Fresh Fiction Blog | Mary Margret Daughtridge

For the past week or so I’ve driven around with a brown paper grocery bag stacked with books riding shotgun. I’m taking author’s copies of SEALED WITH A RING my March release, to friends who have aided my research. It’s my version of Christmas. I’m celebrating the birth of a new work by making a present of it to all who have helped to bring it into the world.

Last Tuesday, my rounds took me to a ballroom dance studio.

Several years ago I began work on a third SEAL story in which the hero learns ballroom. My problem was that while I had researched SEALs out the wazoo, I didn’t know beans about ballroom. It was a watershed moment. Reading ten or twenty books wasn’t going to cut it. I needed lessons and they don’t come cheap.

There was no external evidence then that I was an author. I knew how dismal my chances of being published were. How silly would I feel if I poured money and effort into learning how an imaginary person feels, if nothing ever came of it?

My heart pounded and sweat made my fingers slip on the computer keys.

That’s when I realized I wasn’t being honest with myself. It went deeper than taking a chance writing would pay off. I had wanted to learn ballroom for a long time, but stopped because I was afraid a woman my age would look silly.

Sometimes I think fear of looking like a fool is the most handicapping fear there is. No matter how unlikely it is that we’re in danger from snakes, spiders and elevators, they are real. Fear of foolishness protects only the ego but makes us avoid being led by the heart. For years I had let it stop me, but this time I was determined to listen to my heart and my heart was saying, “If not now, when?” Right then, I called and made an appointment for lessons.

As it turned out, I never finished the book. The dancer’s character just wouldn’t jell. However, as it also turned out, I loved ballroom, and my instructor was one of the most positive, supportive people I’ve ever met. I studied for a couple of years. He was the first person I told when I was offered a book contract.

I never wrote that book, but having see how much strength, flexibility, and stamina ballroom dancing builds, I visualized what a SEAL and someone with a dancing hobby could do with, say, a rumba, if fueled by desire and set free by the imagination of an author such as moi. I knew I would write dancing into a book someday.

All of which is how it came about that the other day I dashed into Fred Astaire of North Greensboro: “The friendliest place in town,” with an inscribed author’s copy of SEALED WITH A RING to present to Alyosha Anatolly. (Many ballroom dance instructors are Russian, and Alyosha would tell you all the best ones are.)

Instructors crowded around to look over Alyosha’s shoulder. “Is this the book about the dancer?”

“Yes and no. It’s about a Navy SEAL who only wants to get his life back and a woman who needs to get a life period. Her only outlet is ballroom.”

“And do they dance?” they persisted.

“Oh yes. He seduces her with a rumba—” Heads nodded wisely. Unlike the flirty, playful cha-cha, the rumba openly celebrates the body language of sexual interest. “When they…um…dance, it is—” I paused for effect and grinned.“—HOT!”

SEALED WITH A RING by MARY MARGRET DAUGHTRIDGE—IN STORES MARCH 2010

She’s got it all…except the one thing she needs most

Smart, successful businesswoman JJ Caruthers has a year to land a husband or lose the empire she’s worked so hard to build. With time running out, romance is not an option, and a military husband who is always on the road begins to look like the perfect solution…

He’s a wounded hero with an agenda of his own

Even with the scars of battle, Navy SEAL medic Davy Graziano is gorgeous enough to land any woman he wants, and he’s never wanted to be tied down. Now Davy has ulterior motives for accepting JJ’s outrageous proposal of marriage, but he only has so long to figure out what JJ doesn’t want him to know…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARY MARGRET DAUGHTRIDGE has been a grade school teacher, speech therapist, family educator, biofeedback therapist, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Romancing the Military Soul, and is a sought-after judge in writing contests. She resides in Greensboro, North Carolina. For more information, please visit http://marymargretdaughtridge.com/.

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Comments

I'll be around today to answer questions
and respond to comments. Good luck,
everyone!
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:41am March 5, 2010)

Can't go wrong with a "seduction by rumba!"

Enjoyed your blog very much, and the book sounds great.

