THIS MONTH'S FEATURED AUTHOR
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JUNO RUSHDAN
Juno Rushdan is a hot, up and coming author who has already garnered praise from several New York Times best-selling authors! Danger, action and steamy romance are the hallmarks of her sinfully good novels. Although she recently started being writing for Sourcebooks in 2019, she has already started another new pulse-pounding series this year.
What is the secret to her fabulously sexy writing? Where does she come up with her ideas?!
I was honored to get a glimpse into this amazing author’s works and find out how she’s become such a successful author.
1) I feel incredibly lucky to have you here on our site! I am amazed by how quickly you have made a name for yourself in the romance genre. Can you tell us how you got started writing romance?
Juno Rushdan: My grandmother encouraged me to start writing the stories in my head at an early age, maybe six or seven. I think my family was a little worried about me at first because my stories were always pretty dark with tragic endings. It wasn’t until I started reading romance that I adopted the idea of giving my characters a happily-ever-after.
2) I’m so happy you have! What drove you to write romantic suspense specifically?
Juno Rushdan: I was interested in paranormal romance initially, during the boom of the Twilight series, but my first book went nowhere. My literary agent at the time told me that I had a gift for writing suspense and intrigue and loved my action scenes. She was the one who told me I’d excel at romantic suspense and she was right.
3) Who are some of the authors who have inspired you and why?
Juno Rushdan: I grew up sneaking my grandmother’s books. Two novels that had a lasting impression were The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum and Thurston House by Danielle Steel. As I started discovering authors on my own, my greatest inspirations have been Anne Rice, JD Robb/Nora Roberts, and JR Ward.
4) Great authors! I have to say, your books seem so real! How do you make the action and danger so authentic? Were you a spy in a prior life?!
Juno Rushdan: Hahaha! I wish. I’m a veteran intelligence officer and I’ve worked at four different combatant commands. Supporting special forces, air crews, and working with the Joint Task Force responsible for providing command and control of department of defense forces managing CBRNE incidents (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive, definitely shaped the foundation for the Final Hour series and continues to heavily influence my other books.
5) No wonder why your books are so realistic. Your latest book, Hostile Pursuit, for Harlequin Intrigue just came out this March. How different was it writing for Harlequin versus Sourcebooks? What did you like about writing for each publisher?
Juno Rushdan: Writing for Harlequin Intrigue was a big change, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I tend to write long, so it was a challenge at first. Both publishers have different things to offer, but I love getting that sense of accomplishment sooner with my Harlequin Intrigue books.
6) Your third book in the Final Hour series, Until the End, comes out this May. Will this be the last book in the series?! Or will there be more books coming soon?
Juno Rushdan: I have more ideas, but I’m not sure what direction I want to go regarding how to publish those stories. I’m a bit of a control freak and I’d love to become a hybrid author.
7) I really hope there will be more. What makes your hero, Castle Kinkade, so exciting?
Juno Rushdan: Castle has been a bit of a mystery for the first two books. He’s hardworking, loyal, no-nonsense, and sometimes comes across as a bit cold because he’s always able to put the mission first. Until he meets Kit Westcott and the lines blur for him. Then he becomes an unstoppable force.
8) Is it more difficult to write a heroine who is an operative versus a ‘normal’ civilian? Where do you get your research or background for them to make them seem so alive?
Juno Rushdan: Actually, I find it easier to write a kick-butt heroine who is an operative. When I was in the military, I was in a male-dominated field with few women as mentors and colleagues. Writing those types of characters gives me a chance to share some of my own experiences, from a mental and emotional perspective. No, I have never chased down bad guys, but I often faced situations where I didn’t want to be treated differently because I was a woman. I understand the challenges those heroines face and I think it makes it easier to write them realistically.
9) You are certainly an inspiring example to women of all ages, including myself. I love it when women are just as smart and dangerous as the heroes! Do you intend to write more books with a female agent like in Every Last Breath?
Juno Rushdan: In Hostile Pursuit, readers meet Charlie Killinger, but in book #2 of my Hard Core Justice series for Harlequin Intrigue, they get to know and understand her. I cried while writing Witness Security Breach because Charlie’s pain is so deep and Aiden’s love for her is boundless. She’s shrewd, lethal, and uses every asset at her disposal to her advantage. I think readers are going to fall in love with Charlie and Aiden.
10) What new books do you have planned for next year? Can you tell us about them?!
Juno Rushdan: I recently signed a new contract that I’m dying to share.
Women's/Romance
Former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer Juno Rushdan's six untitled books, including a continuation of her Hard Core Justice series, and the launch of a new series about disavowed CIA operatives that follows four members of an Assassination Team code-named TOPAZ, who were framed, and now on the run, must survive long enough to clear their names, to Denise Zaza at Harlequin Intrigue, in a multi-book deal, for publication in September 2021, by Sara Megibow at kt literary.
Thanks for honoring us with this interview! It has been such a pleasure. Without authors like you the world would be a very boring place.
Juno Rushdan: Thank you so much for having me Steph! It was a pleasure to be here. I’d like to offer your readers the prequel to my Final Hour series free. No Way Out: Turn up the pressure in this nonstop thriller where one woman's defiance—and her fierce love for the man she could never forget—may be all that's standing in the way of a new bioterror threat. Download: https://bit.ly/NoWayOutFree
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this extraordinary author you can check Juno Rushdan out at her website:
https://junorushdan.com/
Juno is the award-winning author of the action-packed romantic thriller series the Final Hour from Sourcebooks Casablanca and the new Hard Core Justice series from Harlequin Intrigue. She writes about kick-butt heroes and strong heroines fighting for their lives as well as their happily-ever-after. As a veteran Air Force intelligence officer, she uses her background supporting special forces to craft realistic stories that make you sweat and swoon. Juno currently lives in the DC area with her patient husband, two rambunctious kids, and a spoiled rescue dog. Be the first to know about new releases, exclusive excerpts, and contests by signing up for Juno’s free newsletter at junorushdan.com/mailing-list/. Also be sure to follow Juno on BookBub for the latest on sales at bit.ly/BookBubJuno.
Connect with Juno ↓
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/JunoNewsletter
BookBub: http://bit.ly/BookBubJuno
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junorushdan/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junorushdan/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JunoRushdan
Upcoming and Recent Books by Juno Rushdan:
Until the End – May 26th, 2020
He’s strong. Fierce. Relentless.
And he may be her only chance of surviving the night.
Gray Box operative Castle Kinkade always gets the job done, no matter how tough the assignment. But when he agrees to protect white-hat hacker Kit Westcott, Castle’s loyalty is tested like never before. Trapped in the closest of quarters, protective instincts flaring, he can feel the ice surrounding his heart melt…and he knows he’d do anything to keep Kit safe.
Even defy the rules that shaped his life.
Castle is the last person Kit should confide in, let alone be attracted to, but he’s the only ally she has left. Under threat of imminent attack―and a chilling conspiracy that hits too close to home―Castle and Kit are forced to put their hearts and lives on the line…and stop at nothing to face the greatest danger the world has ever known.
Hostile Pursuit – March 17th 2020
When ruthless killers target them, even a safe house isn’t safe.
Only twenty-four hours remain until marshal Nick McKenna’s informant, Lori Carpenter, will testify against a powerful drug cartel. Nick has kept her safe for an entire year, but now all hell is breaking loose. With a team of cold-blooded assassins closing in, the by-the-book lawman decides to go rogue. He’ll risk his life for duty…and put it all on the line for his irresistible witness.
A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH NANCY HERKNESS
Nancy Herkness is an award-winning romance author. She has been a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA award. Her heartfelt characters and engaging storytelling have made her a fan favorite.
This year Nancy is starting an exciting new romantic suspense series called The Consultants. I was lucky enough to read her first book in the trilogy, The Money Man. Her amazing blend of passion and mystery made this book pitch perfect!
I simply had to ask the author about her new series and what exciting surprises she has on the horizon!
1) I want to thank you so much for being here! You’ve been such a great supporter of book clubs and we appreciate it. 😊 Can you tell us how you got started writing romance?
Nancy Herkness:
Oh my goodness, I’m thrilled to be a guest here. Book clubs are such wonderful groups of passionate readers. I belong to one myself and it’s been a constant joy for me. Thank YOU for leading yours!
