Congratulations to Kristi (comment 3) whose name I randomly drew using Random.org. Kristi, send me your mailing address and your choice of books to ak @ alisonkent.com.
Small town contemporary romances are all the rage. I’m not sure if we have Robyn Carr to thank for that, with her Virgin River series, or Susan Wiggs, with her Lakeshore Chronicles, or Debbie Macomber, with Blossom Street and Cedar Cove. Maybe Jan Karon started it all with Mitford.
Or maybe readers are responsible, ready for quiet streets without otherworldly creatures lurking in alleyways, allowing for Emilie Richards‘ Happiness Key, and Toni Blake’s Destiny, and Carly Phillips’ Serendipity, and JoAnn Ross’ Shelter Bay.
Though my gIRL-gEAR series was set in Houston, I think the group of books had a similar close-knit community feel because the characters were great friends and shared the goings-on in their lives. There were in-jokes and inside references, but nothing to put off a reader who hadn’t read the whole series. To readers who had, those easter eggs were great fun as they added another layer of involvement.
I have three small town ideas in the works. One I’ve set aside and will eventually turn into a single book that’s more women’s fiction than romance. Another is an erotic romance series that I haven’t decided what to do with. Both of those towns have names. The third I’m actively working on now does not.
This is where you, dear readers, come in. I’d love to hear your suggestions. The series will involve carpentry and crafts, cooking and caves and country music. There will be dogs and merino sheep and big Victorian houses. The setting is the Texas Hill Country. Think New Braunfels and the Guadalupe River and Austin and Gruene.
So put your brains to work and see what you can come up with. There’s no guarantee I will use what is offered, but I will mention you in the acknowledgments of the book I’m working on now if I do. (Notice how I assume this will sell, heh.)
And to make this more fun, I’ll give away to a random commenter his/her choice of 3 of my backlist books (subject to availability). I’ll choose the winner on Monday, July 5, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. (Feel free to share the link to this post. I’d love lots and lots of suggestions!)
