Overcoming Writing Obstacles – A Guest Post from Susan Zoe Bella (@AuthorSusanZoe @goddessfish) #giveaway

Overcoming Writing Obstacles

One of the things I struggle with is starting a new book and creating new characters. When I decided to write High Point, I had the concept in mind but every time I wrote the book, it didn’t give me the feeling I look for when I write. I scrapped it at least three times. Finally, I had a copy I “thought” I was happy with, so I sent it to InD’tale Magazine for review. They gave it a solid four-star review.

I really felt it was a five-star story, so I studied the review and noticed they put a few trigger warnings in. Being that this novel is fact-based, there were some delicate issues woven into the story such as the mention of suicide and the mention of abortion. Sooo…I started it over…again. I was determined to write this book. I felt passionate about the story and the characters. I changed the character names for the final redo and tackled it again. I changed the suicide aspect completely to something that made the character more solid. The suicide topic was fictional in the first place, and it made the hero look perhaps not as strong as he really is. I deleted the abortion subject altogether. There is a soft mention of child abuse because it does explain Mia’s PTSD, and anxiety disorder, and is needed to show the motivational factors between all the main characters. The challenge was balancing a heavy topic with humor, tender romance, and adventure to make the story what I wanted it to be…overall enjoyable. Another obstacle I faced was keeping the fact-based characters so fictional that even if the real Mackie read it, she wouldn’t recognize herself. I’ve always woven reality into fiction in my books, as reality does inspire great stories. But this one is very close to my heart, so I had to employ an extra deft touch to pull it off. There were times when I set the book aside and worked on other projects when I hit a wall with High Point. Last fall, I opened the book again and thought, I can do this. I really want to write this story. It took time, patience, and dedication to pull it off. The end result is a heartwarming and at times heart-wrenching story chock full of action, tender romance, humor, real-life situations, and intriguing suspense. I fell in love with the book at last! I kept the mention of child abuse very soft and minimal, just enough to clue the reader into Mia’s past but not enough that it would trigger flashbacks or be disturbing. It’s a delicate subject but I felt it’s needed for the reader to fully understand Mia. She’s a really intriguing character and an incredibly strong protagonist. Jett is serious book-boyfriend material, so the cover model had to be perfect. I chose a Wander model to represent Jett. I didn’t want to use a model that is on hundreds of book covers already. I chose to leave Mia’s face to the reader’s imagination. Most romance readers are female, and as a female romance reader myself, I prefer the heroine be left to my imagination because don’t we all love to envision ourselves in the story with the hero? And the final obstacle I encountered was writing about Motocross. I love the sport but it’s not a popular trope. I went for it anyway. I did my research on top of what I already knew and blended Supercross with Motocross to create very fictional settings and races. The supporting characters are endearing and I’m considering a sequel. But make no mistake, High Point is a standalone read with no cliffhanger. I abhor cliffhangers! And I do love a really awesome happy ending!

*****

Excerpt:

“Cozy,” I said. “Love the sound of rain. Not fond of storms so much, though.”

“I’ll protect you,” he proudly declared.

I giggled. “Like you did in the cave? Will you chase them away with a tiny twig?”

He tackled me to a nearby sofa and tickled me into fits of laughter. His reflexes were incredibly fast. I giggled and coiled against him and pretended I wanted him to stop.

Then he thoroughly kissed me, sweeping his tongue through my mouth. He tasted fresh as always and his kiss was laden with hot desire. I sighed and relaxed against him, relishing his touch, his scent, the sound of his breathing. Nothing else mattered right then except being with him.

His lips eased their way to my neck, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake as they drifted lower—and lower still. I wound my fingers into his soft, thick hair and took hold.

He slid the zipper of my top halfway down with one hand while keeping the fingers of his other laced with mine above my head. He caressed my midriff then inched higher. I curled around him, wanting him, basking in the closeness. He lifted his head, unlocked our fingers, and let his hand glide down the underside of my extended arm while simply gazing at me.

I wanted him so much it scared me.

“I’m falling for you, darlin,” he whispered soft and low. Emotion drenched his voice.

I stared up into his ‘make love to me’ eyes. And in that moment, I knew the truth must be told.

Tears stung my eyes. “We should have that talk now.”

“Now? I want you, baby. I’m on fire here. Can we do it later? Whatever is going on won’t change how I feel about you.”

Wow. He’d made up his mind. Fringe had won him over. There we lay, alone and tangled around each other. He was mine for the taking. Strikingly handsome Jett Castle, dream guy, falling for me.

I wrestled with my conscience. He was ready to take our relationship to the next level. Everything I wanted was right within my grasp.

“It’s the leather,” I refuted. “Your judgment is clouded.”