I’ve been a writer all my life although in my younger years I wrote poetry. Yup, poetry! I’ve also been a romance reader all my life, starting with the marvelous Georgette Heyer Regency romances my grandmother used to give me when she finished them.
In my twenties, I commuted into Manhattan for work which gave me a lot of opportunity to read. Honestly, I kind of ran out of romances I enjoyed. So I thought: Maybe other romance readers have this problem. Why don’t I write the kind of book I love to read? That was perhaps a tad bit arrogant on my part. J
I wrote a romance novel, though, and let me tell you, it was pretty bad. I made every newbie mistake in the book. Thank goodness no publisher was insane enough to offer me a contract for it!
My second attempt was much better and became my debut novel, A Bridge to Love.
Fifteen books—and two more on the way!—later, I still love writing about love.
2) You are an inspiration! Can you tell us what your favorite genre is and why?
Nancy Herkness:
Romance is my favorite genre! I read across almost all subgenres within it. If I like an author, I tend to read whatever subgenre she writes in. I was big into vampires when they first hit the market. I still love historicals, probably because of the influence of Georgette Heyer (see Question 1). I enjoy well-written erotic romance and male/male romance; those subgenres offer a whole different dynamic that’s intriguing. So you see, I’m a romance omnivore!
3) Me, too! As your first suspense novel, how did you prepare/come up with ideas for The Money Man?
Nancy Herkness:
Actually, this is my second suspense novel. My first was Music of the Night which was released in 2008 by a very small press. So it has been quite a while since I wrote suspense. It was almost like starting over.
Alas, I am not a plotter so I didn’t really prepare for The Money Man. I winged it! Since my two characters were numbers people, I knew the suspense would involve some kind of financial fraud. My heroine is a free-lance bookkeeper for small businesses in her town. That led me to interview the owner of the hair salon where I get my hair done to find out how her accounting worked. And voila! I figured out what could drive the suspense plot. And that’s all I will say about it so I don’t spoil the mystery. LOL!
4) Well, I’m super glad you are back at it! What did you find most challenging about writing The Money Man? Do you think you might write more ‘mysteries’ after this series?!
Nancy Herkness:
The suspense plot! The intricate build of that is the most challenging for me because I’m not a natural plotter. I’m a lousy chess player because I can’t think four moves ahead which makes developing a suspense novel hard. But I really enjoy the challenge so I will definitely do this again.
5) Look forward to reading more! BTW, I really enjoyed reading each of your character’s unique backgrounds, particularly their childhood. Did you base them on any person in particular?
Nancy Herkness:
I think we all have a little of Alice in us, don’t we? Being insecure about our looks seems to go with the territory of being female. Of course, Alice feels it in spades because her beautiful mother made her feel ugly. I also think that anyone who grew up without financial security never forgets that. Children want their world to be safe and dependable.
Derek’s father was disappointed in his own career so he wants Derek to succeed where he didn’t. That’s another pressure I believe is universal: struggling with our parents’ sometimes burdensome expectations of us. I know my father, as wonderful as he was, kept trying to steer me into a more “practical” career (quite the opposite of Derek’s dad, of course).
6) Your hero, Derek, is super sexy! What makes your heroine, Alice, so special and such a perfect match for him?
Nancy Herkness:
Woohoo! I love that you think Derek is so sexy. I love smart men—and then I added knockout good looks, so va-va-voom! But he’s vulnerable because his looks have actually created a lot of problems for him.
Alice is his soul mate because they both find beauty and security in the objective world of numbers…and she’s just as smart as he is. Their outward appearances brought a lot of parental pressure to bear on them—albeit in opposite ways—so they share that foundational experience. Both find tremendous satisfaction in their jobs but need each other to balance a tendency to workaholism. It turns out they’re both romantics underneath the businesslike exteriors.
7) Do you think you can tell us about the next book in The Consultants series? (please!)
Nancy Herkness:
My publisher just sent me the cover copy for The Hacker so here you go:
Dawn Galioto is an expert in self-defense and the most in-demand personal trainer at her Jersey gym. A perfect position for a woman fighting her way out of a troubled past and the anxieties that come with it. Then, after complaints about unaccountable WiFi glitches at the gym, Dawn calls in disarmingly hot, high-powered computer consultant, Leland Rockwell. If Dawn can trust anyone to fix her on-the-job problems, it’s Leland. As for healing her off-hours fears, time will tell.
The cyber-security genius of KRG, Leland sees a lot to admire in Dawn. She’s strong, quick-witted, and sexy. And something of a puzzle. One that Leland wants very much to solve. If she’d only let him. But there’s another, more dangerous riddle to decipher. Going undercover, Leland’s found a dark workplace secret. With every new reveal it’s bringing him intimately closer to Dawn. Though her past threatens a burgeoning romance, the deepening mystery they’re discovering is threatening their lives.
And I’m hard at work on the third book in the series which does not yet have a title but it is Natalie and Tully’s story.
8) Can’t wait!! I’m curious. If you could have one of your books adapted into a movie which would it be and why?
Nancy Herkness:
Well, I’ve had a movie producer approach me about turning A Down-Home Country Christmas into a movie. It hasn’t happened yet but my fingers are crossed. J
I’ve always thought that The Place I Belong would make a good movie. It’s got an adorable pony, a cute kid, a big black German shepherd, a veterinarian, and a troubled chef in it. There’s a fair amount of outward drama that lends itself to visual representation. Also, gourmet food! Who doesn’t love cooking?!
However, I think it’s hard to turn a romance novel into a movie because so much of the “action” is interior: thoughts, emotions, visceral reactions. And there’s the sex, of course. You have to handle that right. I have to say that I think Passionflix is doing a great job with their romance movies. It’s truly an art.
9) Ohh! Sounds good. Besides the Consultant’s series what other books do you have planned for the horizon?!
Nancy Herkness:
I really want to write Dr. Ben Cavill’s story from the Wager of Hearts series. Many, many readers have asked for it—and I even started it once!—but my contracted deadlines just haven’t allowed me time. So fingers crossed I get to it this year. It will probably be a novella but you just never know.
This has been such an honor. I’m so appreciative of the time you’ve taken to be with us here!
Nancy Herkness:
The honor is mine! There is nothing I like more than answering questions from a real aficionado of the romance genre like you. Thank you for everything you do to support us authors!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this extraordinary author you can check Nancy Herkness out at her website:
https://www.nancyherkness.com/books/
Upcoming and Recent Books by Nancy Herkness:
The Money Man : The Consultants, Book 1 -April 2020
Montlake Romance
She’s small-town business. He’s Manhattan high finance. Together they ignite in a novel about unexpected love and danger.
New Jersey bookkeeper Alice Thurber has a carefully constructed risk-free life. Everything in perfect balance. Until little discrepancies show up in her clients’ accounts. Most would ignore it. Not the impeccably precise Alice. In desperation she reaches out to a high-powered consulting firm for help. New York City’s movie-star handsome financial wizard Derek Killion reaches back. All he has to do is smile and Alice’s fantasies stir. A girl can dream, can’t she?
A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.
The Hacker: The Consultants, Book 2 – August 2020
Dawn Galioto is an expert in self-defense and the most in-demand personal trainer at her Jersey gym. A perfect position for a woman fighting her way out of a troubled past and the anxieties that come with it. Then, after complaints about unaccountable WiFi glitches at the gym, Dawn calls in disarmingly hot, high-powered computer consultant, Leland Rockwell. If Dawn can trust anyone to fix her on-the-job problems, it’s Leland. As for healing her off-hours fears, time will tell.
The cyber-security genius of KRG, Leland sees a lot to admire in Dawn. She’s strong, quick-witted, and sexy. And something of a puzzle. One that Leland wants very much to solve. If she’d only let him. But there’s a another, more dangerous riddle to decipher. Going undercover, Leland’s found a dark workplace secret. With every new reveal it’s bringing him intimately closer to Dawn. Though her past threatens a burgeoning romance, the deepening mystery they’re discovering is threatening their lives.
Second Act – April 2019
Lights. Camera. Romance.
Jessica Quillen, veterinarian for the charitable K-9 Angelz program, didn’t mean to stumble into the middle of a New York movie shoot. She just wanted to rescue the stray dog she’d been chasing. Instead, she’s playing catch-up with her ex-fiancé—and the screen’s hottest action hero, Hugh Baker. The only man she ever loved. The dream that disappeared. The heartthrob who’s now hoping for a “take two.”
