Bitten by Books
When I learned I’d be here for the release party celebrating my new romantic comedy, The Fix Up, I might have peed myself a little.
My last stop at Bitten by Books promoting Protector for Hire in June was engaging and fun, with more readers than I could shake a stick at (sidenote: why would you want to shake a stick at someone?)
Anyway, since we’re all friends now, may I make a confession?
Photos of shirtless guys don’t rev my engine.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a guy with cheese-grater abs as much as the next girl does. But what really floats my boat is the whip-smart, funny guy who’s just a little bit geeky.
That’s harder to show in photos, isn’t it?
But it’s pretty easy to capture in words, which is how I found myself writing The Fix Up, my new romantic comedy from Entangled Publishing. It’s the story of sexy geek Ben Langley, who hires PR expert Holly Colvin to transform him from a socially-awkward (but hot!) nerd, into the charming CEO of his family’s international corporation. As you might imagine, sparks fly, and the two end up getting frisky over bad sci-fi movies and business jargon that sounds a lot hotter than it should.
Really, who doesn’t get turned on by a guy who drives a hard bargain through penetrative testing? (See what I mean?)
In any case, I hope you enjoy The Fix Up as much as I liked writing it. Now where’s my Star Wars wineglass?
Buy a Kindle copy of The Fix Up from Amazon by clicking here. – ONLY $2.99!
Excerpt from The Fix Up:
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I honestly have no idea where to start.” She looked at her watch. “The event is at seven-thirty?”
“Yes.”
“You weren’t planning to go there straight from work, were you?”
“Of course. Is there a problem?”
“A problem,” she repeated, too dumbfounded by his appearance to sugarcoat her words the way she normally would with a new client. “You’re planning to show up at your first corporate event wearing holey socks, a cheese-stained shirt, and a jacket that looks like you kidnapped a retired librarian and ripped it off his back?”
“The librarian’s tied up in the coat closet,” Ben deadpanned, and Holly tried not to notice how stupid-sexy it was. “I promise I’ll let him out after the event.”
She shook her head. “Ben, you can’t attend a corporate function like that.”
He cocked an eyebrow and gave her a smile that was half puppy-dog hopeful, half self-satisfied smirk. God, she wished that weren’t so hot.
“Is that why you’re here?” he asked. “You changed your mind about taking me on as a client?”
“Yes,” she said. “If the offer still stands.”
“It stands. It definitely stands. What changed your mind?”
Holly hesitated. I’m desperate for money was hardly the right answer. Neither was, I’m pretty sure I can keep myself from groping you.
Holly cleared her throat. “I don’t like to turn down clients with such an urgent need.”
“I definitely have an urgent need.”
You and me both, buddy.
Holly folded her arms over her chest and tried to look professional. “First things first,” she said. “Your clothes.”
He looked at her for a few seconds, like he was considering this new option. He seemed to come to a decision, then, because he looked down at his shirt and shrugged. “I think there’s a spare shirt stuffed in my gym bag.”“You have an iron in there, too?”
He gave her a funny little half-smile that made Holly feel like she’d just swallowed a ball of sunshine. “I’m getting the sense you have concerns about my wardrobe.”
She sighed. “Ben, it’s important to make a good first impression. What sort of impression do you think you’re going to make if you walk in there looking like a homeless guy?”
“That I care more about the company’s bottom line than what I’m wearing?”
“A nice thought, but no.” She shook her head. “A man walks into a room looking like he dressed himself while blindfolded and people are not going to think, ‘Wow, I bet he’s really good with numbers.’ They’re thinking, ‘Wow, do I trust a guy to put together a million dollar business deal when he can’t even put together a matching pair of socks?’”
“Ouch.”
He didn’t look terribly pained, but she softened her tone anyway. “Look, you’re not paying me to pat you on the head and give you a lollypop. You’re paying me to fix what’s not working.”
“Is it too late to get the lollypop?”
About Tawna Fenske
Author Bio:
Tawna Fenske is a romantic comedy author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. She traveled a career path that took her from newspaper reporter to English teacher in Venezuela to marketing geek to PR manager for her city’s tourism bureau. An avid globetrotter and social media fiend, Tawna is the author of the popular blog, Don’t Pet Me, I’m Writing, and a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband in Bend, Oregon, where she’ll invent any excuse to hike, bike, snowshoe, standup paddle, or sip wine on her back deck.
Tawna has published several romantic comedies with Sourcebooks, including Making Waves, which was nominated for contemporary romance of the year by RT Book Reviews. She also writes interactive fiction capers for Coliloquy and the steamy, heartwarming Front and Center series for Entangled Publishing. Tawna’s quirky brand of comedy and romance has won praises from Kirkus Reviews, which noted, “Up-and-coming romance author Fenske sets up impeccable internal and external conflict and sizzling sexual tension for a poignant love story between two engaging characters, then infuses it with witty dialogue and lively humor. An appealing blend of lighthearted fun and emotional tenderness.
