Why did you decide to write romance novels?
It wasn’t a decision so much as a lifelong dream and a matter of timing. I’ve always been a reader and as a teenager started reading Danielle Steel novels. Sometimes I’d finish books in my head if I didn’t want the book to end or wasn’t satisfied with the ending. But more than anything, I always wanted to be a mom. I was home raising my family for many years and as my children grew up, I found myself thinking more and more about writing and took the plunge.
Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
My latest book, Christmas in Tahoe, is not so much a Christmas book as a book that culminates at Christmas. It’s a contemporary romance set in Lake Tahoe, like all of my books, but incorporates the zeitgeist of the 1970s. I grew up in the seventies and love the music and culture of that era. It’s about the granddaughter of a famous musician at loose ends who returns to her Tahoe roots to fulfill a lifelong dream of writing a book. And finds much more than that.
What are your biggest challenges?
Marketing is by far my greatest challenge, especially on a tight advertising budget. And the time component of juggling that and writing.
Where would you most like to live if money were not an object?
I love where I live in Florida. But I’d like to spend a few of the summer months in Lake Tahoe. So instead, I live vicariously through my writing!
What would you be up to if you weren’t a writer?
At this point, I really don’t know! I’m lucky to have the choice!
What is your writing routine once you start a book? Where do you write (what’s your nook like?)
I write most days outside on my lanai. Sometimes I can devote six or eight hours to writing, some days only one or two. I force myself to write the book chronologically and not jump ahead. I usually know what the ending is going to be before I start but want to the book to unfold in front of me, like it would for a reader. For the first few chapters, I usually start each day by skimming over the previous day’s work to get my head back in the story.
Who are your writing heroes? What inspires you?
Hands down, Nora Roberts. All her stories are different, yet somehow have her voice. She was a young single mother when she started and had enough faith in herself to not give up. It was just as hard to break in then as it is now. She’s amazing.
What motivates you?
I’m very self-motivated. And as much as I love to read, I got tired of reading other people’s books. I love creating characters and taking them on a journey. And once I start something, I tend to put blinders on until I finish. It’s a gift and a curse.
What else would you like new readers to know about you?
First, I’d like to thank them for reading my books. That is such an honor. There are so many choices out there. And that there’s a little piece of me in each one of my books. In the Chances Trilogy, it’s Moira. And in Christmas in Tahoe, Laurel and I have a lot in common. I’m still looking for myself in Sierra Fall, my current work-in-progress. But I’ll surface eventually!
Thanks again,
Martha
Christmas in Tahoe link: https://books2read.com/marthaosullivanchristmasintahoe
Chances Trilogy links (if allowed):
https://books2read.com/marthaosullivansecondchance
https://books2read.com/marthaosullivanchanceencounter
https://books2read.com/marthaosullivanlastchance
Web site and social media links:
https://www.marthaosullivan.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7254612.Martha_O_Sullivan