Seeing Jessica triggers emotions Hugh has tried to forget. Abandoned by his mother to foster care, he still struggles to feel worthy of love and to open his heart to a woman. His biggest mistake was not trusting Jessica. It was his fault she left. All he wants now is to make up for lost time. But he has to prove that she can trust him.
Though the sparks still smolder, he’s still Hollywood—a world far away from Jessica’s. Now it’s up to her to give their love story a happily ever after.
Second Time Around – July 2018
A former love makes a lasting impression in a warm and sexy romance from Nancy Herkness.
Kyra Dixon, a blue-collar girl from the boondocks, is dedicated to her job at a community center that matches underprivileged kids with rescue dogs. When she runs into Will Chase—Connecticut blue blood, billionaire CEO, and her old college crush—she’s surprised that he asks a favor from her: to be his date for his uptight family’s dreaded annual garden party. If his parents don’t approve, all the better.
Kyra’s not about to say no. It’ll give her a chance to be oh-so-close to her unrequited love. What begins as a little fling turns so mad hot, so fast, that Kyra finds herself falling all over again for a fantasy that won’t come true. How can it? She doesn’t belong in Will’s world. She doesn’t want to. But Will does want to belong in hers.
All he has to do now is prove it. Will is prepared to give up whatever is necessary to get what his heart most desires.
Second to None – Sept 2017
Billionaire chemist Max Varela is selling his company and leaving New York for good when Emily Wade bursts into his office, desperate for his help in funding her program for disadvantaged kids and shelter dogs. Seven years ago, he fell in love with her when she was married to another man. To fight the unbidden attraction, he cut off all contact—but he’s never forgotten her.
Ever since her husband died, Emily has poured her heart and soul into the after-school care center. Seeing Max reawakens the pain of her loss, but it also brings unexpected hope for the future. As emotions thought long gone resurface, the two begin a passionate affair that seems destined for a fairy-tale ending.
That is, until Max reveals that he’s moving to Chicago in a matter of weeks and wants Emily to uproot her daughter and her life to come with him. If a second chance at love is possible, someone’s got to give.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH NANCY HERKNESS
Nancy Herkness is an award-winning romance author. She has been a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA award. Her heartfelt characters and engaging storytelling have made her a fan favorite.
This year Nancy is starting an exciting new romantic suspense series called The Consultants. I was lucky enough to read her first book in the trilogy, The Money Man. Her amazing blend of passion and mystery made this book pitch perfect!
I simply had to ask the author about her new series and what exciting surprises she has on the horizon!
1) I want to thank you so much for being here! You’ve been such a great supporter of book clubs and we appreciate it. 😊 Can you tell us how you got started writing romance?
Nancy Herkness:
Oh my goodness, I’m thrilled to be a guest here. Book clubs are such wonderful groups of passionate readers. I belong to one myself and it’s been a constant joy for me. Thank YOU for leading yours!
I’ve been a writer all my life although in my younger years I wrote poetry. Yup, poetry! I’ve also been a romance reader all my life, starting with the marvelous Georgette Heyer Regency romances my grandmother used to give me when she finished them.
In my twenties, I commuted into Manhattan for work which gave me a lot of opportunity to read. Honestly, I kind of ran out of romances I enjoyed. So I thought: Maybe other romance readers have this problem. Why don’t I write the kind of book I love to read? That was perhaps a tad bit arrogant on my part. J
I wrote a romance novel, though, and let me tell you, it was pretty bad. I made every newbie mistake in the book. Thank goodness no publisher was insane enough to offer me a contract for it!
My second attempt was much better and became my debut novel, A Bridge to Love.
Fifteen books—and two more on the way!—later, I still love writing about love.
2) You are an inspiration! Can you tell us what your favorite genre is and why?
Nancy Herkness:
Romance is my favorite genre! I read across almost all subgenres within it. If I like an author, I tend to read whatever subgenre she writes in. I was big into vampires when they first hit the market. I still love historicals, probably because of the influence of Georgette Heyer (see Question 1). I enjoy well-written erotic romance and male/male romance; those subgenres offer a whole different dynamic that’s intriguing. So you see, I’m a romance omnivore!
3) Me, too! As your first suspense novel, how did you prepare/come up with ideas for The Money Man?
Nancy Herkness:
Actually, this is my second suspense novel. My first was Music of the Night which was released in 2008 by a very small press. So it has been quite a while since I wrote suspense. It was almost like starting over.
Alas, I am not a plotter so I didn’t really prepare for The Money Man. I winged it! Since my two characters were numbers people, I knew the suspense would involve some kind of financial fraud. My heroine is a free-lance bookkeeper for small businesses in her town. That led me to interview the owner of the hair salon where I get my hair done to find out how her accounting worked. And voila! I figured out what could drive the suspense plot. And that’s all I will say about it so I don’t spoil the mystery. LOL!
4) Well, I’m super glad you are back at it! What did you find most challenging about writing The Money Man? Do you think you might write more ‘mysteries’ after this series?!
Nancy Herkness:
The suspense plot! The intricate build of that is the most challenging for me because I’m not a natural plotter. I’m a lousy chess player because I can’t think four moves ahead which makes developing a suspense novel hard. But I really enjoy the challenge so I will definitely do this again.
5) Look forward to reading more! BTW, I really enjoyed reading each of your character’s unique backgrounds, particularly their childhood. Did you base them on any person in particular?
Nancy Herkness:
I think we all have a little of Alice in us, don’t we? Being insecure about our looks seems to go with the territory of being female. Of course, Alice feels it in spades because her beautiful mother made her feel ugly. I also think that anyone who grew up without financial security never forgets that. Children want their world to be safe and dependable.
Derek’s father was disappointed in his own career so he wants Derek to succeed where he didn’t. That’s another pressure I believe is universal: struggling with our parents’ sometimes burdensome expectations of us. I know my father, as wonderful as he was, kept trying to steer me into a more “practical” career (quite the opposite of Derek’s dad, of course).
6) Your hero, Derek, is super sexy! What makes your heroine, Alice, so special and such a perfect match for him?
Nancy Herkness:
Woohoo! I love that you think Derek is so sexy. I love smart men—and then I added knockout good looks, so va-va-voom! But he’s vulnerable because his looks have actually created a lot of problems for him.
Alice is his soul mate because they both find beauty and security in the objective world of numbers…and she’s just as smart as he is. Their outward appearances brought a lot of parental pressure to bear on them—albeit in opposite ways—so they share that foundational experience. Both find tremendous satisfaction in their jobs but need each other to balance a tendency to workaholism. It turns out they’re both romantics underneath the businesslike exteriors.
7) Do you think you can tell us about the next book in The Consultants series? (please!)
Nancy Herkness:
My publisher just sent me the cover copy for The Hacker so here you go:
Dawn Galioto is an expert in self-defense and the most in-demand personal trainer at her Jersey gym. A perfect position for a woman fighting her way out of a troubled past and the anxieties that come with it. Then, after complaints about unaccountable WiFi glitches at the gym, Dawn calls in disarmingly hot, high-powered computer consultant, Leland Rockwell. If Dawn can trust anyone to fix her on-the-job problems, it’s Leland. As for healing her off-hours fears, time will tell.
The cyber-security genius of KRG, Leland sees a lot to admire in Dawn. She’s strong, quick-witted, and sexy. And something of a puzzle. One that Leland wants very much to solve. If she’d only let him. But there’s another, more dangerous riddle to decipher. Going undercover, Leland’s found a dark workplace secret. With every new reveal it’s bringing him intimately closer to Dawn. Though her past threatens a burgeoning romance, the deepening mystery they’re discovering is threatening their lives.
And I’m hard at work on the third book in the series which does not yet have a title but it is Natalie and Tully’s story.
8) Can’t wait!! I’m curious. If you could have one of your books adapted into a movie which would it be and why?
Nancy Herkness:
Well, I’ve had a movie producer approach me about turning A Down-Home Country Christmas into a movie. It hasn’t happened yet but my fingers are crossed. J
I’ve always thought that The Place I Belong would make a good movie. It’s got an adorable pony, a cute kid, a big black German shepherd, a veterinarian, and a troubled chef in it. There’s a fair amount of outward drama that lends itself to visual representation. Also, gourmet food! Who doesn’t love cooking?!
