More like a stumble

B. A. Binns here, back with the Genre-istas
As I grew older (no, I'm not telling my age) I decided I wanted to do something creative with my life. I’m a classic left-brainer whose right-brained creative urge spent years struggling to find a place in life. Five years ago I went out and purchased a paint set, complete with instruction book, and pens and a notebook. I would, I told myself, express my creativity by both writing and painting.

I started with the pen and notebook, and never stopped.

I wanted to write romances. I thought I’d be good at it. Until I took a class from  the wonderful Lori Wilde. She finally got it through my head that my ideas did not fit the romance mold. Love story, yes, but come on, romances featuring con men and killers as heroes and women of a certain profession as heroines – no, not a romance. Still, I kept writing, because, as one of my characters put it, “Ruthless businessmen deserve love too.”

I discovered that younger adults were often more open to the idea of the anti-hero. I had the idea for a female character whose older brother was a domineering, pushy, control freak.  As I wrote the girl's story, her brother David kept demanding that I tell his side of things. He wanted people to know why he was a...well, and uber-alpha male.

Then came the stumble. Just to shut this character up, I agreed to write about his childhood, how he became the mad-at-the-world character who dearly loves his sister, but can’t stop being in charge.  While writing I decided to make the book 100% HIS story. That guy became my anti-hero  David, his story became PULL.

 I really wanted to use David's story to attract reluctant readers, especially teen guys, people who things books are for someone else.  Many of these guys are like David. They feel alienated from school and society, but are still capable of loving and caring for others.  I set out to make this a book that would keep even the most reluctant reader turning pages.

The result of that came in January, when PULL was honored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), with a spot on their 2012 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list.   The book is also one of the 2011 books for Incarcerated Youth.

I stumbled into my passion. To this day the paint set sits in my closet, unopened.

I would love hearing about your leaps, jumps and/or stumbles and how they have effected your journey through life.  Share your stories with me.

My website - babinns.com
My personal blog - barbarabinns.com

"The First Love Cookie Club"

“The First Love Cookie Club”

Walking through Barnes & Noble in October, I spotted a Christmas cover on a book by Lori Wilde. I had never read anything written by her and so I thought why not? This will be my book for reviewing on Romancing the Genres.

Not only is Lori Wilde a wonderful author, the story is heartwarming, the characters are believable and it's well written.

When Sarah was 15 years old visiting her Grandmother in Twilight, TX, she slept with the famous kismet cookies under her pillow. The legend goes that if you do this you dream of your one true love, your soul mate.

She dreams of Travis Walker and crashes his wedding the next day wearing a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, to declare that Travis and she belong together. Travis gets married anyway, and Sarah’s heart is broken. 

Sarah grows up and while living in New York, writes “The Magic Christmas Cookie” book under the pen name of “Sadie Cool”. She becomes famous and the book is a best seller. A little girl who is critically ill, one of her biggest fans, writes and asks Sarah to come to Twilight, Texas, for the town's Christmas celebration. Sarah goes to Twilight hoping a change of scenery will help her with writer's block and discovers the little girl, Jazzy, is the daughter of the now divorced Travis.

Jazzy is sweet, likable and critically ill. Travis has become a wonderful dedicated father. He wants Sarah to give them a chance at romance and she wants to get the festivities over so she can leave Twilight, TX, and get back to her apartment in N.Y.

The pages heat up with sexual tension after they share a kiss beneath mistletoe at the

community dance and of course, after overcoming all the complications that arise, Sarah, Travis & Jazzy get their Happily Ever After. 

“The First Love Cookie Club” is a great read for the holidays or anytime!