Wow, release day is so close. When it takes months to write and edit a novel, the day of release seems to come out of nowhere.
Seal of Approval was a fun novel to write, but in a way it was also hard. Ethan had a very rough childhood, and because of that he would hold his thoughts and feelings close.
Here’s an example of his thoughts early on, when he finds out he is going to be sharing a house with Jasmine and her two children:
Uncomfortable didn’t begin to describe how I was feeling. If you added in a little fear, that’d be closer to the mark. I’d never had children for a reason. I liked them well enough. But being a father was not in the cards for me. Not with my father’s genes running through my blood.
With a character like Ethan, it can be hard to get chemistry on the page. And you need to have chemistry to keep a reader interested.
While this proved to be a challenge, getting to the end result was rewarding. It may be slow burn but with these characters it makes perfect sense. Because just like Ethan, Jasmine was protecting herself, as well as her children and their happiness.
Jasmine being a single mum is integral to the plot and makes for some very realistic scenes which many readers can relate to, like this opening one:
Rose crossed her arms and dropped onto the couch. Nine years of stubbornness flashed in her blue eyes. “I’m not sharing a room with him.” She threw a piercing glare at her brother.
Bailey’s head whipped in her direction, his mouth opening to offer a retort.
I sighed, cutting him off. “You have no choice. The new ranger, Ethan, is arriving in two days.”
Being a mum was hard sometimes, and this was one of those times. How many repetitions of this same conversation did we need to have?
It’s important to me that readers can picture what is happening as real life scenarios. So you can see that anything is possible for you and me, even if we have had dark days.
Ethan and Jasmine are not healed automatically by love or the prospect of it. They have to grow, learn and have some deep introspection.
The respect and admiration these two characters have for each other is paramount and it leads to what we are all here for—romance.
I hope you feel this when you’re reading Seal of Approval.
If you have any questions, I’m always happy to answer them.