Category: A to Z Challenge

O – Shannon O’Connor #atozchallenge

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

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My goal this month was to show the diversity in sports romances. Not just in the characters, but in the sports, too.  Here is my tribute to water sports.

Welcome Shannon O’Connor.

 

1.     What is it about the sport in your romance that inspired you to write about it?
I wanted to write about the city I live in which is Huntington Beach. It’s also called Surf City so I chose the hero to be a professional surfer, so it was kind of a given. Originally, I didn’t set out to make it a Sports Romance–it was always about these two people that meet and how love evolves through challenges. 
 
2.     Is your sports hero based on a real sports figure? If so, who and why?
Not really based on a real person, but I wanted him to be and act as close to a real pro-surfer as I could write him. There is some significance to his last name. It happens to be Slater which is associated with surfing because of the famous Kelly Slater. What many people don’t know is my last name is Slater, so when I started writing him–the name Chad Slater fit him so well, that when I decided to publish the book I had to come up with a pen name for myself, which is my birth name.
 
3.     What kind of research did you do for the sport in your romance?
Already knew a good amount, but I researched which competition boards were most popular with the pros. I also watched and took notes while watching US Open of Surfing and other competitions around the world. I followed the schedules mapped out on the internet so that the surfers in my books had real places they would be flying to. Plus, asked my husband things since he used to surf quite a lot.
 
4.     Best advice for other authors who want to write sports romance?
Really know the sport you want to write. It needs to be something you can relate to or the readers won’t be able to relate along with your writing. Only write it if it feels right. 
 
5.     What sports romance are you working on next?
In the future I will spin off surfers met in The Waves Trilogy. I’m also thinking of co-writing with my author friends someday, if it works out. 

Shannon is giving away an ebook combo pack of her Red Waves-book one & White Waves-book two. Tell her about a water adventure, real or bucket list. 

26802390Readers can follow me on Twitter & Instagram @thewavestrilogy. Website: www.AuthorShannonOConnor.com and FB page is www.facebook.com/AuthorShannonOConnor 

L – Elizabeth Lee

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

Allow me to introduce you to Elizabeth Lee. L

 

1.     What is it about the sport in your romance that inspired you to write about it?  I think there’s something very sexy about a man (or a woman) that uses their bodies and minds to achieve success. Add in the unique settings that sports arenas provide and I think it’s a no-brainer. For the Wild Riders series, in particular, the adrenaline that accompanies the job and the high stakes drew me in.

2.     Is your sports hero based on a real sports figure? If so, who and why?  There are always some elements of real life in my writing. My husband used to race motocross and we are avid fans of today’s riders. I follow a lot of them on social media, along with their spouses, which gave me a small glimpse into their lives off the track. There are a lot of people who contributed to my heroes and heroines.

3.     What kind of research did you do for the sport in your romance? Google is a girl’s best friend! I spent a lot of time watching videos and reading articles about the sport and riders. Nothing beats heading out to the track to watch a race, though!

4.     Best advice for other authors who want to write sports romance? I think you have to really love a sport to write about it, especially when it’s for a series. If you’re going to write about something for an extended amount of time, you should be a fan.

5.     What sports romance are you working on next? I have a lot of irons in the fire at the moment. My next planned release isn’t a sports romance, but there is an element of adventure that I think will satisfy all of the Wild Riders fans.

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Keep up with Elizabeth Lee on her website.

Have a motocross questions, leave it in the comments. I’ll pick a comment at random to win a copy of the Wild Riders Novel set. 

 

J – J. Sterling

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

J. Sterling writes about baseball and characters with emotion and heart.I love this book. J

1.     What is it about the sport in your romance that inspired you to write about it?
Baseball has been in my life for as long as I can remember. I was born and raised on Dodger baseball and I played softball for 12 years. But mostly,  this story is based on some very real things that happened to me, so I kept it real with the sport as well.

