Writing and Publishing

Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Marcia McClure, our official Romance Novelist Expert

I can’t even tell you when I first ‘noticed’ him, but I think it was during a dance our band played at in the Manwaring Center at Ricks College sometime around March of 1984. He was in charge of the sound mixing boards for the band and worked at the back of the room in the dark, which might account for my not seeing him much before that. But one night…for some reason…the lights were on in the back of the room and from where I stood on the stage, I could see the sound and tech guys standing at their stations.

I was the lead female singer with several pop/rock bands and this night I was singing one of my signature songs, which included high notes that I hit hard and loud. A confident, poised lead singer will pull the microphone back a ways from her mouth when she hits the loud notes, thus preserving the hearing of the sound guys wearing headphones to monitor the sound mix. However, know that I was terrible at remembering to pull the microphone away from my mouth when I hit these loud notes. So, this night, as I took a deep breath and hit the first high note, I watched the head sound tech, rip the headphones from his head, throwing them to the floor. I could tell he was miffed, to say the least. Brian proceeded quietly, but furiously rant and rave at the other sound guys and I knew that his ears would be ringing for hours because of my mistake. I had seen this guy helping to roll up cords and things after dances, but his reaction to having his eardrums destroyed by my voice had caught my attention. Thus, you have my first vivid memory of Brian.

Read Marcia's entire article You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Beauty and the Beast Vs. the Bad Boy Syndrome

Marcia McClure, our official Romance Novelist Expert

This is the "Author's Note" from Marcia Lynn McClure's romance novel, The Whispered Kiss.

Yes, truly, one of my favorite fairy tales has always been "Beauty and the Beast." To me, the tale of Beauty's beast whispers of so many aspects I love about romance, as well as life in general. The idea that patience and love see beyond the battered and broken, that the power of love brings change, compassion, sympathy, courage and triumph. It's a wonderful lesson, a beautiful romance, and I always wanted to write my own version of it.

And then, there's the fact that, to my way of thinking, "Beauty and the Beast" represents the ultimate example of the ‘bad boy' syndrome so many of we girls secretly long for and utterly understand . . . 

Read Marcia's entire article Beauty and the Beast and the Bad Boy Syndrome

An Essay on Judging a Kiss

Marcia McClure, our official Romance Novelist  Expert

The question that is most often posed within the innocently curious mind of a young woman blossoming into womanhood is this: "When a boy kisses me, how do I know if it's a good kiss?"

First of all, let us dissect this sentence into important phrases, essential words, and the meanings therein, beginning with the word boy. This word is not merely ineffective but altogether unsuitable. Blatantly indecorous, if you will. Let me clarify this. The word boy in referring to a good kiss creates an unequivocal conflict of interpretation. We therefore must stipulate that the word boy--implying a juvenile, immature male almost always incapable of producing a good kiss for the mere fact that he is gangly and uncoordinated--is an inappropriate use of terminology in this instance. Thus, we replace the word boy, and the vision that appears in our minds when this word is used, with the more desirable mental apparition of masculinity materializing when we substitute the word man. Ergo, the sentence reads: "When a man kisses me, how do I know if it's a good one?" As demonstrated, the word man holds a different connotation, a different mental picture, if you will. When the word man is substituted properly, as it should be, fully matured homosapien females of the universe envision not a thin, uncoordinated, gangly, unappetizing male youth but rather a tall, handsome, muscular adult male.

Read Marcia's entire article How to Determine a Good One - An Essay on Kissing

5 Romantic Tips for Valentines and All Year Through

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist Expert says:

It's Valentine's again, my favorite time of the year! As a romance novelist, my readers often like to hear my suggestions for romantic ideas for nurturing their relationships. Here's five I've shared with my newsletter readers over the last few months.

Love letters! I love, love letters!

Read Marcia's entire article 5 Romantic Tips for Valentines and All Year Through

You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist says:

I can’t even tell you when I first ‘noticed’ him, but I think it was during a dance our band played at in the Manwaring Center at Ricks College sometime around March of 1984. He was in charge of the sound mixing boards for the band and worked at the back of the room in the dark, which might account for my not seeing him much before that. But one night…for some reason…the lights were on in the back of the room and from where I stood on the stage, I could see the sound and tech guys standing at their stations.

Read Marcia's entire article You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Beauty and the Beast and the Bad Boy Syndrome

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist says:

Yes, truly, one of my favorite fairy tales has always been "Beauty and the Beast." To me, the tale of Beauty's beast whispers of so many aspects I love about romance, as well as life in general. The idea that patience and love see beyond the battered and broken, that the power of love brings change, compassion, sympathy, courage and triumph. It's a wonderful lesson, a beautiful romance, and I always wanted to write my own version of it.

Read Marcia's entire article Beauty and the Beast and the Bad Boy Syndrome

The Touch of Sage Excerpt

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist says:

Sage gently poured water from a bucket onto the dry ground at the base of the little rose bush.

"There now," she said. "Your roses should take to bloomin' in just a few weeks, Ruthie." Crouching down in front of the small tombstone, Sage reached out, letting her fingers tenderly trace the roughly engraved letters of little Ruth's name. "I'm bettin' they'll be smellin' like Heaven itself this year."   

Read Marcia's entire article The Touch of Sage Excerpt

The Whispered Kiss Excerpt

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist says:

Antoine de Bellamont sat trembling in the presence of the dark Lord of Roanan. How could plucking one bloom from a rose vine have found him thus?

"And what explanation do you offer for your thievery, man?" The dark Lord's voice angrily boomed, echoing through the grand hall like a violent, threatening storm.

"I . . . I would hardly call it thievery, Milord," Antoine replied. "One bloom from such a rose vine as that on your eastern wall . . . it is merely a trifle."

Read Marcia's entire article The Whispered Kiss Excerpt

The Highwayman of Tanglewood Excerpt

Marcia McClure, Our official Romance Novelist says

Bright pink and warm lavender on a canvas of night blue was the painted sky of sunset as Faris Shayhan walked through the Tanglewood Forest. She was glad for the glimpse of a meadow ahead--a break in the trees which would allow her to look heavenward into the beauty of nature's twilight painting above.

Read Marcia's entire article The Highwayman of Tanglewood Excerpt