I Have an Italics Addiction
My editor staged an intervention. Also, I got to see Madonna in concert in Miami!
Hello, Celebrity Crushers! Who shall we crush on today? How about the guys with April birthdays?
First up, it’s Pedro Pascal! Remember when we didn’t know he was the Mandalorian? Remember when he didn’t know he’d be cast as the reluctant dad in… well, everything?
And Robert Downey, Jr. holds a special place in my heart not only for starring in Only You with Marisa Tomei back in the 90s and then becoming Tony Stark in the MCU. RDJ was actually the muse for one of my side characters in Celebrity Crush (who becomes a main character in book 2—shhh! Don’t tell anyone.) There were so many scenes where I sat down to write and thought, “How would Robert Downey, Jr. play this?”
Paul Rudd has discovered the secret to neverending youth. We’ve all heard that but I didn’t believe it until I watched Clueless with my teenagers (which I highly recommend doing for so many reasons).
And then there’s Andy Garcia with Those Eyes. I remember him best in Ocean’s Eleven, where he stars with a bunch of other celebrity crushes like Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney.
Happy birthday to all these guys!
Publishing news
Welp, there she is, my edited manuscript and proof that I have a bonafide italics addiction. I swear, 85% of my editor’s comments are telling me to get rid of italics. She is not the first person to read this, so it begs the question… why did no one else love me enough to intervene???
It’s okay, because I don’t need those stupid italics. I can give them up any time, and I have my other addictions—em dashes and ellipses. Imma die on those hills.
I did spend the entire weekend incorporating edits, and it’s been a treat to dive back into Celebrity Crush. I swear, I wish there was a category of books called comroms, because that is what I would call this: more funny than anything, swoony and sexy but not graphic. Kind of like the movie French Kiss or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Have you read anything current that falls into that category? Drop me a comment! I’d love to hear about it!
What I’ve Been Reading
For the sweet crowd, here are a couple indie recommendations I’ve been enjoying.
Yes, that’s me reading Kerry Evelyn’s Love on the Brain on the beach. Despite my medical anxiety, I do love a medical romance! This one’s about a single mom who falls for her son’s brain surgeon. I couldn’t put it down! And only the Author’s note triggered me.
I’m so lucky to be a beta read for Becki Lee and got to read all of her Nashville hearts books before they were even born. I’m beta-ing one right now, but this is her first—full of Nashville fun and Dolly Parton references. She was also a finalist in a cover contest for this adorable cover!
For a steamier read, try Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert, a fanfiction/celebrity crush/fat rep love story. Very steamy! You’ve been warned! I wasn’t!
Want more FREE romance reads?
For some free reads of all types, check out Bookfunnel’s Spring Romance Freebies, where you can find a collection of books, short stories, and excerpts of different types, no erotica. You have to join the author’s newsletter list to read, but you can unsubscribe at any time.
What else have I been up to?
I mean, I’m no celebrity, but I did dance the Barbie Dance at the Florida STAR Fiction Writers’ conference. Here’s proof:
My BFF treated me to a trip to Miami and a Madonna concert. She played a lot of her old stuff, which made me so happy! And her dancers were amazing. Even her kids performed with her. That’s Ricky Martin with her onstage—no kidding!
That’s it for April! I’m hoping to have a cover reveal for you in May. Stay tuned, and thank you so much for being here. Want to find me elsewhere? All my links are at https://linktr.ee/christyswiftbooks