Good morning. It’s Meet and Greet Monday! 

With us today is Romance Author, Kathleen Bosman.

Welcome, Kathleen!

 

1. Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions for 2014?
   I’m not that great on New Year’s Resolutions. I prefer to dream about my future and what I would like to achieve for the year.

2. What goals have you set for your writing career in 2014 that you’re determined to meet?
   I have two series books to finish. Dragonfly Moments is the first book of The Creators series. The second is coming out in 2014, and I’m working on the third. I’m also working on the third of The Wedding Girls series of which I have Book 1 and 2 out with Astraea Press. Besides that, I also write some spicier books under another name. I want to write another book under my other name. I have a busy year ahead. My biggest goal is to garner a good portion of devoted fans.

3. Tell us, what’s the first thought that comes to your head when you read the following words –
   Romance …The most fun thing to write about and hubby!
   Thor …God of Thunder
   Shifters …Wolves
   Dean Winchester …To be honest, I didn’t know who he was until I saw this. I googled some pics and he’s delish.
   Duck Dynasty …Um, another unknown for this ignorant South African but they do look rather crazy.

4. Tell us about your “big break” in the publishing world. Was there any one person to believe in your work first (besides yourself of course)? What did you do to celebrate your first contract?
   Stephanie Taylor, owner of Astraea Press, took me under her wing and showed me where I was going wrong in my first contemporary novel. Even though that novel never got published, I learned so much from working with her. The next book I wrote became my debut novel. If Stephanie hadn’t believed in my potential and been willing to work with me and published my first novel, I don’t know where I would be.

   I actually didn’t do anything to celebrate except tell my hubby and writer friends.

5. Did you always want to be an author?
   I dreamed of it as a kid but then forgot about my dream. It was simmering inside, waiting to come out at the right time.

6. Tell us one of your favorite things about the area / city you live in?
   Wherever you are in the town where I live, you can see the mountains.

7. What is your favorite junk food?
   Dark chocolate.

8. What is your favorite meal that you wish you could eat at least three times a week?
   Roast chicken, roast potatoes, gravy and veges.

9. What do you like to do for fun and relax?
   To be honest, writing is often my relaxation as it’s not my day job. I love reading romance novels and enjoy knitting, watching movies, and spending time with my family.

10. What are you a collector of?
    Shoes, ribbons, buttons and many pictures on Pinterest.

11. What is your favorite TV Show?
    Rookie Blue
    *** hugs Kathleen. Mine too!!! ***

12. Have you read any books that have made you cry?
    Too many to count. I’m a real baby.

13. No matter the story, where do you always draw inspiration from when you begin each story?
    I usually start my story from what my main character does for a living – what they are passionate about and what drives them.

14. What three words do you think best describe you?
    Sensitive
    Introvert
    Passionate

15. If you were given an all-expense paid, five day/night trip to anywhere, where would you go?
    The Mediterranean area – France, Greece, Spain, etc.

16. What is your one pet peeve about the writing business?
    I do struggle a little with promo. I always question whether what I do has any impact.

17. Who/What are you currently reading?
    I’m currently reading “Waking up in Vegas” by Romy Sommer, one of my writing mentors.

18. What do you find most challenging about writing?
    Coming up with a book idea that sticks and getting through the first content edit.

 ~~~

Writing Real People

Writers don’t write about real people. We write fiction and fantasy and as a reader, I enjoy being transported into an alternate universe or made to feel a love that touches me and takes me on an adventure. Isn’t that what fiction is all about?

It is but can the fantasy ideal be taken a little too far?

I think one of the things I struggle with the most is making believable characters who are likeable. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately. Several romances I’ve read have billionaire heroes who are stinking rich and have it made. Most of them have heroes who would take any woman’s breath away – washboard abs, broad shoulders, sexy haircut and eyes and not a single bump or piece of flesh out of place. As much as I love the other parts of these love stories, I always question how realistic it is that the hero has to be perfect. I appreciate that he’s given emotional flaws or something that gets in the way of love. That’s what a romance is about. But I have to admit I’m a little tired of models, millionaires or celebrity-type guys. What percentage of the population are like them? Very few. How many women fall in love with the ordinary guy next door type? Billions. Do they find true love with them? Yes.

True love, in my opinion, is the melding of two people who love one another unconditionally and passionately. They love the other person’s “perfect flaws.” My hubby is a super-perfectionist. When he does a task, he spends a long time and much energy on it because it has to be perfect. He often expects that of others, too. At times, I hate to see him bashing himself over the head for not doing a perfect job. I hate that he takes so long. But hey, that’s his “perfect flaw.” That’s what makes him who he is. It’s part of him and I love him for it.

When I write, I create characters with flaws and sometimes glaring ones. Some of my characters aren’t model material. They are ordinary people who need love and find it. Some of their flaws make it hard for them to commit to that love. That’s the beauty of writing romance – my characters grow and become better people. Isn’t that what love does?

I adore reading about real characters in fiction – people who are ordinary – people who I can identify with. I think sometimes my books don’t appeal to those who are looking for super-efficient, super-capable, totally happy in their own skin characters. I’m not going to give something that’s not real. I want to write about real people and I don’t think I’ll ever stop.

Dragonfly Moments

Seven years earlier, a young and serious Tessa Calitz wrote a letter to free spirit Ryan le Roux promising her undying love. As time passed she forgot about that letter…but Ryan did not.

When he walks back into her life, Tessa is in a relationship and busy setting up her art gallery in Johannesburg. She has plans to start a family, and the arrival of Ryan throws her for a spin. He is the worst thing that could happen to her dream of stability…or is he?

When everything she clung to starts to crumble, Ryan is right beside her to inspire her to greater things. But her compulsion for having marriage and children on her terms alone pushes Ryan away–until she falls in love with an orphaned baby.

What can Ryan do to make Tessa realize that being with him is what her heart has longed for all along?

Get your copies …
Decadent Publishing
Amazon US

Visit Kathleen via…
Website and blog
Facebook author page
Twitter

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~