2.     Is your sports hero based on a real sports figure? If so, who and why?
There is a very real Jack F’n Carter. I don’t know what to say about him that I haven’t already said before… he’s just…  he’s a loveable screw-up.

3.     What kind of research did you do for the sport in your romance?
I did minimal research since I knew that majority of what I wanted to write about already.  I did reach out to a couple of baseball wives to make sure a couple things that I was writing were accurate (for The Perfect Game, but for The Game Changer especially) and they did not disappoint.

4.     Best advice for other authors who want to write sports romance?
Know what you’re talking about. This goes for anything that you’re referencing- do your research and make it accurate.

5.     What sports romance are you working on next?
I’m not writing a sports romance at the moment-  but Jack & Cassie did have a couple of kids, so…….

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J. is giving away an ecopy of The Perfect Game to start your Jack and Cassie journey. In the comments, name your favorite sports romance. 

Stalk J. Sterling:

H -Humor

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

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I am not sure, but I think I might be funny. I mean, I have a sense of humor and my characters say funny things and I think it comes across on the page. Heck, I might be fooling myself, but you decide.

Excerpt from Anxious Love: 

“Will you step back? My neck’s getting sore looking up at you.”

He stepped back and gave me the sternest look. I couldn’t help it; I laughed. To his credit, he tried to maintain the seriousness the situation called for, but he laughed, too. I marched up three steps on my neighbor’s stoop.

“There.” I placed my hands on my hip. “Now, I can talk to you face-to-face. Freakin’ giant.” That last part, I whispered under my breath.

Ryan smirked and shook his head.

“Come here.”

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000037_00033]

I concentrated on the nature so much that I didn’t hear Leah walked back into the bedroom. She came up behind me, her hand underneath my t-shirt, pushing it up.

“What are you doing?” I looked over my shoulder.

“Trying to get you naked.” She pushed my shirt up and laid small little kisses on my back. They tickled. “Are you going to help me or am I going to have to get a stepladder?”

I laughed as I spun around and grabbed her behind the legs and tossed her over my shoulder.

“Ryan put me down.” She giggled and squirmed as I stalked over to the king-size bed and tossed her down. She blew the hair out of her face and blinked.

“If you want me to take my clothes off, all you had to do was ask, little one.” I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it at her. It covered her eye. She pulled it off her and discarded it on the floor. I reached in my back pocket and fished out a condom and threw on the bed.

“Way to be prepared, big guy,” she said and giggled.

Do you think you are funny? 

G – The Game

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

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I say I’m a sports romance writers, but up until now, I’ve only written about football. That is my GAME. I love it. Every aspect of it, the stories on and off the field. I love the drama, triumph, tragedy, and emotion of it all. It is such a microcosm of our society, but every scandal draws attention because they are in the spotlight.

Football has it bad guys (Rice, Hardy, A. Smith) and its good guys (Aikman, E. Smith, Johnston) – I’m a Cowboy fan if you can’t tell. 

It has its characters and its all about second chances, or third or sometimes four.

In most occupations, there is a separation between work life and personal life, but I think to be a good professional athlete, to be a good football player, the game has to be your life.

I think that’s why I write about these complex characters because to be good, the game has to be their life, but if something is above the game, it’s love.

Love will throw anyone off their game.

Excerpt from Anxious Love: 

I wasn’t sure how she did it; she didn’t offer advice, she listened and asked questions and I didn’t feel weird about telling her my insecurities.

“Nothing is going to make him feel good about you taking his job.” Her little face scrunched up as she thought about how to help me.

My bad mood was gone. The killer blowjob helped, but what sealed it was lying in bed next to this beautiful woman. She might be cute and little, but she was wise and she understood me.

“Yeah, I could learn right tackle if I have to, but I am always looking at what’s best for the team. In three practices, it’s a little disillusioning to find out not everyone feels the same.”

“It’s weird when you all of sudden discover the world is different than you would like it to be.”

I smirked.

See what I mean about wise.

What is your favorite GAME and why?