Books We Love's Tantalizing Talent ~ Author Sydell Voeller

During my teen years, I kept an almost-daily journal, detailing the trials and joys of my young life.  While I’d always been interested in writing—I worked as associate editor of the high school paper and editor of the creative writing magazine—it didn’t occur to me until some 20 years later that I had lots of fodder at my fingertips to write young adult romances.  (Not that I had had oodles of boyfriends in high school, mind you—actually, just a few—but  the journal nonetheless sparked many ideas.)

So I took a deep breath and plunged in, while at the same time working part-time as a registered nurse.  One of the most important things I learned in my quest for publication was that I had to pay my dues.  I like to joke that the walls of my office were papered in rejection slips, but that’s not far from the truth.  So, during this learning process, I checked out writer’s magazines from the library, purchased books on “how to write,” joined a critique group, and started attending writer’s conferences.  A couple of years later, I received a phone call from a New York publisher offering me a book contract—and I’m sure you can imagine my exhilaration.  I had indeed paid my dues!  I was on my way to becoming a professional author!

For the next few years, I continued to write and publish teen romance novels, plus young adult short stories for teen magazines, many of them church-affiliated.  I loved rolling back the years and once again inhabiting the mind of a teenager!  How satisfying to get a second chance, to live all the scenarios that in my “real” teen life I had somehow missed, but most importantly, to relive all those wonderful experiences that had indeed been a part of my growing up years.  (This was back during the era when series teen romances were squeaky clean and just plain fun. Such books hadn’t quite yet entered the period that followed a decade or more later when squeaky clean had morphed into edgier, more serious stories.) 

Eventually I decided to graduate to adult romances, although I adhered to the “family reading” guidelines required by my then-publisher.  Hence, my heroines became a bit older and the conflict a little more sophisticated—and are now commonly categorized as sweet traditional romances.   

List of my books:

The Fisherman's Daughter–adult romantic suspense

Sandcastles of Love—YA romance

Summer Magic—adult sweet contemporary romance

Her Sister's Keeper—adult sweet contemporary romance

Free to Love—adult sweet contemporary romance

Daisies Are Forever—adult sweet contemporary romance

A House Divided—adult inspirational romance

Dummy & Me! –YA romance

The Heart Leads Home—adult sweet contemporary romance

Skateboard Blues—YA romance

Love on a High Wire—YA romance

Star Light Star Bright—adult sweet contemporary romance

Love on a High Wire

Amazon

Marcie's attraction to Ivan sparked the very moment they met. But they lived in totally different worlds. She was a local high school student leading an everyday life and working after school for the local veterinarian. He was a dashing trapeze artist traveling with his circus family, and he would soon be back on tour. 

Was it only a fleeting romance? A romance that would vanish the moment Ivan left town? Had he fallen for her, or would he always remain an elusive dream? 
(previously Merry Christmas Marcie) 

Star Light, Star Bright:

Amazon

When Chyenna Dupres and her young daughter move from Portland, Oregon, to the small town of Prairie Valley, Chyenna leases a historic inn there. She plans to turn the inn into an upscale eatery, despite strong resistance from some of the locals. Her most vocal objector is cattle rancher Blair Westerman, who has relocated from L.A. to protect his own daughter from the "evils" of city life. Moreoever, he is determined to guard Prairie Valley from outside influences, especially tourists who might decide to stay.

From the moment they first meet, Chyenna and Blair can't seem to leave each other alone. They get under each other's skin, and race through each other's thoughts. Their opposing goals for Prairie Valley and their push-pull feelings for each other keep tensions high--especially when their match-making daughters become close friends and decide to run away together.

Chyenna and Blair may have acted like children, but now it's time to come together for the good of their own children, and realize just how far apart they've let their differences push them.

Books We Love Website Link:  http://bookswelove.net/authors/voeller-sydell/