting the shakes from this question. I thought Halloween was over? Both tasks can bring a writer to her knees, but I have to choose creating titles as more difficult.

Blurbs kick my butt at first, but after scuffling with the sentences, my critique partner and editor always help turn the blurbs into something coherent and catchy. (Whether or not the blurbs are appealing enough to make readers want to buy my books is another matter.)

Titles, though? I’ve ridden the struggle bus drumming up titles for at least four of my nine novels.

The toughest title was for my swimming military murder mystery romance published in 2012. (Maybe covering 11 genres in one novel was the start of the problem?) The initial title was Swimming Against the Tide, then Against the Tide. However, when it came time to publish, both titles seemed cheesy.

My hero faced countless obstacles, including an abusive father, and he had a talent for exploding off the walls on his flip turns. I suggested the swimming term, Streamline, to signify a tight body position allowing him to slice through even the roughest waters.

My publisher thought “streamline” evoked a corporate takeover more than a new adult sports romance. She was probably right. But, I couldn’t think of another damn title! So we went with it.

In addition to blurbs and titles, I want to add another TOUGH task of publishing: creating a book cover. I’ve had countless back-and-forth convos with book designers over the years. My publisher grappled with the cover concept for Streamline, but I love the design they landed on, representing an underwater kiss scene from the book. Still, I wanted the image of the characters to be bigger.

Streamline by Jennifer Lane

How about you? Which writing task gives you the willies the most?

giveaway, new release

What the Trees Know 5-Star Review

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Congratulations to my pub sister, NANCEE CAIN, on the release of her TENTH novel!

Title: What the Trees Know
Author: Nancee Cain
Genre: Magical Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 23, 2021
Cover Design: Gina Dickerson of RoseWolf Design



What the Trees Know by Nancee Cain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

No Need to Tell the Trees, But Do Tell the Bees

Nancee Cain sure knows how to write stories with Southern charm. Instead of an Alabama setting, this book takes place in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina — lush and enchanting with herbal remedies and magical spells.

The story begins when Queenie, a kind, eccentric woman, takes in Skylar, a homeless young girl who just survived a trauma. Queenie is already caring for another child (Jed, her grandson) whose parents died. Skylar and Jed forge a tight bond, growing up playing and exploring with a neighbor boy, Caleb.

Fast forward years later and Skylar is caring for the aging Queenie. Though Caleb is a good friend to Skylar, she has missed Jed since he absconded to the Army. Skylar summons Jed back to their home to find that their childhood friendship has morphed into adult romance, much to the dismay of Caleb. Too bad Skylar feels unworthy, and Jed is mired in PTSD.

To help them through their turmoil, Skylar and Jed will need Queenie’s bedtime saying:

“Day is over; night has come. Today is gone; what’s done is done. Embrace your dreams, through the night; tomorrow comes with a whole new night.”

The narrative builds to an exciting climax including fire, poison, and sacrifice. Someone will need to tell the bees that one life ends and another begins.

View all my reviews



The trees shiver. They know, too. They always do.






Nancee is a retired addiction counselor & nurse who worked to support her coffee and reading habit. A terrible insomniac, her nights are spent writing paranormal and contemporary romances with a serrated edge. She puts the fun in dysfunctional and is a known book hoarder.


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insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG Drawing the Line

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Join us HERE, the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh.

Thank you to this month’s co-hosts: Jemima Pitt, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard!

Hope your October is off to a great start, writers! Warm weather has continued in Ohio, allowing me to sneak in some outdoor swims late in the season. Friends and I swam in a local quarry last week, and the 72-degree water temperature was brisk but invigorating.

Sadly, I had to cancel a swim vacation in Baja, Mexico. We planned to glamp and swim 2-4 miles a day in the Pacific, but international travel didn’t seem wise in the throes of the never-ending pandemic. But maybe I’ll fulfill my dream of swimming in Spain next year instead.

This month’s question: In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

I rely on my reading preferences to draw the line in my writing. I enjoy reading creative curse words and healing from horrific traumas. Therefore, my characters sometimes swear like sailors, and I embrace the challenge of delving into the aftermath of sexual trauma or criminal violence in my sport romance and romantic suspense novels.

