Marketing for Romance Writers Magazine May, 2019 Volume # 2, Issue # 5 | Page 5

P. E. KAVANAGH (Cont.) INTERVIEW MFRW: PEK: Why did you decide to write romance novels? I‟m completely obsessed with the human mind and spirit, which I‟ve been studying for at least twenty years. I also think that the greatest incubator for human development is the intimate relationship, so all my stories (so far) include that element. They sometimes veer quite a bit toward psychological fiction, but I love the central theme of a love story. I understand the desire to escape to these worlds as well as the desire to see ourselves in the flawed and lovable heroes and heroines. Romance tells me, over and over, that so many more things are possible than what I might find in my ordinary life. It is exciting, inspiring, and emotionally satisfying. Unlike many authors I talk to, I‟m rarely happier than when I get to write about some sexy time. Writing a fight scene or a chase scene would have me hitting my head against a wall. But a sex scene puts a big, fat smile across my face. MFRW: What is your writing routine once you start a book? I don‟t follow a set schedule, primarily be- cause my life—as a bicoastal mother and business owner—is fairly chaotic. Sometimes I write just a few hundred words, or spend time cleaning up pieces prior to publication. Then there are periods where I‟m cranking out 10,000 words or more a day. I follow the rhythms of my body and my creative uprisings. Thankfully, they always come. My MacBook Air is PEK: 5 never farther than arm‟s reach away. As for creative process, I have been shifting, with each manuscript, from hardcore, determined “pantsing” to al- lowing more and more plotting ear- lier in the process. As opposed to strangling my creative flow (which I had assumed in the beginning), un- derstanding structure is allowing me to create much more cohesive and coherent work. So, after the typically messy first draft is done, I then start applying an overlay of a three- or five-act structure to the whole thing. It‟s like making a huge sheet cake, then carving it to resemble a landscape. Or a face. Because my settings are so varied—from beds to planes to coffee shops—I haven‟t at- tached any particular ritual. Even if my be- loved computer is down, I can write on sticky pads, restaurant nap- kins, and even my phone, when in need. I always make music playlists for each book and if I listen to anything, it‟ll be that. Continued Page 6