Ari McKay are here today talking writerly things to promote their holiday novel, Letters From Cupid.
Writers are notorious eavesdroppers.
Maybe not all writers, but I dare say most of us have a tendency to listen when we’re alone in a public place. Perhaps even when we aren’t alone! A snippet of conversation floats over from the next table, and we make a mental note – or even write it down – for later use because it’s catchy or fascinating. Something about it has potential, and so we want to remember it.
Just this weekend, I was in an elevator with a fellow writer and two or three other people who were carrying on a conversation. One of them said something that was both funny and uniquely phrased, and I made a mental note to remember her line because it would make a great piece of dialogue. As soon as we were out of the elevator and away from the other group, my writer friend turned to me, quoted the exact line that had gotten my attention, and said, “Don’t let me forget that quote because it’s great.” I’m not sure which one of us is going to use it – maybe neither of us – but it’s both telling and amusing that we latched on to the same line.
I think writers tend to listen – okay, eavesdrop – because so many of us are introverts. It’s in our nature to listen rather than speak. We’re content to sit quietly and take in what’s going on around us. Our external stimulus serves to enrich our inner world. So if you are an extrovert who ever wonders if their introverted friend is really listening when they’re smiling and nodding, wonder no more. They’re listening. And if they’re also a writer, they’re probably taking mental notes for later use as well. Don’t be surprised if some little element in their next short story or novel sounds awfully familiar.
We’re also hoarders. Not of things, but of people, places, dialogue. Or perhaps we’re magpies, constantly picking up little shiny things we see every day that we want to take back to our nest. We see random people on the street and realize their outfit would be perfect for a character’s fashion style. We overhear conversations and save bits of it for dialogue. We visit a new place, fall in love with it, and decide to set a story there.
I’d say it’s probably rare that a writer doesn’t have a physical notebook or a notepad app available most of the time for jotting down the random things we see or hear that we want to remember for use in a current or future story. It’s inevitable that we’ll experience a blinding flash of inspiration as soon as we aren’t anywhere near something to take notes with. The “inspiration striking in the shower or while driving” concept is cliché, but it’s also true.
A writer eavesdropping on his colleague is what sets the plot – and the romance – in motion in our newest release, Letters from Cupid. Macon is a tenured professor who teaches creative writing, and he’s also a writer and an introvert. He doesn’t mean to eavesdrop on his colleague’s conversation about a recent breakup, but their offices are adjoining, so he just can’t help it.
But rather than writing a short story about it, Macon is inspired by what he hears to help Derek find love again, and so he writes a letter from Cupid and leaves it on Derek’s door. He’s surprised when Derek responds, but he writes back, and the two of them begin communicating more honestly to each other through the letters than they do to anyone else face to face.
I’d like to thank Boy Meets Boy Reviews for letting us guest post as part of our blog tour. We always enjoy being able to share our thoughts about our works, our writing process, and writing in general. Letters from Cupid is being released on February 14th by Dreamspinner Press. Ari and I hope you enjoy this light holiday romance!
Blurb
2nd Edition
After breaking up with his partner, English professor Dr. Derek Chandler feels like a failure who will never win at romance. His aloof colleague, Dr. Macon Pinney, disagrees and pens an anonymous note of encouragement to Derek, which he signs “Cupid.” Thus begins an exchange of correspondence, a courtship through words where the two men find out they have a great deal in common. Meanwhile, Derek reaches out to Macon, not knowing Macon is his anonymous pen pal. Derek reveals through his letters that someone close by has piqued his interest. Could he mean Macon—or has Macon missed his opportunity and lost Derek to another man?
Perhaps the time has come for Cupid to put in an appearance, and when better to do so than Valentine’s Day?
First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2015.
Cover Artist: Bree Archer
After breaking up with his partner, English professor Dr. Derek Chandler feels like a failure who will never win at romance. His aloof colleague, Dr. Macon Pinney, disagrees and pens an anonymous note of encouragement to Derek, which he signs “Cupid.” Thus begins an exchange of correspondence, a courtship through words where the two men find out they have a great deal in common. Meanwhile, Derek reaches out to Macon, not knowing Macon is his anonymous pen pal. Derek reveals through his letters that someone close by has piqued his interest. Could he mean Macon—or has Macon missed his opportunity and lost Derek to another man?
Perhaps the time has come for Cupid to put in an appearance, and when better to do so than Valentine’s Day?
First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2015.
Cover Artist: Bree Archer
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About the Authors:
Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.
Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.
McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.
Website: http://arimckay.wordpress.com
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ari-Mckay/266185570179748
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ari.mckay.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriMcKay1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6153630.Ari_McKay
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