A run-down motel in a small town isnโt the most likely place for a romance novel
to begin. But the moment I saw it, I knew it was the perfect starting point for
GETTING IT BACK, the
third book in my Red Hot Russians series.
One thing I love about being a writer is that thunderclap of inspiration, when
vague ideas suddenly crystallize into characters, scenes and conflicts. In the
spring of 2014, ideas had been turning in my head for weeks. I knew GETTING IT BACKโs hero was
Misha, an Olympic champion skater whose post-skating life hadnโt gone as planned.
Public domain photo, Creative Commons
But I didnโt know much else. A road trip, on a dark and stormy dayโon my way to
a wake, no lessโprovided the answer.
A detour took me off the interstate onto a two lane highway running through
Midwestern farm country. The weather was ominousโdark, low hanging clouds that
can spawn thunderstorms and even tornadoes. Listening to static-y country music
on the radio, I drove into a small town, and passed an old motel. Its sign was
lit and glowed against the gloomy sky. An empty swimming pool was surrounded by
a fence and looked like it hadnโt been used for a long time. The cars in the
parking lot were oldโexcept for one.
And suddenly, the hazy ideas in my head became clear and real. That car belonged
to Misha. The motel is where Amy finds him, alone and hurting. Itโs the low
point he needs to hit before everything changes.
Further down the road, I pulled into a fast food parking lot and scribbled
notes, which became this scene:
Flat open fields, turned for spring planting, stretched out on both sides of
the road. The vast emptiness was broken only by farms, spread wide apart. The
sky had the fearsome look of heavy rain on the way. Good news for the farmers
maybe, but not so good for a woman on the road alone. A tornado could come
roaring through and blow her straight to Oz. If a twister was on the way, she
wanted to know, so she turned on the radio. There were snatches of music and
voices, until the strongest signal came in, a country station where Toby Keith
sang about life 1,452 beers ago. Outside of a farm town that looked as if it
could have been the setting for Tobyโs song, a green highway sign informed her
that her destination was five miles ahead.How had Misha, who had once been one of the worldโs top male figure skaters,
ended up here?Just past an abandoned used car lot with a hand-painted For Sale staked in
front, was a lighted yellow and black sign for the Townโs Edge Motel. The
L-shaped, single story building surrounded an empty swimming pool, enclosed by a
chain link fence. Most of the cars in the lot were old, though a sleek black
Lexus was parked in front of room number three. To the right was the office. A
neon sign flashed VACANCY. Amyโs stomach fluttered with eagerness and dread, as the strange journey
suddenly became real.
I wonโt deny that I had a few doubts about starting with my hero stranded in
such a lonely place. But the story of his comeback felt more powerful when he
had a long way to climb, and his triumph that much sweeter. When a reviewer complimented the opening, I was glad I didnโt change it.
Quirky settings. Loveable, if imperfect heroines. Gorgeous men with hearts of
gold. Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Harmon loves them all.
A
graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in advertising, community
journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels incredibly blessed to
have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining "what if?" and a
loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world.
An adventurous
cook, vintage home enthusiast, occasional actress, and entry-level figure
skater, Elizabeth makes her home in the Midwest, where life is good, but the
sports teams aren't. She loves to hang out on her front porch, or at her
favorite local establishments, enjoy good food and wine, and talk writing with
anyone who will listen.
In this second-chances romance, a former top men's figure skating champion is
willing to risk everything for a comebackโexcept a new start with his long-lost
love
An unexpected phone call from the man who broke her heart offers Amy
Shepherd an opportunity to return to the work she loves, training elite figure
skaters. Except it's just one figure skater: him. Can she finally forgive and
forget?
Figure skater Mikhail "Misha" Zaikov once had it all: medals,
money and the adoration of millions. But a devastating injury put an end to his
career and his romance, leaving him with nothing but regret over what could have
been. His last chance to rejoin the world's top skaters is now. And there's only
one person who can help him: her.
On Russia's unyielding ice, Misha must
reclaim what he's lost while facing off against a talented young rival and
risking further injury. But Amy soon discovers Misha's much bigger challenges
lurk off the ice. And she's determined to keep Misha whole and healthy, even if
doing so ends his shot at the gold.
Public domain photo, Creative Commons
© 2003-2026