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Author P.G. Van
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Author P.G. Van discusses the challenge of writing a hot romance and generously shares some tips on real life romance as well.
Romance is not all hugs and kisses, it's the funny moments that happen that makes you laugh in public when you think about it. It's the small things like, I made you coffee because I could tell you 'needed it' moments. Catch up with P.G. Van to know more:
Sanchita: ‘The Evil Twin?’, a very intriguing name for the book! How did you happen to come up with it?
P.G. Van: Great question! After publishing my Destiny Series (Destiny Decides and Destiny Embraces) I needed a title that didn’t come off as too serious and I wanted something simple yet intriguing. I started off with a list of names and set it aside and started working on the outline of the story. When I got closer to the part where a father had to make the toughest decision of his life, the only thing that I could think of was the father giving up the evil child. It was that thought that got me to the name, but as usual the story took its own life and it was more of a question if the twin was really evil. When I knew it would be a twin story where it is believed one of the twin is the good one and the other evil, and I knew it had to be about the evil twin, I added the question mark at the end to let the reader decide if the twin was really the evil one. I hope the readers will find the title justifying the story.
Sanchita: Hot Romance is surely your forte, but this one also has an interesting mystery element to it. Tell us a little about how you got the idea for this one.
P.G. Van: I love to read hot romances and write them too and I believe books in this genre still need a strong plot. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, growing up with an equal amount of M&Bs, and I love pulling a little bit of both into my stories. When I first started writing I had no intention to publish it or I would say I didn't think that far, so I wanted to write something that I could read. I like my stories to have a strong story that unfolds itself and transports the reader right into the lives of the protagonists. My goal was to write a story that was focused on the main characters but with a more than usual focus on the secondary characters and what they add to the story. The secondary characters define the main characters and their actions. The drama that comes into play with the interactions is what I always try to include in my stories so it's not always about the main characters. A reader enjoys the book when they don’t expect the twist and my goal is to offer the ‘I did not see that coming’ experience for my readers. People remember a book lot longer and are more likely to go back and read it again to see if they had failed to catch the subtle hints that are sprinkled through the story. I personally as an author want to get a reaction out of my readers when they are reading it, in some form, and I hope I have done that with the evil twin.
Sanchita: How would you define a perfect romantic relationship?
P.G. Van: A romantic relationship is full of laughs and hugs and drama free and I don’t mean there shouldn’t be any arguments. Any healthy relationship is a perfect romantic one. A perfect one is probably hard to come by these days because the couple does not take time to be a couple. They are either super competitive with each other trying to prove each other or busy with kids or other priorities. Romance is not all hugs and kisses, it's the funny moments that happen that makes you laugh in public when you think about it. It's the small things like, I made you coffee because I could tell you 'needed it' moments. A lot of couples forget to do the small things that keeps the romance going and if they are able to sit next to each other while they are working or watching TV or even reading a book, that bond and romance will thrive. Romance is not just the physical attraction; it’s the small things you do for your loved one, the things that they do to make you smile.
P. S I sound like a therapist but I am just a romantic at heart.
Sanchita: According to you, what is the most difficult part about writing a hot romance?
P.G. Van: The most difficult part of writing a hot romance novel is striking the right balance between the depth in the story and the steamy scenes. The challenge is that with so many books out there it is hard to keep the reader engaged enough. I have tried different options with the format of the stories for introducing the hot romance piece and it is hard to say what works best. Some readers like the tease, the build up and drama while others like the steamy aggressive romance and I am constantly trying different approaches to offer the experience to the readers. In most of my books it's Insta love or attraction and some readers like that and some want the build up and the story behind why the lead characters are attracted or love each other. My personal preference is Insta love, but I tried to smooth it out and not make the characters desperate for each other, but to acknowledge they have a connection. That connection to me is a form of love at first sight that we all want from a romance novel without sounding too cheesy. A romance reader picks up a book listed as ‘hot romance’ to escape into this perfect world and keeping them engaged while they are exposed to various emotions and page burning heat is always a challenge and I absolutely love those kind of challenges.
Sanchita: Sneak peek into your next project.
P.G. Van: My next book is ‘The Marriage Contract” and planning to release it in March of 2017. It’s a story of a young businesswoman who gets into a marriage of convenience to save her business. She swirls in a world of confusion when she comes close to breaking the rules of her own contract. I am having fun writing the story of Kareena and Blake.
Rapid fire round (first thought that comes to mind on hearing these words)
a. Chemistry – Eyes clash, breath hisses.
b. Passion – feel it deep inside
c. Ocean – endlessly blue
d. Resolve – as strong as titanium
e. Story – Twists and Turns
P.G. Van's latest release 'The Evil Twin?' is available at:
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