What makes a great story? This is different for every reader, of course. Author Ramona O’Cahane shares her essential elements of a great story, and I think you might agree.
Ramona O’Cahane’s Book & Writing Process
Table of Contents
Q: What is the title of your book and what is it about?
A: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
Publication date: December 4, 2024
Q: What genre is Meet Me Under the Mistletoe?
A: Contemporary Romance
Q: What inspired you to write Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, and how did you come up with the idea for it?
A: I joined a multi-author series, and the prompt was a winter romance with mistletoe. I went with the obvious because I’m not terribly inventive. I sent my mind spinning out as much as it as low-key as I could and made a list of tropes I love.
I love starting with the tropes as well. Somehow, knowing which ones I’m using generates tons of ideas for me.
Q: What themes and tropes are included in Meet Me Under the Mistletoe?
A: Soldier boys, reconnecting, the girl that got away, the glow up. I wanted my MCs to be rethinking the direction of their lives, which was fitting for them to start new and see each other again (the one in a new light).
That’s a great theme, one I imagine many will relate to as they’ve been in that position at least once in their lifetime.
Q: Who is the ideal reader for Meet Me Under the Mistletoe?
A: Women who enjoy small-town romances and traditional relationships will likely enjoy this quick read. It’s not terribly long, which can be kind of nice if you don’t want to commit to reading a tome.
Short reads can be funāa great dopamine hit without the time investment.
Q: What’s the one thing you want readers to take away from reading Meet Me Under the Mistletoe?
A: Sometimes people suffering unrequited love get depressed and discouraged, but maybe their time isn’t now. Doesn’t mean it won’t be later. Always be open to things changing for the better when you least expect it.
This is a theme I can definitely relate to.
Q: Share a favorite quote or two from Meet Me Under the Mistletoe.
A: What caught her eyes and swamped her with gut-punching nostalgia was the wide, covered front porch. Craig and her used to spend hours there, snuggled together on the porch swing as they read their required reading for the following school year, or their guilty pleasure fantasy books or watched movies on his tablet.
She missed him so hard for a few seconds that it was almost painful. A few hundred memories flitted through her mind as she looked at the houses. Christmases, Halloween parties, sleep overs, birthdays, hide and seek, movie nights. It felt so good, but at the same time, it made her want to cry because they were all grown up now and Craig and her were never going to get back to that.
Aunt Sadie noticed him, first screaming his name and then throwing her arms around his neck, but he only had eyes for Sierra. Her eyes flared wide, her mouth gaping open as recognition hit.
Her brows furled. Craig? She mouthed wordlessly.
He grinned, giving her a nod.
Q: Are you a plotter, pantser, or plantser? Share a bit of your writing process.
A: I am a pantser-ish plotter. As in, I’ll get nowhere if I don’t plot, but if I over plot, I completely lose interest in writing the story, so I have to leave some room to be creative and dynamic. Sometimes that affects the timing or something, but usually, it works itself out.
LOL. I get it. I’m a pantserin recovery. While I love having the direction of an outline, too much plotting stresses me out.
Q: How do you develop your plots?
A: Once I had all my tropes together, the story kind of came together on its own, although the best friend betrayer kind of took me by surprise! Usually, there is some seed idea that sets me going and I add and subtract based on fit with that seed idea.
Ooh, intriguing!
Q: How do you choose your character names?
A: For contemporary romance, I usually let my characters “name themselves.” I visualize my character and then let their name come to me. Sometimes, my first name idea doesn’t fit and I have to change it later.
This happens to me, too, and I change the character’s name several times before it feels right. Other times, the character comes with their name and it’s a perfect fit.
Q: What does a typical writing session for you look like?
A: A struggle? Lol, I usually have to spend ten minutes reviewing where I was at, and then once I’m in the right headspace, I can start writing. Some days I can only manage two sentences, other days, it’s an avalanche.
Reviewing words from the previous session is an excellent way to get things rolling. But of course, writing is an art and no two days will look exactly alike.
Q: What makes a great story?
A: My favorite tropes, a happy ending, great pacing, and a convincing character arc. Are those too many requirements?
LOL. No, it’s perfect, because it’s the reader who makes the story come alive. What we consider a wonderful story will differ for everyone.
Q: How do you manage writer’s block?
A: Step away as needed. If I have a block, there’s usually a reason, so I go with it.
I love this idea of stepping away from the piece if you’re blocked rather than trying to power through it. Often, clarity comes with distance as our minds continue to work on the problem when we’re not focusing on it.
