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By Pru Warren

My lovely editor (Matrice Hussey; if you’re an indie author, take note. She is, in the vernacular, the bomb. Or, even more vernacular, she is da bomb.) (Where was I?)

Right.

My lovely editor Matrice said to me “You’ve had a lot of people either be very wealthy or get very wealthy in your books of late. Is that deliberate, Pru Warren author of delightful rom-coms?”

(That’s how she talks. It’s not at all about trying to stuff this with keywords that might attract attention, nope, not at all. Nu-uh.)

Is the presence of money deliberate? Yes, it sure is!

Authors like to pretend we can read the room; anticipate the kinds of books that potential readers will want to fall into. (This is foolishness on our part; no one can predict what a reader will or won’t cotton to. Still resisting their programming, bless their little reader hearts.)

And I was thinking—man, the world is in political and medical upheaval, and there are lots of people who are eyeing their bank balances with concern. These are hardly the “boom days” unless you own a pandemic-friendly service (like all those boxes and trucks with smiles on them in every neighborhood like the grinning overlord before the ax falls). (Too apocalyptic? From the one organization that really does seem to know what readers will want to read next?!)

So what would people like in their escapist fiction? How about the presence or at least the promise of money along with the security and toe-wriggling delight of love? Sure—why did Busby Berkley musicals become such a hit during the Great Depression? Because people long for what they don’t have.

So, yeah. Money. Let’s have normal people find love and financial security! When you slip into that bath at the end of a long day, you don’t want lukewarm water; you want the hot water that will bake into your bones and make you purr. Love and money—what’s not to like?!

So yes, Matrice—it is deliberate! Let’s slip into something tasty!

Pru Warren is the author of the new book Ellyn & the Would-Be Gigolo (The Ampersand Series Book 3)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Final Strike?

I wrote Final Strike for Julie. Throughout the series, Julie was dealing with an angry father, a jerky ex, and poor self-esteem. I felt her pain as she tried to break free from all the expectations and limitations that weighed her down. It was her time to own her life and enjoy the good things. She deserves to have her story out there.

What's your favorite scene from your new release, Final Strike?

My absolute favorite scene is when we see the story from Julie’s son Cody’s point of view. I wrote it for myself. I wanted to see the kidnapping from his point of view. I wanted to understand the fear and confusion that he must have felt.

As a parent, it was hard putting myself in that position. But I’m glad I took the chance and I’m glad my editor convinced me to put in the story. Cody gives us a glimpse into the other side of abduction.

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram runs a small-town police force. She dreams of small-town problems like a town drunk or a mystery of the missing pencil. You know, something Andy Griffith style. Instead, she’s got pesky raccoons, bar fights and serial killers. All she wants is to stake out the local donut shop while the town runs on autopilot, but she’s too busy dealing with real problems. With every wacky development, Sunshine finds herself craving chardonnay. And with hunky Levi in the mix, who can blame her?

What romantic couple from literature makes you swoon? Which one is over-hyped?

Favorite couple: Simon and Caroline from Wallbanger by Alice Clayton.

Nummy. Just nummy. The flirting is hot. The couple is hot. Oh, heck, it’s all just hot. Caroline is sweet but feisty. Simon is a man-whore. Watching them go from enemies to friends to lovers is not only fraught with sexual tension, it’s laugh-out-loud fun.

Over-hyped: I can’t think of one. I love love. So, any couple that embodies that strong connection is going to have me swooning.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love to read Contemporary Romance. I love the romance of it all. The fun storylines and getting immersed in the lives of everyday people.

Now writing is a different story. I have written contemporary, but I find suspense novels are much more fun to write. The intrigue and the danger gets me every time.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? Where did you write Final Strike?

I have tried to come up with “lucky” writing habits so I could get in the zone when I’m blocked. But so far, I have no control over the writing bug. When I get hit with creativity, I have to write. When I’m blocked, I work on my first draft hoping to polish it up when I’m more creative.

I generally do most of my writing in the family room, right now, as my office is being remodeled. The remodel is a labor of love, and hopefully I’ll be able to complete it before my next book comes out.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Just write. Even if the words on the page are ridiculous and you end up changing them all. Keep writing. Even if you won’t be able to use any of it. Write. Just getting words to flow will help loosen the creativity. And even in the most awful brain-dump of garbled words, you can often find a nugget. Sometimes it’s a new novel idea or a new direction for the current novel. But putting words to paper gives you a starting point.

Vanessa M. Knight is the author of the new book Final Strike

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