However, I think it’s hard to turn a romance novel into a movie because so much of the “action” is interior: thoughts, emotions, visceral reactions. And there’s the sex, of course. You have to handle that right. I have to say that I think Passionflix is doing a great job with their romance movies. It’s truly an art.
9) Ohh! Sounds good. Besides the Consultant’s series what other books do you have planned for the horizon?!
Nancy Herkness:
I really want to write Dr. Ben Cavill’s story from the Wager of Hearts series. Many, many readers have asked for it—and I even started it once!—but my contracted deadlines just haven’t allowed me time. So fingers crossed I get to it this year. It will probably be a novella but you just never know.
This has been such an honor. I’m so appreciative of the time you’ve taken to be with us here!
Nancy Herkness:
The honor is mine! There is nothing I like more than answering questions from a real aficionado of the romance genre like you. Thank you for everything you do to support us authors!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this extraordinary author you can check Nancy Herkness out at her website:
https://www.nancyherkness.com/books/
Upcoming and Recent Books by Nancy Herkness:
The Money Man : The Consultants, Book 1 -April 2020
Montlake Romance
She’s small-town business. He’s Manhattan high finance. Together they ignite in a novel about unexpected love and danger.
New Jersey bookkeeper Alice Thurber has a carefully constructed risk-free life. Everything in perfect balance. Until little discrepancies show up in her clients’ accounts. Most would ignore it. Not the impeccably precise Alice. In desperation she reaches out to a high-powered consulting firm for help. New York City’s movie-star handsome financial wizard Derek Killion reaches back. All he has to do is smile and Alice’s fantasies stir. A girl can dream, can’t she?
A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.
The Hacker: The Consultants, Book 2 – August 2020
Dawn Galioto is an expert in self-defense and the most in-demand personal trainer at her Jersey gym. A perfect position for a woman fighting her way out of a troubled past and the anxieties that come with it. Then, after complaints about unaccountable WiFi glitches at the gym, Dawn calls in disarmingly hot, high-powered computer consultant, Leland Rockwell. If Dawn can trust anyone to fix her on-the-job problems, it’s Leland. As for healing her off-hours fears, time will tell.
The cyber-security genius of KRG, Leland sees a lot to admire in Dawn. She’s strong, quick-witted, and sexy. And something of a puzzle. One that Leland wants very much to solve. If she’d only let him. But there’s a another, more dangerous riddle to decipher. Going undercover, Leland’s found a dark workplace secret. With every new reveal it’s bringing him intimately closer to Dawn. Though her past threatens a burgeoning romance, the deepening mystery they’re discovering is threatening their lives.
Second Act – April 2019
Lights. Camera. Romance.
Jessica Quillen, veterinarian for the charitable K-9 Angelz program, didn’t mean to stumble into the middle of a New York movie shoot. She just wanted to rescue the stray dog she’d been chasing. Instead, she’s playing catch-up with her ex-fiancé—and the screen’s hottest action hero, Hugh Baker. The only man she ever loved. The dream that disappeared. The heartthrob who’s now hoping for a “take two.”
Seeing Jessica triggers emotions Hugh has tried to forget. Abandoned by his mother to foster care, he still struggles to feel worthy of love and to open his heart to a woman. His biggest mistake was not trusting Jessica. It was his fault she left. All he wants now is to make up for lost time. But he has to prove that she can trust him.
Though the sparks still smolder, he’s still Hollywood—a world far away from Jessica’s. Now it’s up to her to give their love story a happily ever after.
Second Time Around – July 2018
A former love makes a lasting impression in a warm and sexy romance from Nancy Herkness.
Kyra Dixon, a blue-collar girl from the boondocks, is dedicated to her job at a community center that matches underprivileged kids with rescue dogs. When she runs into Will Chase—Connecticut blue blood, billionaire CEO, and her old college crush—she’s surprised that he asks a favor from her: to be his date for his uptight family’s dreaded annual garden party. If his parents don’t approve, all the better.
Kyra’s not about to say no. It’ll give her a chance to be oh-so-close to her unrequited love. What begins as a little fling turns so mad hot, so fast, that Kyra finds herself falling all over again for a fantasy that won’t come true. How can it? She doesn’t belong in Will’s world. She doesn’t want to. But Will does want to belong in hers.
All he has to do now is prove it. Will is prepared to give up whatever is necessary to get what his heart most desires.
Second to None – Sept 2017
Billionaire chemist Max Varela is selling his company and leaving New York for good when Emily Wade bursts into his office, desperate for his help in funding her program for disadvantaged kids and shelter dogs. Seven years ago, he fell in love with her when she was married to another man. To fight the unbidden attraction, he cut off all contact—but he’s never forgotten her.
Ever since her husband died, Emily has poured her heart and soul into the after-school care center. Seeing Max reawakens the pain of her loss, but it also brings unexpected hope for the future. As emotions thought long gone resurface, the two begin a passionate affair that seems destined for a fairy-tale ending.
That is, until Max reveals that he’s moving to Chicago in a matter of weeks and wants Emily to uproot her daughter and her life to come with him. If a second chance at love is possible, someone’s got to give.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KERRELYN SPARKS
Kerrelyn Sparks is the New York Times best-selling author of the outrageously funny Love at Stake series. She excels at mixing laughter with lively imagination to create unforgettably charming characters.
Recently she has embarked on a new and exciting series called the Embraced or Embraced by Magic. These paranormal romances are about orphaned women who become heart sisters. Each is gifted with a unique magic. After a much anticipated wait, her fourth book in the series, How to Love Your Elf, will be coming out this February!!
I had to ask her about her latest series and what new books she has planned for her fans.
1) Wow! Thank you for being here. I’m so excited to have you on our website! Your books always make me smile. 😊 Did you always know you wanted to write romance?
Kerrelyn Sparks: Yes. I grew up reading all types of books, but what always intrigued me the most was anything romantic. For example, the first kiss I remember reading happened in a Nancy Drew mystery, and that quickly become my favorite Nancy Drew book. As I grew older and more widely read, I realized that Romance was the genre I could always count on to have a happy ending. And honestly, I didn’t want to invest my time and heart into any story that didn’t have a happy ending!
2) The joy you spread in your books makes them memorable. However, creating memorable characters is not an easy feat. Where do you get your ideas?
Kerrelyn Sparks: I really don’t know. Ideas can come from anywhere and everywhere. Music, art, people-watching, life experiences, travel, dreams, other books or television shows—they all get mashed up in my head, then ideas pop out in unexpected places, like in the shower or when I’m driving.
3) The book that started my love affair with your novels was the hilarious, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire. Are you officially done with the Love at Stake series? Will there ever be more?! Or more vampire novels?
Kerrelyn Sparks: I’m delighted you enjoyed the Love at Stake gang! I do intend to return to them, but with a time jump into the future so the kids will be grown enough to participate in the stories.
4) Ohhh! Sounds fun. I have to say, I love that your new Embraced by Magic series features women who have created a sisterhood and each have a different ‘magical’ power. What inspired the Embraced books? Was it difficult to come up with different powers for each personality?
Kerrelyn Sparks: After writing sixteen novels and two novellas for the Love at Stake gang, I grew tired of my vamps and shifters all having the same set of powers. I wanted to create a group of people who all had a different power! And I was greatly inspired by the fantasy books and movies from The Lord of the Rings. I thought—why not create a more female-centered fantasy like Game of Thrones? But as I started writing, it soon became apparent that I could not stay serious for more than a page at a time. So, the series became more like Game of Thrones meets The Princess Bride.
I needed something to explain why a small group of people had magical powers, while most people did not. My solution was to give this new world, Aerthlan, two moons. Twice a year, the two moons eclipse each other and, on those nights, any child who is born will be gifted with a magical power. The people on this medieval-type world call the lunar eclipse The Embrace, and the magical children born at that time are called The Embraced.
It was great fun coming up with different powers. In book one, How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days, the hero has the power of lightning and the heroine can see and talk to the dead. In book 2, So I Married a Sorcerer, the hero is a pirate who can control the wind, and the heroine can see someone’s secrets if she touches them. Book 3, Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon, features a dragon-shifter hero and an elfin heroine who can heal. And that brings us up to book 4, How to Love Your Elf!
