Today I’d like to welcome author Diane Alberts with her new contemporary romance release Play Me. Welcome, Diane!
Thank you so much for having me here today to talk about Play Me!
Give us an elevator pitch for your book, Play Me.
It’s about a woman who’s scared to fall in love, and the childhood friend who refuses to give up on her, no matter what she throws at him.
Where did the inspiration for Play Me come from, and how much research did you need to do during the writing of your sports romance?
Ironically enough, the idea came from a Twitter conversation! I tweeted that I was spending Valentine’s Day on the bleachers of a middle school basketball game for my teen, and a friend said there had to be a romance book in that somewhere. Next thing I knew? I had Garrett and Kiersten in my head.
What do you think are the characteristics of a good hero in a romance?
He has to be strong, stubborn, and willing to admit he’s wrong. And, above all, once he meets the heroine, no other woman can exist in his eyes. It’s all about her, even if he’d previously been playboy of the worst sort.
Describe the sights, sounds and scents we might experience if we were to visit Garrett Kelly during a normal day.
He’d smell like cologne, and he’d more than likely have red pen on his hands from correcting papers. He’d be twitchy toward the end of the day, because it would be time to go play ball. And, above all, he’d shoot you the brightest, hottest smile you’d ever seen.
Play Me is a friends-to-lovers story. What is your favorite plot type to write and why?
I love when the hero falls in love with his best friend’s sister (which is also in the book). It will always be my favorite trope to read and write. I love waiting to see how the brother reacts, and what happens after the truth comes out.
Is there any part of the writing process that you find particularly challenging and why?
The beginning of a book is always the slowest for me. You have to lay the groundwork for why they are the way they are, and it takes a lot of time and concentration. It also says how they will react to everything you throw at them throughout the whole book.
Describe your writing area to us. Is there any one thing you must have before you start writing each day?
I have my desk set up in the dining room, and it has some of my books in the one corner. On the other, I have a small Thor action figure (My hubby got it for me, because I love Thor) and an Eiffel tower light. I put my coffee on a candle warmer, and then the words all flow.
What project(s) are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on a few more contemporary romance books for Entangled Publishing, and a New Adult book as well, written under Jen McLaughlin.
And now, here’s a question from Diane for you – So, tell me! What is your favorite quality in a hero?
CONTEST – Diane is giving away an e-book – Winner’s choice of a pdf of Try Me (Take a Chance #1) or Love Me (Take a Chance #2). To enter the draw answer Diane’s question above or ask her one of your own in the comments section.
Play Me
Take a Chance Book 3
Diane Alberts
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Date of Publication: July 29, 2013
ISBN: 9781622661923
ASIN: B00DTDH8X2
Number of pages: 120
Cover design by L.J.Anderson
Book Description:
Even the best-laid plans can go awry.
Single-mom Kiersten Worth knows a bottle of champagne and night of hot, no-strings-attached sex is the perfect solution to her jilted bride blues…and Garrett Kelly, long-time friend and her teenaged son’s sexy basketball coach, is just the stud for the job.
Garrett wants more from the elusive temptress than a casual affair, but he never expects it to come in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. When he proposes an unorthodox solution—move in and raise their baby together—Kiersten has to decide whether to let down her guard and open her heart to the man who secretly loved her for years, or risk losing his tender embrace for good.
Books in the Take a Chance Series:
Try Me: Take a Chance Book 1
Love Me: Take a Chance Book 2
Play Me: Take a Chance Book 3
About the Author:
Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.
She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. She has, as of this date, four books with Entangled Publishing, one book with Swoon Romance, and five older books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. Her Swoon Romance novella, CAPTIVATED BY YOU, hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name.
She also writes New Adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.
Website: www.dianealberts.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5081315.Diane_Alberts
My favorite quality in a hero is loyalty. In a lot of books I’ve read recently, the hero is sorely lacking this particular quality. I think it’s important that the people in his life know that he’s not going to turn on them.
Congrats on the new release. Play Me sounds fantastic. Can’t wait to read it.
Woot, Diane! Congrats on the newest release! I think one of my favorite hero qualities is compassion/kindness. It doesn’t have to be that he’s an utter sap, but I love it when a hero demonstrates this in conjunction with a strong sense of justice and treats people well. A good sense of humility and a sense of humor don’t hurt either ;)
Thanks for the peek at your story and series today!
Welcome, Diane. I like a hero with a sense of humor and a firm butt ;)
I agree, but I don’t want him to be judgmental about my lack of a firm butt either ;)
LOL – that’s true. But it’s a good thing for women to have rounded backsides. We store fat there for lean times. True fact! :)
My favorite quality in a hero is someone who puts his woman first. And big, beefy arms don’t hurt! LOL
Congratulations to Diane on her new release. I guess what I need the most in the hero is something that Diane touched on in her post – faithfulness. Once he meets the girl – he should have no eyes for anyone else and he should be totally honest with her and be willing to listen to what she has to say. Thanks for the giveaway – Play me sounds good!
It’s hard to pick just one quality for a hero, but I like heroes who will stick it out through thick and thin.
I admire perseverance. :)
Congrats on your release, Diane!
Great cover, and congrats Diane on your new book:)
Excellent interview. Sounds like a great read.
I like a hero who isn’t perfect but changes over the course of a book–the alpha male who has hidden beta qualities.
Love the cover for Play Me. Sounds like a great read.
Congratulations Diane on the new release!
Sounds exciting!
Thanks Shelly!