Writing is one of my life’s passions. I put my heart and soul into each and every contemporary romance novel I write, and Marina's Journal, is where you’ll get the inside scoop. You’ll learn more about your favorite characters, and I’ll talk about what inspires me. Best of all, when I start working on my next novel, you’ll be the first to know. Please explore and thank you for visiting!
Marina Martindale
My Novels are for Adults
The was a big brouhaha on Twitter the other day over Nora Roberts. Apparently some moms in Florida were banning her books from high school libraries because someone thought she was writing porn. My readers sometimes tell me my contemporary romance novels remind them of Nora Roberts, which I take as a compliment. She is, after all, a very accomplished romance author. Romance, however, can be problematic for some readers. This is why there are ...
The Betrayal Opening Scene
When Emily gets an unexpected afternoon off from work due to a power outage, she decides to surprise her husband, Jesse, by preparing his favorite dish. Unfortunately, Emily will be the one in for a surprise once she arrives home. Please enjoy this sample read from the contemporary romance novel, The Betrayal. Marina Martindale *** Emily stepped out into the blazing midday sun, smiling to herself as she walked across the parking lot. She would ...
A Spring Break Scene
Spring break is coming up fast, but Tonya may have to change her plans at the last minute, and Evan isn't pleased. Please enjoy this sample read from Aquamarine. *** Evan greeted her with his usual kiss when he arrived. "Ready to go?" he asked. "In a minute." Tonya's tone turned serious. "First, I need to talk to you about something." A concerned look came over his face. "What's wrong? Is there another family ...
Colorado Bound
Lauren has unwittingly been caught up in a major Hollywood scandal. Thinking her career is over, she plans to start a new life in Colorado, but Chuck wants to tell her goodbye before she leaves. A Sample from The Scandal by Marina Martindale Chuck looked at his phone and sighed. The call had dropped. Obviously, Lauren hadn't found her charger quick enough. As he waited for her to call back, he wondered if he ...
A May-December Romance
© Can Stock Photo / PeopleImages When I wrote my debut contemporary romance novel, The Reunion, I had a lot of interesting feedback. Everyone seemed to agree that their favorite part of the story was the quasi romance between Gillian and Jeremy, a man young enough to be her son. Some even joked about it being the cougar part of the story. So, I've decided to include a May-December romance in my upcoming contemporary romance ...
Making Bad Romance Choices
© Can Stock Photo/ NicoletaIonescu I've noticed a trend with my two most recent contemporary romance novels. My lead characters chose to get involved with the wrong man for the wrong reasons. This got me to thinking. Why do we do this in real life? Granted, I don't have the initials, PhD after my name. I'm simply a person who's made my fair share of romantic blunders and later asked myself what the hell was ...