Please join me in welcoming Hope Bolinger back to the blog today to chat about her new contemporary romance, Finding Harmony, written with Alyssa Roat!
FINDING HARMONY by Alyssa Roat & Hope Bolinger
SERIES: Roseville Romances #2
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: Mountain Brook Ink
RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2022
PAGES: 267
Can Two Writers Stick to the Same Romance Story?
by Hope Bolinger, author of Finding Harmony
You all may have heard once or twice that romance really does stick to a formula.
But how did my co-author and I pull it off together? What would happen if one person wanted to veer off the path and do their own thing?
After all, the book Finding Harmony is all about fighting our need to people please, and instead, to follow the call placed on our hearts. How do we know that Hope or Alyssa didn’t veer too off script? Or if they did, was it a good thing?
First, we started with an outline.
And pantsers, not to fret, Alyssa is a pantser too. But if we know anything about romance, you do have to hit all the right beats. So we made sure to plot all of those out during a two-hour planning session.
Secondly, we chose a character. I (Hope) grabbed the outgoing worship leader Elijah. And Alyssa tackled the sweet, bubbly pianist Liv. We would alternate chapters: first Liv, then Elijah, etc.
Thirdly, we would regularly call each other when we read the “latest” chapter to talk about where we thought the story was heading. If we made any new discoveries, we’d share them at this stage.
“But hold up, Hope,” you may say, “Does this leave any room for you two to veer off the path? To be yourselves?”
To answer that, absolutely! For instance, most romance heroes tend to be very stoic and very masculine. Elijah, on the other hand, is what we call a “cinnamon roll,” very sweet and soft.
Another instance of us “going off the path” includes the fact that we tackle a very tough subject in this—how congregations can treat pastors and worship leaders. Elijah has to deal with a congregation member who is withholding tithing until Elijah gives into his demands.
Our romance tends to tackle deeper subjects than what you may typically see in sweet romance.
Writing romance, like Finding Harmony, involves—well, finding harmony between ourselves and the romance formula. You need both. Too much of the formula, and you may lose the authors. Too much of the authors, and it may not seem like a romance anymore.
But I am so grateful to have worked on this with Alyssa. We found that harmony in so many ways. And if you’re thinking about joining with a co-author to also find that harmony in a manuscript, I highly recommend it!
Hope Bolinger is a Managing & Acquisitions Editor at End Game Press. More than 1300 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer’s Digest to Keys for Kids to HOOKED to Crosswalk.com. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Eighteen of her books are under contract or out now with traditional publishers, and she hopes more of her stories will find a home soon.
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Alyssa Roat is a multi-published author and has worked in a wide variety of roles within the publishing industry as an agent, editor, writer, and publicist. Her name is a pun, which means you can learn more about her at www.alyssawrote.com or on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as @alyssawrote.
What about you? What makes you want to read Finding Harmony by Hope Bolinger & Alyssa Roat?
Thank you for sharing. Sounds good.
I like the synopsis