Guest blog: Grace Burrowes

Hello everyone! Today I have a special surprise for you, as bestselling romance author Grace Burrowes kindly agreed to write a guest blog especially for us! And more importantly, she also had a surprise for one lucky commenter!

This is what Grace tells us about becoming an author:

The only person surprised when I became a published author was myself.

I’ve always enjoyed writing, enjoyed the feel of a pen in my hand or a keyboard beneath my fingers. I’ve enjoyed Once-Upon-Time-ing, and What-If-ing, and I’ve read voraciously.

I cannot recall when that impulse—to write down stories—shifted to a pursuit of publication. I had more than twenty completed manuscripts before I went to my first conference, and I’d heard more times than I can count, “When are you going to get those stories published?”

That never mattered to me as much as creating the stories. The impulse to make up stories probably came from two places. First, I needed an outlet for creative self-expression, and second, I needed a happy place.

Many of us ping from work responsibilities, to home responsibilities, to relationship responsibilities. Our day is filled with lists, obligations and deadlines. We lack someplace that isn’t work or home, where we’re accepted and affirmed for who we are.

The astute and the lucky build these places into their lives—the darts team, the church committee, the reading group, the gym. Many venues have the potential to become places of renewal, safety and honesty. The trouble is, you have to make time for those places in your life, you have to physically get to them, you have to be able to afford admission.

As a single mom running her own law practice, I could get to books. I could save them up for the last few minutes of a long, long day, and treat myself to an imaginary world where love conquered all, and courage of the heart was rewarded with a happier, more meaningful life.

I like that imaginary world, and believe it has a relevance to this other world, where bills must be paid and deadlines met. Writing is a way to hang out in that good place, and to champion its values in my life  

In my books, my identity and values are affirmed, and I get to express myself pretty much however I please to.

The difficulty is that many aspects of publication can kill the joy of writing—get-the-author reviews, contract wrangles, constant pressure to promote, and market uncertainties among them.

 

When those undertoads come hopping by, I remind myself that I love to write, and regardless of the vagaries of publication, I get to keep that love. That publication allows me to share it with readers, and maybe make a few minutes of their day more enjoyable, is so much butter cream icing on the dark chocolate cupcake.

 

And Grace also likes to ask you:

 

What do you love so much, you’ll pursue it without any thought of reward? In what places do you feel accepted and affirmed?

 And she promises:

To one commenter, I’ll send a signed copy of “Lady Eve’s Indiscretion,” a tale about a two people whose love and courage did indeed, lead them to a happily ever after.

So please, leave as many comments as you like - the prize is worth it! And don't forget to leave your name + email addy, so Grace can contact you.