Autumn Nights
Page 23
“Smile for the cameras, Hartman,” he says.
I reach up and grasp his hands in mine. My ring sparkles and dances with every bright flash from the excited throng waiting for us. I glance down at our joined hands as I draw them between us, his so strong and capable in mine. I love how right they look together: a perfect pair and unlikely pair, like us.
I gaze into my fiancé’s eyes, seeing our past and future swirling together in them, and confess the perfect truth. “I already am, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”
While I Was Writing
A behind-the-scenes look at this book
I wrote Autumn Nights while living through a home reno. Now, you might think that’s a fun situation to find yourself in, especially if you’re an HGTV addict like me, but you’d be wrong. Very wrong.
It’s not shiplap and chef’s kitchens and choosing an accent color (I’m looking at you, Joanna Gaines). It’s using your dining room as a kitchen and your microwave as a stove while jackhammers eat through concrete and construction workers take over your house. The moment the kitchen was torn out—day one—everything went south. Picture having to eat microwaveable food for six weeks that quickly turned to eight and camping out in your study.
So I did the only logical thing and fled. To Montana.
Thank you, dear sister, for housing me for two fun-filled weeks while I finished, and then edited, this book. And then when I returned for another two weeks after realizing that I can’t stay focused in a contraction site. Without you, I would be crawling in and out of a window to reach my bedroom because the tile needs to set.
It NEEDS to set, people!
It was the best vacay, and possibly the only vacay I’ve come back from fitter than when I left. (Side note: Barre is hell, but worth it.)
It goes without saying that I’ll never look at a bundt cake without thinking of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, nor will I pass up the opportunity to watch Jane Eyre for the twentieth time. I am glad to have tried huckleberries, as well as every bakery in Bozeman.
Okay—any bakery, period.
The words “percolate" and “treacherous" will always have a place in my heart, and if I ever happen to be attacked by a bear, I’ll be sure to remember your superb bear mace demonstration. Thanks, sis, you’re one in a million.
Huckleberry adventures aside, this book was a fascinating one to write. Not only do I love Nashville and fall and puppy dogs of all shapes and sizes, but this was my first friends to lovers romance. Autumn Nights is my shortest novel to-date, though it took me the longest to write. I didn't know what to expect while I explored Autumn and Bryce’s feelings for one another, and yet, I was in love with their story by the first chapter.
Isn’t it incredible to think, that even after nine years, two people could still be a perfect match? And what a more serendipitous pair than a strapping ex-SEAL and a sassy music star? Like everyone said, they were meant to be, and I am beyond excited to check-in on them as I continue this series.
Every author needs a muse for their characters, and I had a lot of fun with mine for this project. Jana Kramer was my inspiration for Autumn (I love her style) and Chris Hemsworth for Bryce (I think everyone, men included, goes through a Hemsworth phase).
I mentioned that this was my shortest manuscript but it didn’t start out that way. During the first editing round, I took out a lot of scenes with Cody because, let’s face it, we don’t like him and his sneaky ways. I also tightened up the timeline so he makes his exit sooner.
Then I ran this by a few beta readers and they told me—gasp—that they wanted more Cody! So, I spend three days writing him back in as a ghost hellbent on getting revenge. (Cue evil laugh.)
If you’re still with me at this point, then you deserve a medal and a huge thank you, so here it goes:
Dear readers, thank you for taking a chance on an indie author. You and your support make it so much easier to write for eight hours a day. If you have time, please leave a review on Amazon. Reviews mean a lot to indie authors, and I’d love to hear what you think!
I’m signing off for now, but not for long. See you in Colorado with your skis and a cup of hot cocoa!
XOXO,
Elle
About the Author
Elle Viviani is a romance author, art lover, and romcom junkie. She lives in Florida with her husband and dog, who also love palm trees, but disagree with her about the hot weather.
She enjoys writing slow burns about head-strong heroines, and the hunky heroes smart enough to chase after them. Other loves include long walks on the beach (seriously), spooky movies, street tacos, and running (not as seriously).
Oh. And ice cream, thus the running.
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