Ava Becker

SERIES: Stand alone

Forbidden Billionaire collection

I have a terrible soft spot for characters who come from different cultures and display their linguistic tendencies with their love interests. I find it really hot. Plain and simple. I have no idea if anyone feels the same way but since these books were my first foray into writing romances, I just went for it. Hope it appeals to my readers out there!

more books

suspense & rock star

You'll notice my books branch out into different tropes that may not align on the surface.But at the heart of every book, what rings true are my characters: Commanding swoony men and their sassy yet vulnerable women who jump off the pages with their unbelievable chemistry.

July 28Day 1: My Journey into Romance Writing - Discovering Genres and TropesHey there, fellow aspiring writers! It's been about one year since I decided to take the plunge into the world of romance writing, and what a journey it's been! I'm still learning every day, and I thought it would be fun to share some of what I've discovered along the way.When I first started, I had no idea there were so many different flavors of romance! I mean, I knew about contemporary and historical romance, but did you know there's a whole world of paranormal romance out there? Vampires, werewolves, and witches falling in love – how cool is that? My achilles heel is romantic suspense. My favorite series is the Fatal series by Marie Force. It's like someone took my favorite thriller and added a swoony love story with a kickass heroine!One thing that really blew my mind was learning about tropes. At first, I thought using tropes meant my story wouldn't be original. Boy, was I wrong! It turns out readers love these familiar patterns, and the fun part is putting your own spin on them.My personal favorite? Age gap. There's something so forbidden and enticing about having an experienced alpha male pairing up with a smart young woman who knows what she wants and is willing to go after the hot older man who checks off all the boxes for her. Building their story as they discover how perfect they are for each other is so much fun.I'm still figuring out where my writing fits in this big, beautiful world of romance. Am I a contemporary girl at heart, or will I continue with my latest foray into mafia? The possibilities are endless, and that's what makes this journey so exciting.Next time, I'll share what I've learned about creating characters that leap off the page. Trust me, it's been a rollercoaster figuring that out!Until then, happy writing!

August 4, 2024Day 2: Creating Characters That Make You Swoon (And Your Husband Jealous)Hello again, romance enthusiasts and fellow midnight typing warriors!Today, let's chat about creating characters that'll make your readers' hearts race faster than mine does when I realize I forgot to defrost dinner (again).When I started writing, I thought creating compelling characters meant making them perfect. Newsflash: perfect is boring! My breakthrough came when I based my first hero on my husband... with a few ahem enhancements. Let's just say my darling thinks he's the inspiration for all my billionaire heroes now. (I haven’t broken the news yet that isn’t quite the case. LOL)Here's what I've learned about crafting swoon-worthy characters:1. Flaws are your friends: Give your heroes and heroines quirks and imperfections. My latest heroine blushes so brightly that she had to lie that she didn’t have a high enough SPF in her sunscreen.2. Backstory matters: Even if it doesn't all make it to the page, knowing your character's history helps you understand their motivations. My first mafia romance hero had a secret passion for knitting. Okay, I cut that part out of the backstory in the end but who knows, it might apply for a future male protagonist.3. Goals and conflicts: Your characters need to want something, and something (or someone) needs to stand in their way. Internal conflicts are gold. Trust me, I know all about internal conflicts – try writing steamy scenes with your kids' stuffed animals staring at you.4. Show, don't tell: Instead of saying your hero is kind, have him rescue a kitten. Or help your heroine's grandma with her Wi-Fi. That's true love right there.Remember, your characters should feel as real and complex as that mom in the school pickup line who always looks perfectly put together until she turns around and you see her blouse in untucked in the back.Next time, we'll dive into creating chemistry so hot it'll fog up your laptop screen. Don't worry, I'll share my tricks for password-protecting those spicy chapters from curious little eyes!Keep writing, and don't forget to defrost the chicken!