Debut Author Interview with Marie Force

Thank you to LaDonna and the gals at Magical Musings for having me today! I’m a daily reader (in lurk mode), so it’s a great thrill to be here.

We’d love to hear your call story, Marie.

I got the call on September 27, 2007. My cousin Jen and I were hunkered down at her house, kid- and husband-free to watch the season premiere of Gray’s Anatomy. Junk food and T.V. were on the menu that night, except we were plagued by ringing phones—her home phone, her cell, her work cell, my cell… It was out of control! So when my cell rang AGAIN as the show was starting, Jen ordered me to ignore it. I can’t, I said. What if it’s one of the kids? So I grabbed the phone, saw the area code and realized it was my agent. She was calling to say that Sourcebooks was interested in “Line of Scrimmage!” Major freaking out ensued! I called my husband and kids (who had already figured out something was up because the agent had called the house first). I also called my dad and woke up two of my friends. Jen and I ended up watching Gray’s on TiVo! :–)

Did you have an agent? If not, did you send this to an agent before you sold?

My first agent sold “Line of Scrimmage,” but we parted company shortly after the sale. I’m now represented by Kevan Lyon at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency, and she’s absolutely terrific!

How long were you writing, how many books before you sold?

I’ve been writing for about four years, and “Line of Scrimmage” was the seventh book I wrote. I just kept writing and saw each book as a new opportunity. People who read the books kept telling me they loved them, so I hoped I would someday connect with an editor who felt the same way. I’ve been very lucky in that regard with Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks. All the writing I did pre-sale is working out well for me now. The third book I wrote, “Same Time Sunday,” will be out next spring.

What type of books do you write?

I write single-title contemporaries and romantic suspense. I also have a three-part series that’s women’s fiction with strong romantic elements that I hope to see in print someday!

Can you tell us about your debut book? What is it about, and what genre?

“Line of Scrimmage,” a single-title contemporary, is a reunion romance featuring a couple on the verge of divorce after a decade of marriage. In the “Hail Mary” play of a lifetime, NFL superstar Ryan Sanderson sets out to stop a divorce he never wanted in the first place—and he has to act fast because his soon-to-be ex-wife Susannah is already engaged to her high school boyfriend Henry! With just ten days remaining as Mr. and Mrs., Ryan tells Susannah they’re going to spend every one of them together or he’ll stop the divorce. Since her wedding to Henry is a month away, Susannah has no choice but to give in to Ryan’s demands. He spirits her away to their secluded cabin in the Colorado mountains where they right some of the terrible wrongs that pushed them apart in the first place, and Susannah begins to wonder if she might have made a huge mistake by letting Ryan go.

What are your plans for the future? What can we look forward to from you?

My next book, “Same Time Sunday,” will be out in the spring. It’s the story of Michael, a Baltimore prosecutor about to begin the murder trial of a lifetime, and Juliana, a hair stylist with a dysfunctional family, who meet in an airport when they’re on their way to visit their significant others in Florida. After they each endure a disastrous weekend, they meet up again on the flight home and strike up an unlikely friendship that leads to love. With an ex-boyfriend and ex-fiancée refusing to let go without a fight and a murder trial that descends into mayhem, Michael and Juliana’s love is tested in ways they never could’ve imagined.

Do you have a website?

Yes! My address is www.mariesullivanforce.com. Please stop by my blog, too, at http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com. The Sourcebooks Casablanca Authors have a group blog at http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com. Come on by and join the fun!

Marie will be giving away a copy of her debut book, Line of Scrimmage, to a lucky commenter today. So be sure to leave a comment. We’ll let you know who the lucky winner is tomorrow here at Magical.