Marie Force, author of Line of Scrimmage (Sourcebooks, September 1, 2008), is here today to share all her dirty little secrets with us. Well, ok, so maybe she’s only sharing ONE secret, but it’s good.
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Me and Football—Who Knew?
By: Marie Force
I have a shameful secret. I used to hate football. There. I said it out loud. Whew, what a relief to get that off my chest! My disdain was once so significant that I was one of those high school girls who went to the games and had no idea who had won when I got home. See? I told you it was shameful! In light of this revelation, what do you think my Muse was thinking when she showed up with an NFL quarterback in tow? My theory is she was trying to torture me by forcing me to immerse myself in a game I always saw as a poor relation to the graceful, elegant game of baseball, which I adore. I picture her snorting with laughter as she deposited this six-foot, four-inch drink of water on my front porch and pulled a ding-dong ditch to get the hell out of there before I found him in all his sexy, six-pack-ab glory waiting for me to tell his story.
His name is Ryan Sanderson, and he came swaggering into my life toting a third Super Bowl trophy, a few busted ribs, and a marriage on the rocks that he desperately wants to save. What to do with that? Well, my first thought was to remake him into a baseball player. That way I could take advantage of the years of research I’d already done by watching at least a thousand Boston Red Sox games. Great idea, right? Thank you, I thought so, too. Ryan, however, had other ideas. He was committed to his career as a football player and resisted my attempts to turn him into a baseball player (picture his arrogant nose turned up with distaste).
A battle of wills ensued during which I reminded Ms. Muse that I am the brains of this operation, and she’d do well to remember who’s in charge. That got her all fired up, and she threatened to find a more deserving author to bring this fabulous character to life. After some significant bickering, I buckled under tremendous pressure and agreed to give it my best shot.
Luckily, I faced this conundrum in the winter of 2006, smack in the middle of the NFL season. My husband, an Indiana transplant now living in my home state of Rhode Island, has become a New England Patriot’s fan, due mostly to the intense arm-twisting of my rabid fan brother. Now here I come to disrupt my husband’s clicker waving, hand-tucked-into-his-pants Sunday afternoon peace and quiet to ask about blitzes, first downs, penalty flags, field goals, and touchbacks. (I still don’t get that one.)
The end result is Line of Scrimmage, the story of Ryan and Susannah Sanderson, who are on the brink of divorce until Ryan shows up ten days before their marriage officially ends to tell his wife he plans to spend every minute of the time they have left as Mr. and Mrs. together. Susannah, already engaged to her high school boyfriend, isn’t at all happy to see her soon-to-be ex-husband, especially since she’s entertaining her fiancé and his parents at the time of Ryan’s arrival. When he threatens to derail the divorce, Susannah, due to be married in a month, has no choice but to give in to his demands. Her plans to pacify Ryan and then send him packing—again—go awry when he mounts the Hail Mary play of a lifetime to convince her that he’s the only man for her.
If you’re not much of a football fan, don’t worry. On J. Kaye’s Book Blog, J. Kaye Oldner said of Line of Scrimmage, “When I read about this book, I was in the mood for a rock-on good romance. There were a couple of things that had me worried though. The first was Ryan Sanderson. He is a successful quarterback for the Denver Mavericks, making it to the Super Bowl three times. So what’s wrong with that? I’m not a sports fan. From the beginning, Force embraces the sport like a fan, but she weaves it into the story with a finesse found in a great story teller.” J. Kaye added that Line of Scrimmage was, hands down, the best romance she’s read this year.
I so appreciate this review from a non-football fan because that was me before I did that whole immersion thing. And now, much to my surprise, I’m hooked! I watched every minute of the Patriots’ nearly undefeated season last year and found myself yelling at the T.V. and hiding my eyes when things got ugly in that last game—just like (gasp) an honest to goodness football fan! I blame Ryan for this development.
Line of Scrimmage is the seventh book I wrote, and the first one I sold. The third one I wrote, Same Time Sunday, will be out next spring from Sourcebooks Casablanca. I’m happy to answer any questions your readers might have about my writing process, my journey to publication, or if there’s any Tom Brady in Ryan Sanderson…
Marie Force has worked as a reporter, editor and writer for the last 20 years, serving most recently as the communications director for a national membership organization. A lifelong reader of romance, she lives with her husband, two children, and a mutt named Consuela in her home state of Rhode Island. Line of Scrimmage is her first novel. Same Time Sunday, out next spring from Sourcebooks Casablana, is the story of a Baltimore prosecutor about to start the biggest trial of his career and a hair stylist with a dysfunctional family who meet in the airport on their way to visit their significant others. After they each endure a disastrous weekend, they re-connect on the flight home, striking up an unlikely friendship that leads to love.
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Check out more from Marie on her website, her personal blog, or at the Casablanca Authors Blog.
Line of Scrimmage is available from Sourcebooks Casablanca September 1, 2008. Check out Casee’s review here, read an excerpt here, pre-order it here.
Hi, Marie 🙂
I actually saw your book at B&N this past weekend, during my trip to NY 🙂 My friend and I both made note to purchase it on our next visit to the store *g*
This book sure does sound good. I started liking football about last year. Please count me in for this contest!
Hi Ali,
I’m glad to hear the book caught your attention. Everyone wants to know where they can find that cover model, and it is NOT my husband, contrary to what he’s telling everyone. Hope you enjoy the book!
Marie
Hi Mandy,
Nice to hear from another recent convert to football! It does get addicting, and of course it has NOTHING to do with all those men in tight white pants and everything to do with the science of the game, right?
