To marry or not to marry Connor J. Barrington? That is the question Roxy Drake faces one hour before her wedding, when she discovers her handsome fiance may have murdered his first two wives. Did Connor kill Annie and Charlotte, or simply let them die? Does Roxy become wife number three, or the runaway bride from hell? Find out in the darkly funny Honeymoon Roulette.
Drybar blow-out: check.
MAC make-up session: check.
Heirloom pearl strand: check.
Designer wedding gown: check.
It was January 14, 2017, and Roxy Drake
was all set to marry Connor J. Barrington in just one short hour. But then the
phone rang. Mom was on the other end, breathing fire.
“Sweetheart, whatever you’re doing,
stop, and get your buns down here, pronto! There’s something urgent we need to
discuss with you.”
Oh God, what now, Roxy thought, rolling
her eyes at her best friend and maid of honor, Amy Powell, lounging on a
sky-blue love seat across the room.
The first page is perhaps one of the most important pages in the
whole book. It’s what draws the reader into the story. Why did you choose to
begin your book this way?
I agree, the first page is one of
the most important. In Honeymoon, it reveals that Roxy is a person with a
certain amount of wealth and sophistication. She’s also a nice, fun,
down-to-earth bride who’s about to be married in an hour, and her mom is a pushy,
bossy woman that she often has problems dealing with. These are all important
factors in setting up the novel..
In the course of writing your book, how many times would you say
that first page changed and for what reasons?
It probably changed about 20 times. Mostly, it was the very beginning where I list all the things Roxy has done to prepare for the wedding with the word Check beside them. It took a while to come up with that, instead of just a straightforward sentence.
Was there ever a time after the book was published that you wished
you had changed something on the first page?
No.
What advice can you give to aspiring authors to stress how important the first page is?
On the first page, you have to grab your readers and keep them! There are just too many other books and too many other options. Readers can switch off and on in seconds.
Try to relax and write a first page you love that sets up the tone of the book. Be prepared to do it 50 times if you have to. It is the most important page in the book.
Luckily for all you fans of romantic fiction, Irene Woodbury knows that what happens in Las Vegas doesn’t have to stay there. The Denver-based author has captured the heart and soul of Sin City in four colorful, suspenseful novels.
In the gritty, engrossing Romeo Stalker (2021), a Vegas showgirl’s life is plunged into stalker-hell when her ex returns from prison and learns she has a new boyfriend. Love and Payback (2021) is a dark, dramatic look at a married woman’s mysterious death in Sin City, where she has gone to meet an Internet love.
In the darkly humorous Honeymoon Roulette (2021), a bride goes rogue after learning her handsome fiance may have killed his first two wives. And A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis (2021) is the vibrant, funny story of a mixed-up newlywed who goes to Vegas for a girls’ weekend that never ends.
Irene, a successful travel writer whose favorite destinations are London and Las Vegas, is currently working on another novel.
You can visit her website at www.irenewoodbury.com or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
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