Connect with Tawna
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CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.
Prize 1: One $40.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: Two each $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards
Who are some of your favourite authors?
Minna P,
Too many to name! In the romance genre, I love Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, Victoria Dahl, Jennifer Crusie, and Jeffe Kennedy.
Outside the romance genre, my tastes are pretty eclectic and range from Kurt Vonnegut to Jodi Picoult to Chuck Wendig.
Tawna
With your sense of humor, not surprised to see you enjoy Wendig LOL- one of the funniest blogs I receive
I’m so excited to be here, guys! Thanks for having me back here! Raise your hand if you love sexy geeks like I do.
Tawna
*raises hand*
Geeks rule!
*raises hand too*
Thinking back to your younger years, did you tend to be attracted to the class clown, the hot jock, or the cute nerd? The cute nerd.
Confession time: Have you ever gotten frisky in your workplace or the workplace of your significant other?
No.
LOL on the confession question, Minna P. I wondered if anyone would answer affirmatively in a public forum
Tawna
hi Tawna,
do you go all out for holiday decorations?
dina s,
My husband is the Christmas junkie in our house, so he tends to be the one crawling around on the roof hanging lights. It’s a fairly modest display, but it gets us in the spirit. We did get our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, so that’s been cheering us for the last few weeks (though it gets awfully dry here in the high desert). How about you?
Tawna
I wont get on the roof, even only 1 story, Im a chicken, lol
What would you say is your Favorite book or book Boyfriend?!?!
Marcia W,
It’s a tossup between Phin Tucker from Jennifer Crusie’s WELCOME TO TEMPTATION or James Cahill from Kristan Higgins’s SOMEBODY TO LOVE. Maybe they should wrestle for the honor? Mmmm…I think I’d like to see that
Tawna
You can’t have Phin…he’s mine
the most socially-awkward thing was to glide or fly down 5 stairs and didnt know it, but my friend let me know, lol
was a guiet shy person in school
nope to the 3rd ?
If you could only give ONE piece of advice to newbie authors and writers, what advice do you think is the most important one to give? One PRO to becoming an author? One CON to becoming an author?
Raonaid,
Funny, I actually wrote a blog post several years ago titled, “My REAL advice to new writers,” and even though it’s been 4.5 years since I wrote it, I still feel like it’s the best advice I have to offer. In a nutshell, it’s to slow down and enjoy the process instead of making yourself crazy obsessing about how to get from point-A to point-B. Here’s a link.
http://bit.ly/1zukpkH
Is there any one scene in any of your books that given the chance, you would go back and revise or delete? If so, which one?
Cara N,
Oh, interesting question! I’ve been writing for my supper my entire adult life, first as a journalist, then as a tech writer, and then in marketing (which is where I’ve been for the last 15+ years in a career that runs parallel to my author one). I’ve always had a rule about not going back and reading any published work I’ve written because I’ll ALWAYS find something I’d like to change, and there’s no sense making myself crazy when that can’t happen. So I guess my gut response is that I probably wouldn’t change anything, because everything I’ve published is a sort of road map to where I’ve been.
That said, I have a book coming out in March called LET IT BREATHE (you can actually pre-order it here: http://amzn.to/1No4R6p ). Readers who’ve followed my career for a while might recognize that as the title of the book originally slated for publication in the summer of 2012 as my third published romantic comedy. But life happened. I wrote the book in the midst of a hellish divorce, and while I adored the story, it took on a slightly darker tone than the first two books in that contract. My editor at the time tried to get me to infuse it with more slapstick humor, and I ended up hating the result. In the end, we decided to cancel it and I wrote a different book to fulfill that contract (the book that became FRISKY BUSINESS).
But I always loved LET IT BREATHE, and it kinda killed me to think of how I’d edited it to become so slapsticky when that’s not what it was supposed to be at all.
Anyway, to make a long story short, my agent showed the book to a different publisher about a year ago, and they fell in love with it. Best of all, I was able to revert back to the version I’d originally set out to write, so all those slapsticky scenes got revised back to how I wanted them to be in the first place.
In the end, I have to say it became one of the best books I’ve written, with a nice blend of humor and heartache. I’m glad it will be out in the world after all!
Tawna
Love to hear that you’ve been able to recycle an older book!
Do you have books you’ve written before you had any contract, that you would like to get a publisher for now?
Sarah,
Every now and then I’ll dig up one of my old “drawer novels” thinking I spent all that time writing them, I might as well make some money on them, right?
Then I end up cringing and hiding under my desk because I’ve come SO FAR as a writer since those early efforts, and I wouldn’t want most of those books out there in the world with my name on them
Tawna
Ben Langley in The Fix Up is a tad socially-awkward. What’s the most socially-awkward thing you have done?
— I am an introvert.. so when is anything I done was socially awkward. I really do not feel comfortable being in or around large crowds and that even includes the in laws.
Thinking back to your younger years, did you tend to be attracted to the class clown, the hot jock, or the cute nerd?
— Actually, none of those, I was more attracted to the bad boys. Where I went to school, the Jocks were conceited arses. I was a nobody in school befriending those who talked and hung around me (some nerds, some class clowns, some of the bad crowd, some in the preppy crowd)
Confession time: Have you ever gotten frisky in your workplace or the workplace of your significant other?
— Nope, even though hubby and I met during our days working at McDonalds. Our coworkers had a hand at fixing us up. My husband is on the prude side so no inappropriate behavior in that score.. Though I plead the fifth on antics and silly things did with fun coworkers. Or the things I seen via other coworkers.
For example… One coworker dragged me and our manager up to karoke “Like a Virgin” by Madonna at our Work’s Christmas Party. Our manager bailed on us. It was the only song my coworker could find since they didn’t have the one song we wanted (it was popular at the time and she had added lyrics to it… making it naughty). Another co-worker, a male, his girlfriend asked “Do you know those two women?” He said “Yup, I work with those two often. They always make work fun.”
Ah, yes….the bad boy! They do have a certain appeal, don’t they?!
Tawna
Oooooh yes…..
Congrats on the new release! I loved the excerpt. As an avid globetrotter what are your favorite destinations in the US and abroad?
Bonnie H,
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the excerpt, and I hope you enjoy the book
I was lucky enough to do a lot of globetrotting in my late-20s and early-30s, so I’d say my favorite overseas destinations (in no particular order) include Australia, Fiji, Slovenia, Greece, Morocco, Barbados, Mexico, and Belize.
As for U.S. destinations, I’m lucky enough to live in beautiful Bend, Oregon, which is the mountainous high desert a lot of folks regard as the ultimate vacation destination for outdoor enthusiasts. You see a lot of bumper stickers here that read “your vacation is my life,” and I feel that way a lot
Tawna
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Lisa,
Wait, you mean there’s supposed to be a time I’m not writing?!
Let’s see, I love standup paddleboarding and hiking in the summer, and snowshoeing in the winter. I have five cats and a dog, so I love playing with my pets and reading in front of the fire. My husband and I are avid wine fans, so we enjoy wine tasting quite a lot. I looooove to cook, so pairing wines with gourmet meals is another favorite hobby.
Tawna
Author questions
I once slipped on ice and fell while walking with a friend. It was so embarrassing!
I was attracted to the cute nerd.
No I haven’t.
Bonnie H,
Ouch on the ice slip! I live in a pretty icy/snowy town, so I do that at least a couple times a season
Tawna
Hi Tawna, How have you been since ou last chat! Industrious since you have a new release which sounds great! Do you snack as you write?
1. Striding along in the parking lot of my workplace while wearing a dress and fell… Ouch & ouch to my knee and my pride…
2. The cute nerd since I was shy and awkward…actually, still am…
3. No, didn’t happen, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it…
Betty W,
Hey there! It’s definitely been a busy time for me, with 5 books slated for release in the next 12 months. Crazy!
I definitely snack as I write. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I’m constantly nibbling on things like almonds or edamame or air-popped popcorn. I also have to have a drink beside me at all times. Usually it’s ice water, but occasionally it’s tea or (in the evening) a glass of wine.
Tawna
Tawna,
That is crazy busy and quite impressive! I have a sweet tooth so I probably eat enough sweets for both of us! I like air popped popcorn, too, and I definitely need to get back to it for snacking! I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you and I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas!
Where do you get inspiration to write?
Natalie,
I’m often asked a variation of this question, which is “why do you write comedy?”
To answer the question, I might tell you about the time I accidentally waxed off my own eyebrow, then mistakenly chose the green eyeliner when I tried to draw it back on. Or the time I dropped gristle in a stranger’s purse at a fancy luncheon and got caught trying to fish it out. I could go on, but the point is that I’m a magnet for absurdity, so I find comedic inspiration almost everywhere!
Tawna
Do you have pets?
LOL, Lee Todd! Clearly we must not be connected on Facebook?
I’m pretty sure people think I’m the crazy cat lady author, since I routinely post pics of my five (yes, FIVE!) cats. I also have a dog who’s regularly featured in all my social media channels. I adore all my pets, and probably share way too many pics of them. If you’re interested in following along, here’s a link:
https://www.facebook.com/TawnaFenskeBooks
Tawna
Hi Tawna,
Welcome to Bitten by Books, it is great to have you with us today.
My question for you is; do you have a favorite book or series that you have written so far????
If so, which is it and why???
Brandy,
I know authors aren’t supposed to have favorites, and don’t tell any of my editors, okay?
I have to say ABOUT THAT FLING is my favorite book I’ve published so far: http://amzn.to/1T0qRWu
However, LET IT BREATHE will take its place when that comes out in March: http://amzn.to/1T0qUli
But I don’t mean to disparage any of my series books for Entangled (which is what I’m here promoting today). On the contrary, sometimes you want a light, fluffy, super-fast read that leaves you giggling and feeling tingly in the swimsuit area. That’s what’s perfect about THE FIX UP and my previous series for Entangled (the Front & Center series). They’re great beach reads, and easy to get through in a few short hours.
Tawna
Do you have any current favorite shows or books?
Amy,
My mother once told me, “talking with you is like having a conversation with an Amish person.” I think she meant because I don’t watch TV, and actually have no earthly idea how to operate the television in my home.
I do read a lot, though my reading time has been gobbled up a lot lately by writing books instead. I adore anything that Kristan Higgins or Jill Shalvis write in the romantic comedy realm. On the more serious side of things, one of the last books that really touched me was STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova. I also really enjoy all of Linda Grimes’s books, which are fun and hilarious and totally unique.
Tawna
Oh I love Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis especially Jill’s Lucky Harbor sisters and the animal magnetism series
Do you have a favorite varietal of wine? Any types of wine that make you go blech?
Bethany,
Ahhh….one of my favorite subjects! I love Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, though I’m not a huge fan of most French or California Pinots. On a chilly fall or winter evening, I really adore a good glass of Sangiovese or Chianti. My husband and I eat a lot of fish and chicken, which means we drink a lot more white wine than red with meals. My favorite is probably a nice Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough region (which we’re hoping to visit in March!)
I get pretty wine-geeky in most of my books, and I often have characters swilling my favorites. Ben, the hero in THE FIX UP, waxes poetic about Oregon Pinot in THE FIX UP: http://amzn.to/1QKKnXT
And LET IT BREATHE (as you might guess from the title) is my romantic comedy centered around the wine industry: http://amzn.to/1QKKyCp
Tawna
whats been the best unimagined perk of being published?
Diana,
Hmmm…..interesting question. Since you worded it that way (“perk of being published,”) I have to say it’s probably the opportunity to draw from my own life experiences to share lessons and messages that are important to me. ABOUT THAT FLING is centered around a lot of the lessons I took away from my own divorce a few years ago, while THE FIX UP focuses more on being true to yourself in your career and life choices. That sounds sorta heavy for romantic comedy though, and I can assure you I’m hardly beating readers over the head with my moral messages. I’m mostly telling dick jokes and being silly
But if your question was more about what I’m enjoying most about finally achieving some measure of financial success as a published author (which didn’t actually happen until a few years after my first book came out) then I’d have to say it’s the fact that I get to make more decisions based on what I WANT to do instead of what I HAVE to do. I still have a day job in marketing and PR that I love very much. It’s only part-time to allow me enough time for writing, and I suppose I’m at a point now where I don’t really HAVE to have the job. But I absolutely love the work and the creative team I work with, so I have no desire to give it up anytime soon. There’s something refreshing about doing a job because you love it, instead of because you have no choice. I’m enjoying that very much.
Tawna
Okay so my most awkward moment was writing a love letter to a guy in junior high. I put it in the wrong locker and it went to my best friends brother instead. Who had a crush on me but I didn’t like him…so I had to explain what happened when I went by their house and while I was explaining it my crush walked in with my friend. I was mortified especially when he told me he had no idea who I was.
I was generally attracted the underdog or badass. Never outgrew that preference. I’m a sucker for that damn sexy smirk only the bad guy can pull off.
As for getting frisky in the workplace…I work in a factory and my obsession(coworker) is the epitamy of sexiness on a stick. I totally surprised him one day by grabbing his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss…a few weeks later he followed me upstairs where the bathrooms are…grabbed my arm, spun me around to face him, picked me up and turned us so I was pressed into the wall, and kisses me like we were the only people in that place…and he wondered why I was hooked
Karla,
OMG! That story about the co-worker left me breathing a little heavy
Tawna
Yeah it left me that way too…I was so glad I didn’t have a job to do when we got back…I was surprised I made it down the stairs without falling…he was and still is my best kept secret and favorite Cowboy
What book or books are you reading?
