Hey amalia, why do you like romance novels?
Romance novels are junk food for the brain! They're escapist fantasy and a wonderful way to engage one's imagination. They can be very feminist and sex-positive. The heroine chases after what she wants and gets it, and the woman's pleasure and satisfaction is essential to the evolution of the story. Our culture doesn't have a lot of uncontested portrayals of healthy female sexuality, and I believe that romance novels can fill that gap.
how did you get started writing romance novels?
I hadn't been reading romance novels very long when I decided to try my hand at writing them. I was reading about the same cliched characters over and over, just in different settings. I also didn't recognize myself in most of the characters. I wanted to read stories about women like me and my friends - smart, sassy, educated women in our 30's, living our lives and happy to be single, but still open to finding love. I figured there had to be other readers out there who felt the same way, so I decided to write the type of book I would love to read.
your stories are based in california's silicon valley. that's unusual!
Yep! They say to write about what you know, and nerd/tech-central is what I know. I grew up in Silicon Valley and I know there are a lot of stories here, just waiting to be told. I also wanted to create something fresh and different in a setting I'd never seen before, so I figured my hometown was the perfect place to start. Nerds are very sexy!
what do you like most about writing?
Writing is freedom. You are bound by nothing when you write. You make all the rules! If you can imagine it, you can put it in your writing. There's no better feeling than having an idea and making a whole world out of it. My favorite part of writing, though, is building in all of the jokes in my books. I love thinking up the zany stuff my characters say and do. I sit on my couch with my laptop, typing away and cackling like a crazy person.