;–)
Marie
Hi Marie,
Thanks so much for visiting with us today. I really enjoyed reading your post.
I have to tell you..I’m a huge football fan. Actually, in our house, my husband is the one scratching his head over MY obsession. 😉
I’m really looking forward to Line of Scrimmage. Wishing you lots of sales…
– Holly
I don’t know a thing about football (or any sport), but I’ve always loved sports romances. Maybe because the athletes are so hot.
This looks really cute! Great post. 🙂
Hi Holly!
Thanks for having me! This is a terrific site, and I’m honored to be here. I’m not surprised to hear about your football obsession. We’ve discovered lots of female fan sites out there, and we read that more women than men watched the Super Bowl last year. That’s amazing! I’ll confess that having my eyes glued to Tom Brady is hardly a hardship!
Marie
Hi Jen,
If you like your athletic heroes hot, you will looooove Ryan! He’s smokin’! I found out after I wrote LOS that sports hereos are supposedly a no-no in the fiction world. After the outpouring of love for Ryan, I’m thinking it’s time to write a baseball hero. What do you think? And then hockey? Thanks for coming by!
:–)
Marie
Woops–spelled heroes wrong–and I’m a copy editor in the day job?!? LOL
You had me until you mentioned Patriots.
Everyone knows there’s only one pro team: E-A-G-L-E-S!
But I’ll read your book anyway. LOL
(oh, and of course, don’t forget the ONLY college team of any merit: Nittany Lions!!)
I love football! I bleed burgundy and gold (Redskins for the non-NFL ppl, lol) and I think a sports hero is always a fun read.
Sports characters seem to go up to the very top and watching them come crashing down b/c of love is always a treat.
Hi Gabriela,
My friend Julie is a huge Skins fan, and she’s the one i thank for her football expertise in the book. Based on your comment, you will like how Ryan is at the pinnacle professionally and in the pits personally! Enjoy the book!
Marie
Judi, Judi, Judi,
Leave it to one of my Casablanca sisters to start talking smack! I’m glad you mentioned The Eagles because that’s Susannah’s favorite band in the book. Ahhh–I crack myself up!
xo
Marie
I’m so excited for the football season to start. My team is the Michigan Wolverines (GO BLUE)! First game is this Saturday and I always take game days off when the season starts. Good luck on your release! tWarner419@aol.com
This book sounds great. I love the idea of an already married couple, there is definitely not enough of that out there. Also, the article written was a really great read and if the book is anything as catching as this was, I can’t wait to read it. ENTER ME!
Congrats Marie, on your debut! I never really liked football either, but it sounds like you’ve managed to make it fun and interesting.
Hi Marie!! I have this book on my wishlist, I’ve been wanting a good sport book 🙂 Can’t wait for it to be released! and LOL, always a surprise when you come to write about something you don’t like/enjoy much 🙂
Ooh what a hot cover. Please add my name to the contest too.
I went to dinner and the Book Binge party went on without me! Thank you all so much for your excitement about football and “Line of Scrimmage.”
If you don’t luck out in this drawing, come by the Casablanca Authors blog on Monday (http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com) and my personal blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) where I’ll be hosting launch parties with book giveaways!
Line of Scrimmage sounds great!
The book sounds great, i canno wait to read it.
great, i love football. such a hot cover. congrats on teh book
kh
Hi Marie – Line of Scrimmage sounds like a great read. Also thanks for giving us a heads on up on other blogs to visit.
Hi Marie, so nice to met you! Gosh, that cover is sizzling! I love stories with the hero in sports! Congrats on getting it published. So glad you kept trying because it sounds like its been so worth the wait!
With the other books you’ve written in that time trying to become published, will you also be attempting to publish those books as well?
Lifelong 9ers fan over here. Yes, I’m not ashamed to admit it. I AM A 49ers FAN. There, I said it. Yes, they used to rock the house. I still have my Montana shirt and my Clark shirt, bought when they actually still played.
I absolutely adore sports heroes. Whether they are baseball, hockey, or football, or whatever! (OK, maybe golf would be a little boring, but, whatevah). Read Casee’s review, and between that and your post, it sounds great! Good luck!
It looks good. I always do like the story lines with the spouses trying to save their marriage (one or the other, or both….) Should be a good read 😀
Thanks!
Hi everyone!
Thanks for all the great comments. A few of you have mentioned that having an established married couple as the hero and heroine of Line of Scrimmage is a change of pace for romance. I agree! It was a challenge to write their story and to resist the urge to dump the whole back story into page 2. Instead, you will slowly find out what drove them apart and how they ended up days from a divorce.
To answer your question, Caffey, YES! I’d like to see all of them published someday, especially the first one. We’ll see if that happens. I’m delighted with the one my editor chose to go next. Same Time Sunday was inspired by something I overheard in an airport in 1999. I carried that idea around with me until I finally wrote the book in 2006. So it’s a real thrill to see it heading toward publication.
Hi Marie. Great to see you here. Your book sounds good. I love novels with athletes.
The book sounds interesting. I always enjoy reconciliation stories. I’d like to be entered into the contest.
Enjoyed reading the comments. I have added this book to my TBR list. It sounds like a good book
JOYE
Here`s hoping I`m not too late but I was away on vacation for a week and totally computerless. I love a good sports romance and this one sounds right up my alley
(get itÉ Alley – bowling – sports)
Marie, a joy to meet you! Loved that you didn’t give up, with this being your 7th you wrote! Thats your lucky number now! Congrats, and all the best with sales. Sounds great!
Just want to pop back in and say thank you again for all the great comments and support!! It was great to be a visitor to the Book Binge!
Hugs,
Marie