Yes, let's dance, and sing, and be joyful.
(Betty Cox 10:02am March 5, 2010)

I love to dance, so I enjoy a good story with dancing as part of the ...hmmm... seduction?
(Vikki Parman 11:12am March 5, 2010)

What a great story! Thanks for visiting. Congrats on the new release.
(G S Moch 11:20am March 5, 2010)

I took a dance class my senior year of high school - it helped deal with the stress of graduating and was probably one of the best things I did for my posture.
(Amber Leigh Williams 11:20am March 5, 2010)

When my younger son was 4 years old he had to get a full leg brace for his right leg which he had to wear for 3 years. He not only managed to climb trees but play baseball (the other kids all cheered as he ran the bases). When he first started dating his wife one of their first dates was to take dancing lessons. One of my favorite memories (and yes I did cry) was watching them waltz at their wedding!
(Jeanne Miro 11:28am March 5, 2010)

This was such a lovely post and I'd love to read this book.
(Leni Kaye 11:33am March 5, 2010)

All those years my parents and relatives kept telling me to stop slouching when taking dancing lessons solved my posture problem.
(Kai Wong 1:02pm March 5, 2010)

I really enjoyed your post. I have always let fear of looking stupid keep me from dancing, but I love to watch others dance.Ballroom dancing is beautiful to watch. Put a Navy Seal in that setting and I would start drooling! I can hardly wait to read the book!
(Patsy Hagen 1:17pm March 5, 2010)

I enjoy reading books about the Seals...and to combine it with ballroom dancing sounds delicious.
I have always had a secret yearning to learn how to dance, but never found the courage to go to a dance studio. Maybe it's time to rethink that:).
(Robin McKay 1:55pm March 5, 2010)

Hmm, this book sounds hot! I've got two left feet and no rhythm, so dancing has been pretty well out for me. But I love watching other people do it. And a SEAL, a wounded, recovering one at that? Great.
(Sigrun Schulz 2:22pm March 5, 2010)

Vikki, that scene was put in at the
insistence of my editor. I was afraid the
book was already too long, but I went
with her suggestion, and I don't think I
ever had more fun writing anything
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:25pm March 5, 2010)

Amber and Kai,
You both commented on posture. It's
true. Alyosha started every waltz
lesson by "fixing" my posture, and
then stopped and corrected me every
time I lost it.
Truth is both posture and grace are
largely a matter of strength. If you
practice ballroom, you WILL become
strong.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:30pm March 5, 2010)

Jeanne,

Your post made me cry too. What a lovely
memory. Thanks for sharing it.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:32pm March 5, 2010)

Robin and Patsy,
Nobody ever put "She sure looked
foolish" on a tombstone.
Take a couple of introductory dance
lessons. If you hate it, don't do it
anymore, but I would tell anyone not
to let fear of looking foolish keep you
from living.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:40pm March 5, 2010)

I love stories with Seals and being of hispanic heritage I love to dance. With dance you can express so much emotion so I am not surprised to hear the seduction is begun with a rumba. Sounds like a great story.
(Cherie Japp 3:43pm March 5, 2010)

So, Sigrun,
You love a wounded hero story, too? So
do I.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:43pm March 5, 2010)

Cherie,
If I remember my research correctly (I
don't always) the rumba originated in
Argentina where it is very free-form
and danced at family parties. At a
certain point, everybody dances from
grandmother down to the tots. Doesn't
that sound wonderful?
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 3:55pm March 5, 2010)

Congrats on the new release, Mary Margret. It would be fun to take ballroom dance lessons. Do you have a favorite dance?
(Jane Cheung 3:58pm March 5, 2010)

Congratulations on the new book. It's great that you tried something new and loved it.
(Maureen Emmons 4:31pm March 5, 2010)

Ballroom dancing looks like such fun. If only I could get my hubby to take lessons with me! Congrats on your release!
(G. Bisbjerg 4:32pm March 5, 2010)

sorry brain dead.What i was to say it looks like a fun book.and i can't wait to read it.put i bush comment before eny of that came out.silly me.
(Stacey Smith 5:18pm March 5, 2010)

I was reared a Baptist and in the past Baptists did not dance. That has changed, but I, too, was an adult when I took ballroom dancing and I felt I had missed out on meeting a host of friends by not being about to dance while growing up. I had not attended dances held by the drill team of which I was a member nor had I attended my Senior prom. Your book sounds great and certainly has an unusual angle.
(Gladys Paradowski 5:40pm March 5, 2010)