Though romance is my favorite genre, I don’t enjoy reading plentiful, graphic sex scenes. It’s no surprise that I avoid writing erotica.

I also value free speech. While I don’t want to offend readers, I hope to stay true to myself without worrying about political correctness.

new release

WHAT THE TREES KNOW Book Tour

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Title: What the Trees Know
Author: Nancee Cain
Genre: Magical Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 23, 2021
Cover Design: Gina Dickerson of RoseWolf Design


Is magic real?

Jed doesn’t think so. Forced to live with his grandmother after the death of his parents, he’s mad at the world. He doesn’t believe in God, much less the folk magic his grandmother practices in the isolated mountains of Appalachia. He doesn’t fit in, and anger simmers within him, ready to explode.

Then Skylar arrives—a girl who’s experienced evil firsthand. Though lost in silence, she forges a connection with Jed, his grandmother, and the neighbors who come for potions and spells. Even without a voice, she embraces her new life.

Eventually Jed flees, but not for the right reasons. And his insides still burn with rage, leaving him hollow and even more unhappy—until the day he feels compelled to return home.

Skylar understands why Jed has returned. It has nothing to do with her summoning spell. He’s come home to heal. She’s known for being a healer and can consume his sins so he can find peace. But the only way she knows how requires death…

The trees shiver. They know, too. They always do.






Nancee is a retired addiction counselor & nurse who worked to support her coffee and reading habit. A terrible insomniac, her nights are spent writing paranormal and contemporary romances with a serrated edge. She puts the fun in dysfunctional and is a known book hoarder.


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cover reveal, new release

Cover Reveal: WHAT THE TREES KNOW by Nancee Cain

jenlanebooks
Congratulations to my pub sister, Nancee Cain, on her latest release! Can’t wait to read this magical realism story.

Title: What the Trees Know
Author: Nancee Cain
Genre: Magical Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 23, 2021
Cover Design: Gina Dickerson of RoseWolf Design



Is magic real?

Jed doesn’t think so. Forced to live with his grandmother after the death of his parents, he’s mad at the world. He doesn’t believe in God, much less the folk magic his grandmother practices in the isolated mountains of Appalachia. He doesn’t fit in, and anger simmers within him, ready to explode.

Then Skylar arrives—a girl who’s experienced evil firsthand. Though lost in silence, she forges a connection with Jed, his grandmother, and the neighbors who come for potions and spells. Even without a voice, she embraces her new life.

Eventually Jed flees, but not for the right reasons. And his insides still burn with rage, leaving him hollow and even more unhappy—until the day he feels compelled to return home.

Skylar understands why Jed has returned. It has nothing to do with her summoning spell. He’s come home to heal. She’s known for being a healer and can consume his sins so he can find peace. But the only way she knows how requires death…

The trees shiver. They know, too. They always do.







Nancee is a retired addiction counselor & nurse who worked to support her coffee and reading habit. A terrible insomniac, her nights are spent writing paranormal and contemporary romances with a serrated edge. She puts the fun in dysfunctional and is a known book hoarder.



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giveaway, new release

New Sports Romance RIVALS

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I’m thrilled to launch my 9th novel into the world! Many thanks to awesome early reviewers for taking the time to read this sports romance.

Title: Rivals

Author: Jennifer Lane
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: March 19, 2021
Cover Design: Dan Irons, Designs by Irons

“I embrace my rival. But only to strangle him.”
~Jean Racine

After landing her dream job as head volleyball coach at Ohio State University, Lauren Chase’s career has become a nightmare. Her only hope of saving her job is to recruit a star player to her team. Too bad the player’s twin has signed a football scholarship for OSU’s chief rival, Michigan. And too bad Michigan coach, Jeremy Trent, sends sparks through Lauren every time they cross paths. But no way will she pursue an attraction to a man who represents the university she hates.

