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August 28, 2012

Under the Microscope: Sheila Seabrook-Wedding Fever

Welcome to Sheila!
And Congratulations on Wedding Fever
Let's put you under the microscope.


How did you get from your day job to writing romance?  I’ve always been an avid reader, so when I was at home with my babies, I started writing because all of these “people” were talking to me. They didn’t care whether or not I had a family or day job or other responsibilities. They just wanted their story told and refused to let me rest until I wrote it down. And before I got the first one finished, more “people” showed up. The other day, I told my husband I’m never bored because I’m always having conversations in my head.
Sheila Seabrook

What are your three favorite books of all time? This is always such a difficult question. I’ve loved so many books over the years, have read in so many genres.

1) Anything by Jennifer Crusie (sorry, can’t just pick one, but if I had a gun to my head, it might be Welcome To Temptation, or maybe Agnes and the Hitman, or maybe … <G>)
2) Lady Luck’s Map of Vegas by Barbara Samuel
3) The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Morning, afternoon, or evening person?  Morning. It’s when my mind is the sharpest. But I have the best ideas when I’m half asleep.


Music--with or without? What kind?  Definitely without. When I write, I need total silence. My family has learned how to tiptoe and whisper.

First or third POV?  Third.

How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects?  I prefer to write one thing at a time, thereby totally immersing myself in the current book. If it drags on too long, I lose interest in the project or I get new ideas that result in the entire story changing. So I need to get it written. Now.

What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end?  Definitely the middle. I could make a career out of writing beginnings, but unfortunately no one wants just the beginning of a book. LOL!

Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? I have mixed feelings about revisions. I’ve always loved the first draft, but until I learned story structure, my first drafts were a horrible mess and a nightmare to fix. Now that I’m able to build a decent structure for my story, the first drafts are cleaner and I’m enjoying the revision process much more.

How did you come up with that title?  Titles tend to jump out at me as I’m part way through writing a book. The best ones are usually a twist on a song or movie title.

Best advice anybody ever gave you?  Don’t quit.

Fill in this blank: My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… how little housework or cooking I did.

What's your favorite dessert?  We’re going through a hot spell in my small part of the world, so revels are my current fav.

Do you write at home or someplace else?  At home.

What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why?  I love to laugh, so my favorite hero and heroines are generally snarky and full of good fun.

Excerpt: Bandit Creek’s star reporter is about to have her life
turned upside down!

Liz Templeton lives a quiet life with her mother, her mother’s best friend, her boss, and—oh yeah—the ghost of her teenage daughter. When her ex-husband returns to town to hunt for the legendary Lost Lake treasure, she doesn’t count on the pair of matchmaking mothers who are planning her wedding or her daughter’s obsession with the man who might be her dad.
Liz has one chance to stop her family from driving her insane...and falling head over heels in love with her ex isn’t part of the plan.


Find Sheila at:


Find Wedding Fever at:


41 comments:

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Good morning, Sheila,and welcome to the PP. I've read Wedding Fever and loved it. The paranormal element is awesome and loved the hunky hunk hero.

amy kennedy said...

First, you are so funny Sheila! I loved your "I could make a career out of writing beginnings" answer.

And so glad I followed your post here. Looks like a fun place.

Sylvia said...

Good morning, Sheila. I love love love ths type of story, so I am definately going to have to check it out. Reunion-paranormal stories are always fun. Glad you were with us today.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Good morning, Vicki! First, I want to say a huge thank you to the Plotting Princesses for having me on your blog today. It's a beautiful sunny -- hot -- day in my little part of the prairies of Canada. I'm mired in the muck of my current manuscript and am hoping some of the Plotting Princesses magic will rub off on me today. LOL

I'm so glad you loved Wedding Fever, Vicki. It was one of those stories that just wrote itself. Once my teenage ghost stepped onto the pages, I couldn't type fast enough to keep up to the words rushing out of my brain.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Aah, Sheila, I love it when a story writes itself. But then, you are one talented writer.

Patricia said...

I need absolute silence when I write too, Sheila, although no one has mastered the art of silence here. They barge in, turn on the tv, and talk to me!
What are revels?
Patti

Sheila Seabrook said...

Welcome Amy. Ah yes, if I could only find a partner to write the middle and ending, I'd be in writerly heaven. Or at least, I'd have more hair. LOL

Thanks for popping over here today. There's always something interesting happening on the Plotting Princesses blog!

Sheila Seabrook said...

Sylvia, this was the second time I wrote a story with a paranormal twist. In The Valentine Grinch, my heroine's grandpa was a ghost who was grieving over the upcoming wedding of his wife. He was a hoot to write. Grumpy and funny, sometimes at the same time.

I seems to have two things that show up in every single story I write. Crazy family and a reunited hero and heroine. Must be my MO. :)

Thanks so much for having me today.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Ohhh, right back at you, Vicki! :)

Jennifer August said...

What a great interview. I'm off to get my copy of Wedding Fever as soon as I hit send!

Man, I don't think I could write in silence if you paid me. I get too distracted by the smallest things. But put on Phantom or baseball and I am in the writing zone.

