Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Guest Post: Marie Force "Where Do These People Come From?" and a Giveaway!

Where Do These People Come From?

I ask myself that question all the time: where do the people who populate my books come from? Honestly, I have nooooooo idea. I never consciously remember “thinking them up.” When writing a book, I usually start with the story. In the case of Everyone Loves a Hero, the idea came from an encounter I witnessed in Washington’s Reagan National Airport. A pretty blonde woman ran into the arms of an arriving pilot. The story, the setting and the characters came from there.

Some of Cole’s story comes from my life. My husband is from Cole’s hometown—Lafayette, Indiana. His siblings and Cole’s are graduates of Purdue University. Cole is a graduate of my dad’s alma mater, Embry Riddle University in Florida. Cole’s mother, like mine, died from pancreatic cancer. He spent 10 years in the Navy. My husband is retired from the Navy.

Olivia, on the other hand, was someone quite “new” to me. She’s an artist, her mother is an agoraphobic with a shopping obsession, she’s still in college at 27 and is working at the airport to put herself through school a class at a time. I don’t have much in common with her, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t relate to her journey.

I loved writing Cole and Olivia’s story—a man of the world meets a woman who lives a smallish life and expands her geographical horizons while she expands his emotional horizons. Before Cole, Olivia has never even been on an airplane. Until he meets Olivia, Cole can’t imagine himself married or settled, but once she’s in his life he can’t imagine living without her.

Here’s some more about Everyone Loves a Hero:
Hero pilot Cole Langston is learning to live with—and enjoy—his newfound fame and the rabid female attention that comes with it until a lucky punch knocks some sense into him and opens his eyes to true love.

When his copilot suffers a heart attack in flight, Cole lands the jetliner in a blizzard and revives the stricken captain. Catapulted to national hero status, Cole has more women vying for his attention than he knows what to do with. They all have one thing in common: they try without success to bring this happy-go-lucky pilot down to earth. Then comes an airport altercation, a punch to the face, and the lovely Olivia—a shy, timid artist who does what no other woman has ever managed to do: steal Cole’s well-protected heart. With women coming on to him everywhere they go, Olivia struggles to believe that Cole is ready for a committed relationship. His biggest problem is getting rid of all his extra ladies before the only one he wants figures out that she’s one of many.
Tell me what you think of characters who come from totally different places in life. Do you think their differences make their romance more interesting?

EVERYONE LOVES A HERO BY MARIE FORCE – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2011



Fame has its perks…

Reluctantly famous, First Officer Cole Langston finds being in the spotlight has its advantages—until he meets Olivia. Having women throw themselves at him everywhere he goes becomes a serious problem when he's trying to convince her she's the one…


And its price…

Olivia has trouble trusting a guy like Cole, and everywhere she turns she sees reasons to run. But he's the only man who's ever seemed to understand her as an artist and as a woman…


Cole is working overtime to prove to Olivia that he's serious, but her deep seated mistrust and his entourage of unwelcomed fans may be more than they can overcome…

Thanks again for having me! Look forward to chatting today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR




Marie Force is the author of Line of Scrimmage, Love at First Flight, Fatal Affair and Fatal Justice, as well as True North and The Fall (available as eBooks through Amazon.com). She is a member of RWA’s New England, From the Heart and Published Authors Special Interest Chapters. Marie lives in Rhode Island with her family and their feisty dog named Brandy. To find out more information about Marie’s upcoming releases, please visit http://www.mariesullivanforce.com/.

GIVEAWAY
Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway for two copies of Everyone Loves a Hero!!

USA and Canada Only!

MANDATORY ENTRY
Answer Marie's Question and leave your email: Tell me what you think of characters who come from totally different places in life. Do you think their differences make their romance more interesting?



Contest ends on February 22nd.  Winners have 48 hours to respond to email to claim prize or a new winner will be selected by randomizer.org.  All prizes shipped direct from sponsor.


28 comments:

  1. First of all, let me say that all of the terrific reviews and feedback that I have read about "Everyone Loves a Hero" made me add it to my wish list! I think that we are all the sum total of our heredity, our genetics, and our life experiences. In many relationships, one person is more "external", and the other person is more "internal". It's very interesting and rewarding for a romance reader when opposites meet their match and sparks fly! Red is a color representing fire, heat, and passion. Blue represents coolness, serenity, and the sky above. Combine the two, and you have Purple, my favorite color. Purple is potent, powerful, pleasing, and has great depth. What a wonderful relationship between Red and Blue : )

    US Resident, GFC Follower, Subscriber

    gcwhiskas at aol dot com

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  2. Very interesting analysis, Virginia!!

