Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome frist time guest Marina Adiar to the blog today to talk a little about her upcoming Christmas story “Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Marian, can you please share with us a little about yourself?
Hi, Kelly! Thanks for having me today. I will give you the ten-second rundown of myself: I am a screenwriter turned romance novelist who has a thing for burgers, beer, and Jane Austin novels—sometimes simultaneously. My relationship with Eggo waffles boarders on unhealthy and I hate mayonnaise. I am also a mother and a wife and I love reading.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Actually, I wanted to be a teacher, then a Marine biologist, then an FBI agent, then an international business woman ( I had no idea what that even meant but I wanted to be one), then a fashion designer … Then I got into high school I realized that I could be all of those things if I was a storyteller. But since writing never came easy for me—my worst subject in school was English—and Claymation wasn’t a booming industry when I was college, I decided to become a cinematographer…until I realized that that cinematographers couldn’t tell the actors what to say or point out if there was a gaping plot hole in the story. So I turned to screenwriting and eventually found my home as a romance writer. And it is the best job in the world.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
By 9ish my kiddo is out the door and my cats have been properly loved, so I pull out my laptop and get to work. The goal is a solid 5 hours of writing before school lets out. Usually, I get in about two hours before one of my cats decides to take a nap—on my laptop. Which means that I contort my body so I can type around them as not disturb their peaceful slumber. After my daughter gets home I do “other” work related stuff, like social media, blog posts, return emails, etc… I don’t go by hours so much as word count. In order to make my deadlines I have to hammer out at least 10k words a week.
As for the “have to haves”, I am a basket-case when working. I forget, well, everything. So I “have to have” an alarm to remind me when my daughter gets out of school, when she has dance, and she needs to be picked up from a play date. But my biggest “have to have” is my hubby who brings me lunch and reminds me to hydrate.
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most challenging part of writing is making sure all of my plotlines not only matter to the overall story, but work in conjunction with one another while working against my hero and heroine. The most rewarding part is when they all synch up.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My latest book, KISSING UNDER THE MISTLETOE, is about two sworn enemies, who can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other, living in the same small town where neither is willing to move. Regan Martin is a single-mom looking for a fresh start and Gabe DeLuca is a smooth talking vintner who can’t decide what tops his Christmas List: Regan’s sweet ass swishing right out of his town or waltzing toward his bed in nothing but a red bow. The goal was to see how far I could push Gabe and Regan before they were able to let go of their tumultuous past and give in to the chemistry between them, because I knew that if they stopped arguing long enough they would see how perfect they were for one another.
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
I had a babysitter when I was in grammar school who was the only girl in an Italian family of seven. Her brothers were 100% alpha, extremely over protective, and, since they beat the crap out of anyone who looked at her twice, made dating virtually impossible for her. I loved the idea of writing a series about a big, loud Italian family who were always in each other’s business and even though they irritated the hell out of one another, they were fiercely loyal.
Since KISSING UNDER THE MISTLETOE is a holiday story, I wanted the theme of family to be at its heart. But I also knew I wanted to contrast the holiday spirit of giving and forgiveness with an enemy-to-lover story. Who could be a bigger enemy to the oldest brother, Gabe, than someone who screwed with his baby sister? And since his family means everything to him, I paired him with a single mom who would do anything to give her daughter the best life.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
I just received edits back on the second book in the St Helena Vineyard series, which is slated for release on April 16, 2013. SUMMER IN NAPA follows renowned chef, Alexis Collins, who had lived her life right—right guy, right college, right career . . . right up until she finds her husband trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey while trying to play hide the baster with her sous chef. Divorced and humiliated, Lexi moves back home ready to rebuild her life and convert her grandmother’s patisserie into her dream bistro—until she realizes that her new neighbor is none other than her ex-husband’s best friend, Marco DeLuca, and he is interested in sampling more than just her cooking.
This book was so much fun to write because my hero and heroine are not only fighting the need to get naked every time they see each other, they are also fighting against their past. So finding a good reason for Marc to break man-law and fall for—and into bed with—his best-bro’s ex was entertaining.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Oh, I love this question. You already know I swoon for Jane Austen, but I also adore Julie Garwood, Britt Bury, Jill Shalvis, Hannah Jayne, and my absolute favorite, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Aaron Sorkin definitely! I can hear 30 seconds of dialogue and tell you if it is his or not, that is how amazing and unique he is. His dialogue is fast paced, witty, smart, overflowing with subtext and I think some of the best writing on television since M.A.S.H. His scenes have a million things going on in them, yet I never get lost. He is a master weaver and inspired me to find and embrace my own voice, even if it is quirky and different.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
As soon as I finish my edits and the final copy is handed in, I am dying to read the last two books in the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis. I have saved them as my special treat for finishing book #2.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for having me today, Kelly! Oh, and I love to hear from readers, so please don’t hesitate to contact me. I can be found online at:
Website| Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter: @MarinaEAdair
Sounds interesting.
