Politics is a dangerous word ‘for a lady’ or ‘for an author.’ It’s best we avoid these topics. Yet this is exactly what I want to talk about. I teach United States Government for a living. At the day job I answer questions on how the political sphere talks. I went to law school because as an undergrad I studied government. (My school didn’t call it political science.)
Elections was one of my favorite classes. I still remember lessons.
But in marketing we’re told this mantra ‘you’ll upset 50% of your buyers if you pick a side.’ So in social media I’m politics light, but it’s still a huge part of my soul that’s not being used.
So I decided to use that part of who I am and set a romance novel in the midst of an election. How could I not? I wanted to combine my knowledge with my love of a good romance.
So my hero Gerard is running for the US Senate seat. He’s running on an anti-corruption campaign, but his advisors are telling him the biggest weakness he has to winning is his single status. If he wants to win, then he’s going to need a wife.
The heroine is not looking for a husband. She’s a movie star and her movies make serious money in the box office. She’s the star of romantic comedies and falls in love on screen every year. She’s made money but the one thing her life lacks is purpose. She joins Gerard’s campaign to help him, and these two quickly realize that no arrangement will ever be enough for them.
However hot on the campaign trail there is so much that might make their happy-ever-after never come true. So they both have to commit to wanting to be together and to allowing themselves to realize that they choose love of each other above all else.
So here is the buy link: I hope you enjoy the novel as much as I loved writing the novel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the author come up with the idea to set a romance novel during a political election?
The author, who teaches United States Government and attended law school after studying government as an undergrad, wanted to combine her political expertise with her love of romance fiction. Because marketing advice warns authors that taking political sides alienates 50% of buyers, she channeled her passion into fiction instead, setting a romance novel around a U.S. Senate campaign.
What is the plot of the romance novel set during a Senate election campaign?
The novel follows Gerard, a U.S. Senate candidate running on an anti-corruption platform, whose advisors warn that his single status could cost him the election. He enters an arrangement with a successful romantic-comedy movie star who seeks purpose beyond fame. The two join forces on the campaign trail and ultimately must choose love over political strategy to achieve their happy ending.
Should authors who teach or work in politics write fiction based on their expertise or keep those worlds separate?
According to this author’s experience, blending professional expertise with fiction can be a creative solution when public-facing roles restrict open political discussion. Rather than staying completely silent on politics, she channeled her U.S. Government teaching background into a politically themed romance novel, allowing her to use that knowledge authentically without alienating readers by openly taking partisan sides.
