The Secret behind Mad About the Boy
Well, there is a secret story behind the book Mad About the Boy. It's not seedy, or even romantic but just the truth and I'm here to share the secret.
Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be swept off my feet by some dashing hero and we'd get married and live in a castle with plenty of children to follow. I was young! But I was a lonely child and we didn't have family around, growing up in a quiet suburb. I was a quiet child and didn't have many friends. Though I loved to read and always had a fascination with the Medieval Period, Regency Period and anything Fantasy or Sci Fi. I also dreamed and dreamed about running away to live in England where I could visit Jane Austen's house, see the massive palaces and maybe the Queen and lots of castles and walk around in the country and who cares if it's raining! That was the fantastical world from my eyes as a child and right into my teens (even now) I still daydream about what it would be like to have lived in those times or my own world. My imagination runs wild, seriously I can't help it - so I write.
Going back to my youth, we had a very small library but we were allowed to borrow ten books and I used to devour Sweet Valley High and some other Teen Romances like Judy Blooms work. Since I could read them so fast, I was starting to get bored. I ventured into the Adult Shelves of books. I was a bit horrified by the extensive selection. They had more variety than us! It was by accident that I spotted a book with a small hot pink sticker with a ladies slim legs in fishnet stockings on the spine of a book. I was immediately intrigued. Once a Princess by Johanna Lindsey popped straight into my hand. I fell in love with romance and it was really good. I read the book over and over again without ever getting bored. I scrimped and saved $15.00 to purchase my own copy, I was only twelve.
I suffered from loneliness and depression in my youth but I won't bore you with sad tales. I overcame my struggles with the joys of reading and what later became my love of writing. I let me imagination run wild and wrote everything I could down. It wasn't good but it made me feel like I had a purpose. At the age of eighteen, my parents gave me a second hand computer and I begged for them to enrol me in the Diploma of Professional Romance Writing Course at the Australian College of Journalism. I learnt and I wrote and I absorbed as much as I could from everything and anyone. I became a member of RWA and immersed myself into the writing world.
Mad About the Boy was born - a Contemporary Romance with a multicultural couple. I was so proud of my achievement. I sent out manuscripts, got rejected over a hundred times had it reviewed by countless agents. I've been shredded to bits in writer's competitions by my peers, I've also won two awesome awards for the same manuscript. I've written this beautiful, charismatic love story and wanted to share it with the world. There was a stigma behind Independently Publishing, other authors stare down their noses or put you down. It's considered taboo but not anymore I hope with the great many successes out there. Wonderful authors whose voices may never have been heard if not for independently taking their own art form and business with their own hands. I'm proud of the choice I made and even more so when the readers tell me how much they love Mad About the Boy. I write for the readers to entertain.
I love being a writer.
Mad About the Boy is my first novel and I'm so excited to share it with readers who love romance. It's got the raw emotion of a bumpy relationship, comedic relief and drama which is normal in everyday life. It'll make you laugh, cry and giggle out loud. I fell in love with the 1940s soulful song of Mad About the Boy by Dinah Washington. Go out and take a listen to this song on YouTube, it's truly what my novel is about. A woman so madly in love with a man though she tries very hard not to fall so deep. The multicultural aspect of Mad About the Boy comes from my own diverse experience growing up in an ethnic family. I've written Mad About the Boy with my heart and soul and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
And damn, I'm still waiting for my very own 'Christophe' to walk my way, 2012 could be the year.
Thank you Jenny for having me on your blog.
I say this phrase in many ways more than once when I Guest Post or at my Blog and I'll say it over and over again - Appreciate each moment we have. Life is too short, embrace romance and love your family, protect and keep them secure.
Author Bio
Suzan Battah is a proud Australian born author who has loved to write since her teenage years. In 2011 she published her first novel a contemporary multicultural romance - Mad About the Boy. In her spare time she weaves magical tales to entertain. Suzan writes YA Fiction - Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance, Regency Romance and Contemporary Romance. Other fun things you can find her doing is training at the gym and Latin/Ballroom dancing. Suzan is afraid of heights, loves most things that are sweet, has no clue about fashion and one day hopes to speak Spanish fluently.
www.suzanbattah.com
About the book:
Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn’t take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer’s with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he’s her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family.
Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father’s successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent’s divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she’s not like the string of other women he’s known.
A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn’t stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she’s all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she’s running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in others ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations.
Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn’t..
Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn’t take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer’s with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he’s her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family.
Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father’s successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent’s divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she’s not like the string of other women he’s known.
A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn’t stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she’s all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she’s running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in others ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations.
Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn’t..
My review: 5/5
I must admit i really did enjoy reading this book, in fact i stayed up till 4am because i wanted to finish it. I loved the story right from the start, i really loved the way the book is written, and the characters.
This book is a well wrote erotic romance, i say erotic as some of the scenes are quite steamy. The whole relationship building between Julia and Chris is so enchanting, it will keep you hooked for the entire book. The dramas they go through, and the tests they face both personally and as a couple are well thought out and realistic.
Julia's plight throughout the book with what should she do go with her head or her heart is such a typical everyday story, i think lots of people will be able to relate to the character.
Overall i loved the whole thing, and if you are into chick lit, romance or erotic fiction please give this a go i don't think you will be disappointed.
This book is a well wrote erotic romance, i say erotic as some of the scenes are quite steamy. The whole relationship building between Julia and Chris is so enchanting, it will keep you hooked for the entire book. The dramas they go through, and the tests they face both personally and as a couple are well thought out and realistic.
Julia's plight throughout the book with what should she do go with her head or her heart is such a typical everyday story, i think lots of people will be able to relate to the character.
Overall i loved the whole thing, and if you are into chick lit, romance or erotic fiction please give this a go i don't think you will be disappointed.
