Hello Everyone at Coffee Times Romance! I’m so excited to chat with you today. Usually I’m a science fiction and fantasy writer. But, I’ve shed my fantastical worlds to enter the genre of Contemporary Romance. Because we all have to think outside the box, right? Stretch our boundaries in order to grow? The result is Playing the Maestro, a sweet romance published by Entangled Publishing’s Bliss line.

So how did I go from aliens and spacecraft, elves and magic to Contemporary Romance? When I thought of Contemporary Romance, I immediately thought back to all of my favorite romantic comedies. That’s what I wanted my book to be like. Laugh out loud funny and heartfelt, with a good dose of mischief.

So here they are in no particular order:

1. While You Were Sleeping: Starring Sandra Bullock, this movie is about a woman who falls in love with a man she’s never met before. When he falls onto the subway tracks, she rescues him and follows him to the hospital claiming she’s his fiance. Deep in a coma, he can’t argue with her, and so she continues the charade with his family. Little does she know his brother is onto her, and she may have chosen the wrong man for her affections. This movie is really about the importance of family- a strong theme in my book.

2. Sweet Home Alabama– Starring Reese Witherspoon, this movie is about going back to your roots. Leaving her husband back in Alabama, she becomes a New York career woman. But old habits are hard to shake, and he’s not as eager to let go she she was. This movie had a great sense of personal identity and finding oneself- which I really tried to work into my book.

3. Sleepless in Seattle: Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, this movie is about finding the courage to love again. My favorite part is when the recently widowed man’s son calls the radio station and requests a partner for his dad. This has so much heart to it, even if I infused half of what this movie offers in my book, than I succeeded.

4. Pretty Woman: Everyone knows this one, right? Richard Gere and Julia Roberts- which says it all. It’s the dream that so many people have: to be swept off their feet by a rich man. My favorite scene: when she kisses him on the lips- something she doesn’t normally do. This movie has a great alpha male character that you can drool over- something I tried to create in my book.

5. How to Loose a Guy in Ten Days– Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. The man has a bet with his friends to keep a woman for ten days, but she has a bet with her own friends to loose one. Hilarity ensues. I probably laughed more watching this movie than all the others. This definitely gave me ideas for comedy in my own writing.

All these movies inspired my own “romantic comedy.” Now I want to hear your favorite ones and if they’ve inspired you choice in reading, or your own writing.

About me:

Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation–favorite character was Data by far–and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “a concert flutist” when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.

Where you can buy Playing The Maestro:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble