Urban Reviews:
Tell us about your latest book, Long, Hot Nights.
Candice Poarch:
Set against the background of the Virginia coastline,
Long, Hot Nights is the second title in the "Quest for the
Golden Bowl" series. The setting is Paradise Island, a small
fictitious island near Virginia Beach. The inhabitants are
descendants of seven women who were shipwrecked there almost
four hundred years ago. A golden bowl has passed down for
several generations, but now it has disappeared. The family is
searching for the bowl and other lost heirlooms. Four books
are scheduled for the series. The first title, Golden Night,
was published April 2007.
Long, Hot Nights (Published May 2008) is the story of
Detective Alyssa Claxton, who finds two bodies near her home.
One of the victims is her cousin's husband caught in a
compromising position with a younger woman.
Jordan Ellis has come to the island with one purpose only-to
marry the elusive Alyssa, the first woman he's ever fallen in
love with. Gaining her affection is harder than any business
deal he's put together. When one of Alyssa's best friends
becomes a suspect, she finds herself in a race against time
with Jordan, trying to unravel the secrets behind these murders-before the killer strikes again and ruins her chances
of happily ever after.
Urban Reviews:
You pride yourself in writing believable stories. Is there a
reason behind this approach?
Candice Poarch:
My readers demand believable characters and settings. I
try to create strong characters readers can identify with and
who fight for what they believe in. Most of my stories revolve
around families and how a particular character fits into the
family dynamic. Why do they do the things they do? I like to
explore the problems everyday people-lawyers, cops, doctors,
teachers, business owners-encounter. I also like to explore
the kaleidoscope of romance-whether between young people just
starting out, or a mature couple experiencing a second chance
at love. Readers want to believe that wherever they are in
their lives that things can get better. I believe this is
true. It's the reason I've made Lisa Claxton, the antagonist
in Golden Night, the heroine of the fourth novel. On
the surface characters can react one way, but unless we have
delved deeply into their psyche we don't know what's causing
their behavior. We discover different layers in Lisa as we
travel through the last two books in the series.
Urban
Reviews: You have more than fifteen released titles to
date and are a full-time writer. Did your love of writing
start at an early age and did you ever think you'd be an
accomplished writer?
Candice Poarch:
Long, Hot Nights is my 21st title. Although I
enjoyed writing at an early age, I didn't recognize the skills
or thought I'd actually pursue writing as a career. So many of
the books I was required to read in school had depressing
endings. I would love the book until the end. It wasn't until
I began reading romance novels with characters I could
identify with that my urge to write resurfaced. It was years
later before I actually attempted to write a novel. I
graduated with a science degree and when I decided to write, I
returned to school to take writing classes. Joining a writing
organization and surrounding myself with other writers of
diverse backgrounds buoyed my belief that becoming published
was possible.
Urban
Reviews: Why do you think organizations like Romance
Writers of America are important for writers? How did you
become involved with them?
Candice Poarch:
When I began writing in the early nineties I knew nothing
about the writing profession. I graduated with a degree in
physics. I attended Book Expo in Washington, D.C. and one of
the editors told me about the organization. I joined the local
branch, Washington Romance Writers. They offered excellent
tools on the skills as well as the business of writing.
Urban Reviews: There are a number of sub-genres within
romance. Do you think you'd ever venture into one of these in
the future?
Candice Poarch:
I write two different styles of romance. My Kimani
Romances are traditional romance novels while Long, Hot
Nights, published by Kensington/Dafina is considered to be
in the sub-genre of romantic suspense. My Dafina books contain
both mystery and suspense.
Urban
Reviews: How much longer do you think you'll be writing
novels? Do you find it harder to write novels now that
you are so far into your career?
Candice Poarch:
I hope to write for the rest of my life. I don't think
writing is harder as much as I think I change and grow. I have
a desire to broach different subject matters and to explore
deeper into the dynamics of relationships.
Urban
Reviews: What projects are you working on for the
future? When can we expect them to be released?
Candice Poarch:
I have a two book contract with Harlequin Kimani.
Loving Spoonful will publish May 2009. It's part of a
three-book Mother's Day series. The second title is the third
book in a series developed around three daughters who search
for their sperm donor father. The remaining two books for the
"Quest for the Golden Bowl" series are under contract with
Kensington/Dafina. I don't have publication dates for them
yet. Between contracted projects I'm currently working on a
mainstream novel I hope to publish one day.
Urban Reviews: Who are some of the authors that you have
admired, both within the romance field and outside of romance?
Candice Poarch:
I read and enjoy many novels by other Kimani and Dafina
authors as well as other lines of romance novels including the
top authors in the romance field such as Nora Roberts, L .A.
Banks, and Brenda Jackson. I also read mainstream novels,
women fiction, and mystery including books by Kimberla Lawson
Roby, James Patterson, and Connie Briscoe. Although I read
Bebe Moore Campbell's mainstream novel What You Owe Me
many years ago, I often go back to reread it. I think the
subject matter intrigued me as much as the solid romance in
the story.
Urban Reviews:
What advice do you have for the aspiring authors out there who
are considering a career in romance writing?
Candice Poarch:
Join a writers group. You gain wonderful information about
your craft but the biggest assets are the members and their
great sense of inspiration. If writing is your desire, learn
as much as you can about your craft and never be deterred from
your goal. Rejection is the name of the game. Remember the
saying "WRITERS WRITE." Get to know the field, who your
writing most resemble, and why you think you are unique. What
kind of stories do you like to read? What kind do you like to
tell, etc.? Local chapters of Romance Writers of America are
located throughout the country. They are excellent tools for
learning the skills as well as the business of writing. Go to
the RWA website (www.rwanational.com) to find a chapter in
your area.
Urban
Reviews: Is there anything else you would like to share
with our readers about yourself or your work?
Candice Poarch:
Readers like a variety of writing styles. My stories
appeal more to readers who like intense story-telling. While
every novel is about characters at a given time in their
lives, I like to explore how they got that way and what
changes they make to reach another level. Some of my stories
are set in small towns. I think the drama and intrigue that
bubbles beneath the surface can make a great story in any
setting. Like most writers, I play the "what if" game. If I
read a newspaper or magazine article I ask how can this be
used as a story?
Please visit my web site at
http://www.CandicePoarch.com and view my book video on
Long, Hot Nights.
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