5) Your fourth book in the series, How to Love Your Elf, is coming out this February. The heroine Sorcha certainly has many surprises in store for her. Can you tell us why your heroine, Sorcha, is so special?
Kerrelyn Sparks: Sorcha has a fiery and volatile personality, which is a great match for her Embraced gift of creating fire. Of all the heroines so far, I think she is the funniest. She’s certainly the most outspoken and surprising! When she’s taken prisoner in the elfin kingdom of Woodwyn, she plans to use her fire power to make her escape. But along comes the Woodsman who upsets her plans and her life. He’s a cool and calm elf, who can communicate with trees and control anything made of wood. His power relies on wood, but Sorcha’s power destroys wood! Their relationship is going to sizzle!
6) I simply adored your hero in How to Love Your Elf. A blindingly handsome and mysterious character that seems straight out of a Robin Hood story! Can you tell more about the Woodsman and how you conceived of the idea for his Embraced power?
Kerrelyn Sparks: The Woodsman was indeed inspired by Robin Hood and also by Legolas of The Lord of the Rings. I envisioned an elf who was stoic, calm, beautiful, and always in control. And then I thrust the wild and fiery Sorcha into his life!
7) So sexy! Later this summer you will be releasing the fifth and final book in the Embraced by Magic series called The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea. I am so excited it will feature Maeve the youngest sister and the mischievous shifter Brody. Will we learn more about his past?
Kerrelyn Sparks: Yes, you will! So far, we don’t know who Brody really is, or where he came from, or how he became cursed. We also don’t know where Maeve came from. Lots of mystery remains-- who is the Chameleon and where did he come from? Who are the remaining members of the Circle of Five, and how will they be defeated? Everything will be revealed and resolved in the last book, The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea!
8) I can’t wait! From the title will much of the story take place at or in the sea? Will Maeve strike out on her own to hunt for Brody? What can you tell us about it?!
Kerrelyn Sparks: Yes, much of the book will takes place in or close to the sea. After all, we already know that Maeve is a siren and a selkie (seal-shifter). And I will say that she decides to use her powers to hunt for Brody, who will have disappeared for two months.
9) I find all the Embraced powers so cool! If you could have an Embraced power, what would it be and why?
Kerrelyn Sparks: I think I would want to be like Brody, able to shift into an eagle and fly anywhere I wanted. Of course, once you arrive, you have no clothes, but that’s another problem!
10) Hah! After the Embraced by Magic series do you have plans for any new paranormal books….please say ‘Yes!’
Kerrelyn Sparks: Yes! I plan on returning to the Love at Stake gang, and I also want to do more with sorcerers and magical powers.
This has been such a pleasure, thank you so much for fitting us into your busy schedule!!
Kerrelyn Sparks: Thank you for inviting me and supporting my work! If you’re enjoying the world of Aerthlan, I would like to invite you to visit my website at www.kerrelynsparks.com. I’m having an interactive map of the world made, so you can travel around. Also, you can keep up with my news and enter my contests by following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this extraordinary author you can check Kerrelyn Sparks out at her website:
https://www.kerrelynsparks.com/index.html
Upcoming and Recent Books by Kerrelyn Sparks
The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea Book 5 Summer/Fall 2020
The Embraced series comes to a climactic finish with Maeve and Brody, as they uncover secrets, defeat evil, and finally win their own happy ending.
How to Love Your Elf Book 4 Feb. 2020
Raised in isolation on the magic-shrouded Isle of the Moon, five girls became five sisters. Now women, they are ready to claim their places in the world—and perhaps change it forever . . .
FLAME AND FORTUNE
Sorcha knew the mission was dangerous. Leaving the safe grounds of her brother’s kingdom and parlaying with the elves across their border . . . well, treachery seemed at least as likely as true peace. But to support her sister, Sorcha would brave far more than the underhanded ways of the elves. Or so she thought, before she was taken hostage.
Of course, her captors didn’t count on her particular abilities—or on the help of the Woodsman, the mysterious thief who made his home in the forest. He saw the battle from the trees, saw the soldier attacking against incredible odds to save a comrade—and then saw the valiant fighter revealed as Princess Sorcha of Norveshka. He can’t tell if he wants to kidnap her or kiss her. But despite Sorcha’s stubbornness, his inconvenient honor, and a rebellion on the cusp of full war, something burns between them that neither can let go . . .
Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon Book 3
TRUTH—OR DARE?
Gwennore is an Elf able to track down the cause of a certain illness and heal it—a valuable asset to her people. But when she is thrust into the realm of the dragons, she discovers a haunted place of power, passion, and magic—one that is plagued by an ancient curse. When she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko, Gwen knows she’s entered a whole new world of trouble. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon. So why does making a deal with the devil feel so good?
Silas has no way of saving the royal family he’s served for years. But when a beautiful, innocent elf comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to desire in a way he’s never felt before. How can he trust a sworn enemy. . .and how can he live without her?
So I Married a Sorcerer Book 2
DESTINED FOR DOOM―OR DESIRE?
Growing up on the Isle of Moon, Brigitta knew that she was born with the magical powers of the Embraced―even if she didn’t know how to wield them. But she has finally learned the truth: Brigitta is the lost princess of the kingdom of Tourin. She was sent into hiding as an infant to escape the wrath of her half-brother, the king. And now he knows just where to find her. . .
Rupert is a notorious pirate and sorcerer who can harness the wind with his hands. He’s spent most of his life plotting revenge on the evil king―and Rupert believes that Brigitta could be the key to finally destroying his enemy. But what begins as a kidnapping of the innocent beauty escalates into something deeper, and more passionate, than either captor or captive could have imagined. Rupert soon vows to protect Brigitta against the king―but will they survive long enough to find their happily-ever-after. . .or does fate have something else in store?
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days Book 1
As one of the Embraced―one born with magical powers―the beautiful, innocent Luciana escaped certain death after her father hid her away on the Isle of Moon. Now, nineteen years later, her father has returned with a frightening request. He will be executed unless Luciana returns to the mainland and marries a man feared throughout the land: a terrifying brute known as the Beast.
Luciana accepts her fate and agrees to wed the Beast―Lord Leo―in order to save her father. Soon she learns that her betrothed is also one of the Embraced. With the ability to wield lightning, Leo’s immense power strikes fear into the hearts of men. . .and his mere touch can put an end to a woman’s life. But Luciana cannot deny the passion that burns between them. How can she resist the man who scorches her soul and makes her feel intoxicated with desire―even if surrendering to him could destroy them both?
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ANNE BISHOP
Anne Bishop is the New York Times bestselling-selling fantasy author of the Black Jewels series. Her imagination knows no bounds and in recent years, she has created a new and edgy series called the Others. The Others is a deep, dark and thought-provoking alternative world with elemental magic and savage shifters. Where the human population is at the sufferance and mercy of beings with infinite power. Although the first books in the series feature the main characters Meg Corbyn and Simon Wolfgard. The latest and upcoming books will showcase altogether different humans set in the same world with their own dire circumstance!
The latest novel, Wild Country, is scheduled to come out this March. And I can’t wait to get my hands on it. But first, I wanted to ask the author about her books and what new musings she has on the horizon.
1) Wow! This is such an honor and pleasure. I feel I’m in the presence of greatness! I’ve loved your books since the Black Jewels series. Can you tell us a little about what inspired you to write fantasy?
Anne Bishop: The short answer is this is how my brain works. I’ve always loved stories about magic and magical beings, and I like writing stories that have the elements of fantasy. You can explore the range of human emotions and thoughts and, and you can still have fun doing magic—or meeting unicorns—or running with, or from, shapeshifting Wolves.
2) I’m sure you get asked this all the time, but will you ever write another spin off in the Black Jewels world or have you ‘moved on?’
Anne Bishop: The Queen’s Bargain, the first of two new Black Jewels books, will be released in 2020. I don’t know if I would call it a spin off or a continuation since Lucivar and Daemon are back.
3) Yeah!! I think what really drew me to your works is how you prominently you feature women and their issues. I love how you portray them as being powerful, even the ‘evil’ characters. Have you had role models that you have used to create your characters? What is something that all you feel all your lead female characters must have?
Anne Bishop: Role models? Maybe, although it’s usually blending aspects of a lot of different people in order to create a character.
