Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
I’d like to welcome Dianne Venetta to the blog today! She is the author of Lust on the Rocks and she is touring with Goddessfish Promotions to spread the word about this latest book! Dianne is giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Make sure that you leave a comment with your email address so that you can be contacted if you win. Also if you want to increase your chances of winning, click HERE and find the list of stops for this tour so that you can leave a comment at all the stops!
Dianne was tasked with answering the question: Do you model characters after real people or are they creations of your mind? Let’s see what she has to say!
My characters are a mix of real, imaginary and fantasy wanna be! Now mind you the “real” portion does not necessarily mean someone I know. It may be a conglomeration of people I know or my character may share attributes with people I know, but in a more general fashion.
Take for instance the heroine in my current release, Samantha Rawlings. I don’t know any woman like her, that’s for sure. She’s definitely one-of-a-kind. But she’s drawn from three individuals I know—three very different individuals I know—which is one reason she’s so much fun to write. She’s crazy! (In a good way.) On the other hand, heroine Dr. Jennifer Hamilton from my first novel, Jennifer’s Garden, represents more generally today’s career professional and the challenges she faces as such when it comes to choosing a partner for marriage.
It’s also true that in every character there is a piece of the author. As a professional woman, I can identify with the themes in each novel, to be sure. They are the issues of my generation, like how does a career woman meet and choose a husband? Over stocks and bonds, or chips and dips? Do money and social status matter or should the compatibility of friendship take center stage?
In Sam’s case, the issue is sexual freedom and society’s viewpoint thereof, as well as the consequences. Today’s independent career woman has more choice when it comes to conducting her sex life, yet she still faces negative labels where a man does not. How come? Is it impossible to believe a woman enjoys sex just for the pleasure of it? Is it impossible to believe that a woman would NOT want a husband and children? Interesting how things change… (Or don’t!)
My third book in this character series deals with a woman’s appearance—both physical and emotional—and her feelings in regard to the same. A tough exterior may prove useful in business, but will it sustain the woman inside? Can she be both tough and confident on the outside, yet soft and insecure on the inside? Men can bluster and power their way through doubt. Can women?
So yes, my characters are modeled after real people and then embellished by my imagination. I write what I call romantic women’s fiction which means we’ll immerse ourselves in the issues, but we’ll also enjoy some romance—and always a HEA. Otherwise, I won’t sleep at night! And a tired author makes for a cranky writer—no fun.
Thanks for allowing me to share today and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Author bio:
Dianne lives in Central Florida with her husband, two children and part-time Yellow Lab–Cody-body! When not whacking away at her keyboard crafting her next novel you’ll find her in their organic garden chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all while drawing wild analogies between kids and plants and men. Definitely men.
A girl’s gotta have fun, right?
When she’s not knee-deep in dirt or romance, Dianne contributes garden advice for various websites and volunteers in her kids’ school garden (a crazy existence to be sure). But at the end of the day, if she can inspire someone to stop and smell the roses–or rosemary!—kiss their child and spouse good-night, be kind to a neighbor and Mother Earth, then she’s done all right.
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http://www.BloominThyme.com – this being my garden blog
She has what he needs, and he won’t stop until he gets it. Trouble is, what begins as a matter of death, becomes a matter of life.
# # #
One case away from partnership, Samantha Rawlings is forced to share her high-profile case with a sexy younger man, whose eyes are on a different prize. In the best interests of her client, Sam opens the door to his strategy. Turns out, a little too far…
Victor Marin has ulterior motives. The defendant in her case holds the key to his revenge, and his last chance for justice. But as he chases old demons, he uncovers a powerful woman with no inhibitions, one he wants to possess for himself. But decidedly single, Sam wants no part.Until Vic walks away.
Excerpt:
“You did well today, Vic. You didn’t win your argument, your performance was a little overpowering, but you did well.” She slid a hand across the table. He would have sworn she was about to touch his, but instead, her fingers curled around the stem of her water glass. “Chavez was out of line. It’s his MO. Whenever there’s a new attorney in his courtroom, he parades power like a peacock. Don’t take it personal.”
No longer sparring, Vic noted her removal of armor.
“You’re good. Really good. You have phenomenal energy in the courtroom—I mean you had the jury.” A smile crept onto her lips, a gesture which reached deep inside him. “I was watching. Each and every one of them followed you around that courtroom, your every move, your every word, they were right there with you. They didn’t believe her either.”
“Then why won’t you include me on Perry?”
Sam’s breath caught in her throat. Trapped beneath his gaze, the question echoed Raul’s. Around her, the noise level rose as lunch hour officially reached full sprint. People shouted orders, metal cash registers clanged in action, but she focused solely on Vic.
Her suspicion returned. Because I don’t need any help. Because I don’t want the distraction. Because I’ll be damned if some unknown hotshot comes in and tries to strip the prize from my hands regardless of how good, or how good-looking he is.
Sam’s spine locked straight. All her life she had to work twice as hard, run twice as fast—because she was a woman. As an adolescent, her parents forced her to share an overload of responsibility for the care of five younger siblings, despite the fact her brother was scarcely a year behind her. In college she was offered more dates than internships with law school providing more of the same.
Sam sighed. Baker, Schofield, Martinez and Brown had been the one interview where she felt wholly respected—wholly appreciated for her talent and not her looks. Because of Raul. He focused on her abilities and she responded. From there, the man taught her everything she knew, from the law to the lowdown, and groomed her into the legal shark she was proud to be.
