3 Quick Questions with Susan Mallery, Author of Thrill Me
Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including the uber-popular Fool’s Gold romances. Her latest book, Thrill Me, introduces the five fabulously sexy Mitchell brothers. Del Mitchell, the eldest, has just returned to his California hometown after making a fortune designing a sky surfboard that cemented his status as an extreme sports superstar. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
- What’s your new release about, and why are you excited about Thrill Me?
I’ve always loved romance series that center on a family, and Thrill Me is the first book featuring the five gorgeous Mitchell brothers of Fool’s Gold. (Doesn’t the image of five strong, sexy men make you quiver?) This is a great time for readers who have
never read a Fool’s Gold book to jump in and give it a try, because it’s the first book of a series-within-the-series.
First to fall in love is eldest brother Del, who made his fortune in extreme sports. When Del was in his early twenties, he feel head over heels in love with Maya Farlow. She loved him, too, but she was afraid of losing herself in the strength of her feelings for him. Because of her rough childhood, Maya felt she could only depend on herself. She broke up with Del in the harshest way
she could think of so that he wouldn’t try to follow her.
Now, ten years later, Del and Maya have both returned to Fool’s Gold, and Mayor Marsha has asked them to promote the town’s new slogan, Destination for Romance. While they’re filming a series of videos about some of the couples the town has brought together, sparks will fly again. As Del says, “He’d loved her once. Maybe that kind of intensity left a mark on a man. One that couldn’t be erased by time and distance.”
- What do you think of the contemporary boom happening right now?
From my perspective, contemporary romance has always been popular. My sales have continued to rise steadily as readers tell
their friends about my books. (Thank you, thank you! Sincerely, thank you. Nothing is more powerful than one reader telling another, “I love Susan Mallery!”)
All of the Fool’s Gold paperbacks have hit the New York Times bestsellers list, all but the first one in the Top 10, if I remember right, with three going as high as number two. Most recently, Hold Me hit number two in May. (I’m writing this before the release of Kiss Me, so you’ll have to check my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/susanmallery, to see how that one did.)
I think contemporary stories will always be popular, as millions of readers prefer to read about characters in situations they recognize. One of the things I love best about romance is that there is room for every reading taste within the genre. Contemporary, historical, or futuristic. Sweet or sexy. Wherever a writer’s imagination travels, if she writes a good story, readers will happily go along with her on the journey.
- How do you keep the conflict in your contemporaries realistic and just tough enough?
To feel realistic, conflict must be specific to the characters. As in real life, characters’ experiences make them who they are. In Thrill Me, there’s a very good reason why Maya is afraid to depend on the love that she and Del share. As a child, she never felt
safe because her mother bounced from one bad relationship to another, with Maya trailing after her, helpless as a child to change her circumstances. When she grew up, she was determined not to repeat her mother’s mistakes. She couldn’t trust anyone but herself to make sure that she achieved everything she wanted to in life. Not even Del, the man she loved with every fiber of her being.
My books are inherently hopeful. Readers know they can count on me for a happy ending, so I can create a strong emotional conflict and you can relax into the reading experience because you know it’s going to be resolved. Love is transformative.
Thanks for featuring Susan for the tour!