Is Any of This Real?

My name is Tilly Greene, an erotic romance author, and I wrote “And She Scores” for the ARe 28 Days of Heart project that benefits the American Heart Association while visiting my hometown. I mentioned that last bit of information because I’m often asked if anything in my stories is real and yes, there are bits of reality that show up. Sometimes I use it directly and other times I change it around until it’s almost unrecognizable. I didn’t set out to write about things I know very well, although I did write and submit the story for personal reasons. Heart disease is big in my cutie’s family and I know we have to worry because of the heredity aspect. So, let’s delve into what’s real.

The second location in “And She Scores” is my hometown, no disguises, and nothing hidden. The traffic is really bad and yet better than it used to be and the sunsets after the Santa Winds have whipped through are gorgeous. However, it suits the story and the characters, so I brought it in.

Whatever story I’m writing, if I’m there or visited with intent to base a story in the location, then I want to include enough details about a location so the reader feels like they’re there as well. Maybe I do it by sending the characters walking down a street, noting the architecture or the mood, or it could be well known landmarks. “Highland Heat” opens in the Royal Albert Hall, a distinctive historical building, and the hero lives in Marble Arch, an area I once stayed in, enjoyed, and then added elements that belonged entirely to Hamish Buchanan. Another way I like to bring the reader in is through food and drink. In “And She Scores” I’ve brought the reader to my hometown with a visit to a Mexican restaurant and then I added a snippet of reality into the twist. The restaurant is an actual place and I used an incident that happened with a family member and turned it about to be this:

“Sure, I could eat a couple of potato taquitos, without any habanero sauce, thank you very much.” They both laughed and remembered the last time they’d been to the same place, and she’d mistaken his little cup of hot sauce for hers. It had been hard not to laugh at her serious discomfort from the burning around her lips and fingers, although he’d enjoyed her trying to share it with him through kisses.
© And She Scores by Tilly Greene, published by All Romance eBooks, 2010

There you have it, yes, I bring in reality, and manipulate to bring the readers there as well.

Since you’ve had some background on what is real in “And She Scores”, I should also share with you something about the plot. Football’s pre-season is about to begin and, defensive end and captain, Patrick Conway is returning from what could’ve been a career ending injury. Sarah Winters, focused on making a career as a respected reporter in an all male sport, is about to conduct his first interview. Did I mention they used to date? Were driven apart by lies? Still cared for each other?

Well, what could possibly happen between these two, while at a major arena, with a ton of people around them? To find out, you’ll need to visit All Romance or OmniLit, and pick up a copy of “And She Scores”. And don’t forget, all proceeds from each ebook you purchase go to the American Heart Association.

Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
www.tillygreene.com

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