Alexis:
We’d like to welcome multi-published Harlequin author Lee McKenzie back to
Happily Ever After Thoughts. Lee’s writes sweet contemporary romance with a
focus on family, friends and community. Her husband will tell you she writes
fifty shades of pink.
So
Lee, what do you think everyone should know about your husband?
Lee:
Aside from coming up with the perfect tag line for my work, he has always been
a proud and enthusiastic supporter of my writing. And I am beyond grateful for
all the meals he’s prepared while I’m on a deadline.
Alexis:
I‘m with you on that! Why did you choose this sub-genre of romance?
Lee: To
be honest, I think it chose me. I started out trying to write sexier romantic
suspense, but even though those manuscripts finaled in or won lots of writing
contests, I couldn’t find a publisher. And even though I loved to write, I realized
I wasn’t writing what I love, I was trying to write for what I thought was a
market trend. So I decided to try something different, try writing something for
fun, something I truly enjoyed. Six weeks after I submitted that book to an
editor at Harlequin, I got the call! The Man for Maggie (Harlequin American
Romance) was released in June 2007 and it was reissued as Maggie’s
Way (Harlequin Heartwarming) in May 2013.
I’m
thrilled to be writing for both lines now, and really excited about my new
release this month—The
Parent Trap (Harlequin Heartwarming, October 2014).
Alexis:
Where did you get the idea for this story?
Lee: When
my daughter was little, one of our favorite movies was The
Parent Trap with Haley Mills.
The hero and heroine are both single parents of teenage girls, and I decided it
would be fun to do a twist on that classic old film. I also had a lot of fun
writing scenes in the girls’ point of view. But my story isn’t about reuniting
a family; it’s about bringing two families together.
Alexis:
What are your favorite traits of the two main characters, Sarah and Jonathan?
Lee: Sarah
Stewart is a devoted mom who has a great relationship with her daughter. She’s level-headed,
hardworking and runs a successful clothing boutique. She can prepare a mean
spreadsheet but she’s a culinary disaster.
Jonathan
Marshall’s relationship with his daughter is more tenuous, but he’s determined to
create a stable home, which is why he’s moved to the small (fictional) town of
Serenity Bay on the west coast of Canada. He’s also a great cook, and I happen
to love a guy who knows his way around the kitchen.
Alexis:
Me too. I married one :-)
So what are you working on now?
Lee: I
have a three-book proposal with my editor right now—an American Romance series
about three sisters who live in a fictional small town in Wisconsin. They were raised
by their dad, a widower, and I am currently working on a proposal for his
story, which will be for Harlequin’s Heartwarming line.
Alexis,
I thoroughly enjoy Happy Ever After Thoughts and want to thank you again for
inviting me back. I also want to thank your readers for joining me today by
drawing a name from the commenters and offering signed copies of Maggie’s Way and The Parent Trap.
Happy
reading, everyone!
Blurb of The Parent Trap
The trap is set…
Single
mom and successful boutique owner Sarah Stewart didn't have room in her life
for a pet, let alone a man. With a teenage girl to raise and a business to run,
she couldn't do anything more than look at Jonathan Marshall, the single—and
singularly good-looking—man who just moved in next door with a teenage daughter
of his own. Still, since their girls would be classmates, it made sense to make
friends. But that was as far as it could go. Despite the best efforts of some
teenage matchmaking, Sarah wasn't giving in. Because she just isn't ready to
put her heart on the line—again.
About Lee:
From
the time Lee McKenzie was ten years old and read Anne of Green Gables and
Little Women, she knew she wanted to be a writer, just like Anne and Jo. In the
intervening years she has written advertising copy, magazine articles and an
honors thesis in paleontology, and edited conference proceedings, educational
material and technical publications. Along the way, her imagination demanded a
more creative outlet, and she soon discovered the world of romance. Becoming a
four-time Golden Heart finalist and a Harlequin author are her proudest
accomplishments yet.
Lee
and her artist/teacher husband live on an island in the Pacific Northwest, and
she loves to spend time with two of her best friends--her grown-up children. To
find out more about Lee and her books, readers are invited to visit her at www.leemckenzie.com.
Alexis:
Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!
