Lori Wilde: On Challenging the One True Love Myth in Romance
New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde discusses what surprised her in writing her new romance novel, The Wedding at Moonglow Bay.
Lori Wilde is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 97 works of romantic fiction. She’s a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist and has won numerous other awards as well. Her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than five million copies of her books sold worldwide.
Her series, Wedding Veil Wishes, inspired six movies from Hallmark, which went on to shatter viewing records. The Hallmark movie inspired by her breakout novel, The First Love Cookie Club, came out Christmas 2022 under the title A Kismet Christmas. It was named one of the top 15 Christmas movies of 2022 by Vanity Fair.
Lori is an RN with a BSN and a MLA from Texas Christian University. She holds a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA, a certificate in forensic nursing from Kaplan and she is also a RYT-200 yoga instructor. A sixth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World. Find her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this post, Lori discusses what surprised her in writing her new romance novel, The Wedding at Moonglow Bay, what she hopes readers get from the experience, and more!
Name: Lori Wilde
Literary agent: Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency
Book title: The Wedding at Moonglow Bay
Publisher: Avon Books
Release date: March 21, 2023
Genre/category: Family Life/Siblings/Women/Romance/Contemporary
Previous titles: Previous books in the Moonglow Cove series include: The Moonglow Sisters (2020); The Keepsake Sisters (2021); and The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay (2022)
Elevator pitch for the book: A wedding brings a shocking surprise in New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde’s newest Moonglow Cove novel. Perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs, Jill Shalvis, and Robyn Carr.
What prompted you to write this book?
I wanted to examine the romantic myth of “one true love” and compare it to the reality of a mature, multifaceted love.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It takes a year from coming up with the idea to seeing the book on store shelves. For me, ideas always evolve during the writing process as I become more familiar with the characters. Of course, my editor and the publishing team weigh in and I rewrite based on their input.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Not really. I’ve been published for almost 30 years, so I’ve come to anticipate the surprises and as such, they cease being surprises.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
There are always surprises that crop up as I write. In my original outline, the character of Victor Jorge didn’t even exist, and yet, he became not only the villain, but also a major catalyst for the heroine’s personal growth. Now, I can’t imagine the story without him.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will come away understanding how our culture often pushes an unrealistic idea of what romantic love is. We’re raised on fables that if we just find that one right person all our problems will be solved. Love isn’t about fireworks and rockets and happily-ever-after. Love is about respect, trust, admiration, kindness, and the ability to change and grow together.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Find out who you are and put that on the page. Don’t chase trends. Don’t try to be like someone else. Learn who you are, what you care about and value. You don’t have to win over every reader, just honor the ones who accept you for who you are.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
