When I started writing my first book, Pure Abandon, I only had the vision of one woman, two men and I didn’t even know who she’d end up with. By the time the story was complete, my heart was yearning for the man left behind and I knew he needed to find love. That book became Reckless Abandon. Reckless Abandon’s first draft was already written when Pure Abandon was published in July 2015.
The cover for Pure Abandon was unique. I asked my cover designer, Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations, to focus on the symbolism in the book, rather than the characters. We used the city of New York, where the story takes place, as the backdrop; the rain and darkness of a pinnacle scene when Kathryn and Asher meet cascading down. And in the sky? A white rose which plays a large role in the story.
The title for Reckless Abandon plays off Pure Abandon because the stories flow nicely from one to the other although you can read each as a stand-alone. I was hoping readers would be able to connect the books based on the titles and even more, by the covers. Reckless Abandon bears the yellow rose with red tips.
When I wrote Reckless Abandon, I used the female POV because I like writing in the female voice. I love the mystery of not knowing what the man is thinking; what his secrets are. Capri, Italy as a backdrop was easy for me to write because I am genuinely in-love with that island. And New York, well, it’s my home. I can write about New York every day. I noticed a theme happening: Sexy cities and sinful roses, oh my!
When it came time to write my third book, I had a choice: I could write a new stand-alone novel, completely separate from Pure Abandon and Reckless Abandon OR I could follow through with the stories, connecting them in a way readers will recognize.
I chose the latter.
But it’s a gutsy move.
What if people didn’t like Pure Abandon or Reckless Abandon? What if readers think they need to read the first two before reading the third? They may not want to start with Pure Abandon because it features infidelity and therefore won’t read any of the books!
When my freak-out was over, I made a decision. Instead of calling it a “series”, I am introducing this as a collection: The Abandon Collection.
ABANDON YOUR REALITY…
The ABANDON COLLECTION is series of stand-alone novels featuring dynamic heroines who have to abandon their reality in order to discover themselves . . . and love along the way.
Each novel in the Abandon Collection follows a new couple, takes place in an exciting new city and features a rose of a different color.
Wild Abandon is the third installment in the collection. This new book follows Crystal Reid, Emma’s friend in Reckless Abandon, as she journeys to Napa, California. The rose is the burgundy rose which means undying love. When creating the cover, I tried to make it stand out from the other two, hoping readers will see these are indeed stand-alone books, while still keeping with the similar feels of the first two. It’s a tough task I tell you!
Not only do the novels share cover characteristic but there is a common thread through out the books. I like stories where people have to make a life choice. I like angst. Sometimes there’s a lot (Pure Abandon) and sometimes there’s a little (Reckless Abandon.) But I like starting over. I like evaluating your life and your current place in the universe and discovering exactly where you’re supposed to be. (Um, hello! I’m a TV Producer turned Stay-at-home Mom turned Indie Author!) Life is hard and we often make the wrong decisions. It’s what we do after that makes a difference.
I plan to write three more stories and a novella in the Abandon Collection. I also have a few ideas for additional works that are unrelated so, yes, eventually the roses cease. Until then, I hope you enjoy this collection of books.
Happy Reading!
PURE ABANDON – NEW YORK CITY – WHITE ROSE
RECKLESS ABANDON – CAPRI, ITALY – YELLOW ROSE WITH RED TIPS
WILD ABANDON – NAPA, CALIFORNIA – BURGUNDY ROSE