Zonell,
For some reason I find myself reading multiple books at a time, so I’m currently reading Jamie Wesley’s SLAMDUNKED BY LOVE, Suzanne Collins’s GREGOR THE OVERLANDER, and re-reading an old Kristan Higgins fave, UNTIL THERE WAS YOU.
Tawna
socially awkward thing would be when I was first a biker… flashing and walking around naked at rallys
LOL Diana Tidlund! Er, was the flashing on purpose or on accident?!
Tawna
My question for you is fairly simple…do you believe in past lives? Have you ever met someone you felt an instant connection to that you swore you must have known before? My obsession had that effect on me. The second I looked in his eyes I swear I felt an instant connection and felt like I’d known him my whole life
Karla,
This might win the prize as the most unusual question I’ve ever been asked in an author forum
I’m open to the idea of past lives. I don’t have a strong opinion on the subject, but I often joke (not so jokingly) that my extreme phobia about IVs and blood draws has something to do with how I might have died in a past life. There’s a part of me that honestly believes that’s the case. I love your theory about connecting with someone you knew in a past life. There might be something to that!
Tawna
I think it’s the only reason I never fought him whenever he’d grab me at work and steal kisses…or leave me breathless from a sexy whisper in my ear… It was like we were together a lifetime and it just felt so natural
1. Ben Langley in The Fix Up is a tad socially-awkward. What’s the most socially-awkward thing you have done?
the never ending how are you, good and you thing, great and you….yeah i did that yesterday…but I try to block out the really bad socially awkward memories lol
2. Thinking back to your younger years, did you tend to be attracted to the class clown, the hot jock, or the cute nerd?
I think I was attracted…and still am to a combination of the class clown and cute nerd
3. Confession time: Have you ever gotten frisky in your workplace or the workplace of your significant other?
Nope lol although getting frisky in a library is quite common…at least in books
Amy,
Oh, yeah….that class clown/cute nerd thing is my crack
Tawna
I’m socially awkward, so almost every time I open my mouth something embarrassing comes out.
I was always attracted to the nerds (still am).
Absolutely not. (That I’m admitting to.)
Question for Tawna-do you practice your sex scenes with your adorable husband before writing them to make sure they work? Tell the truth now.
Deborah,
LOL! We’re always “practicing.” It’s just not always for the books
In all seriousness, I do often ask him for help with the nitty-gritty of how body parts line up. He’s used to me interrupting him at the computer and going, “Honey, if you picked me up and I had my legs around your waist, how would you go about lowering me to the bed? I need to know if my butt would hit the mattress first, or my back.” That sort of thing. As you might imagine, he has no problem serving as my guinea pig. And yeah, it’s pretty common for me to find inspiration from whatever might happen next
Tawna
in school I was attracted to the cute nerd
frisky in the work place no… just because I worked in schools and he worked on the roads doing construction…lol…otherwise any place you could imagine
LOL Diana Tidlund! There’s some interesting romance novel potential in both of those scenarios
Tawna
You’re a funny writer
but, can you tell funny stories in person? (Please share any tips! I’m only funny in print 
and I gotta up my game before Christmas entertaining ;D )
Paula,
I’m probably not as funny in person, or at least not intentionally. Part of the reason I write comedy is that I’m pretty much a magnet for absurdity. I’m accustomed to laughing at myself, and that’s good fodder for humor both in books and in person. Subtle, self-deprecating humor done right is my favorite
Tawna
Do you prefer having family come to your place at christmas or travelling to another family members place?
emmad,
The way the custody schedule works at Christmas with my stepkids, there’s a lot of back-and-forth around Christmas. That makes it impossible for us to go anywhere, which is actually kinda nice. Any extended family that wants to see us has to travel here (where there’s always a good chance of a white Christmas!)
Tawna
What you will do in this Christmas time ? Do you like to snow ?
Alexandru,
My father-in-law and sister-in-law are flying here to Central Oregon from Seattle, so we’ll have a small family celebration with them and my two stepkids. We almost have a white Christmas here, so I’m looking forward to that!
Tawna
What are your favorite bad SF movies?
Al Ammons,
Not sure if you’ve read THE FIX UP yet, but one of the first sexy scenes between Ben and Holly takes place when he introduces her to “Plan 9 From Outer Space.” Have you seen it? It’s regarded by many to be the worst movie ever made, and it’s so awful it’s wonderful. My high school boyfriend (one of the first “sexy geeks” I ever dated) introduced me to it, and it made quite an impression on me!
Tawna
Socially awkward? Can I just put “exist” here? I have difficulty recognizing people - a bit face-blind - and I’m an introvert anyway.