A: Usually I’m okay with it, but sometimes, when it’s unreasonable, I get frustrated. I had someone tell me that no American high school had a four-course semester schedule with classes of an hour and a half each, but that’s precisely how my high school was where I grew up in S. Texas, but there wasn’t a way to inform the reviewer of their mistake.
Becoming frustrated is understandable, especially when you’re speaking from an experience that is not universal.
Q: What was the most challenging aspect of writing and publishing? How did you (do you plan to) overcome it?
A: Getting everything done that I want to get done. I have to schedule things and hope for the best.
Scheduling is important in this business, as is accepting that sometimes you can’t do everything.
Q: How do you use social media as an author?
A: I try to support my fellow authors with a ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ approach, while also sharing about my stuff. I love to engage with people, but it’s rare.
I’m a proponent of that motto as well. When one author succeeds, we all benefit.
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
A: I try to find inspiration from real life, but it’s hard to do unless you’re gleaning from comments fairly regularly.
Inspiration is often found in the most unusual places and ways.
Q: What keeps you writing when you get demotivated?
A: I promised myself that I would write at least one sentence a day. Some days, that turns into multiple sentences, so that tiny promise to myself can help with motivation to keep going.
I love that. Your micro habit is a commitment to your work that keeps you moving.
Q: Why do you write?
A: I write because if I didn’t, I’d go nuts. That’s the simple truth.
We wouldn’t want that. LOL.
Writing Advice from Ramona O’Cahane
Q: What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting?
A: Keep trying.
Exactly. You’ll never achieve success if you stop trying.
Q: What’s the best piece of writing advice you ever received? How has it impacted your life?
A: Writers write. So write. Every day. Because writing is my therapy, making sure I take the time to write every day, even if it’s just a few sentences, is very cathartic.
Some might find the advice to write every day difficult, but I love the way you broke it down to the bare minimum of a single sentence each day. That’s a more attainable goal.
Q: Do you have any advice for setting author goals?
A: Make them small and manageable so you don’t get intimidated by them.
Yes! Not being intimidated by our big goals is definitely important to meeting them.
Just for Fun
Q: If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why?
A: Elizabeth Bennett. I feel like we would get along great.
Lizzie is one of those characters who’s made a mark on our society. I’m certain conversations with her would not be boring.
Q: What is your favorite book and why?
A: Pride and Prejudice because she had such a talent with expression, turn of phrase, and the nuances of a look. Her writing is like eating chocolate, but it also intimidates me and makes me want to give up writing because I’ll never be that, so I actually don’t read her too often.
Jane Austen is one of those authors who’ve made a mark on our society. But I’m sure she’d encourage you to keep trying and not be intimidated by her. I’m sure she never expected her work to have received the acclaim it did. Likewise, we never know what impact our words will have on others.
Q: If your keyboard could talk, what would it say about your writing habits?
A: Far too many spurts of activity, massive spurts of activity, and also no activity at all.
Oh, dear. The poor thing is confused and doesn’t know what to expect.š¤£
Let’s Connect with Ramona O’Cahane
Q: What are you working on next?
A: I am working on a regency romance and a gritty, urban shifter romantasy, as well.
Ooh, interesting. I’m guessing that you won’t get bored while writing in such diverse fields.
About Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
She was supposed to be recapturing their friend-zone status from high school. Not making moony eyes at him and swooning over his voice.
When Sierra returns to her hometown to recharge over the holidays before hitting the job hunt again, she doesn’t expect to run into one of her best friends from high school. She also didn’t expect grown-up Craig to be so breathtakingly handsome and not the scrawny, dweeb she used to geek out with.
Newly discharged from the military, Craig is staggered when he finds the girl he crushed on in high school standing in his mom’s living room. He was resigned to the fact that that ship had sailed, but now that they were back in town again, dare he hope that this was finally their moment? ——————————- Christmas magic sparkles in small towns but can love bloom under the mistletoe?
The charm of quaint holiday towns is no match for these heartwarming romances. Fate brings together couples who discover the true meaning of Christmas, but first, they must navigate the festive season and their own hesitations. As they find themselves under the mistletoe, they learn that sometimes, all it takes is one kiss to change everything. Each story in ‘Mistletoe Kisses’ celebrates the joy of finding love during the most wonderful time of the year.
Ramona O’Cahane’s first love is writing. She won awards in childhood (okay, just one), but that sent her on a life-long trajectory hunting down how to tell the perfect story.
After a lot of trial and error, she finally thinks she has it more or less figured out and loves to write love stories to make her readers swoon and remember, once again, just how wonderful humans (and humanity!) can be.
When she’s not writing, she’s doing a million and one other things.
