Joining me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author Tim Smith. Tim is a best-selling author of romantic suspense/thrillers and contemporary erotic romance. His Nick Seven series, which features the adventures of a former CIA agent, has won several awards and garnered international acclaim. When not writing, Tim is a freelance writer, editor, blogger, and photographer. He can often be found wandering around the Florida Keys conducting research for his books, parasailing, and searching for the perfect Mojito.
S: Good morning, Tim. Thanks for joining me in The Loft!
Why write romance?
T: When I decided to add more romance to my stories, I viewed it as a challenge. I’m more at home writing mystery/thrillers with lots of action and hot spontaneous encounters. How many people like me do you know who actually want to write lighthearted contemporary romance, and are cocky enough to think they can get away with it? One of the things I wanted to prove was that a man can write a realistic love story, told primarily from the male point of view, and make it believable. There seems to be a misconception that men don’t have romance in our souls, and we can’t express our true feelings very well. For the record, I resent that, and anyone who feels that way isn’t welcome in my Man Cave.
S: It's always a pleasure to read romance from a man's perspective. It helps women figure out what's really going on in a man's head. Most of the time, I certainly have no clue.
Do you write in other genres?
T: I focus primarily on two series. One features a former CIA agent named Nick Seven, who lives in the Florida Keys. The other is about a former cop turned private eye named Vic Fallon, operating out of the Lake Erie town of Sandusky, Ohio. I have also turned out a number of contemporary romantic comedies, both long-form and short. Some are part of my publisher’s summer beach read series, and others, like my featured book, are holiday stocking stuffers. I’ve found that whether it’s mystery or thrillers or rom-coms, romance is romance, and I have fun writing all of them.
S: What's your preference--Brains or brawn/beauty?
T: It’s actually a combination of the two. The female lead in my most popular romantic spy thriller series is a former CIA operative named Felicia, who lives with the hero, Nick Seven. Felicia is from Barbados, and she’s what I call “sex on two feet.” She’s also as tough and clever as any male action hero, sort of a female James Bond or Jason Bourne. When I conceived the character, I didn’t want a demure wallflower who always had to be rescued. Felicia can hold her own in any situation and in each story, I give her at least one scene where she gets to kick ass and take names. I have fun writing that character, because there’s a lot of depth to her.
S: For a long time, my biggest complaint about romance novels was that the female leads were written as weak, in need to a man to save them. I love female characters who can fight their own battles, and thankfully, we are seeing a lot more of them.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
T: I would, because this is something I’ve wanted to do since I was in high school. I got hooked on reading adventures and private eye thrillers, and began imagining my own stories that needed to be told. This was also the brand of entertainment that was popular on TV at the time, which fueled my desire. I think the only change I would make is publishing under a different name, particularly when I switched to romance. In retrospect, a gender-neutral name would have served me better.
S: What inspires your stories?
T: Since I write contemporary stories, I get most of my inspiration from current events and real life. This is not only true with the mystery or thrillers, but also my romantic comedies. Many of the situations were inspired by events that happened to me or my friends. One of my rom-coms, “Mistletoe and Palm Trees,” was the result of a real experience. I had planned a combination book signing and vacation trip to Florida, but at the last minute, my traveling companion couldn’t go. I used that as “What if this guy went to the Florida Keys alone because he broke up with his girlfriend, and he meets a woman who recently dumped her fiancé? What would happen?”
S: The ability to ask, "What if?" is essential to a writer of fiction. That question always leads to interesting outcomes.
What famous book do you wish you had written?
T: “The Godfather,” because it has everything that makes an entertaining page-turner. Family conflicts to resolve, interesting characters, vivid atmosphere, drama, commentary about society and the human condition—it’s all in there. Fifty-plus years later, it’s still popular, and continues to influence writers. What I find interesting is that Mario Puzo didn’t really care for it, even though it was his most successful book.
S: That's a really good book choice. Such vibrant characters and solid storylines.
What inspired "Santa Slept Here?"
T: When I came up with the concept for “Santa Slept Here,” I was dealing with some major life changes. My longtime career had ended with a forced retirement. I was making the adjustment to a different job and lifestyle, and my current relationship had hit some turbulence. Because of all that, I was feeling nostalgic for past holidays. I wanted to write a lighthearted Christmas romance with likable characters who could realistically end up together. This story is my version of a comfortable quilt on a cold winter’s night in front of a fire.
S: What an apt description! Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Santa Slept Here?"
T: Although I didn’t label it as part of a series, “Santa Slept Here” is the first of three holiday romances featuring the same two characters. The books don’t need to be read in order, however. The follow-up installments are “Cupid Says Happy New Year,” which picks up a week after the first one, and “Under a Christmas Moon,” which takes place a year later. Each one presents a different conflict, centered around the holidays.
Here's the blurb--
Scott Burke wasn’t looking forward to spending his first Christmas alone after his divorce. His family was scattered over different parts of the country, his friends had plans, and he didn’t really want to partake of the annual community Christmas dinner with strangers. Add to that a general malaise he was feeling about a career that was going nowhere and you had all of the elements for a miserable holiday. A chance meeting with a former classmate on Christmas Eve changes things, when Scott runs into Lisa Berger, stranded on her way home due to a car breakdown. Can the two high school friends rekindle a flame that died out years ago, or will they say Auld Lang Syne when the holiday is over?
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