Shannon here: Back in 2021, I rejected a book as the sole Acquistions Editor for Scrivenings Press because it wasn’t ready. I always feel like I break author’s hearts when I reject their work. I know exactly how rejections feel. So, I always give feedback on what needs work. Christina has been on my blog before. Her name didn’t ring a bell. But when she sent the content for this post, I remembered her book. I’m excited she put in the work and her Romantic Suspense, Best Seller, made it to publication. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for a signed paperback of Best Seller, US only. Deadline: Sept 7th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Christina:
Have you ever wanted to elope?
One of my favorite aspects of writing romance is crafting proposals and wedding scenes. Often times, I’ll write these scenes from both points of view, then decide later which POV fits better in the final draft.
As the author, I have the privilege of playing matchmaker and wedding planner each time I write a romance. I love it! And even if the wedding is off the page, I still like to imagine the perfect location, theme, and honeymoon destination for my couple.
Elopement is a common theme in Best Seller. I attribute this to the fast-paced nature of the story. After my characters are thrown into a mystery, forced to unravel clues and solve puzzles when my hero and heroine finally are able to profess their love, they want to escape to somewhere quiet and stress-free.
When you think of an elopement, what is the first place you think of? Most people will say Las Vegas. I wanted something a little different— less blinking lights and big city, and more nostalgia and international flare.
Through my research, I was surprised to find that some countries are easier to elope to than others.
For example, I’ve read you can’t get married in Spain unless one person is a resident there and has lived there for at least two years. Germany is another location where there are a lot of restrictions.
In keeping with my characters’ personalities, I wanted something to mimic the fast-paced, whirlwind experience of their story. I imagined a destination with a ‘we’ve been through so much, and now I can’t wait to make you my bride’ feel to it.
As I set off to discover the best places to send my fictional couple to get married, several locations came up as the most memorable and low stress elopements. Locations such as Iceland, Bali, New Zealand, and Cyprus.
Then I stumbled upon a site that offered elopement packages to Denmark in as little as two weeks. This was perfect. With Denmark having ties to World War 2 history —which is what my story revolves around—I knew I’d found my perfect elopement destination.
Denmark offers castle weddings, Viking-themed weddings, weddings along the sea, and weddings as simple as at the courthouse.
I imagined a small castle wedding, at the Vindeholme Castle. It’s nestled in a forest with access to the Baltic Sea, and renting the entire castle for a weekend is one of the elopement packages. Knowing my characters, they’d stumble upon another mystery over their wedding weekend!
Some might not find the idea of an elopement romantic, but in keeping with my hero and heroine’s storyline, eloping was their perfect solution. For them, it’s intimate, mysterious, and would be a way to celebrate their love while pushing pause on their hectic lives. It would give them a chance to explore history and travel, something they both like to do.
A wedding should represent the couple, and in this case of a fictional couple, it should also compliment the storyline.
Interested in learning more about my hero and heroine’s love story? Check out my story Best Seller! Best Seller is book one in my new H & G Mystery Series. Now available in paperback, kindle, and KU.
Question for Readers: If you planned the perfect elopement for yourself or a fictional couple, what location would you choose and why?
About Christina: Author Christina Rost is a mother to three amazing children and is married to her
high school sweetheart, Steve.
An avid reader, she can still remember the first box set of sweet romance stories her mother bought her as a young teen—The Canadian West Series by Janette Oke. Reading about the rugged landscape of the west and handsome Canadian Mounties, Christina daydreamed about writing her own love stories.
In 2021, one of her unpublished romantic suspense novels took first place at WriterCon and in 2022, the same story was a finalist for the ACFW Genesis Contest. She’s also won several awards for her short stories and flash fiction. Writing inspirational romance has always been Christina’s passion, and she loves to craft relatable characters with redemptive qualities that reflect the importance of her faith.
When she isn’t spending time with her family or writing, you’ll find Christina chatting with friends over creamy cups of seasonal coffee or perusing antique shops for tattered books and hidden treasures. Learn more & connect:
When crime fiction novelist Kelly Landon agrees to write a memoir for an eccentric, elderly gentleman, her quiet life turns upside-down.
Unbeknownst to her, the memoir is peppered with clues leading to a rare collection of stolen jewels from World War II. After the memoir makes the best-seller list, Kelly finds herself in the crosshairs of a decades-old vendetta.
Now, instead of enjoying her rise to literary fame, she’s thrust into the dangerous world of treasure hunting.
While Kelly struggles to win the game of cat-and-mouse, a secret family legacy is unearthed, forcing her to choose between trusting her charming literary agent or her vigilant bodyguard to keep her safe.
As the three of them become entangled in a web of deceit, it’s a race to see who’s the villain, who’s the hero, and who holds all the pieces to solve the mystery of the best seller.
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Christina’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Come back Sept 2nd for Shannon’s Book Bargains Roundup!
Come back Sept 3rd for Katie Reid!
Vegas for the fun
I do LOVE castles, but if I was given my personal choice, New Zealand gets my vote. Touring the land of The Shire from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings with my husband? Absolutely on my bucket list!
Hm…probably Lake Tahoe (on Nevada side because they allow under age marriages that California does not).
I have a winner! Angela Young won the drawing. I appreciate Christina for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.