Harlequin Books discussion

Hi everyone, I hope you are having fun with Goodreads' Romance week 2016. I know I am. Today I was given a special treat, one I hope you'll enjoy too. I've have the opportunity to get to know Heartwarming's debut author, Sophia Sasson, a bit better! In her Harlequin bio, I discovered she has lived in some very interesting settings.

Hi Sophia, it has been a pleasure to meet you and thank you for agreeing to answer some of my questions. I was drawn to romance books because of the various settings available. I love to travel and exploring new places. I haven't actually done more than my little area and a few road trips but dream of doing more. Romance feeds this inner passion of mine. You've lived it.

Do you think living and traveling abroad influences your writing?

I definitely have wanderlust and travel has a big influence on my writing. It shows up not just in the locations I chose but my characters. In First Comes Marriage, my heroine is from India and her cultural expectations are the crux of her conflict. In my next Harlequin Heartwarming, the setting is Guam --a place that really touched my heart when I visited because of the strong sense of community they share, and the challenges on the island. I think the experiences I’ve had living and visiting abroad give my characters depth and I hope will introduce my readers to new cultural perspectives.

Out of the places you’ve lived; Canary Islands, Spain, Bombay, D.C. and Toronto, which do you think is the most romantic? Also since recipes have been on my mind because of the Superbowl, which has the best food?

Of the places I’ve lived, the most romantic would have to be the Canary islands. Although they belong to Spain, the islands are 62 miles from Morocco. Think deserted island with modern amenities. But, the most romantic island I’ve ever visited has to be St John, US Virgin Islands. Seventy percent of the island is national park and the raw, undeveloped beauty is breathtaking. You can truly find deserted islands there for romance. They even have a “honeymoon beach.”

Now food is a different story. Rome has to be my favorite place for food although I suspect that may be because I couldn’t get enough of the gelato. Mumbai (formerly Bombay when I was there) is heaven for food if you have a strong stomach. A hidden gem for food is Key West, FL. There are a number of small places there that are yummy. And only Naples/Napoli, Italy beats New York City for pizza.


What or who inspired you to write and submit to the Heartwarming series?


The series is aptly named Heartwarming because they publish books that tug on your emotional heartstrings. I like to write stories that make you feel; whether it’s making you laugh, cry or get mad. I want my readers to think about the characters long after they’ve put down the book. The Heartwarming line does that very well.


First Comes Marriage by Sophia Sasson
But she's already found Mr. Right…

She would rather call her impending nuptials planned than arranged, but she's certain her fiancé is her perfect match. Still, Dr. Meera Malhotra jumps at the opportunity to spend the month before her wedding doing a medical rotation in small-town USA. Getting a taste of independence and improving public health are both part of her plan. Falling for a cowboy? Not so much. Jake Taylor is totally wrong for her, anyway: he raises cattle; she's a vegetarian. He's content with life on the ranch; she's from bustling London and wants to travel. She couldn't possibly throw away everything she's built over something as illogical as love.


From the book blurb, I get the sense that Meera and Jake are going to be a fun couple to get to know. I look forward to their battles.

They have their moments, especially in a town that’s as colorful as the characters. Where else will you find a “Bull Blazin” festival?

I see that Meera loves to travel as you do. Are there any other little similarity between you and your characters?

There’s a little of myself in every character that I write. I think the biggest similarity I have with Meera is the need to meet other people’s expectations and the desire to have people love me for who I truly am, warts and all.

I know many authors use music and/or models to help them concentrate and write. If you used music, what songs inspired you? Who did you have in mind when writing about your hero, Jake?


I love to listen to music when I write. In fact, I’ve posted my Jake and Meera playlist on my website at http://sophiasasson.com/fcm-2/ I listened to a mix of country music (think Luke Bryan) and Bollywood beats. Although it may not seem that way, country and Bollywood music are both lyrically emotional. There’s raw passion in the musician’s voices when they sing about love. The highs and lows of emotions in both types of music was great inspiration.


First Comes Marriage starts off your series, Welcome to Bellhaven. Will you tell us a bit about Bellhaven and what the reader can expect to find in FCM and future books?

Bellhaven, or Hell’s Bells as the locals call it, is a small town in rural Virginia. It’s a ranching town where people care about each other, even though they have a funny way of showing it. If you want to find out why the townspeople call it “Hell’s Bells” you’ll have to read the book :) I introduced the town during the turkey hunt they had in “Falling for the Cowboy;” a short story that Harlequin Heartwarming featured as part of the Thanksgiving promotion in 2015. It’s still available for free for a limited time. Right now we have Bellhaven/Hell’s Bells as a miniseries but if the readers fall in love with the town, more will come :)

Goodreads has a question they've asked at the beginning of this week. The same one we've also featured. So, I'll ask you too. What’s the most romantic line you’ve ever read?

This is so hard! There are so many beautiful lines out there but I’ll be boring and say the very classic and simple “I love you” can be very powerful when delivered the right way. So many men and women wait their whole lives to hear those simple words from someone who means the world to them.

One last thing, I'd love to hear your "The Call" story. How did you find out Harlequin was publishing your book and what did you do to celebrate?

I found heartwarming through a “write from the heart” contest. I won the contest and was working with Claire Caldwell on polishing my manuscript. The day she called me to say they were offering me a contract, I literally didn’t believe her. I did many happy dances. I will admit that it really hit me when I got my box of books and was able to touch and feel Jake and Meera’s story come to fruition.


Thank you Sophia. It has been great getting to know you. My daughter will be in D.C. April 15th-18th with her high school a'capella group. So if you see a Jamestown High School a'capella performance at an event, wave to my daughter. She'll be in the back row on the alto side. :) Oh, I lied. I have one more question for you.

Will you stop by during the rest of the week and answer some questions from the group?

Thank you so much for having me Kim. Of course I’d love to stop by again and answer questions or hear comments from readers.

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