Thanks for the fun post and congrats to Marina on the new release! No really funny stories. Just the dogs chasing the cat up the tree at least a few times 🙂
Thanks, Erin! It was a fun post to write. Our cats run in our Christmas tree every year, but there is no dog to chase them…they just prefer it in the tree,knocking down all the ornaments.
One by one.
Thanks for stopping by!
hi,
i remember one christmas, my first nephew got the movie, “the fox and the hound” for christmas. the words that came out of his mouth, floored his parents and his aunt and uncle. he called the movie “the f**king hound. try to stop laughing over that, i dare you.
thanks for sharing. 😀
Okay,I totally laughed…and then went and told my hubby. That is awesome, Kyla. My daughter said “Kim Possible kicks A$$.” when she was 4 and my grandmother was babysitting. She didn’t laugh (but when she left we all did)
My funniest holiday memory is from when I was 5. My parents sent us to our rooms “for a few minutes” on Christmas Eve, and then literally called us right back out, saying, “Santa was here!”
Now, I don’t know what’s funnier, the idea that not one of my brothers, my sister, nor I knew it was them, or how my two parents could have even moved that fast to be able to fill the whole space around the tree with presents for four kids! We were so amazed at the “magic” of it all… LOL! I guess my parents did a pretty good job that year…
They sounds like awesome parents. What a great memory.
My friend and I were at my house wrapping Christmas gifts and my two cats were playing with the ribbon. They started to chase each other around the house but nobody paid attention to them until the we heard a crack and the tree falling. The tree we just finished decorating. When it hit the floor. here come the two cats running out of it. All we could do was stand there and laugh.
That is awesome! LOL! I bet redecorating it was even more fun the second time. Thanks for stopping by!
16 years ago now it was my husbands and I’s first Christmas together as a married couple and we were setting up the Christmas tree and had to do quite a bit of rearranging to get one to fit into our tiny little living room. All was going well until he decided to move one of a big speaker (you know the big ones that used to sit on the ground before everyone got the ones that hang on the ceiling for surround) into the middle of the floor while I turned around to get more ornaments for the tree. I turned took a step right into the damn speaker and ended up breaking three toes. We ended up at the ER getting my foot checked out and then I spent the entire Christmas season with a black and blue foot that was so swollen it wouldn’t fit into any of my shoes. It made for a very memorable first Christmas!
Oh,that is awful! You poor thing.At least, did the Christmas look good?
Thanks for stopping by.
I don’t have particular funny anecdotes to share, but I can tell you this: the smiles on my kids’ faces when they get up in the morning and find the house fully decorated and a galore of gifts under the tree are simply priceless. They are my fondest holiday memories.!
minaecaro@hotmail.com
That is sweet and I have to agree. We only had a few years before my kid figured out that Santa was not real(she was 4) but the earlier Christmas when she believed were so cute. They are cute now, just in a different way.
Thanks for sharing
This book sounds fabulous!
I can’t rememeber any really funny holiday memories but I do have some great ones that involved a family reunion of sorts and a surprise.
Hi Melanie!
So what was the surprise?
One time I was so sick on christmas I threw on a christmast present I was opening.
Oh, Jennifer! That is awful! was the present ruined?
When my brother and I were young we would build gift cities under the tree. We wanted to touch the packages so badly. We would get his hot wheels and drive them all over the holiday city. My Mom would laugh when the batmobile was delivering gifts in the city.
Hi Ann!
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing
I guess it’s been about 5 years now, but my husband once spray painted a plastic lawn chair in the middle of our front yard on Christmas day. I was mortified! We were having quite a few people over that day & he was afraid we wouldn’t have enough seating. (We’re in South TX and its usually pretty warm at Christmastime, so we sit outside). Anyhow, he pulled a really ugly patio chair out of the back yard & I told him that there was no way I was using that old thing. He thought he’d spruce it up by painting it black. Problem is, he didn’t use the stuff meant for plastic & the paint wound up having a “crackle finish”. The neighbors & our friends and family all had a really good laugh. We still have that ugly chair & when my husband wants to give me a hard time, he suggests putting it on the front porch! 🙂
Hi Michelle!
Okay, your hubby sounds like an awesome guy. At least the paint didn’t stay wet and paint the back of a guest! Thanks for sharing
oh my parents took all 3 kids riding around looking at Christmas lights Christmas Eve – came home – SANTA had come!! YEARS later – they admitted they had friends come over & set up. It was wonderful idea & I cherish to this day!
P
Awesome story Pam!
We initially put the presents we received under the tree, but asked our parents if we could open one; we ended up opening a couple a day until we ended up with no presents under the tree on Christmas Day.