4) I’ve enjoyed reading the Other books that feature Meg and Simon. Will you be returning to them?! I feel that have so much more to tell.
Anne Bishop: I don’t know. That would depend on whether there is something going on in or around Lakeside that involve Meg and Simon.
5) Meg is a blood prophet. As such she suffers greatly for her visions. How did you come up with the idea of the blood prophet and does this mean Meg will have a tragic end?!
Anne Bishop: The simple question I started with was what would happen to a girl if she saw a vision of the future every time she received a cut, intentionally or accidentally? How would that morph from a child needing to be very careful to girls becoming a commodity—and property. I hope Meg doesn’t have a tragic end. She’s working on alternate ways to reveal the visions, and every time she doesn’t cut gives her a better chance of living a longer and richer life.
6) That is a great relief! Since your first Others book, I’ve been fascinated by glimpses of Meg’s Cassandra sangue friend, Jean. I’ve always hoped this courageous woman would have her own book. Will this happen or is she too ‘damaged?’
Anne Bishop: While it might be possible for Jean to have her own short story someday, my feeling is a story big enough to be a book would end up being a tragedy, and I wouldn’t want to put Jean, or myself, through that. Remember, you might read a book in a few days or even hours, but I live with it and its emotional currents for a year.
7) I get that. I guess I was hoping she might be saved like Meg, too. In Lake Silence, you departed a bit from the Others series and introduced a new female character named Vicki. Vicki’s transformation was exhilarating to read. Will we be reading more about her in future books, too? Does Vicki have a wider role to play in the Others universe?
Anne Bishop: Because the Lake Silence story is based on the template of a village mystery, I think Vicki and Aggie and their friends would know about the wider world of the Others, but their stories would be confined to their community. Will there be another Vicki and Aggie story? That will depend on whether they find another body, because that’s how village mysteries begin.
8) Okay, your newest novel, Wild Country, will also feature a female lead (love it!). Can you tell use more about Jana? Will her role as a police woman play a larger part in your series?
Anne Bishop: Jana has just graduated from the police academy, with no possibility of finding a job in the human-controlled cities. When she’s offered the chance to be a deputy in Bennett, she accepts, but she doesn’t fully appreciate what she’s walking into. In the parlance of the Western genre, she’s the greenhorn from the East who has to learn a different way of life. As for what she might do beyond the current story, that’s something I’ll discover when there’s another Bennett story to tell.
9) Great, so there might be another Bennett story.... The Elemental characters (especially the ponies) are fascinating. Will you ever write a book from their point of view? Or a novel about their genesis? Which elemental power is your favorite and why?
Anne Bishop: I don’t know if I would write a whole book from the Elementals’ point of view, but their thoughts have appeared in chapters throughout the series. Favorite? Oh, I don’t play favorites. Not with them.
10) The Others has always seemed to me to be a large scale social commentary on how clueless and selfish human are destroying the environment as well as their shortsighted prejudices. But in your books nature and the predators have the ability to fight back with a vengeance! Is this something you have a deep feeling about? Can you tell us how these issues may have shaped your writing?
Anne Bishop: Many years ago, I saw a Sierra Club bumper sticker that said One Earth, One Chance. That summed up the idea that we should be caretakers and not just takers. That feeling probably runs through a lot of my stories.
11) Reading your novels always transports me into a fabulous world that I never want to leave! Is it difficult for you to do world-building?’ Will there ever be graphic or illustrated versions of your stories?
Anne Bishop: The world-building isn’t difficult in itself, although choosing which aspects will be worked out in some detail and what will be part of the background wash that gives a world its distinct flavor can be challenging. I say it isn’t difficult, but a new world can take several years to develop as ideas are mixed together until the whole thing clicks and I have a feel for the place and the people who live there.
12) Thank you so much for answering all my questions. Since your first books, I’ve always wished I was a Jeweled witch! If you could be one of the characters in your books who would be like to be and why?
Anne Bishop: I’ve been all of the characters and seen their strengths and flaws. I wouldn’t want to be one because that would mean giving up the rest.
That totally makes sense!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information You Can Check Anne Bishop out at her website:
https://www.annebishop.com/index.html
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ELLA QUINN
Ella Quinn is a USA Today best-selling author and fan favorite. Known for her charming characters and spirited historical stories. This year, the author continues her popular Worthington series in her latest installment, The Marquis and I!
But where does this talented author get the inspiration to write her engaging stories?
Here’s a peek!
1) How did you get started as a writer?
Ella Quinn: I was 58 and had really started hating my job. For some reason, I thought I'd write something. The problem was I didn't know what I wanted to write. At the time my husband and I were executing our five year plan to buy a sailboat for retirement. So I started keeping a journal, but that fizzled pretty quickly. It turns out I can't write about my world. Then I read an interview by Stephanie Laurens, and she said write what you read. Within hours, I had an angry Regency lady in my head wanting her story told. A month later I had a first draft. That was The Seduction of Lady Phoebe. Book #1 in The Marriage Game.
2) Wow, what an amazing story. You are such an inspiration. Can you tell us what attracts you to romance in particular?
Ella Quinn: The journey to a Happily Ever After. And that it's a genre that has always been mostly by women, for women. The genre is denigrated by a lot of people who have never actually read a romance. It's seen as not serious literature, but neither are books written by John LeCarre, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy or a host of other authors. What most of them have in common is that they are men. I've got two post graduate degrees, I've been in the Army twice, taught at two universities, and practiced law. I don't need to write serious literature, I just want to write books that make people laugh, cry, and feel good at the end. Oh, and learn a little about history while their at it.
3) Do you have any favorite authors that have inspired your writing style?
Ella Quinn: Probably Georgette Heyer. I've been reading her since the early 1970's. She is so funny you can't help but laugh out loud. I was on a plane re-reading one of her books and I started to laugh. The man in the next seat leaned over, and began reading over my shoulder. She also has fabulous detail and characters.
4) The Regency period is my favorite in the historical genre. What appeals to you about that period and what do you think makes it so special to write about?
Ella Quinn: It's my favorite as well. I love the rules, the culture, and the fashion. It was a time of philosophical enlightenment. Love matches were, for the first time in (English) history, being taken seriously. Oh, and men in pantaloons. Did you know that their tailors cut them 2 inches narrower then the men's measurements?
5) I did not! What gave you the idea for the Worthington series? Do you have a favorite character from the series? Or one that is most like you? If so, who and why?
Ella Quinn: The Worthingtons is a spin-off of The Marriage Game. My ideas always start with the characters. I had a lady in her mid-twenties who'd promised her mother she'd keep all the children together. Against all odds, she managed to gain guardianship of her seven brothers and sisters. Naturally, it would be hard to find a gentleman who would want to be married to a woman with seven children ranging in age from five to eighteen. Then I started doing a little research and discovered that during the Regency, a married lady could not have guardianship of a child. Not even her own. So, if she married, she'd automatically lose guardianship of the children. Then the question became not only who'd want her, but how could she trust a man to keep the children together.
I love all my characters, but, if pressed, I'd have to say Lady Mary Carpenter. Mary is five years old when the series starts. Here is a snippet from a scene in Three Weeks to Wed, book #1 in the series. Matt has just discovered the woman he loves, Grace, has guardianship of her siblings:
The youngest girl walked in, a mulish cast was about her mouth, and her determined chin trembled a bit. “You made Grace cry.”
That was fair. He felt like crying as well. “I didn’t mean to. I meant to make her happy.”
The child creased her brow and nodded wisely. “Made a mull of it, did you?”
6) Funny! How many books do you plan to write in the Worthington series? Will there ever be a holiday/Christmas romance that brings them all together?
Ella Quinn: The number of books in the series has yet to be determined. There are eleven children (Matt has four sisters). Each of them will have their own books. But I've already added two books for their friends, and two novellas. One for Patience Worthington, Matt's step-mother, and the one I'm writing now. Who knows how many other characters will appear? I certainly don't. I guess the answer is at least fifteen, probably more.
There will be. I wanted to do one for this year, but when I looked at the baby birthing schedule, I couldn't get them all together. I also have to have time to write it. Currently, I'm finishing the novella, I have one more Worthington book on my contract. Then I'm contracted to write two more books in The Marriage Game, and then I'll continue on with The Worthingtons.
