Natalie Pepper knows almost nothing about New York City, except that it’s far, far away from her home in California. When she packs up everything she owns and moves there on a whim, luck is on her side. She stumbles into a promising marketing job in the developing Internet industry and finds herself surrounded by poised and polished men who are nothing like the guys she knew back home.
Description:
It’s 1998…and New York City just might not be prepared for the Girlfriends of Gotham…
Natalie Pepper knows almost nothing about New York City, except that it’s far, far away from her home in California. When she packs up everything she owns and moves there on a whim, luck is on her side. She stumbles into a promising marketing job in the developing Internet industry and finds herself surrounded by poised and polished men who are nothing like the guys she knew back home.
One man stands out from the rest… CJ: All-American hunk and genuine good guy. But they work together, and giving in to their mutual attraction could put Natalie’s sparkly new world at risk. She resolves to look, but not to touch…if she can ignore the feeling that he’s the guy she’s been looking for her whole life.
Natalie’s new friend Candace Kanie has no such concerns. From the barroom to the boardroom, she’s used to getting exactly what she wants, and her no-crap attitude ensures nothing gets in her way. But when she meets Damon, the notorious playboy at Natalie’s company, she finds that her take-no-prisoners style might not be as effective in the romantic realm.
Frustrated and often irrational, Candace pushes for what she wants until something’s gotta give. And when it does, she realizes that the one thing she might not do better than anyone else is change.
The first book about the loves, lives, and laughter of a group of friends finding their way in the city is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy full of Men and Martinis!
GUEST POST
The Modern Comedy
Romantic comedy is nothing new or novel. Shakespeare was one of the great writers of this genre (some say he actually invented it – e.g. Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew). But I’m certain I know what Shakespeare was up to…writing romantic comedy can be so much fun!
What’s more entertaining than the awkwardness and discomfort than those first efforts at a new romance? You already know there are lots of great romances out there that aren’t awkward at all. They’re sexy and the characters are confident and brazen, and just so…not me. I don’t know how most people’s dating lives go, but mine was hardly smooth sailing. My first kiss was all braces and bumped noses, and I was so embarrassed and nervous that I literally jumped up from the kiss and yelled, “I think I hear someone coming!” Then I flipped on the lights in the loft where we had gone to “make out,” much to the irritation of the four or five other eighth-grade couples that were busily doing the same thing. My first sexual adventure? Let’s just say that a glow-in-the-dark condom was employed and I was utterly unprepared for that sight.
I don’t care who you are—if you look at it the right way, this effort we make on behalf of the objects of our interest can be downright funny. And that’s part of what makes romantic comedy work. These stories show readers that we’re all human, that everyone has awkward and uncomfortable experiences in our lives. They’re relatable, though they may be a bit of an exaggeration of the types of difficulties we’ve been exposed to.
Most romantic comedies bring in other comedic elements as well. MEN AND MARTINIS borrows a bit from situational comedies (I watched a lot of these as a kid!) Setting the scene for surprise or misunderstanding is the key to the sitcom. Creating memorable characters with humorous quirks is another great way to weave a comedic element into a story. For my main character, Natalie Pepper, her boss is a great example of this. The woman calls Natalie by any number of wrong names, and we’re never quite sure if she’s doing it on purpose or not, even as they get increasingly ludicrous. This is an example of a running gag—a tried and true comedic device. Candace Kanie, the secondary protagonist in the first Girlfriends of Gotham book, has some foibles, too, though I think she’s likeable in the end.
Another key element of comedy in current romantic comedies tends to be witty banter between characters, and clever use of puns and double entendres. This works well in the Girlfriends books, especially, because of the ages of the characters. Witty banter seems to come naturally to twenty-somethings, so I just amped it up a bit.
There are lots of ways to lighten a romance, and there is definitely a range of romantic comedies. Some are simply sweet and cute, and some are downright hilarious. I’d put the Girlfriends books smack in the middle of that spectrum. I hope you’ll read MEN AND MARTINIS and let me know what you think!
About the author:
Delancey Stewart writes contemporary romance.
Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She’s been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a direct sales representative for a French wine importer. But she has always been a writer first.
A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler and story reader. She tackles all these efforts at her current home outside Washington D.C.
3 comments:
I am always up for a good laugh! It was interesting to compare Shakespeare's comedy techniques to those of today too.
Love the cover looks very good great job.
I love comedies :) I'd love to read these books!
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