Monday, January 18, 2010

Guest Blogger, Sherrill Bodine

I’d like to welcome Sherrill Bodine, author of “A Black Tie Affair,” and say thank you for guest blogging at Thoughts in Progress.

Today begins Sherrill’s blog tour for “A Black Tie Affair.” The tour will run through Jan. 29. Sherrill will be giving away copies of her book to 5 lucky people who comment on her post between today and 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22.

First let me share a brief synopsis of “A Black Tie Affair” - Fashion curator Athena Smith will do anything to get her hands on the Clayworth family’s couture collection for her exhibit. So she’s thrilled when she’s called in to authenticate the gowns…until she falls ill while examining them and wakes up face-to-face with notorious Chicago bachelor Drew Clayworth.

Drew doesn’t trust Athena one bit. He still believes she betrayed him years ago. So when his family’s gowns go missing and Athena offers her help in exchange for the dresses, he reluctantly accepts. But they’re both taken off guard by the barely restrained passion that’s still between them…and the memories that are both bitter and sweet. As they work together to find the dresses, can they resist the sparks between them?
 
Now Sherrill let me ask you, “Do you think romance is alive and well, or is it a fading trend?”

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to chat about my favorite subject - Romance! Is it trending? Well, it's been THE trend since the beginning of time -- let us not forget Adam and Eve.

Cave drawings tell us that Neanderthal males may have lacked finesse but they wanted their female counterparts in their lairs.

Plato claimed that our earliest ancestors were born hermaphroditic and so powerful they threatened the gods, who punished them by cleaving each being in half.  From then on, Plato said humans have longed for their other half, and when one finds it, love happens.

Perhaps Sigmund Freud had the best take on Romance in his "Pleasure Principle" where he stated that, "We as humans are always trying to reduce pain and seek ultimate pleasure." Surely he was speaking of love. 
   
I admit I'm a hopeless romantic.  For me, relationships are the heart of every book, every movie, every story about the human condition.  I can't think of anything more rewarding, challenging, or exciting than writing about finding ones soul mate.  Does love in all its magnificent, varied forms make the world go around?  I say, YES, IT DOES!

xo Sherrill

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this information with us Sherrill. I’m glad to know there are others around that are hopeless romantics.  

“A Black Tie Affair” is in stores now, as is Sherrill’s romantic comedy from Grand Central Publishing “Talk of the Town.” For more information on Sherrill, check out her Website at http://www.sherrillbodine.com Be sure to leave a comment on today's post in order to be entered in the giveaway for Sherrill's book.

Are you a hopeless romantic? Even if you don't write romance books, do you include at least some romance or a hint of it?

28 comments:

  1. Romance is too important to leave out. We all love it when characters match up, even if we know they shouldn't for whatever reason. It's exciting.

    Great interview.

    And the book sounds really good.

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  2. Sherrill - Thanks for sharing your novel; I always like learning about new books.

    Mason - You ask an interesting question about romance. I don't write romance, myself; my genre is crime fiction. But attraction and romance are a natural part of human life. They happen. So including attraction and romance in another kind of book can make the characteers a little more believable. I don't make romances the center of what I write, but it's definitely there.

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  3. Romance is such a big part of everyone's life. There's no reason why it shouldn't exist in non-romantic genres, too! Thanks so much for introducing us to Sherrill.

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder
    Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen

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  4. Enjoyed the article. I'm a romantic at heart, and while I don't write (or even read much) in the "Romance" genre, I do use ramance in my stories - it adds zest and realism.

    Hey - love that book cover - very sensual and enticing.

    Marvin D Wilson

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  5. Teresa, I think sometimes we enjoy the pairing more if we know they really shouldn't get together.

    Margot, you're right. By adding romance (in any form or amount) to any genre of book, you've made that character more human and believable.

    Elizabeth, sometimes we forget just how much our lives are exposed to romance on a daily basis whether we realize it or not.

    Marvin, romance does add that extra zest to a story. Sometimes that little bit of romance is what hooks a person to read more.

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  6. I agree. Romance and love stories have been experienced by almost everyone. What would we be without love?

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  7. Carol, I agree. What would we be? I don't want to even image. Love may not always be what we want it to be, but it does add to our lives no matter the outcome.

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  8. Enjoyed the post. I don't write Romance but do put a tad of romance in my books. Ya gotta keep it real and romance is real in life.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

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  9. Helen, romance is in real life to be sure.

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  10. I think romance adds an nice extra dimension to most stories. I suppose if I really tried, I might come up with a plotline that didn't need it, but even then, when tossed it, it works. Look at the movie Pearl Harbor. Coulda told that story with a romance angle, but it wouldn't have been the same movie for sure.

    Best Wishes Galen.
    Imagineering Fiction Blog

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  11. I like reading romances. I also enjoy mysteries and thrillers. I enjoyed the post. Thanks.

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  12. Galen, true Pearl Harbor with a romance angle would be different. But, romance was involved in the real saga of Pearl Harbor. Some stories do better if one's imagination is left to envision the romance that was or might be.

    LSU, thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the post. Mysteries, thrillers and romance; what could be more fun?

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  13. I write mysteries, but love always is in the picture somewhere. How can it not be?

    Elspeth

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  14. I enjoyed this, as I love a good romance novel now and again.

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  15. Elspeth, so true. Love/romance has to be involved some how, someway even if it's not the main focus.

    Carolyn, reading a good romance novel is always a great way to spend an afternoon relaxing.

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  16. Although I usually read mysteries/thrillers, a good romance novel every now and again makes for a fun read.

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  17. Ann, a good romance novel does help keep one on track from time to time.

    Karen, nice to "meet" you too. Enjoyed your blog, I'll be back and I hope you'll visit again too.

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  18. sherrillbodine@hotmail.comJanuary 18, 2010 at 5:47 PM

    Hi All, thanks for your comments -- I think there are a few more hopeless romantics here -- I feel very much at home! Thanks for your support - it means everything to me.

    xo Sherrill

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  19. Sherrill, thanks so much for stopping by today. It seems you've stirred up some hopeless romantics in all of us.

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  20. Like Sherrill said, romance is always part of the stories about the human condition. Everything I write has a romantic element.

    Sounds like a great story, Sherrill :)

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  21. Jemi, what would the human condition be without romance? I think the romantic element has got to be there, even in a small part.

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  22. enjoyed today's posting....thanks for the opportunity to read this fabulous book

    karenk
    kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  23. Karen, thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the post.

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  24. Since I read a lot of romance, I guess I really am a true romantic..lol I really love the cover of this book. Purple is one
    of my fav colors.Have a great week!

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  25. I must be a hopeless romantic. Even if I can't get a chance to read a romance, I'm thinking about something I've read. It helps to get through the day.

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  26. sherrillbodine@hotmail.comJanuary 21, 2010 at 10:37 PM

    Joy, I also love purple! I confess I've purchased a few purple dresses to wear to my book signings -- a great excuse to go shopping! And isn't purple the color of passion? What could be better! Come visit me at www.sherrillbodine.com so we can dish some more about romance -- and fashion of course -- and maybe a little gossip! xo Sherrill

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  27. I am a hopeless romantic and just love HEA!

    Thanks,
    Tracey D

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  28. sherrillbodine@hotmail.comJanuary 30, 2010 at 3:44 PM

    This blog tour has been so much fun -- thank you for wanting me to post here -- most of all thanks for your support -- please keep in touch!
    xo Sherrill

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.