Spring Into Romance with Wendy S. Marcus

Even though it’s still cold outside here in New York, and I’m sitting at my desk with a blanket in my lap as I write this, I am thrilled to be here springing into romance with all of you! Let’s set the stage, shall we? Imagine purple crocuses and the scent of rain dampened soil accompanied by the sound of chirping birds. Warm sunshine, a light, comfortable breeze, and me, sitting in the glider on my screened-in-porch with my dog, Buddy, beside me while I read on my Kindle.

There’s something about the beauty of spring, the transition from dormancy to vitality that lends itself to thoughts of romance, new love and endless possibilities. But as a full time author of romance novels, I need to find inspiration all year long. People constantly ask me, ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ To which I respond, ‘All over.’

For my third Harlequin Medical Romance, The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal (Please don’t judge me by the title. It’s a great book!), releasing in the U.S. in April/May, I found inspiration from reality television. More specifically, from the TLC show Hoarding: Buried Alive.

I remember watching episode after episode (no, I cannot explain my fascination with the show) and thinking about the emotional strain hoarding places on relationships. Husband and wife. Parent and child. Siblings. That is one potent external conflict! But if you dig deeper, there’s the potential for plenty of internal conflict, as well. We romance authors thrive on internal conflict! Guilt. Responsibility. Anger. Frustration. Disappointment. Disgust.

I know what you’re thinking. There is nothing romantic about hoarding. But I found a way to make it work. And for your information, the living conditions inside the home my heroine, Roxie, shares with her mother, is not the only secret she’s hiding!



Here’s the back of the book blurb:

The shocking secrets of nurse Roxie Morano!

Between family nightmares and a series of lousy men, nurse Roxie Morano’s life is a disaster zone. But enigmatic (and gorgeous!) new colleague Ryan ‘Fig’ Figelstein is ignoring her hazard warnings – instead, he’s signalling his attraction! Now Roxie’s bulletproof heart is at risk for the very first time…but dare she dream Fig will stick around when he discovers all her secrets?

You can read an excerpt HERE.

To learn more about me or my other books please visit my website: Wendy S. Marcus.

You can pre-order The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal for your Kindle HERE.

Paperback edition coming to Harlequin.com in April. And e-book editions coming soon for Nook and Sony e-readers. Harlequin medical romances are not sold in stores in the U.S.

Congratulations to our blog hostess with the mostess, Maggie Marr, (love that name) on her March release of Can’t Buy Me Love. I will make sure my Kindle is charged and ready to download it on March 28th.

Thank you to everyone for stopping by to visit me today. To get the conversation started I’ll ask a question: Do you watch reality television? If so, what’s your favorite show? Or I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about me, my books, or the medical romance line of Harlequin. One lucky commenter will win a copy of the 2in1 paperback UK edition of The Nurse’s Not-So-Secret Scandal, which includes a complete novel by fellow medical romance author Emily Forbes.

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Wendy S. Marcus lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband, two of their three children, and a much loved Bichon Frise named Buddy. A nurse by trade, Wendy has her master’s degree in health care administration. After years of working in the medical profession, Wendy has taken a radical turn to writing hot contemporary romance with strong heroes, feisty heroines, and lots of laughs. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and blogging/e-mailing/tweeting with her online friends. To learn more about Wendy visit her website, Wendy S. Marcus.com.