A Chat with Our It Happened One Season Contest Winner!

It Happened One Season by Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D’Alessandro, and Candice Hern just hit bookstores this week. Did you know that the authors were inspired by a fan? Phyllis Post entered the “It Happened One Season” contest online, and submitted the plot points that were voted into publication by the authors and other readers! Now, how does Phyllis feel about seeing her ideas come to life (okay, to page) through the pens of four beloved, bestselling romance authors? She is very pleased to share with us today on the Avon blog:

What made you choose that plot idea that won the “It Happened One Season” online reader contest?

I am fascinated by the 19th c. British laws of succession and their social, economic, and familial impact. Regency authors often write about “the heir and the spare.” I remember once asking myself what if there was a danger of their being no heir? That’s where I started when I first learned about the contest. I added the rest after a bit of brainstorming.

What was your reaction to how the four authors approached your plot?

I have such an appreciation for their ability to be creative and make their stories unique, despite the rather narrow plot they were given. The characters and circumstances really do stand apart from one another, especially in the way the heroines were so different in each story. I enjoyed seeing how the authors made the plot their own.

Did any of the four stories surprise you?

Yes. The heroine of Mary’s story, Cleo, makes a suggestion to Jack, the hero, that I did not expect. I don’t want to say more because that might be considered a spoiler. But I will say that it was a twist that I found very surprising and then I appreciated the way Cleo and Jack had to deal with their feelings after making that choice. It gave their characters a lot of depth.

Another story that surprised me a little was Candice’s. The marriage proposal comes very early in that story and I really loved how that was done.

Were any of the stories close to what you’d imagined?

Gosh, I’m not sure how to answer this because I honestly didn’t try to imagine specifically what they’d write. Each author definitely told the story her way; at the very least I knew we’d get four very different stories because of the unique voice each author has.

What did you think of the very different heroines we each developed based on your idea of a woman who’d had several seasons but never had a suitor?

This is what I loved best. The four heroines were very different from one another yet so easy for me to like. Each author managed to create very plausible reasons why their heroine had never been courted. Stephanie wrote a smart, strong, and independent-minded Tabitha. Mary’s Cleo is a widow who has persevered through difficult circumstances and disappointment. There was a lovely quality to Jacquie’s artistic, list-making Penelope who was alone in the world. And finally Candice’s Philippa who has endured her disability with grace. Then along comes each hero who recognizes how special the heroine is. I love that emotional connection in a romance and I think each author did a great job of creating that. It was such a thrill to see my germ of an idea sprout into such interesting characters.

I hope you’re willing to interact a little more with your friends at Avon Books. This has been such an interesting project to work on!

From the day I learned I was a finalist through the day I was finally able to read the finished book, I have been very grateful for the chance to participate in something of this nature. What an unexpected adventure! So I’d like to conclude by offering my deepest thanks and appreciation to Stephanie, Mary, Jacquie, and Candice for selecting my entry as a finalist and for honoring me through the stories they wrote. I also need to thank all of the readers out there who voted for my plot. And finally, my thanks to Avon Books for sponsoring such a fun contest. This has been a wonderful experience for me.