David Stone
Give us the one to two sentence tagline for your book.
A romantic comedy with unusual twists…
What surprised you the most while writing this book?
At the end, I didn’t want to let these characters go. I like to write about people I’d like to hang out with, so it makes sense. Frankly, the ending surprised me, but it made absolute sense.
Why did you pick the setting you used for your book?
I keep my settings somewhat generalized. Imagine upscale suburban neighborhoods and fairly well-to-do couples who manage to get on with life. Their careers are going well, but their marriages have lost some of its spark. Their attempts to restore that spark provide a great source of both heat and comedy. I often like to send them somewhere exotic while they’re sorting things out. In this case, it’s to an upscale resort in Mexico.
What is the sexiest trait of your hero(s)?
They’re always kind, intelligent, in good shape, and earnestly love their wives. They want to love them even more and will do almost anything to assure their happiness.
What is your favorite scene/moment in your book?
Any scene involving Marci is a favorite. I love her to death.
What scene did you have to cut but wish could have been included?
About a third of the way in is scene between the main protagonist and his father. I really wanted to expand that chapter but knew it was more of an aside to the main novel.
Tropes get a bad name, but they’re often the biggest draw for readers. What tropes do you love to write and read?
Aside from the usual bouts of conflict/resolution, I don’t have tropes in mind when I’m writing. I follow no formula aside from Act 1, Act II, and Act III.
What are your favorite genres/sub-genres to write in? Are there any you love to read but cannot write in?
I enjoy reading the usual suspects in the mystery/detective genres. Those are my guilty pleasures. Otherwise, I consider my writing contemporary fiction with some added spice.
Which do you love to write best: dialogue, setting, action, love scenes, or other?
Dialogue for sure. I love the other writing too, but the dialogue is the most challenging. Love scenes are fun too. I could write those all day.
Which do you hate to write: dialogue, setting, action, love scenes, or other?
I don’t hate any of it, but settings can be challenging when it comes to “show, don’t tell”. Occasionally, you just need to get it over with, and “telling” is the easiest way to do so.
An Excerpt From The Vacation
“What?” I asked, mildly startled. I was confused. I couldn’t have heard correctly. My wife Susan was giving me a rundown of her day, but her delivery had become mysteriously vague. After delivering the usual daily catch-up, a coda suggested something unusual had occurred. We were enjoying an after-work glass of wine on our new deck admiring our newly landscaped yard. I refreshed our glasses as I waited for her clarification.
She was hesitant to respond. I raised my voice a notch. “What do you mean Greg saw you? Saw you how?”
One bright summer morning, Ryan’s wife Susan suffers an embarrassing incident involving their neighbor Greg. In the aftermath, neither Ryan nor Susan can believe how much this simple “incident” has fired up their marriage. Was it just a quirk? Along with their friend Marci, Ryan and Susan are determined to find out. As their plan unfolds, they find themselves on a shocking and often comical new trajectory. A no-holds-barred trip to a Mexican beach paradise escalates matters to the point of combustion. Will it also seals their fates? The Vacation Wife: A Hotwife Romance, is part of The Wife Chronicles, a collection of standalone, thematically linked stories investigating the perils and humorous adventures of husbands and wives finding their happy-ever-afters. They are intended for mature readers
I enjoy writing steamy comedies involving smart couples navigating the perils of seduction and desire. Why bother? The things we do for love are often hysterically entertaining.
Ellen Mint 