Her thoughts chilled. Yet now, he was encouraging interference on her caseload from the new guy. It didn’t make sense.
Sam honed in on Vic. “Give me one good reason I should include you on Perry.”
“You said it yourself, I’m good.”
“So am I.”
“It’s a big case. More than one attorney can handle.”
“I have Diego.”
“I have experience.”
“So I hear.” Sam lifted her glass from the table, but never took her eyes off him.
“It could work to your benefit.”
“I work to my benefit.”
Vic eased his neck from his collar and reached for his glass. “I’m offering to help, Sam. Most attorneys would jump at the opportunity.”
“If you hadn’t gathered by now, I’m not most attorneys.”
I’d like to thank Dianne for dropping by today and sharing about her book! Please be certain to leave a comment with your email address if you want to be entered into the giveaway!
Thank you for hosting Dianne today!
I have really enjoyed following your tour. Every time I read something, it brings something new. I didn’t realize that this wasn’t the first in a series. I knew you mentioned a book following this but didn’t know you had one previously.
I like your characterization of your work as “romantic women’s fiction.” I also like that the setting is contemporary with working, professional women. A man in the workplace can be successful, even if he is known as a cad, a rogue, or a playboy. A woman, on the other hand, would not be successful, I believe, if she has a similar reputation. Plus, the terms used to describe her would not be so charming.
I think I asked in a previous post: What’s with the part-time Yellow Lab? Is he a yellow lab only part of the time? OR is he yours only part of the time? OR some other crazy status?
catherinelee100[at]gmail[dot]com
@momjane It’s the second after JENNIFER’S GARDEN and watch for the third this summer! WHISPER PRIVILEGES…
@Catherine LOL re: my part-time pumpkin — Cody-body! He used to be our dog full-time until we realized that he needed more attention. With the kids in school all day and me working, there was no one to play with him. Puppies don’t care much for this arrangement, especially Lab pups (he used to sit by my computer and bark at me non-stop). So when a good friend of ours was looking for a “man-dog,” he agreed to take care of Cody, giving us “custodial” visits any time we like.
So now Cody lives the good life. He goes to work with his “man” every day, ventures out on camping trips and the like, hangs out with his wife’s two pug dogs at night and on the weekends, and spends the summers at their lake house (in the lake!). We have him for long weekends, over Christmas break and sometimes for weeks during the summer. Works out perfect!
Mind you if I couldn’t find a better situation for my baby boy than what he had with us, I wouldn’t have parted with him. We miss him when he’s gone, but sometimes when you love someone (or dog!), you have to do what’s best for THEM and not yourself. It’s been a tough lesson for the kids, but 5 years into it now, they’re beginning to understand. 🙂
That is so heart-warming! I’m sure it must have been tough to make the decision originally but it sounds like it’s win-win-win…for your family, your friend and his family, and best of all–for Cody. We talk about people wearing their hearts on their sleeves but Labs wear their feelings all over their faces and bodies, don’t they? Cody is a lucky pup to have so many folks who love him. Thanks for filling in the details of the story.
You bet! And yes, he’s lucky–but he’s special boy, for sure. 🙂
Great excerpt. Would love to win and read this book. I loved Jennifers Garden and want to check this one out also. Been trying to follow along with the tour as much as possible. I have been busy with kids activities and family stuff.
Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
I think it is very interesting to read about how the author developes her characters. So they seem to be a composite of real and imaginary people. Once you have the personality and physical traits, do you use visual aids to help keep him (and her) in mind while writing? Post pictures of people, famous or otherwise, in front of you to help in your description of them? Recently read where one author will decide on the inspiration then collect pictures of said person with various facial expressions…happy, sad, angry, pensive, tense…whatever. Said it helped paint the word picture of his/her expression in any given situation.
@Chris Bails Life has a way of doing that to us, doesn’t it? Thanks for hanging strong!
@Karen H That’s a great idea for painting the perfect expression. In my case, I’m pretty visual so imagining my characters and their expreesions isn’t difficult. Also, if I were to use pictures of other people, it might distract me from what my characters really look like! Their images are very distinct in my mind. 🙂
I would love to be entered to win the gc! You can never have too many books! Thanks for the opportunity.
@Martha Couldn’t agree with you more! The more books on my TBR and my currently reading list the better. Thank YOU for stopping by!
I can’t help but wonder if any of the real people know that they are part of a character, in your book.
I’m so looking forward to reading ALL of LUST ON THE ROCKS. Going by the excerpt I know I will love it.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Ack! I’m a day behind on the tour! I could have sworn today was the 1st, lol. So I’m a day ahead, err. . . whatever, sheesh.
It’s been hard to be a woman in any era. Either we’ve had to fit into a cookie cutter image or we’ve broken out of that and are struggling to figure out if we are too tough or not tough enough. It’s exhausting! I told my husband that the next time around I wanted to come back with a penis. He laughed and assured me that it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Hahahaha! Well – I guess I’ll probably never know 😉
Can’t wait to read Lust on the Rocks, Dianne! Lovin’ the tour!
Gena Robertson
robertsongena@hotmail.com
@Deb They have NO idea and if they did, I don’t think they’d be too happy being paired with the others. LOL But opposites attract–don’t they?
Should. *grin*
@Mary Thank you!
@Gena LOL Not sure I’d want that thing dangling between my legs, but it’s a thought! 🙂