Um, whichever one has a work ethic and life goals? Probably the cute nerd
Haha, no. My husband tries that on me and that’s a recipe for me disappearing. Without him.
Paula,
ME TOO WITH THE FACE BLINDNESS!! Man, it’s the most awkward thing in the world to be all, “Hi, I’m Tawna” and to have the person go, “Uh, yeah….we’ve met like 20 times.” *sigh*
Tawna
*HUGE HUGS* we should start a club! It’ll be like meeting new people every time!!!
who is your favorite author?
Thomas,
It kinda depends on the genre, but since I write romantic comedy, I’ll stick with that. I love Kristan Higgins, Jennifer Crusie, Jill Shalvis, Linda Grimes, and Victoria Dahl.
Tawna
Tawna,
Do you have any formal education in writing? If not, has any formal education past high school helped you become the writer you are today? Finally, what is your average word count of output in a week?
Thanks,
Aaron
P.s. Who was your nerdy high school boyfriend? Just curious…
Aaron,
LOL, I recognize your name, so I plead the fifth on the nerdy high school boyfriend question
(Probably wouldn’t be tough to track down, though, since we dated almost two years!)
I have a degree in English Lit and funded most of my college education writing and editing for the school newspaper (well, that and entering bikini contests, but that’s another story). While my college experience certainly made me more well-rounded and educated, I’m not sure it contributed directly to where I ended up as an author of fiction. I was on the journalism track all through high school and college and a few years after college, then ended up in tech writing and eventually marketing (which is where I’ve been for the last 15+ years). In other words, I’ve kept a roof over my head through writing one thing or another my whole adult life. While all of those things helped me hone my writing chops, it was a big shock to me in 2002 when I first started trying to write fiction and realized, “holy crap, this is a lot harder than it looks!”
I usually aim for 4,000-5,000 words a day on my stay-at-home writer days, which are Mondays and Fridays. Depending on my deadline schedule, I might try to crank out a few thousand more on weeknights or weekends. If I’m REALLY cranking on a book, I’ve been known to do 10,000 words in a day, but that doesn’t happen often.
Tawna
What are your holiday plans?
bn100,
We’re laying pretty low for the holidays. My in-laws are visiting from Seattle, and we’ll be spending time with my stepkids and probably playing in the snow.
Tawna
can’t think of anything
jock
no
What is your least favorite genre?
Fox,
I’m not ordinarily a huge sci-fi fan, but I love choosing books I think I won’t like and having my mind changed about a genre or an author.
Tawna
So Tawna, how does one become unaddicted to your books? I don’t dare start reading one unless I have an uninterrupted block of time, because once I start I won’t be able to stop until I’m finished. And with the holidays approaching…well, you see how it is.
Amy L,
LOL, thanks for the kind words! I might suggest a support group, but then again, I don’t know that I want to encourage anyone not to devour my books voraciously!
Thanks again for the compliment! I’m so glad you enjoy my books!
Tawna
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? (The one-line they do during the opening credits of all of the Bravo shows.)
What is up with this creepy avatar face this site just gave me? ACK!!
Beth,
LOL on the creepy avatar face! That’s how I’m going to picture you from now on
As for the Real Housewives question, alas, I have never seen the show. We don’t have cable TV, and almost never watch television at all. Actually, I should go a step further and just say I have no idea how to even operate the TV in my house. I’m aware that it exists and that my husband makes it play things from Netflix once or twice a month, but if you put a gun to my head and told me to operate a television, I’d probably have to ask you to just go ahead and shoot me.
Tawna
Coffee or tea?
Jenn,
Definitely tea! I’m actually a pretty serious tea junkie, and have a whole cupboard full of different styles and blends. I’ve never been able to drink coffee for some reason, but I got fixated on tea as a young girl when my mom used to take me to a teahouse for “lady time.” Apparently the lady thing didn’t take, but the tea certainly did!
Tawna
Of your own books, do you have a favorite hero?
PS- love my avatar, this is my pre-coffee, morning face
Tina,
Ooooh, good question. I would say it’s a tossup between sexy geek, Ben (the hero of my new release, THE FIX UP, which is the first book in the First Impressions series) or Schwartz (the hero of the final book in my Front and Center series). I suppose that’s an odd tossup, since the two men couldn’t possibly be more opposite (a geeky science nerd CEO versus a surly, reclusive mountain man scarred by his military past). But they both share a certain social awkwardness and tenderheartedness that makes them endearing to me.
How about you? Who are your favorite heroes?
