Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Story Behind the Story

It was very easy for me to come up with Audra’s Character for the Wedding Belles continuity.



The business needed a level-headed, yet vibrant young woman. Somebody who could bring order out of the chaos of so many creative women and Audra was more than ready to fit the bill. Audra also had an interesting background. The daughter of a woman who'd worked as a maid to one of Boston's wealthiest families, Audra never saw a class difference. As a child she tattled on older, cooler Dominic as if he were just another boy. At college time, she didn't hesitate to enter the typically male dominated world of business. She was smart. She could be savvy. She wanted her shot.


Audra was pure joy to create!


Dominic Manelli was another story! I knew the basics of the kind of guy who would end up stealing Audra's heart, but little did I know he’d come with his own baggage.


As soon as I brought Dominic into the picture, I could see he was troubled. Yes, he was a playboy -- the exact kind of man Audra should avoid. But I also saw a shadow in his eyes and I wanted readers to see that too. I wanted them to know that he didn't simply miss his older brother who'd been so tragically killed, and didn't merely have a somewhat difficult childhood with an overbearing father. I also wanted them to see how losing someone so close at such a young age could impact a person's entire life.


That was when I realized that my Wedding Planner story wouldn't simply be about finding the right guy for a wonderful young woman who wanted to do something important with her life; my book would also be a story of personal triumph for Dominic.


In the end, I fulfilled all my wishes about the story, bringing Audra and Dominic together through their mutual love for Dominic's brother's baby boy. It's a story that will make you laugh and cry...and that's always my goal. Because a good story, like life, is all about balance. Some days we laugh. Some days we cry. But as long as we have each other ... Life is good.



susan

posted by Susan @ 5:02 AM