Interview with Abigail Sharpe by author Lena Diaz

Abigail Sharpe and Lena Diaz were both 2010 Golden Heart finalists, though in different categories —which was a good thing for their friendship! Lena has since published numerous romantic suspense novels. She sat down with Abigail to chat about her newest release, Who Wants to Marry a Doctor?

Lena: Let's get right to the good stuff with Quinn, the hero of Who Wants to Marry a Doctor? He's pretty hot, right?

Abigail: Oh, Quinn. I love him. Love. He made his debut in Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? and he was so happy-go-lucky and spontaneous (and, yes, pretty durn hot, too) that I knew he'd be featured in my second book. And even though the book is called Who Wants to Marry a Doctor? and the man on the cover is in scrubs, the doctor is a woman. There's a reason Quinn is in scrubs, though. But you'll have to read the book to find out. ; )

Lena: What genre is Who Wants to Marry a Doctor?

Abigail: Passionate and playful contemporary romance.

Lena: So is that the genre you usually write?

Abigail: Like many writers, I have tons of stories in my mind that want to come out. I've worked on a paranormal romance and a romance set against the American Revolution. But my instincts seem to go more toward contemporary romance.

Lena: So your next project is also contemporary romance? Can you tell me about it?

Abigail: No.

OK, you got it out of me. I'm working on a proposal for Who Wants to Marry a Fireman? and after that is a trilogy about three college friends who want to run a bed and breakfast.

Lena: What books have influenced you as an author, and in particular, did they help inspire your ideas or storyline for Who Wants to Marry a Doctor?

Abigail: The first book that got me writing was a wallbanger. I read it and thought I could do so much better. After I tried, I realized it's much harder than it looks.

Jill Shalvis and Christie Craig inspire me — fun, humorous tones, great writing, great stories. There's always a sense of satisfaction when you finish one of their books.

Who Wants to Marry a Doctor? is set against a backdrop of reality TV, so it's part The Bachelorette, part American Idol. But no one sings. Contestants have to raise money to continue on the show, sort of like AI votes.

Lena: What is your favorite scene?

Abigail: The one that would take this blog rating to R. There's a girlie magazine involved!

I'll talk about my two second favorites. I love Sabrina's crisis moment in the book, when she has the realization that Quinn lied to her (he really didn't) and her neat and tidy world crashes around her because of what she thinks are his actions. I felt awful for putting her through the torment, but it excited me to see how the relationship would evolve and grow and survive.

My other second favorite centers around Quinn when he's in a military helicopter. He's almost tricked into jumping out instead of waiting for it to land.

Lena: You said earlier that the tone of Shalvis and Craig inspired you. So your book is funny?

Abigail: There are definitely some laugh-out-loud moments, and at least one that may or may not involve Viagra. I like to run the gamut of emotions from fun to heartbroken and everything in between. It makes for a richer story.

Lena: How sexy is your book?

Abigail: Remember the aforementioned girlie magazine? HOT. There's another scene that made me blush when I wrote it. I literally felt my face get hot.

Lena: Do you think your mother's going to read it?

Abigail: Yes, somewhat to my chagrin. And she read Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? too. She called me when she finished and said, "Abby. I just read your book." And then she giggled.

Oy.

Lena: Do you let anyone read your work before it's published (aside from your editor)?

Abigail: I have a critique group and a couple of beta readers. For Who Wants to Marry a Doctor? I had a licensed mental-health counselor friend read it because Quinn suffers from acute stress disorder. She checked Quinn's reactions and experiences to make sure they were plausible. Any overexaggerations are mine and not her fault!

Lena: Do you have a favorite place where you like to write?

Abigail: Yes! In my beach-view room with floor-to-ceiling windows while listening to the muted sound of ocean waves crashing on the sand. But since I live miles from water and can't afford a beach-front anything, I have to be satisfied with my kitchen table.

Find out more about Abigail and her books at abigailsharpe.com. You can also connect her with her on Facebook.

You can find out more about Abigail's interviewer, Lena Diaz, at www.lenadiaz.com.