Tawna
The Fix up is on my TBR, and I added Protector for Hire. Crazy as it sounds, I follow your posts, cuz you are hilariously funny. I still chuckle over the hair-pulling photo, and the clerk who wanted to wrap your bone. I’ve not read any of your books (yet!) probably because I have over 900 books on my TBR (about 3yrs worth for me, as I read, on average, over a book per day). You’re snuggled into a slot around mid-January, and I’m looking forward to the read.
As for heroes, from my own series, I enjoy Bas who’s an alpha without being and ass. From other authors, my favorite is a toss up between Archer, from Mia Sheridon’s Archer’s Voice, and Colton, from Falling into you. I like heroes who have to work for it.
What one thing did you want to do in 2015, that remains undone?
Lisa,
Well, I do have to confess I wanted to hit the USA Today bestseller list with one of my books, and that didn’t happen. I definitely can’t complain, since I’ve seen phenomenal sales and stellar reviews, so my career is rolling along wonderfully. But I did kinda want to hit that list. I don’t suppose you’d like to buy about 5,000 copies of THE FIX UP for friends and family this holiday season?!
Tawna
Is there a genre you have not written in yet that you would like to?
Mary,
Good question! My first three romantic comedies were all full-length (90,000-word) standalone books and then my career shifted a little when I started writing shorter (50,000-word) series books for Entangled. My new book, THE FIX UP, falls into that category, and they’re all short, super-sexy, trope-driven stories. The publication of ABOUT THAT FLING in September was a bit of a deviation from all of that. Still romantic comedy, of course (I’ll probably always write that, since it’s where my voice really lies) but with a lot more serious undertones and as many tears as laughs. I want to continue along that vein with more of those bittersweet rom-coms. I’ll definitely keep up the series books as well, but I like having that diversity.
Tawna
Are there any other genres you would have an interest in writing?
Michelle B,
LOL, I think you and Mary (right above this) might have simu-posted a similar question. I guess to add on to my response to her, not really. I love romantic comedy, and it’s where my voice really lies. While I may branch out within that genre, I don’t see myself suddenly deciding I want to write historical fiction or sci-fi
Tawna
What is the most interesting thing you have done in the name of research?
DebraG,
LOL, you mean this week? As a former journalist, I’m a bit of a junkie for research, and I really enjoy this aspect of it. Just glancing up at the top of my screen, I see this week’s research has included cures and causes of hiccups, proper etiquette for business dinners, and rock formations in caves. That’s all for one book.
I will say the research for LET IT BREATHE (my upcoming March release, which you can pre-order on Amazon) was some of the most fun. The book is set in an Oregon winery, so I spent countless hours visiting wineries, interviewing employees, and of course, drinking wine!
Tawna
What is your favorite type of nerd- theater, music, math/science, computer, etc?
Sarah,
Since I’m married to a guitar-playing singer with a Masters degree in theater, I’m going to have to go with the theater geek!
Even before him, that would have been my choice. I definitely find I’m more compatible with a guy who has similar creative interests. Besides, that sort of passion and talent is super sexy, isn’t it
Tawna
wheres your favorite place to write
Amanda,
The hubs and I just had a weekend getaway at the Oregon coast, and I enjoyed working on my next book while overlooking the ocean. I also wrote a lot of the first scenes in ABOUT THAT FLING while on my honeymoon in Belize (an irony, since much of that book was inspired by my earlier divorce).
But I’d say I’m usually pretty darn happy in my home office.It overlooks a street that’s popular among walkers/runners, so there’s a lot of fun energy, plus there’s an elementary school right across the street (more fun energy, though admittedly it can feel awkward when I’m writing a really steamy sex scene and there are a hundred gleeful children shrieking outside my window). My five cats take turns sitting on my lap, and when I need a break, my dog is always up for a walk.
Tawna
What are hoping that Santa will bring you this Christmas?
Dovile,
I don’t know but I hope it’s battery powered
Tawna
Have you seen the Hot Guys Reading Books site? Best of both worlds, I’d say. And I still regret not getting a Men of the Stacks charity calendar in 2012, featuring librarian dudes…that Zach is pretty fetching with his glasses and strategically-placed book!
Trix,
Holy cow! I had seen the occasional meme of hot guys reading books, but I didn’t know there was a website. Um, I think I’m going to need to take the rest of the day off….
Tawna
1) Umm… me being an introvert, that’s only my whole life outside home:) I just don’t seem to find the golden middle between speaking too much and too little, so it’s ether I’m blabbing what I should’ve kept to myself or being too quiet. Nowadays I stick to listening instead of talking when in company, less embarrassing this way.
2) the quiet nerd type. You know, the type that reads the whole history book for the year during the first week, because history is so interesting:)
3) nope
I’ve tripped and fallen in public a few times…
I definitely like cute nerds, though the arty jock is rare and much sought-after!
