Romance author Maria Imbalzano joins me today to chat about her new contemporary novel, Island Detour.
During her virtual book tour, Maria will be giving away a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn participant. To be entered for your chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.
Bio:
Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Welcome, Maria. What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve been going down to Key West every year since I started dating my husband. It’s an eclectic island of locals who seemingly dropped out, tourists, and restaurateurs or other merchants who somehow hang in there. The bars are open from 9 a.m. and there is always live music pouring out onto the street from open-air walls. Fishing, kayaking, bicycling, wave running, and sunset cruises are just some of the activities that call out to be enjoyed. Since I love it there, I wanted to set one of my books in a similar setting.
I had also learned about a school in the Bahamas that originally catered to high schoolers for a semester where they would learn about the marine environment along with their other studies. The idea of this school intrigued me so much that I decided to take that school, set it in the Florida Keys, and develop a story around the teachers at this school.
Excerpt from Island Detour:
“Hey, Kearns!” A familiar male voice came up behind her.
Max.
“Yes?” she questioned suspiciously.
“Sorry about before.” He gave her a sideways glance and an engaging smile. “I was upset about an earlier discussion with Andy and let it get the better of me.”
Sophie raised her eyebrow, but kept her silence. She wasn’t ready to dive into the politics of Sunrise Island School just yet. Nor did she want to get taken in by a gorgeous face.
“Where’d you get those frumpy clothes?” he asked.
The abrupt change of subject threw her off balance. Sophie looked down at her Bermuda shorts and button-down blouse, scouring her brain for the source of her attire. “Ralph Lauren.”
“No wonder.”
Was he insulting her? “What’s wrong with Ralph Lauren?”
“Nothing if you’re taking a jaunt through New York City with some straitlaced bankers or lawyers on a hot summer day.” His smile showed perfectly straight, white teeth and she thought she saw a dimple. “Is that who you’re used to hanging around with?”
“No, of course not. I’m not from the city. I’m from Princeton.”
“Well, that clears it up. Many of those stuffy lawyers and bankers who work in the city live in those mini-mansions in the suburbs. And of course, they dress in their conservative long shorts and button-down shirts on their days off.”
Despite his criticism of her apparel, a grin escaped. “That’s a huge generalization. And besides, how would you know how Princetonians dress?”
“Their moniker sounds even stodgier than I picture them to be.” His brown eyes danced and his laugh did funny things to her stomach.
Sophie crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head, watching him. “Since I work at a Princeton prep school, I dress to fit in there. But…I guess I’ll have to reassess my clothing choices.”
Not only did her clothes stand out, but so would her lack of athletic ability and life experiences. If she let her anxiety over her ill-conceived agreement to teach here take over, she’d be on the next plane home. But she was not a quitter.
Instead, she glanced down at her outfit, and a bubble of laughter started deep within. It worked its way up and joined with Max’s rumbling chuckle before it took over her entire being.
And it felt so good to be standing in the warm sea breeze at the end of the Florida Keys, laughing with a manic-depressive stranger.
What exciting project are you working on next?
Island Detour has several interesting secondary characters who work at the Sunrise Island School. This book is the first of the series, so my next project is writing Maddie’s story—Book Two for this series.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I had many legal articles published in law-related journals and newspapers throughout my career as a lawyer. So I considered myself a writer for a long time. But I never considered myself an author until I had my first contemporary romance novel published in 2013.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I retired from the practice of law about six years ago and began writing fiction full-time. My perfect day is going to Jazzercize at 8:30, coming home, taking a shower, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting at my desk to work on whatever it is I’m working on. My favorite thing to work on is a manuscript (whether plotting it, writing the first draft, or editing it). But I also spend some time on marketing (posting on social media, answering interview questions, preparing for a speech that I’m giving, or reaching out to podcasters, print media outlets, or radio stations who might be interested in talking to me about my books.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I plot out my books to the nth degree. I start out with a notebook and write down a brief summary of my story. Then I write down 15 things that will happen in each chapter. I then turn those “things” into a statement, and write down 3 words that describe that “thing” or “action”. Then I turn the statement into a question. I do this with every chapter so that I have a blueprint (in-depth outline) for the entire book. Once that’s done, I turn on my computer and write the first draft.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I can’t say that I had a clue as to what I wanted to be, although I knew what I didn’t want to be. I did not want to be a teacher, nurse, secretary, or barber (my father wanted me to work with him in his barbershop). I hoped that a career would just come to me through my education. And that is how it happened. I was a psychology major in college, but there wasn’t a career path with that degree unless I went on to get a Masters. So, I went to paralegal school for three months (which guaranteed me a job in the city of my choice). I absolutely loved my job in New York City. After three years, I applied to law school. I had found my calling
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
This book sat in my drawer for 15 years. I wrote it before my first book (Unchained Memories) was published, but it never got traction. Two years ago, Hallmark Publishing sent out a call for unagented manuscripts during the month of March. Since it was already February, I knew couldn’t write a book just for that purpose, but I remembered I had a manuscript called “Island Fever” lying around. I took it out, polished it, (deleted all the steamy scenes) and sent the first chapters and a synopsis, as requested to Hallmark Publishing. Within two days, they requested more. I was so excited, knowing that if they contracted for my book, they may eventually turn it into a movie. A few months later, I learned that Hallmark Publishing was going out of business. So, I put back all the steamy parts, and sent the manuscript to the Wild Rose Press. Shortly thereafter, they sent me a contract.
Links:
Website | Buy Link | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub
Thank you so much for featuring today’s book and author.
Thank you for interviewing me, Lisa. To your readers, the tropes in this book are enemies to lovers and fish out of water. What are your favorite tropes?
I enjoyed the excerpt and interview. Sounds like a good book.
Nice cover and this looks like a good read
This looks really good. Thanks for hosting this tour.
What kind of stories did you write when you first started out?