I want to share some of what went into crafting the romance between Draw and Dottie, but be aware there are massive spoilers ahead if you haven’t read Landsome Roads & Ruins!
When I set out to write this series, I wanted to write a cozy fantasy romance with unique worldbuilding, love that felt realistic, and a story your imagination could run away with.
I knew writing believable, effective romance would be hard—how many books have I read where the love interest seemed forced? Dottie and Draw needed to feel attracted to each other, even when they were at odds. And, oh yeah, there should be a good dose of longing.
When Dottie first meets Draw, she’s surprised by how good looking he is—it doesn’t match the lackluster description she got about him in the book. Still, Dottie’s fixated on the heartthrob of the series, Ironclaw, and is under the impression Draw likes men only anyway.
Dottie has no one in Landsome to confide in, so when Dottie and Draw keep getting thrown together, she begins to trust him. For me, a good love interest has to be smart and I love a bit of arrogance when it’s well deserved by the character. The more Dottie learns about Draw, the more she considers him to be a friend. The more Draw learns about Dottie, the more insatiable he becomes.
I read a lot of romance-infused science fiction and fantasy as well as the occasional contemporary romance. You know I love Jamie and Claire in Outlander, and I think the romance between Persephone and Hades in the retelling Lore Olympus is supreme. I would 100% rather an author commit to a bit, like in Bride, than let the big idea flop. Finally, I’m a sucker for all versions of forced proximity. If they’re not in love yet, by golly, they will be by the end!
Just as much as the books I love, my romance writing philosophy is informed by books where things felt flat for me.
If there’s one thing I hate in contemporary romance, it’s a too-quick escalation. There should be longing!!! A beat when the characters are in doubt about how the other feels about them. A moment when we see their desire build. I find it inauthentic when there’s an instant attraction when they don’t even know each other or sexual tension before characters can trust each other.
I’ve purposely written a few unhealthy relationships in my science fiction novels, but
because Landsome is cozy and romantic, I knew I wanted Dottie and Draw to be kind and curious as they learned to love each other.
For Dottie, it was important they kiss for the first time amid her confusion about being a real person in her favorite fictional world. The kiss feels real…so, how fictional can Landsome be? I wanted to watch her wrestle with what she wants and believes before deciding.
And that’s all before she learns Draw is the next character on the television show’s chopping block.
The intimate scenes in this series were much more detailed than anything I’ve written so far. That felt right for Landsome, and I had to give careful thought to the kind of language and tone I’d use to bring color to the romance scenes. I will say, the more books I write, the more I come to separate the words on the page with “being perceived” and this was no different. I hardly bat an eye anymore when someone in my life tells me they read one of my books.
My final goal was to give Dottie and Draw the kind of staying power every young lover hopes for, whether or not the evil author will allow them to enjoy it.
If you’re with me this far, you know the cliffhanger at the end of Landsome Ruins separates Dottie and Draw. I’m eager to get you caught up when Landsome Roses launches on September 15 with Dottie and Queen Elthra’s wayward plan to rescue the men they love.