7) In your forth Worthington book, The Marquis and I, is coming out this February! The hero, Constantine is quite the rogue! What redeeming factors does he have that melt Charlotte’s and the readers’ hearts?
Ella Quinn: He is quite the rogue! But he doesn't see himself that way. He's very much a man of the time. I think his most redeeming factor is that, even though he knows he's right, when he discovers he's not, he's willing to change. He's also willing to let Charlotte, be herself and not try to change her. I think for women of any era, that's important.
8) I really like that about a hero! Where do you get your ideas for your heart swooning heroes? Is Constantine based on anyone in particular?!
Ella Quinn: I honestly don't get ideas for my heroes, they just show up and introduce themselves to me. The one thing they all have in common is a deep sense of honor.
Constantine is not based on anyone at all. The only thing some of my heroes have in common with a real person is that some of them are tall, broadshoudered, with dark brown hair, just like my husband.
9) I also noticed you have the fifth installment in the Worthington series scheduled for release soon! How do you write so fast? Can you tell us more about You Never Forget Your First Earl?
Ella Quinn: You Never Forget Your First Earl actually releases at the end of May. Being in the army gave me a good sense of discipline and Kensington gives me deadlines. As long as I'm not being interrupted, I can write for hours. Unfortunately, I don't write as fast as I used to before I learned to edit. That slows me down. I also have to take time from actual book writing for releases, edits, writer conferences, and reader events.
10) I wish I had your discipline. Since you are such an international traveler, do plan to write any more romances based in foreign and exotic lands? What new books do you have on the horizon?
Ella Quinn: Yes. The next Worthington books will be based in Europe. I also have another Worthington book to write. That's due in June. Then two Marriage Game books. I've also agreed to join several other authors in a box-set about dukes. I have three on-going series now, The Trevors is my novella series that releases in box-sets. The Trevors is a spin-off of Miss Featherton's Christmas Prince. Readers who sign up for my newsletter are able to download the first book in the Trevors for free.
Thank you so much for giving us this rare opportunity to interview you!
Ella Quinn: Thank you so much for asking! It's been a pleasure!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this extraordinary author you can check Ella Quinn out at her website:
http://ellaquinnauthor.com/
Want your book autographed by her?
http://ellaquinnauthor.com/keeperkase.html
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http://ellaquinnauthor.com/booklist.html
Upcoming and Recent Books by Ella Quinn
The Marquis and I book four in The Worthington series -February 27, 2018
Trouble is no match for a lady of the extended Worthington family—except when it comes in the form of a most irresistible gentleman . . .
Lady Charlotte Carpenter’s brother-in-law has put an infamous brothel owner out of business—yet it is Charlotte who suffers the consequences. Abducted by thugs and held at an inn, she is plotting her escape when she’s suddenly rescued by a dashing gentleman. Only afterward does she realize she’s seen him before—with two courtesans! Unwilling to tarry with such a man, Charlotte makes her second escape. But it is too late to repair her reputation . . .
A known gossip has spied Charlotte’s movements, and his report is speeding through the rumor mill. Soon, everyone knows that Charlotte spent the night with Constantine, Marquis of Kenilworth. And everyone agrees the only answer is marriage—including Constantine himself, his overjoyed mother—and his mistress! But Charlotte’s abductors aren’t finished with her yet. Now Constantine will do anything to protect the spirited woman he loves and win her heart . . .
You Never Forget Your First Earl book five in The Worthingtons Series -June 2018
Within the Worthingtons’ extended family circle, laughter and romance rule, and a young lady never settles for less than true love . . .
With her three good friends all recently married, Elizabeth Turley is ready for some husband-hunting of her own. One gentleman in particular sparks her interest. Geoffrey, Earl of Harrington is tall, handsome, and dashing. He’s also just a bit too sure of himself. But Elizabeth has observed enough about the rules of attraction to pique the earl’s attention. Yet once she has it, the discovery of a troubling secret taints her future happiness . . .
Lord Harrington must marry or lose a prestigious position in Brussels, and pretty, well-connected Elizabeth fits his needs admirably. But could it be that he has underestimated his bride? She doesn’t bat an eye in the face of the danger they encounter overseas. She’s strong-willed, intelligent, and more enticing each day—yet also more indifferent to him. Now Geoffrey faces his greatest challenge: to woo and win his own wife, or risk losing her for good . .
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN FOX
Acclaimed romance author, Susan Fox (AKA Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox) writes sexy contemporary romance with heart-felt and enduring characters. As a fan of her books, I was excited to discover she is starting a new series called Blue Moon Harbor. Her first installment, Fly Away with Me, comes out this July. Set in a quirky, small community on a remote island in Canada, the cast of outrageous but well-meaning characters will delight and charm romance readers.
I couldn’t wait to get me hands on it and ask her what new surprises she has in store for her fans!
1) I’m so pleased to have you on our site! I know this is tough question, but can you tell why it is so important for you to write about romance?
Susan Fox:
Thank you, Steph! I’m so happy to visit again.
I’m fascinated by personality, interpersonal relationships, character development, how we handle challenges, how we grow and change as we get older – and many other similar topics. So I like to explore those issues in my books, and romance and women’s fiction are perfect ways of doing that.
I think romance is the most important genre of fiction. It’s about love, which is the most important thing in the world. Romance novels are about having the courage to love and the strength to face challenges and become a stronger person. If we all loved and were loved, the world would be a much better, more peaceful place.
2) I agree! Your romances always feel very real and current to today’s issues. How do you balance this realism without making your books feel unromantic?
Susan Fox:
Thank you! I know some readers choose romance for escapist fantasy, but I like to read about women who could be my best friends and men I could fall in love with – so I choose to write about those kind of people. I choose realism over fantasy.
Realism does often have a dark side (more on that below), but it also has a light side. So I make sure I include that light side, with romance, laughter, friendship, and some steamy sex. (Not to mention food and wine!) I love romance fiction because the reader (and author!) always knows that no matter how much angst the characters go through, they will emerge stronger, and they’ll find love
3) I’ve always admired how you tackle tough issues that many authors shy away from. (Your latest book touches on sexual abuse.) Do you feel that writing about them helps increase awareness to readers? Do you enjoy the challenges they pose to your characters?
Susan Fox:
Yes and yes! I believe a writer has a responsibility, and so my stories always have messages, sometimes pretty blatant and sometimes more subtle.
Equality and appreciation of differences are strong values for me. I write diverse, multicultural “casts” of characters – for example, in Fly Away With Me, the hero Aaron is half First Nations or indigenous (which is the Canadian way of saying Native American).
I also like to have my heroines and heroes face significant emotional challenges, as do real-life contemporary men and women. I write both functional and dysfunctional families. Aaron’s childhood was seriously dysfunctional, while heroine Eden’s was wonderful – but now her family is facing major trauma as they deal with her mom’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. Both Aaron and Eden have intense family loyalty (his is to his single-parent younger sister and her little girl), and though of course that loyalty is an admirable quality, it presents a challenge to their relationship because their families live thousands of miles apart.
4) I feel the same way. I’ve notice that your recent books revolve around small towns and communities. What attracts you to them?
Susan Fox:
The smallness and the fact that the pace of life is often slower in small communities (that’s certainly true of Blue Moon Harbor in my new series, as Ottawa lawyer Eden quickly learns!) allows – or maybe forces – people to focus more on face-to-face relationships rather than rushing frantically through life and communicating in short bursts, often via social media. Most residents know each other, which of course has cons as well as pros, and strangers stand out, all of which can make for some interesting dynamics.
Plus, I do love the settings. There tends to be more focus on nature than in a city. Interaction with nature creates a different kind of dynamic, and a learning opportunity for someone like Eden. For example:
Aaron paddled more quickly, heading to shore. She didn’t try to match his pace. In the bay, the water was even calmer, the surface like deep, bluish-green glass. She almost hated to disturb it with the dip of her paddle, and after each stroke she paused to watch a crystal cascade of droplets tip off the end of the blade and splash onto the ocean’s surface, creating rings of ripples. The sun warmed her back and the top of her head; gulls soared and cried overhead. She stopped paddling, closing her eyes for a moment to simply drift with the tide. Utter serenity. Had she ever experienced anything like this before?