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  3. Hey Marie! I love that Cole is a combination of people you love. I can't wait to get my hands on Everyone Loves a Hero. Everyone's been saying great things!
    I like characters that come from totally different backgrounds. In many cases opposites do attract. I think sometimes they just balance each other!
    cscott4_25@yahoo.com

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  4. I agree with Virgina...opposites do attract. Although, it is good to have some things in common, couples who are too similar do not get along either. Your partner should compliment you. And it would be boring if both people in the couple are too alike. You want sparks in a romance!


    me.vanbeekum@yahoo.com

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  5. I really enjoy reading about couples who are opposites (doesn't have to be polar opps, just different enough) because reading for me is a way to 'live a different life' and doing so via varying characters is a fun way to do it.

    I WANT to read this book! Cole sounds yummy. ;)

    jenma76 at hotmail dot com

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  6. Hi Marie,

    I loved Line of Scrimmage and can't wait to read about Cole.

    I like reading about characters who come from different backgrounds. Otherwise I think it would be boring if they didn't have some challenges.

    Leah

    leah2010 {AT} ymail [dot] com

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  7. While opposites do attract, it is better when both are at the same place in life.

    littleone AT shaw DOT ca

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  8. I believe that romance characters in a book need to have different backgrounds and personalities in order to make the book more interesting for the readers.

    I wanna win - lindab 142 {at} gmail dot com

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  9. In answer to the question, yes, I think that characters that come from completely different places make for a more interesting romantic relationship. This is true in fiction as well as in real life.

    monagarg@yahoo.com

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  10. Lots of great comments today! Thank you all! Day job is BUSY! Sorry I couldn't be here more! :-)

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  11. I do think it makes it more interesting when the characters come from different circumstances and different places in their lives, but it's important that these differences complement each other. They still need a common ground in order for the relationship to survive.

    GFC follower

    janie1215 AT excite DOT com

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  12. I think it Makes for a better book if the characters come from different places or have unusual personalities or quirks. It would be pretty boring reading if everyone was from the same cookie cutter! Thanks for sharing today!

    evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com

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  13. i think that it definitely makes for a better book because it gives the character a little more character.

    katie_tp@yahoo(dot)com

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  14. Different backgrounds and personalities add a zing in books and in real life, too. Of course, there has to be some common ground for a relationship to last.

    This book sounds wonderful!
    castings at mindspring dot com

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  15. I think it is definitely more interesting when the characters come from very different places in life. They have to overcome some real differences since chances are good that they approach and see things very differently. Also, when people come from tough childhoods they are not going to always behave in ways that make sense even when you think they have overcome their beginnings.
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

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  16. I'm sure a man of the world is more appealing because of the unknown. A small town gal would dream of far away places etc and this person would have lived her dream. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway

    dianad8008 AT gmail DOT com

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  17. Hi! I would really love to read this book because Cole sounds intriguing to me. Yes, I think that characters that come from different places makes a book interesting to read. You learn more about each character and in a sense find out why each one are in the one location at the moment.

    The main character's differences makes the romance more challenging and rewarding at the same time. It adds to the book more action and intrigue as well. :)

    aliasgirl1976@yahoo.com

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  18. Yes! It is interesting because they have to overcome those differences and it depends the relationship.

    taffy(dot)lovell@gmail.com

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  19. I do really enjoy it because it makes me realize that our backgrounds do not rule us. They set our context but being exposed to those who are different and VERY different changes our context and make us grow. I love to see that happen in a book.
    lisasworldofbooks@charter.net

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  20. Opposites attract, but people whose values are too different sometimes can't make it in the long run. With that said, I've known people, who are very different and had long loving relationships.
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  21. US Resident, GFC follower, Subscriber

    I think that difference can add spice to your love. I don't think love is ever easy, and without its own complications, however, the reward far outweighs everything else. Someone you can connect with and still have that spice with is obviously what its all worth, no?

    You have to be understanding of your differences and willing to compromise. If you're willing to work at it, then it will work.

    At least I think so.

    Thanks for this great giveaway! I can't wait to read it!

    Hana Kabashi
    midnightoil84atyahoodotcom

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  22. I think it's the differences that make relationships and stories interesting!

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

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  23. I think that when people come from to different places it does make it more interesting. If they were the same then there would be no challenge for them to be together. Plus it's always fun to read about a couple who is feisty sometimes or they try to restrain from being together. Thanks for the giveaway! I can't wait to read this book weather I win or not! m.ramey@ymail.com

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  24. I do agree that opposites do attract but if they have nothing in common it can be fatal. Google friend connect follower - Erin COok
    cookster77@aol.com

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  25. Yes, I think it livens things between people.

    edgenemmers@gmail.com

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  26. Yup, I think it adds more spice!
    diane Baum
    esldiane@gmail.com

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  27. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

    Yes, I think it's interesting because there's more obstacles and differences that need to be overcomed before we can get a happily ever after! :)


    Email: yiliang0124[at]hotmail.com

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  28. I think some differences are needed in a relationship. How do you learn about life if both in a relationship eat, drink, talk, same friends, same hobbies, everything alike!


    lknott@partnercom.net

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