Jeremy detests his boss, and he hopes that signing the nation’s #1 recruit is the ticket he needs to become a head coach himself one day. Lauren Chase is already a head coach, and Jeremy has to admit that she intrigues the hell out of him. He wants to know why her performance has tanked after winning a national championship. He wants to see beneath Lauren’s fast pace and dirty mouth. But he can’t get with a Buckeye, right?

Maybe rivals don’t have to remain enemies. Maybe they can learn to appreciate their opponent’s strengths. And, if they’re lucky—if they excel at the game—maybe rivals can bring out the very best in each other.
 



“Absolutely loved this book. The rivalry was spot on. This book has it all, humor, love and sports.” ~Michelle from Besties & Books

“The uncanny portrayal of recruiting high-profile athletes in Rivals completely transported me into the story. I became so invested in Lauren Chase’s success! When Coach Chase met Coach Trent, the chance of finding love on the recruiting trail turned into such a charming contest–a game more meaningful than they could ever imagine on the court or field.” ~Gwynn Harrison, Head Swim Coach, Bridgewater College

“Fun read that captures the best of the greatest sports rivalry in the midst of a smoldering romance.”~Kevin Kropf


Psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane invites you to her world of sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist!

Jen fell in love with sports at a young age and competed in swimming and volleyball in college. She went on to become the Honda Award Winner for Division III Athlete of the Year. She still gets high from the smell of chlorine and the satisfaction of smashing a beautiful volleyball set.

Jen’s latest novel is Rivals, a romance between coaches from rival universities. Her Blocked trilogy also explores the transformation from hate to love. Particularly in this time of division, Jen’s favorite theme is finding common ground.

A romantic suspense trilogy (The Conduct Series) and a psychological thriller (Twin Sacrifice) complete Jen’s collection of stories. She calls Ohio home and shares writing space with her two trusted feline collaborators: Tuxedo and Tessa.

Whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time, she likes to exercise and visit her amazing sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.

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cover reveal

Cover Reveal for New Sports Romance RIVALS by @JenLaneBooks

jenlanebooks
*drum roll* I’m happy to reveal the cover for my ninth novel. Thanks to Dan Irons for designing the cover and to Ena and Amanda from Enticing Journey for hosting! Join us for the review tour.

Title: Rivals
Author: Jennifer Lane
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: March 19, 2021
Cover Design: Dan Irons, Designs by Irons



“I embrace my rival. But only to strangle him.”
~Jean Racine

After landing her dream job as head volleyball coach at Ohio State University, Lauren Chase’s career has become a nightmare. Her only hope of saving her job is to recruit a star player to her team. Too bad the player’s twin has signed a football scholarship for OSU’s chief rival, Michigan. And too bad Michigan coach, Jeremy Trent, sends sparks through Lauren every time they cross paths. But no way will she pursue an attraction to a man who represents the university she hates.

Jeremy detests his boss, and he hopes that signing the nation’s #1 recruit is the ticket he needs to become a head coach himself one day. Lauren Chase is already a head coach, and Jeremy has to admit that she intrigues the hell out of him. He wants to know why her performance has tanked after winning a national championship. He wants to see beneath Lauren’s fast pace and dirty mouth. But he can’t get with a Buckeye, right?

Maybe rivals don’t have to remain enemies. Maybe they can learn to appreciate their opponent’s strengths. And, if they’re lucky—if they excel at the game—maybe rivals can bring out the very best in each other.







Psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane invites you to her world of sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist!

Jen fell in love with sports at a young age and competed in swimming and volleyball in college. She went on to become the Honda Award Winner for Division III Athlete of the Year. She still gets high from the smell of chlorine and the satisfaction of smashing a beautiful volleyball set.

Jen’s latest novel is Rivals, a romance between coaches from rival universities. Her Blocked trilogy also explores the transformation from hate to love. Particularly in this time of division, Jen’s favorite theme is finding common ground.

A romantic suspense trilogy (The Conduct Series) and a psychological thriller (Twin Sacrifice) complete Jen’s collection of stories. She calls Ohio home and shares writing space with her two trusted feline collaborators: Tuxedo and Tessa.

Whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time, she likes to exercise and visit her amazing sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.



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