I’d be too worried about security cameras!
Trix,
Is it just me, or have you noticed soccer players often fill that “arty jock” role?
Tawna
Do you have a favorite book boyfriend?
Amanda,
It’s a tossup between Phin Tucker from Jennifer Crusie’s WELCOME TO TEMPTATION or James Cahill from Kristan Higgins’s SOMEBODY TO LOVE. I wouldn’t mind seeing those two wrestle for the honor
Tawna
The most socially awkward thing I have done (and it pains me to admit it), was drink too much at a party in college (I was painfully shy and had a hard time talking to people), and ended up dancing on a coffee table (in my defense I was not the only one up there, but still………..)
LOL, Amanda!!!! Are there pictures?
Tawna
I really, really hope not.
I was the nerdy bookish type
Who/what inspired you to become a writer?
Marie,
I’m not sure there was ever any one thing that inspired me. I figured out early in grade school that writing was something I enjoyed and did fairly well, and in high school I realized it was my ticket to scholarships and a journalism career. Things sort of evolved from there from journalism to tech writing to marketing, and eventually, fiction. But writing has kept a roof over my head my whole adult life, and lucky for me, I love doing it!
Tawna
Sorry I am so late!!!!
1. I love your head-shot! You look so joyful.
With the holidays coming close- do you have any unusual traditions that you incorporate to the usual hub-bub?
I am pretty self assured, so I don’t think I really have done anything that awkward (hubby says it is marrying him.) Probably an off-color joke.
In hs I was attracted to both the hot jock (because I had my shallow moments) and the cute nerd. My husband is a cute nerd though.
So I used to work at a bar- I actually think it may have been a requirement of employment to get a bit frisky there. I was a great employee and I will leave it at that
Kristin D,
Thanks! My hubby actually took that photo, and I’m pretty sure he said something deliciously filthy to me to make me laugh like that
I can’t think of any unusual traditions off the top of my head. My family used to open most presents the night before, and my husband’s family had a little more self-restraint and went one by one around the room on Christmas Day. We’ve managed to meet somewhere in the middle of all that, with a few gifts Christmas Eve and most of the big stuff happening the next morning.
Tawna
I see your newsletters and your Facebook posts…let’s see, how can I put this….Is your life really as crazy as you say it is? I mean did you really try to fish something out of a tablemate’s purse?
LOL, Kim….yep, I’m afraid so. People always ask why I write comedy. I’m such a magnet for absurdity that there’s no way I could write anything else!
Tawna
I’m sure I’ve done a lot of socially-awkward things in my life. One thing is I was attempting to be funny with a joke and no one got it. The people in the group I was with just kind of stared at me.
I think I have to go with the class clown and the nerd. Oh there was the kid who’s nose would always bleed.
Laugh…Yes.
What is your favorite publishing story?
Erica,
My own road to publication was pretty bumpy. I blogged about it fairly recently here:
http://tawnafenske.blogspot.com/2015/10/on-money-sacrifice-and-awkward.html
Tawna
I see in the videos on Youtube that you and your hubby laugh a lot. Do you ever stop laughing? I think this is a healthy way to enjoy a relationship.
Linda,
Amen to that! Indeed, the hubs and I spend a good chunk of our time laughing (and I suppose what we spend the rest of our time doing counts as healthy relationship fodder, too!)
Sounds like you’ve seen our YouTube videos before. Do you have a favorite? I think this one is mine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAdXrLzhew
In the outtake you see there at the end, I came *this close* to laughing so hard I peed myself.
Tawna
OMG! I laughed pretty hard watching that one. My favorite so far has been this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU9nens0PhY I nearly fell off my bed!
Ha! Yeah, I liked that one, too. It’s one of the few my step-kids have been allowed to watch
Tawna
Hi, Tawna. Welcome back to BBB!
What kinds of things do you enjoy for relaxation?
Carol M,
Hey there! Let’s see, I love snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and hiking with my dog. I’m a major food snob and love cooking, so that’s always fun (especially when paired with good wine, another passion of mine!) I also love to read a lot, and usually have two or three books going at one time.
Tawna
When I was young and in school, it was either the class clown or the cute nerd that interested me.
I know it is early, but have you started writing the next book in the series?
Charity,
Yep! I’m about halfway through with the second book in the series, titled THE HANG UP. Have you read THE FIX UP yet? If so, you’ll remember Miriam. It’s her story
Tawna
what is your favorite Christmas Cookie?
Stacey,
You know, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so cookies don’t do a whole lot for me (though I diligently bake gingerbread men every year with my stepdaughter). Throw me a bag of potato chips, though, and I’ll be your friend forever
Tawna