Writing Romance in the Closet

TUESDAY MORNING EDIT: THE WINNER OF THE ARC GIVEAWAY IS: SARAH PEKKANEN. Sarah, please email at mariageraci1@gmail.com with your address so I can put the book in the mail. Thanks to everyone who commented!

Hi there. I'm Maria Geraci, writer of fun, romantic women's fiction. I'm also a wife, mother to three kids, and a part-time labor and delivery nurse.

When I began writing my own blog a few years back, one of the first things I did was think of a name. Blogs are supposed to have catchy titles and I wanted mine to stand out. Writing Romance in the Closet was perfect because I really did write in a closet (it's a small walk-in that my hubby gave up so I could have a room of my own).

But the title was more than just a description for the place I wrote. It was also a metaphor for my life.

At the time, only a handful of people knew that I was writing fiction. I had a full life already. Wife, mother, nurse. Plus, I was in my early forties, not an age when most people set out to do something that they've never done before. There was a little voice whispering in my head telling me I was crazy. I had a house to clean! Scrapbooks to put together. Kids to take to soccer practice. What was I doing holed up in my tiny, windowless room plugging away at my laptop? Unlike most writers, I never grew up with a burning desire to write. I never wrote poetry or short stories. I was happy and fulfilled. Until one day, I wasn't. And it came to me like the lightning rod epiphany you hear so much about in movies and books. I simply sat down to start writing. And found that I couldn't stop.

Of course, I couldn't stop being a wife, mother, or nurse either because as much as I loved the writing, the rest of my life went on. And then something miraculous happened. I found an agent. And she sold my book! So I had to start telling people what I was doing, although it was still hard to think of myself as a "real" writer. I think when you spend so many years being other things, it's hard to change directions. But what I've found in the past year and half since my first book came out is that you don't have to be just one, or even two things. We can be a lot of things. We just have to find a way to make it all mesh somehow. Some days it's harder than others, but in the end it's worth it. I couldn't imagine going back to where I was just a few years ago. And that makes me really excited to think where I might be a few years from now.

So remember that third book I have coming out later this year? I have ARCs! And I'd love to give one away. Just leave a comment by midnight Monday and I'll have the random generator select one winner. I'll edit my post the next morning to tell you who won.

Here's a little bit about the book.

THE BOYFRIEND OF THE MONTH CLUB
coming December, 2010
Berkley, Penguin USA


At thirty, Grace O'Bryan has dated every loser in Daytona Beach. After the ultimate date-from-hell, Grace decides to turn her dwindling book club into a Boyfriend of the Month Club, where women can discuss the eligible men in their community. Where are the real life twenty-first century versions of literary heroes such as Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy?

Could it be successful and handsome Brandon Farrell, who is willing to overlook his disastrous first date with Grace and offers financial help for her parents' failing Florida gift shop? Or maybe sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum, who's great with a smile but not so great at commitment? Unfortunately, like books, men cannot always be judged by their covers...

To learn more about my books please visit me at www.mariageraci.com or join my Facebook page.