Releasing The Blurred Lines Series earlier this year was a dream come true: a dream hard won and earned by sitting down day after day and putting in the work to bring six characters to life. But it didn't start out that way.
Tucker and Carly, Jeremy and Margo, Joel and Julie were originally four strong in one novel written back in 2020 during the annual Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge. What's now called The Blurred Lines Series featuring three contemporary romance novels, started out with an all-knowing narrator which personified creativity.
Sounds cool, but it was incredibly hard to write. Each time I sat down to rework the story, it fell flat. That's when a good friend suggested I try writing a backstory for the four characters I had written into the original plot. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The Backstory
Writing a backstory for the four original characters (Tucker, Carly, Jeremy, and Margo) turned out to be the turning point I needed to see the story all the way to the end. And what was revealed was not one, not two, but three complete novels, featuring two additional characters that came to life of their own volition as the fab four told their versions of the story in what would later become part of the novels.
I'd never written a backstory before - hell, I'd never written a novel before, but giving the characters in my books the power to write their own journey meant that I didn't have to get it right. Eventually, I'd have to get it right, but writing and re-writing the novels, over and over again. I wrote these three books a total of six times from beginning to end. And when I came up for air, my first romance trilogy was complete.
Book 1: If You Met Me First
"If You Met Me First" is Tucker and Carly's story. Carly is a recovering high school teacher who is fed up with trying to make something of herself and wants a fresh start.
She meets Tucker when she happens upon an impromptu job interview at his marketing agency. Except, the interview is at a bar and she might be tipsy from her liquid lunch. Things get interesting when Carly and Tucker realize they know each other. This is a terrible twist of fate because Tucker falls hard and fast for the funny woman sitting across from him at his regular corner booth at the local watering hole.
Navigating work and love, Carly and Tucker say what they mean and mean what they say and give it their all to try to be together.
Book 2: Heart First
"Heart First" is the second novel in the series featuring Carly's older brother, Jeremy, who is lost in life after their father dies. While Carly cuddles up to Tucker, who happens to be Jeremy's best friend, Jeremy hits the road and tries to find himself on a cross-country road trip.
He wanders from motel to motel, truck stop to truck stop, not really taking in any of the scenery or making any decisions. Until he meets Margo. Meeting Margo sends Jeremy over the edge and helps right his path into clarity and acceptance. What follows is a series of devastating events that bring the pair closer and cement a future they've both been looking for all along.
Book 3: I'll Go First
"I'll Go First" is the third and final novel in the series and the one that came out of nowhere when I was reworking my story. Tucker and Jeremy's friend, Joel is a successful bachelor for life who is holding out for the one true love of his life. But he's getting older and while he's got money and all the time in the world to do what he wants, he just wants to find someone to share the rest of his days with.
Enter Julie, Margo's little sister and spitfire hellraiser of a woman who busts into Joel's life in the most unexpected way. They hit it off immediately. Just kidding. She hates his guts and his $200,000 car. Joel, on the other hand, can't even catch his breath around the curvy brunette who looks like she wants to claw his eyes out. Every moment of their story brings them closer together, whether they want it to or not. Joel and Julie are unexpected, yet perfect for each other.
I'm Not Playing Favourites or Anything
Joel is my favourite character in all of the books. And he's the one I had the most fun writing. After writing two entire novels and then coming back for a third, I felt more comfortable describing a male character and feel as though he has the most depth, personality, and conviction in his decision-making.
Jeremy is the brave one, in my opinion. He follows his heart, even when he isn't sure he can trust it and lays his cards on the table time after time to make sure he ends up right where he's supposed to be. He carries with him the courage to do his own thing, and I've always loved that about people.
Tucker, however, will always be my first book boyfriend. He's the one I wrote first. He's the one I wrote specifically for Carly. I wanted her to be wanted by someone who was willing to throw it all away just to be with her. And Tucker delivers.
Blurring the Lines
The Blurred Lines Series came about when I saw how intertwined the lives of my characters were and how much they relied on each other to get what they wanted in life. They aren't childhood friends. They aren't people who had a lifetime to get to know one another. They're adults with past relationships, baggage, fears, and hope.
I liked the idea of blurred lines being a theme throughout the series because of the decisions being made - sometimes questionable - but always true to the characters. I think about these characters all the time. They felt like friends. And I am so proud to have brought them to life.
Get the Complete Trilogy
I don't do anything half way. So when I decided to turn one novel into three, I couldn't release them until they were all finished. I hate waiting for the next book in a series to come out. And I know myself well enough to know that there was a strong possibility that if I didn't finish these books together, they might never get done. So when I released one, I released them all.
You can get your hands on all three of the books in The Blurred Lines Series on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or by purchasing directly from me on this site.
The Blurred Lines Playlist
Wondering what I listened to and was inspired by while writing The Blurred Lines Series? Here's the playlist.
- If You Met Me First - Eric Ethridge
- Heart First - Kelsea Ballerini
- Worth it - Colbie Caillat
- What Are We? - Virginia to Vegas
- Stay With Me - Sam Smith
- Nervous - Maren Morris
- Shape of You - Ed Sheeran
- Woke Up in Love - Kygo, Gryffin, Calum Scott
- Coulda Loved You Longer - Adam Doleac
- One of Them Girls - Lee Brice
- Take My Name - Parmalee
- Right on Time - Lindsay Ell
- Whatever it Takes - High Valley
- You Got the Wrong Guy - Dean Brody
- Alone Together - Dan + Shay