I love ballroom. I can't dance a step, so live vicariously. The book sounds wonderful.
(Mary Preston 5:52pm March 5, 2010)

I enjoyed your blog and what a lovely story. I'll bet your dance instructor was thrilled with your gift. I love hearing stories from writer on the stuff it takes to get the story in their head onto the page. Thank you for the story.
(Maude Allen 7:14pm March 5, 2010)

Your post today made me realize that you have to throw caution to the winds if you want to gain your heart's desire. Congratulations on your new release
(Rosemary Krejsa 7:36pm March 5, 2010)

Well I love to watch dance and read about dance but I don't do it myself, spend alot of time carting my dd to dance practice and competitions though, sounds like a great book
(Kelly Holt 7:41pm March 5, 2010)

Hey I took a set of ballroom dancing lessons with my husband at the time and he had lead and left feet. We had to pass a test to pay more money to take further lessons and of course, we passed with a lot of sweat. I fall back on those steps while watching all the ballroom dance steps on TV. It made me confident to try it for myself and put the lessons to good use.
(Alyson Widen 8:26pm March 5, 2010)

I loved your first book; have the 2nd seal book on my tbr.

Looking forward to Sealed with a Ring.
(Pat Lieberman 9:40pm March 5, 2010)

I've been a dancer for 21 years, it's definately a part of seduction! We love to dance together, we still take lessons when we can.
(Brenda Rupp 11:11pm March 5, 2010)

I really enjoyed your last two books, and am really looking forward to reading this one. Will there be more books in this series?
(Kara Conrad 11:17pm March 5, 2010)

I look forward to reading this book. I love the wounded Hero types. Thanks for posting
Carol L.
[email protected]
(Carol Luciano 8:09am March 6, 2010)

Jane, the waltz was very much my
favorite. With a skillful partner, it really
does feel as if you could float right off
the floor.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:17am March 6, 2010)

Stacey, don't worry about it. I think
everyone has pushed send before they
meant to, at least once. SEALed with a
Ring is not your everyday SEAL book. I
hope you'll enjoy it.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:23am March 6, 2010)

I too was reared Baptist, but my parents
believed dancing was harmless, as did
most of the Baptists in my town. What we
didn't have was a ballroom instructor.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:32am March 6, 2010)

You know Mary, the student I admired
most was a woman who was terrible.
She knew it and she didn't care. It
didn't come easily to her but she didn't
care how long it would take to become
proficient. She wanted to dance.

I wouldn't do what she did, but by
golly, I had to admire her.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:42am March 6, 2010)

Thanks Maude. I'd rather tell a story than
write an essay any time.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:48am March 6, 2010)

Rosemary, I don't know about all caution,
but if fear of looking like a fool is keeping
you from your heart's desire, then yes!
Face that fear. Do what you love. Let
yourself look foolish, and do it anyway.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 9:54am March 6, 2010)

You know Alyson, I think if more men
understood how much confidence one
can gain from ballroom lessons, they
would be more interested.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 10:01am March 6, 2010)

Hey Pat and Kara, I'm so glad you
have enjoyed previous books. I am at
work on a forth SEALed book, even as
we speak.

Who knows how long the series will go
on?
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 10:06am March 6, 2010)

Brenda,how wonderful. While I enjoy
watching the "stars" dance, what I love
is the for-real competitions in which
you see people who have danced
together for years. The deep, physical
rapport they demonstrate makes my
heart sing.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 10:13am March 6, 2010)

Carol and Wanda, thanks for dropping by.
Good luck in the drawing, everyone.
(Mary Margret Daughtridge 10:15am March 6, 2010)

This sounds like the best book yet. How many people have been seduced by the dance?
(Carol Donnermeyer 12:10pm March 6, 2010)

I love the wounded hero type also. This book sounds wonderful.
(Joanne Vitale 1:34pm March 6, 2010)

I have seen this book on may sites. all
I've read about it sounds good. It
sounds like the kind of book to pick
up when you need to escape into a
modern, alpha military hero romance.
Don't we all need one of those every
once in a while.
(Patricia Barraclough 3:20am March 15, 2010)

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