He smiled with a light scoff. “No, well maybe, but we came close earlier. Here we are back in each other’s arms fighting our feelings for one another again.” He lowered his head and resumed kissing a delectable trail down my neck.

“You’re right,” I said on an airy breath and wrapped myself around him as he lowered his hard body against my soft curves.

“Mia…” he purred out my name in that velvety smooth tone.

No, no, no. Not her. My thoughts scrambled. But it was too late. He was falling for Mia—honest, loyal, kindhearted Mia. He deserved to know who he was dealing with. I’d never forgive myself if I lost him by deception.

I flattened my palms against his chest and gently pushed him back. “We can’t. Not yet. I’m sorry.”

He stared at me with brows knitted in utter disappointment. “Having second thoughts?”

“Absolutely not. I want you more than anything.”

“But?” He tilted his head. “There is a but…right?”

“Kind of. I don’t want you to get blindsided. I don’t know where to begin.”

He sighed and dropped his head on my chest. “Let me guess, Kat?”

“You felt a wall between us. As much as I want this with you right now, I can’t until—” I stopped short when a sudden roar came from outside. “Tornado!” I’d recognize that sound anywhere, anytime.

His head jerked up. Our eyes met as we froze and listened.

*****

BLURB:

It’s only rock and roll but I hate it. Groupies, parties, a cheating ex, and a dark night spawned a wake-up call. I’d shifted my focus to work and avoiding social media. Singing lead for a famous band had become nothing more than a steppingstone to my true dream of racing Pro Motocross. I hadn’t dated in years. Then ‘she’ showed up and everything in me longed to be with her. I was stoked she’d agreed to join me at High Point Raceway for the weekend, even if it meant putting up with Mack. Better still, Mia wasn’t a groupie, not even close. She wasn’t even a fan of our music. If love at first sight had a name, it would be Mia Fringe and I had to make her mine. ~ Jett

I’d seen him in passing over the years. He was the neighbor of my best friend. But we’d never officially been introduced until the night Mackie badgered me into meeting him after attending his band’s concert. I tried not to look awestruck, stunned that someone this gorgeous had been within my scope for years but had not caught my attention. He had success written all over him. Girls like me didn’t end up with guys like him. Recently unemployed, still living on the family farm, and recovering from a nervous breakdown, I was a mess. But Jett saw something in me that nobody else ever had…worth. ~ Mia

Action, drama, and chaos kick off right from the start at High Point Raceway when Mackie has second thoughts about playing matchmaker between Mia and Jett. However, when the week of bliss comes to an end, Mia is heartbroken and confused as to why Jett doesn’t keep his promise. She accepts a job as a reporter three thousand miles away to escape the pain.
Ten years later, Mia and Jett cross paths in the most startling way. She’s about to discover the truth of what really happened so long ago. Will she be able to trust Jett again when he pleads for a second chance? Can love and forgiveness conquer a decade of hurt? It all goes down in the dirt during the last race of the season.

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/3k6n8K

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9XNS82K

Barnes & Noble/Print and eBook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-point-susan-zoe-bella/1143732985?ean=9798223585893

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1417168

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/high-point-1

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/high-point/id6450857036

*****

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

“I am a fan of happily ever after. My novels are too!”

Susan Zoe enjoys creating contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and romantic suspense stories with a gritty flair. Her stories are her own, and she typically writes outside the box. She’s always been a leader not a follower. Writing is her mental filter and how she processes the world around her, a fictional place where she can control the outcome at her comfort level with justice and happy endings. Her imagination is her greatest strength as it carries her away from daily stress.

As a survivor of hardship and chronic disease, she takes one day at a time and treasures the simple things in life. Susan Zoe is a Christian, loves animals, and practices being kind and generous every day. When not immersed in new stories, she enjoys watching movies, Motocross and Supercross, playing Yahtzee with her fiancé, and hanging out with her loyal 24/7 companion and trained service dog. She’s not a fan of sitcoms as they don’t offer enough mental stimulation. Losing herself in an intense story gives her brain the workout it needs to manage OCD, anxiety, depression, and stress.

Her achievements thus far include The Golden Wings Award for her debut novel The Satellite, the UK Nobel Pin and Editor’s Choice Award for her poem The Lonely Man, numerous 5 Star Reviews from Fallen Angels Reviews, Coffee Time Romance, InD’tale Magazine, Goodreads and more for current and retired novels. She was also a RONE Awards Finalist in 2017.

She loves to hear from readers and chat!

In her words, “Writing is the only time I’m truly free.” She’s happiest when her intriguing characters come to life and steal her away into their worlds where anything is possible.

Website: http://www.susanzoebella.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanZoe

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorSusanZoe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsusanzoebella

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusanzoe

*****

GIVEAWAY!

Susan Zoe Bella will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

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