March Rocks! By Mackenzie Crowne

From little candy hearts and hand-made valentines to fat flakes shimmering beyond the window on a snowy Christmas eve, if you’re like me, every month in the year holds special memories. Waving flags, parades and potato salad, jack-o-lanterns and pillowcases full of candy, each flip of the calendar page returns me to my childhood. June delivers a thrilling sense of freedom, a throw-back to that wonderful last day of school every year. September rolls in on a bittersweet wave of magnificent fall colors and chilly winds hinting at the winter to come.

But, this is March, you say, a quiet, unassuming month lacking any major points of note. Wrong, or as they say in the Irish, Micheart! March rocks! Here in Phoenix, where I hang my hat, March means wildflowers - like the beauties decorating the hills of my mountain escape - hot air balloons and the annual Renaissance Fair. For a chick who detests the cold, a month shooing off the dog days of winter to usher in the early signs of spring is a big deal.

March also means St. Patrick’s Day. For a chick from a large, loving, LOUD Irish clan, a month celebrating the streak of green running through the soul of mankind is magical. And for an Irish chick who writes romance, March inspires tales of enduring love amongst the vibrant hills of Ireland, stories seeped in things old and mystical. But more on that later.

I admit, blarney comes naturally to me, so, count yourself lucky I’m curbing my Irish gift of gab to wish you a happy spring and a very happy St. Patrick’s Day with my favorite Irish salute…

May those who love you, love you,

and those who don’t love you,

may God turn their hearts,

and if he doesn’t turn their hearts,

may he turn their ankles…

so you’ll know them by their limping.

When Mac isn’t enjoying the wildflowers decorating her mountain escape, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like Sam and V, the hero and heroine of To Win Her Back, the latest in her Players series from KensingtonBooks

If I Knew Then What I Know Now...by Mackenzie Crowne

As a new year begins, I find myself looking back and, with book 4 in my Players sports romance series releasing this past week, those early days as a published author are heavy on my mind. Releasing a book onto the world market is always exhilarating, but it's hard to explain the range of emotions slamming through you as you wait for that first book to hit the shelves. For me, excitement topped the list, but along with the holy cow thrill came a healthy dose of fear.

Seriously, in the days leading up to my first release, I kept waiting for the email to arrive from my publisher explaining they had made a horrible mistake and would I please tear up that contract I’d signed. Gah! I'd poured my heart into that story and, there I was on release day, shaking in my boots that readers would find the story and those characters I'd come to love lacking or worse – bad!

But, the die had been cast. There was nothing I could do but pull on my big girl panties and take what came. Thankfully, what came was much better than my last minute panic attack had predicted but, even still, I soon discovered I had a lot to learn. About publishing, and writing, and the dreaded P word…promotion. Since then, I have met some awesome authors, like the ladies here at the Roses of Prose, who have been very gracious in sharing their knowledge. Honestly, since joining the ranks as a published author, I have met some of the most kind and generous people imaginable.

With the release of To Win Her Back this week, I saw my twelfth title hit the shelves. You’d think I would know what I’m doing, especially with all the help my author friends have given me, but you’d be wrong. I still have much to learn and, with that in mind, I have a couple questions for all of you, both our readers and my fellow authors.

For our readers:

Question 1 – What is the top element in a romance that makes it a winner in your book?

Question 2 – What is the number one element in a book that makes you throw it at the wall in disgust?

For you authors:

Question 3 – If I knew then what I know now, I would have...

Question 4 – If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have...

And since I’m both a reader and an author, here is how I would answer my own questions.

1: Logic and humor. Yeah, I know that’s two elements but they go hand in hand in my book. I love a romance that pulls at my heartstrings and tickles my funny bone, but if the storyline isn’t logical, I’m throwing the book.

2: See answer 1. LOL

3: I would have jumped into the world of social media a lot sooner. There is so much to learn and gaining an education on a supersonic schedule gives me a headache.

4: I wouldn't have been so timid in my first experience with the professional editing of my work. I know the characters inside and out and had to learn to trust my inner voice when it balks.

When Mac isn’t trying to figure out the newest trend in book promotion, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like those in TO WIN HER BACK, her latest Players series release from KensingtonBooks 

My Favorite Romances are Full of Curves by Mackenzie Crowne

As a reader, I love that moment when I first open a book, having no idea where I’m headed, but anxious to enjoy the ride. Let’s face it, in fiction, the unknown is an irresistible force. If you’re like me, you are full of anticipation as you turn that first page, settling in to discover the unexpected curves in whatever road the author has placed her characters on.

In real life, I can think of a few scenarios where unexpected curves could turn out to be a nightmare. Like all of you, I’ve rounded a few and thankfully, most have sent me on inconsequential detours; side trips on my daily drive that brought small changes to my existence, but eventually dumped me right back onto my familiar, comfortable course.

Like the day I answered the door to find a neighbor holding the cutest little ball of fur and a wagging tail. Explaining the toy Pomeranian was a stray and had wandered into his yard, the neighbor asked if I would keep the itsy bitsy cutie until his “people” were found—because the little guy was terrorizing his poodle. I snorted in disbelief. I’d seen bigger squirrels for crying out loud.

His "people" never did show up (personally, I think they hit the road for Canada the moment the door shut behind him) and I wasn't in the market for a dog, but I’m a sucker for bulging eyes and fluffy tails, and my neighbor knew it. So, I found myself on an unexpected detour with an annoying little yapper who never missed a chance to hump my blind cat, but it didn’t take long for the little demon to become part of the family.   

Then there are the curves that are less detour and more re-route. These curves leave you gripping the steering wheel and wondering if you’ve blown a tire. The most notable re-route for me happened on the day I learned I had become a grandmother—seven months earlier. Yeah, that’s not a typo. I found out about my granddaughter when she was seven months old. What can I say? My son rocks at keeping secrets. Either that or I’d taken a wrong turn and gotten lost in Peyton Place. Seriously, I thought this kind of thing only happened in soap operas… Or romance novels. Boy, was I wrong. But ultimately, the road straightened out and soon I was whipping along on a re-routed path. These days, my fabulous G’girl rides shotgun as we head down the road on our girl trip adventures.

Unfortunately, there are those rare curves that are not only hair raising, but potentially deadly. A stage III breast cancer diagnosis is like having all four tires blow out, in a blizzard, on a sheet of ice, on a hairpin curve, on the top of a mountain beside a five thousand foot drop off. That type of curve doesn’t lead to a detour or even a re-route. It’s a game changer. The game changer curve shoots you into the unknown on two wheels while you cling to the steering wheel with white knuckles. I highly recommend avoiding this type of curve at all cost. Then again, as with many traumatic experiences, travelling the game changer curve strips a soul down to the bare basics, allowing them to see what’s truly important in life without all the distractions that hold us back from achieving true happiness. 

They say life is stranger than fiction and as someone who has spent time in Peyton Place, I wholly agree, but I also understand it’s the curves that give life zest. The same goes for fiction. All good romances contain curves. Some are detours, some are re-routes, but the best stories include a game changer curve as the catalyst to a character’s growth.

I love a good game changer romance, don’t you? My most recent favorite is WRECKED by Sarah Grimm. Seriously intense. I highly recommend it. So, what’s yours? Come on, please share.

When Mac isn’t busy maneuvering her own curves, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like those in her Players series from KensingtonBooks.