Love, Ghosts, and Pumpkin Spice: Why Spooky Season is Perfect for Romance

Watercolor I did a few years ago.

I don’t know about you, but fall is my favorite time of year. After the heat of summer I’m ready to cozy up in my favorite sweater, sip something pumpkin spiced while flipping the pages of a good book, and maybe even light a candle or two just for the atmosphere. I’m addicted to Yankee Candle’s scents especially Autumn Leaves even the name just evokes that sound of wet, fallen leaves under my boots as I’m out walking through a forest.

Growing up in Florida I just never got to see the leaves change color and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.  The first time I visited Vermont in the fall I fell in love.  I’m still in love with Vermont and the seasons there. When I was choosing a setting for my ghost book I knew there was only one place that would work.

There’s something about autumn that feels made for mixing a little spooky with a lot of cozy. I’m not really into jump scares or having to sleep with the lights on, but watching the tv screen through my fingers waiting for the next scare is my sweet spot.  The television show Wednesday has the perfect vibes for me. In the UK unlike Florida the nights get longer, the air feels crisper, and suddenly I’m craving stories that give me both a shiver down my spine and a happy sigh at the end.

That’s one of the reasons I loved writing a romance with a touch of the supernatural. Ghosts and love stories actually have a lot in common—they’re both about connection, about things that linger, and about emotions that refuse to be forgotten. I lost my maternal grandmother less than a month before I turned 30.  We were very close so this loss hit me hard.  I still feel her presence when I need it.  A little boost of confidence when I’m feeling unsure or sad. 

Now, she’s not really haunting me but her presence in my heart and mind are always there. 

When it comes to fiction add in a little suspense, a little humor, and of course, a dash of spice, and in my opinion you’ve got the perfect fall read.

Younger me with my grandmother and great-great uncle Jim.

Think about it: who doesn’t want to believe in a love so powerful it could cross the boundaries of life and death? It’s a delicious blend of chills and thrills…with a guaranteed happily ever after.

That’s exactly the kind of story I wanted to capture when I wrote Ghost of a Chance. It has all my favorite fall ingredients: a heroine who knows how to fake it until she maybe, possibly makes it, a hero who’s dealing with a ghost he can’t ignore, and just enough spice to keep things steamy while the nights get cool. It’s playful, a little mysterious, and full of that opposites-attract spark.

The ghost needed to have a reason to be hanging on as well. Though I do think it would be fun if they were simply there for some hijinks, but I thought it would round out the story better to have a genuine connection to Jasper. It took me a while to settle on the ghost but that was the fun part. I knew he loved Judge Judy and that he was always trying to guide Jasper—which that lovable doofus never realizes.

For me, romance isn’t just about the swoon—it’s about the adventure of falling in love, whether that means solving a mystery, braving something supernatural, or simply opening your heart to the unexpected. I love that feeling of butterflies in my stomach when the characters realize they are falling for each other.  It’s a little bit like I’m falling too.

So as we step into my favorite season, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating all things cozy, spooky, and romantic.

Now tell me—what’s your perfect fall read? Do you like your love stories with a touch of the paranormal, or do you stick to the classic swoons?

How a Ghost with a Judge Judy Obsession Ended Up in My Romance Novel

When I first had the idea that would become Ghost Of A Chance I knew that I wanted it to be light and fun. I like spooky but not scary.  I was brainstorming the ghost. I’d toyed with a haunted house but couldn’t get that work so started digging deeper and thought about tying it to a book. I love books and if I’m going to come back as a ghost and haunt people there will definitely be a ghost involved!

From there Jasper was born. This cinnamon roll of a hero who is haunted by his roommate who died junior year in college.  I wanted there to be some fun poltergeist activity for Paul and I thought about the shows that my daughter watched in college.  Judge Judy was the clear winner; Coco and I always watch it when she’s home.  This obsession became the backbone of the relationship between Jasper and his haunted physics book.

Judge Judy with her plain speaking and common sense judgments appealed to me. But also she works in small claims court where most of the litigants know each other.  Friends or family members who have had a falling out and are so mad that they want financial compensation. Jasper and Paul’s relationship was normal enough but when you live with someone little things start to irritate you.  So for Jasper of course Judge Judy is always playing because that was something that Paul did.

