SEELIE KAY: Postcards from The Ledge: This week in The Loft: Author Josie Lugo!

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author Josie Lugo. Her debut novel, "The Voices," is a paranormal romance. Josie is a full-time author whose stories are a mix of happily ever after and contemplative endings. Currently based in North Carolina, Josie follows her husband around wherever he takes her, writing on her laptop, her phone, or just jotting down ideas in her notes. When she finally takes a break from writing, she says she’s definitely reading.

Author Josie Lugo

S: Welcome to The Loft, Josie. I'm pleased you could join me today.

Why write romance?

J: The simple answer is that I write romance because it’s my favorite genre to read. But the more complex answer is that I write romance because in some aspects it’s easy. Will they or won’t they end up together? The conflict itself already exists so I can focus on the characters. Who are they, what are their goals, and how does that change how they look at relationships. No two of my characters from any of my stories are the same. And that’s the fun part of writing.

S: Do you utilize tropes when writing?

J: Of course! Using tropes is not only really common but also effective for a reason. I’m not even sure it’s possible to write a story without at least one trope. Still, I lean into them since I know I’m writing for a specific audience.

S: When I started writing romance, I didn't even know what a trope was. Now I see them in my stories, but I don't intentionally adhere to them.

If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?

J: Absolutely. I love getting up and going to work every day. I love getting my stories published and writing new ones. This is literally my dream job and I’m happy to get to do it in this life, let alone another.

S: Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?

J: Yes, I do. Before I start, I write down everything I can think of that I want to happen in the story, every major point that I want to hit in the same way you’d describe the major events to someone who hasn’t read the book. How I get from point A to point B will be determined in the day-to-day writing, but a guideline is great for those moments when I’m asking myself, what next. Also, I think it’s important to note that I’m not strict on plot outlines. If I’m writing, and the story seems to flow better in a different way than I outlined, I’ll let it continue in the new direction. It’s supposed to help me, not hinder me.

S: I am a true pantser. When I have an idea, I just start writing. I have no idea where the characters or the story will wind up.

What do you write first—the blurb or the book?

J: The book. I never even consider a blurb until I’m getting ready to submit my book for publishing. Somehow, it’s easier to write 85,000 words in a story than a condensed blurb for the back of the book.

S: What inspired "The Voices?"

J: There were two major inspirations that came together for this story. The first is my love for the fated mates trope. I’m a big believer in fate and adding romance to that concept is the perfect cup of coffee for me. The second is the idea of parental love. At the core of it, parents are just people. And just like there’s bad people, they’re bad parents.

S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about ‘"The Voices"?

J: This is my debut novel with eXtasy books. It's a story is all about love. Parental, platonic, and romantic. Leo ends her story with more people in her life to love her. It’s a feel-good read. Also, it's the first book in a series called Shifters of Summerdon.

Here's the blurb--

Leonora Carmichael didn’t think anything of her move to Summerdon, Montana. It was simply a new place to live, another place to need therapy for the voices in her head. Until one day, when she doesn’t adhere to the threats to leave town, and she’s kidnapped, mistreated, and interrogated. Her rescuer? The same male whose voice she’s been hearing in her head her whole life. Instead of a psychotic break, Leo learns she’s part of the supernatural world. Now she has to figure out how to be a human in a shifter relationship, handle a human mother who knows nothing of paranormal creatures, ignore the jealous tantrums of an ex-lover, and how to be brave against the very real nightmares from her time in a cell.