Thursday, January 21, 2010

Love Letters and Inspiration with Tierney O'Malley and Win an E-copy of Wicked Persuasion


Please welcome today's guest author, Tierney O'Malley!

I’ve been asked many times about where I get my ideas on what to write. My answer is always, everywhere. It’s true. I get ideas from my children, movies, people I see at the store, hospital. Everywhere. Even on the upper shelf in my walk-in closet.

For my latest book, Wicked Persuasion, the love letters that I received from my husband were behind the story. Yes, I introduced Diana and Todd in Wicked Proposal as secondary characters who had the hots for each other but were trying to deny and hide their feelings. Of course, they failed miserably. They each have their own reason for doing it, which I didn’t clearly define in Wicked Proposal. When I finally decided to write their story, what I had wasn’t enough. Yeah, they were in love, but what else?

One day, I was looking for old pictures to scan when I happened to look at my special collection of love letters. And then voila! It hit me. I can use love letters as my foundation for Wicked Persuasion. Throughout the story, I wrote a snippet of Diana’s letter to Todd.

Brande of Book Junkie wrote in her review, “…Tierney posted Diana's letters to Todd sporadically throughout the book which will tear at your heart and make you wonder, can all be forgiven? Can you erase the past and move on? The love Diana once carried for Todd, is it still alive and strong enough to make it till the end?”

Here is the blurb:

For successful businesswoman, Diana O’Connor, it was love at first sight the moment she met Todd at the age of seventeen. She didn’t waste time expressing her love through letters. But after a year of no response from him, she accepted the shattering truth that her brother’s best friend, Todd Fox, will never see as her more than an annoying brat. She moved on and loved another.

Years later and unexpectedly, Todd expressed his love and asked for her hand in marriage. When she refuses to believe him, he tries all the wicked ways to make her accept his love. Including the most explicit sexual intimacy imaginable. This fuels her desire and sweeps her away.

Top-notch engineer, Todd William Fox, never intended to hurt Diana’s feelings by ignoring her letters. She was young and off-limits. Now, after years of watching her turn into a beautiful headstrong woman, he loses his heart to her. When Diana’s brother gives him the go signal to pursue her, he sets out on persuading Diana into his arms and into his bed. But will the chatterbox Diana give her heart the way she yielded her body to him—wholeheartedly?

Doesn’t it feel wonderful when someone courted you through love letters? I’m talking about letters written using a pen with ink. Not a keyboard and sent via the Internet. Nowadays though, with the new high tech gizmos, most women receive their letter through texting, instant messaging, email, or even chat rooms. Kind of sad really. Courtship took quite a wide turn in the past years.

Do you think courtship is a dying trend or it still exists but modernized? Do you still prefer getting handwritten love notes or computerized?

Leave a comment. Let’s chat.

By the way, I am giving away a free PDF copy of Wicked Persuasion to one visitor when it is released on February 1, 2010.

Lastly, thank you Roxanne for giving me this privilege to blog at Roxanne’s Realm.

Sincerely
Tierney O’Malley
Romance Author

17 comments:

Sherry said...

I think that courtship is a dying trend anymore, most people I know don't think anything about hopping into bed with someone on a first date. I like getting handwritten notes it feels more personal to me.

sstrode@scrtc.com

Tierney O'Malley said...

Hi Sherry,

Oh yes. Handwritten notes are more personal. Call me oldfashioned, but I like reading people's penmanship.
When my husband and I were corresponding, he asked if I was a lefty. He was right. He said it was my number eight that gave me away. :)

Tierney

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said...

Courtship may very well be dying but its reincarnation is digital. I know that txt msg from that special someone will get my heart a flutterin' just as much as a note! But you just can't reread a txt msg 30 years later....

Now the holding open doors and stuff I have rarely seen. I guess with feminism, some men are not sure if that is a sign of respect or disrespect.

mdwartistry at yahoo dot com

Judy said...

I think it is a dying trend. I do not see it in public hardly at all. It is not only the men that are not doing it, but the ladies don't seem like they want it. I have always thought it showed respect and love. You don't have to go overboard. Everyone is always in such a hurry, there is no time for courtship and even respect.

magnolias_1@msn.com

Estella said...

I think courtship is a dying trend. People think nothing of having sex on the first date.

Hand written love notes are always better---more personal.

booklover0226 said...

I adore hand written love notes. It shows my sweetie has taken the time to think about me and write something sweet.

If the note was computerized, I would feel like he "squeezed" me in between other tasks...

Eh, but that's just me!

Thanks,
Tracey D

Tierney O'Malley said...

Sweet Vernal,

Courtship reincarnated in digital form. Love it. :)

Tierney O'Malley said...

Ah, feminism. I advocates equal rights for women, but I will not feel weak if a guy offers me his seat or if he openes the door for me. This is just my own opinion. :D

The Scarf Princess said...

What a sweet post. I still write letters and personally love sending/receiving them. It's more personal and shows how much extra thought you put into it.

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Andrea I said...

Letters are always nice, but I'm the world's worst at following through on it. I do good to make phone calls.

Tierney O'Malley said...

Judy,

You made a good point. People are always in a hurry that they will use whatever means available to help them finish their job three times faster. Texting for example is way faster than writing a letter. No stamps necessary. : )

Tierney

Tierney O'Malley said...

Thank you for your comments, everyone. I will be back to promote my book, Wicked Knight: Knight Brothers Series Book One (contemporary erotic romance) and to giveaway a copy.
But here is an early chance to win a copy of Wicked Knight: I am running a contest at Wicked Thorn and Roses address http://wickedthornandroses.blogspot.com So head over there and leave your comment. I'll wait. :)

Tierney

julieann said...

Hi Tierney
Congrats on the book coming out! Im sooo excited to read it and Id love to win a copy of the book with my "namesake" in it.
Thanks again for using my name
Julie Parrish

skyla11377 said...

Wow, This Book Sounds Amazing. When I First Met My Boyfriend (Now Hubby) He Lived In Canada. When The Phone Bills Would Get To Crazy We Would Write Each Other Letters Every Night So We Would Always Be Connect. Just Hearing About This Story Reminds Me Of That. I Would So Love To Be Entered Into This Giveaway.

skyla11377(At)AOL(Dot)Com

Rosie said...

I love the handwritten notes. To me typewritten/computer notes are impersonal. It's more romantic to have something written by hand by the one you love.

Thanks!

Carol L. said...

Hi Tierney,
It's a shame that handwritten letters are fading out. I still have some of mine from over 30 years ago. I love the idea of your using letters in your book. Look forward to definitely reading it.
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com

Mitzi H. said...

I don't think folks take the time to write letters anymore. When my mom passed away a couple years ago I found 2 love letters my dad wrote her when they were 1st married. I will treasure them always.

I'm a new follower...just found you from Wicked Thorn and Roses Blog.

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net