But the ghost couldn’t be just one note so I started to break down other things that happened.  Like the lights flickering on, appliances that come on when the ghost is irritated with Jasper.  Not enough to be noticeable to the outside world but enough to really annoy my hero.

Here’s a glimpse at some of my early notes for the ghost, trying to figure out who the ghost was.  I toyed with a historical figure who might pop up and have unresolved issues.  As you can see from this photo I was really going for either a World War II assassin or Guy Fawkes. 😂

While I’m sure those would have been fun, I started to drift into a poltergeist--did you notice my misspelling—yikes! I defo need an editor!

Then I drift more into mysterious death trying to add an element of suspense.  I’m not sure if you’ve read any of my romantic suspense books but I like to have at least two-three red herrings and had thought about doing that with this book.  Two to three possibilities of who the ghost could be. Then I jotted down a list of possibilities even toying with the idea that there is no ghost and Jasper is just sort of dogged by malfunctioning appliances—haha!

But those didn’t work out and when I started going more light academia everything fell into place. I created this mood board for the book, then started working on the main characters. I had Jasper from the beginning and his ghost in the haunted text book.

So…to make as much trouble for both of my characters I knew that my FMC had to somehow do something with talking to ghosts. But that’s not a talent I have so I was thinking wouldn’t it be fun if she sort of fakes it.  From being an author I know that there is pressure to make yourself sound different and exciting.  So what if she writes mysteries with a heroine who can talk to ghosts and sort of let slip she might have the same ability.  That one thought cemented the entire idea.

Kirsty was a perfect foil for Jasper in terms of temperate and just everything.  I wanted to explore the fact that everyone is wearing some kind of mask whether its at work, at social events, at the PTA meetings even with friends.  And how sometimes (maybe this is just me) we wish that we could be ourselves but lack the courage (again me!) to.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse behind the scenes of Ghost Of A Chance. I’ll be posting more stuff in the weeks leading up to the release on September 2 Ebook US/UK and paperback release September 25 in the UK and September 30 US. Preorder your copy here.

What I’m Reading (and Loving) This Month

I miss summer reading lists.  To be honest I sort of always make one for myself.  When my kids were young we’d all read together off their summer lists which I loved. I would discover so many fun new titles that I’d missed.  

Bookworm that I am, of course I had to read all the books on the list. At times it was harder than others. When I was growing up we lived in the "country" so couldn't get a library card. But my mom would take us to the library in Auburndale and we could read all afternoon. It was great!

Such good memories.

This summer I’m mixing romance along with some nonfiction and my favorite summer titles.  This week I finished Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey.  Have you read her books?

Oh my they are so spicy and sexy but it’s really her quirky characters and the emotional punch that she packs into every book that keeps me coming back to her for more. I’ve already downloaded the sequel book.

I have to confess the first book I read of hers was Window Dressing. It's a Christmas story and in first person if that's your preferred POV for books.

I'm hooked on Tessa Bailey!

Next on my list was Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson.  This book! If you love Indiana Jones, The Mummy and Romancing The Stone they I can highly recommend this one.  The writing is fun and engaging. It’s written in first person—controversial opinion but I don’t always like first person—but this book rocked.  

Seriously I had so much fun reading this book that I read way past my bed time. I liked the sibling dynamic between Adriana and William. Having grown up very close with my sisters that really resonated with me.

This was a really fun read and perfect for summer time!

I have Riding High up next by my good friend Joss Wood.  I love all of Joss’s books,  she always delivers characters that are fun and quirky. I always find myself laughing when reading her books, but she also delivers the sensuality I want in a romance and a strong emotional element that satisfies every time!

I haven't read many books set in the world of Polo riding but I can't wait to dive into it. Also having heard Joss describe some of the scenes as she was writing them--we do writing sprints together every day--I'm dying to see how they turned out!

I also love this cover makes me want to grab a glass of Pimm's and head out to my hammock to read!

What’s on your summer reading list?