by HelenKay Dimon

Walk through the romance section at any bookstore and you’ll see cover after cover featuring vampires, werewolves, ghosts and shapeshifters of all sorts. The trends is, and has been, for paranormal or otherworldly reads. The undead and their hunters, helpers and lovers fill the shelves. Whether humorous or serious, these covers and book titles are distinct and the subject matter easy to identify before you read a page.

While I enjoy many of these reads, I do not write them. I write contemporary romance. Simple, straightforward, everyone is alive and no one drinks blood for survival stories set in recognizable, real-life places. As I said, contemporary romance. In the case of YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY, my July ‘07 contemporary release, that here-and-now story is set on a stunning island known for its lush greenery, laidback lifestyle, old Hawaii charm, pristine beaches, clear water and a deep cavern of rock called Waimea Canyon. Kauai, Hawaii.

Kauai is one of those places you visit and immediately love. The hustle and bustle prevalent in Waikiki and Honolulu (on Oahu, Hawaii) and in most U.S. cities of a certain size is absent in Kauai. The pace is steady and the outdoor living is idyllic. Sure, problems that touch everywhere else touch Kauai. But that’s what makes it the perfect place to set a story…

I first got the idea for YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY while driving through Kauai. On the way up to Waimea Canyon in our trusty rental car, we gazed out over the ocean and marveled at the incredible flowers and quiet atmosphere. Then, in the middle of nowhere, hugging the side of the road and sitting behind a tall fence and a myriad of security equipment, we passed a government building. The scene started me thinking. What if I could capture all that beauty and throw in a bit of mystery and write a romance starring not only a hero and heroine, but Kauai itself.

Not that I succeeded on the first try, mind you. No, the first time around I forgot about setting. I knew where the story happened but failed to relay it in any meaningful way on the page. Thus began the enjoyable process of revising. A focus on what made this contemporary romance a bit special to me – its Kauai setting.

And what does Kauai add as background? Just as Las Vegas means something and New York City conjures up a certain mental picture, so does an exotic island locale. Kauai was just such a place, and it included a few extra challenges. Wild chickens, a changing topography and a rich history.

So, while you won’t find vampires or worldbuilding for fantasy locations, I can give you water and chickens, a police chief named Kane and a feisty heroine named Annie, a real setting and a sexy romance with some humor and a touch of romance. I’m hoping while you’re picking up those paranormal offerings, you’ll give YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY a try.

Aloha!

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