Sounds like a great story, Sheila, can't wait to read it.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Hi Patti. This is the second time someone has asked me what a revel is. Either I'm not spelling it right or they've changed the name. LOL. So I had to pull out the box and it says "chocolate coated vanilla ice cream" which is on a stick. :) Yummy.

My husband and I used to share the office in the house. I finally convinced him to move his computer out to the dining room, so it's now a permanent fixture on the table. Now if they get too noisy, at least I can close the door.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Hi Jennifer. I find the human brain -- and how it processes so differently for everyone -- fascinating. When I crunched numbers for a living, chaos could erupt around me and I wouldn't notice it. But for whatever reason, when I sit down to write, I get distracted by the slightest noise. LOL

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you enjoy Wedding Fever!

Marian Lanouette said...

Your story sounds awesome. I can't wait to read it.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

Hi, Sheila,
As usual, I'm smiling after spending time with you. When we're rich and famous we'll pay someone else to clean our houses. Goals are good, right?

Could revels be a Canadian thing? My current guilty pleasure is an ice cream candy bar from Weight Watchers. Sigh. I'm not living large anymore.

I have Wedding Fever on my Kindle. Score!

Christy Hayes said...

Hi Sheila,
Sounds like our writing styles are totally in synch! I need silence, the middle gives me fits, and I like to work on one project at a time!

Sheila Seabrook said...

Thank you so much, Marian. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

You could be right, Pat, maybe revels are a Canadian thing. I've heard the Weight Watchers bars are fantastic, so enjoy your guilty pleasure. We all need them. Mine will last until it turns cold and the snow flies ... which isn't all that far away. Yikes! :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

I knew there was someone out there just like me, Christy. LOL. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Sasha Summers said...

You have definitely piqued my interested Sheila! Can't wait to read this one!!!

Elizabeth Essex said...

Thanks so much for stopping by to share your story with us today, Sheila.

And I can totally relate to being both a morning person, and a beginning of the story person. If only I could find someone to work afternoons and end of the story for me! :)

Can't wait to try WEDDING FEVER!

Roxy Boroughs said...

"I have the best ideas when I’m half asleep." Har, har. How true.

DL said...

I've had the pleasure of reading Wedding Fever and absolutely loved it! I think one of my favorite things about your writing is your quirky secondary characters.

DL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sheila Seabrook said...

Hope you enjoy it, Sasha. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

Great idea, Elizabeth. I love the idea of taking the afternoon off and having someone do all of the HARD work. LOL

Sheila Seabrook said...

Or in the shower, right Roxy? Thanks for stopping by!

Sheila Seabrook said...

You are a sweetheart, DL. Thanks so much. I love those secondary characters because they always make me laugh. :)

Unknown said...

Hi Sheila! What a great excerpt! I love those types of stories...the ex and all that - so sexy.

The Plotting Princesses are a unique group, aren't they? You know how royalty can be though - except these girls are the real deal. None of that fake stuff here. LOL.

Seriously, great interview and too get held up while trying to sleep - gotta love those people who live in our heads. Thank you for sharing yourself and your book. Both sound lovely.

Louise Behiel said...

Wedding Fever is a lovely story Sheila. I thoroughly enjoyed it. thanks for sharing the excerpt so I could re-enjoy it.

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Sheila,
Thanks for stopping by! Great interview. And I love the blurb on your story. I like the teenage daughter being a ghost! Have a good rest of your day!!

fOIS In The City said...

Hello, Sheila ... nice to see you here getting a much deserved plug for your book. Love, love your answers and of course, I adore the small "tease" you left us at the end.

I am so happy to add Wedding Fever to my list of great reads !!!

Jan O'Hara (Tartitude) said...

It's good to know your MO, Sheila! I wish I understood mine.

As for loving beginnings and not letting things drag on too long, you're speaking my language.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Hi Karen, we all need royalty like the Plotting Princesses in our lives. They are awesome! :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

Thanks so much, Louise. Glad you enjoyed it. :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

Hi Karilyn, I had the most fun writing the teenage daughter's part. And since I've been through the teen years with my boys, I had lots of experience to pull from. LOL. Thanks for stopping in today.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Thanks for stopping in, Florence. I hope you enjoy the book. :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

LOL Jan. We're almost like two sisters in a pod. :)

Sheila Seabrook said...

I just want to say thank you to Vicki Batman for inviting me today. And a huge thank you to all of the Plotting Princesses for hosting me on their blog.

Happy reading, everyone!

Rhonda Hopkins said...

Great interview! Loved getting to know a little more about you and your writing process, Sheila. The middle is the hardest part for me as well. And my hero would be exactly the same! Much success my friend. :-)

Marcia said...

Hi Sheila! Great interview! I've got Wedding Fever in my TBR pile close to the top! So many talented author friends; so little time!

Karen McFarland said...

I really enjoyed the interview! Thank you Sheila for sharing your writing process. Good to know that others hear people talking in their heads. LOL! You are so much fun girl! I'm lovin' that "Wedding Fever!" :)