By the time she arrived at the shore, Aaron had pulled his kayak up on the beach and was waiting to guide hers into shore and help her out. She caught his arm for balance, raised herself, and then gingerly stepped out into the water. “Brrr.” The soles of her feet met a strange surface, and as she splashed ashore she studied the grayish-white particles that made up the beach. “It’s not sand.”
“Shells, mostly. Pounded by waves.”
The beach felt coarse underfoot but pleasantly so, like an exfoliating massage, if such a thing existed. She’d never had time to spare for massage or mani-pedis. Nor did she have much occasion to wear a bathing suit, and she felt exposed, even though her tee was long enough to cover her bikini bottom. It would be silly to put on shorts, though, because that bottom was damp.
She freed herself from her life jacket and wandered down the beach, picking up a pebble here, a shell there, a colored bit of weathered glass. If she were back in Ottawa, she’d be busy at her desk, dressed in a suit and low-heeled pumps.
5) That makes me feel as if were there. Where did you get the inspiration for Blue Moon Harbor and its characters?
Susan Fox:
My partner and I have an old wooden boat (a Shepherd, which looks like an old Chris Craft) and for the past few years we’ve spent many pleasant summer weeks cruising around the Gulf Islands near Victoria, British Columbia. We anchor in quiet coves, go for long walks on beaches and in forested parks, and explore charming little towns. We admire sunrises and sunsets, and love seeing all the wildlife. Each inhabited island is its own little community with its own quirks, so the setting has that “small town” thing going on, compounded with the fact that these places are accessible only by boat or by seaplane (hence my seaplane pilot hero, Aaron Gabriel).
I love the Gulf Islands and the ocean is in my blood. Maybe as an island-born person it was inevitable that one day I’d want to use a Gulf Islands setting. None of the existing islands exactly met my story needs, so I created Destiny Island, and the village of Blue Moon Harbor.
6) I have to ask, did you know your Caribou Crossing series would become so popular and span eight books? Will you ever go back?!
Susan Fox:
Can you believe that the original proposal was for three books, of which Kensington contracted for the first two? My goal was to persuade them to buy the third, and then I figured the series would be done. But then they asked me to do a prequel novella, and then they bought two more books, another novella, and then another two books, and yes, we reached a total of eight! Because I still loved Caribou Crossing, I wrote a proposal for two more titles, but I also thought that eight books was getting a little long for a series. As a reader, I enjoy shorter series that don’t go on and on. So I also wrote a proposal for the Blue Moon Harbor series, and told Kensington that I’d be happy to continue with the Caribou Crossing romances or to move over to Blue Moon Harbor. They decided it was time to launch a new series.
As for revisiting Caribou Crossing, probably not. As you know, with series, readers want the books to come out without huge gaps, so if I did do another book, it likely wouldn’t be out until well into 2019, and that doesn’t seem like a good idea.
7) I understand. Do you plan your new, Blue Moon Harbor series to span eight books, too? Will we read more about the quirky commune characters?
Susan Fox:
So far I’ve contracted for four titles. Fly Away With Me is, of course, the first. Then in October there will be “Blue Moon Harbor Christmas” in Winter Wishes (an anthology that also contains novellas by Fern Michaels, Jules Bennett, and Leah Marie Brown). Come Home With Me will be out in late December, and Sail Away With Me in the fall of 2018. I know the next heroine I want to write about and even have a title, Come Dance With Me, and I do hope I’ll be able to continue with the series. Eight seems like an ideal number to me!
The future books will include some of the commune characters, as secondary characters.
8) Whoo-hoo! Something to look forward to. Your heroine Eden in Fly Away with Me, is a no nonsense, down-to-earth sort of person. Was it fun to let her let loose and find love?
Susan Fox:
LOL. As Aaron says to her:
“I have to wonder, does your conscience whack you upside the head every time you contemplate taking a little time to just enjoy life?”
I have a lot in common with Eden. She’s the first child and was an only child for six years (before her sister Kelsey was born) – and I was an only child. We both had good parents, but we felt parental pressure to be responsible and reliable, do well in school, be well-behaved, etc. Eden turned out very organized, analytical, and conscientious, and so did I. But I learned pretty early on that it’s important to have balance in life, and to lighten up, let loose, have fun sometimes. So I figured the best and most “fun” way for that to happen with Eden was to send her Aaron, who’s determined to teach her the meaning of the word “fun.” So yes, both Eden and I had a good time!
9) In contrast, Eden’s sister, Kelsey has always been the free spirit but steps up to become more responsible. Will we be seeing more of her? Will she find her own romance in Blue Moon Harbor?!
Susan Fox:
Kelsey’s only 21, a university student. While one of Eden’s lessons in Fly Away With Me is about how to have fun and find balance, Kelsey’s is about learning responsibility. She does mature a lot over the course of the book, but she’s still young. Aside from taking care of their ailing mom, Kelsey’s all about enjoying life. She hasn’t found a career direction, nor is she looking for Mr. Right.
But yes, if the series moves a few years down the road, I think it’s entirely possible that Kelsey will be the heroine of her own book.
10) Eden and her sister are such polar opposites. How do you write characters that are so different or so different than your personality and still make them so real? Do certain characters make you ‘work’ harder to do them justice in your writing?
Susan Fox:
I try to “go deep” with each character – to really understand the various things that have influenced them and how they’ve reacted, to delve into their personality traits and their values, and so on. My psychology degree comes in handy.
One of the most challenging characters in Fly Away With Me was Azalea, the old hippie, and the stream-of-consciousness, free-association way she talked. But I had so much fun with her!
Whew! I appreciate you answering all my questions. Thank you again for gracing us with your presence. Your writing is a true inspiration.
Susan Fox:
And thank you again, Steph. I truly appreciate your kind words, and your generosity in inviting me to visit with the Bookaholics. You ask the best interview questions!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Susan Fox check her out at:
http://www.susanlyons.ca/
www.facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Susan Fox:
FLY AWAY WITH ME -July 25th, 2017
Known for its rugged beauty and eccentric residents, tiny Blue Moon Harbor is big on love . . .
For busy lawyer Eden Blaine, a trip to a Pacific Northwest island she’s never even heard of is far from a vacation. Eden’s ailing mother has tasked her with finding her long-lost aunt, who once had ties to a commune on the island. Still reeling from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, romance is the last thing Eden is looking for. But her gorgeous seaplane pilot has her wondering if a carefree rebound fling is exactly what she needs. . .
Aaron Gabriel has no illusions about happily ever after. His troubled childhood made sure of that. But he does appreciate a pretty woman’s company, and Eden is the exact combination of smart and sexy that turns him on. Still, as he helps her search for her missing aunt, the casual relationship he imagined quickly becomes something much more passionate—and much harder to give up. Can two people determined to ignore romance recognize that their heated connection is the kind of love destined to last?
HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEAR - Sept, 27th, 2017
It’s Christmas in the cozy Western town of Caribou Crossing, the season for homecoming, forgiveness, and—just maybe—the gift of a fresh start…
As the holidays approach, the air is filled with the festive sounds of bells chiming and carolers singing. Maribeth Scott loves Christmas, but she’s pretty sure that after years of waiting, Santa isn’t finally going to gift her with Mr. Right. In fact, the only thing she truly wants for Christmas is a baby to love. At thirty-nine, she’s determined to become a mother and she will make it happen, even if she has to do it on her own.
When Mo Kincaid returns to the rustic town after almost twenty years away, he’s seeking redemption from his checkered past. The last thing on his mind is romance, and he’s certain he doesn’t deserve it. But now there’s irresistible Maribeth, showing him the true spirit of Christmas and winning his heart. For the first time in Mo’s life, the future looks bright. Only one thing stands between them: Maribeth’s deep desire for a child and Mo’s conviction that he’s too flawed to be a father. Is his world-weary heart ready to take the ultimate leap of faith?
RING OF FIRE BOOK 7 -May 31, 2016
No one is a stranger in Caribou Crossing, a small Western town made for healing and second chances…
She's raising her son on her own, but that's just fine with Lark Cantrell. Caribou Crossing's fire chief comes from a long line of strong, independent women--who have lousy luck with men. Lark's ex-husband walked out when Jayden was born with cerebral palsy. No matter--Jayden, now ten, is a bright, terrific kid, and the love of her life. When it comes to men, Lark is content with the occasional casual hookup; there's no room in her heart for more disappointment.
Major Eric Weaver is in Caribou Crossing for one reason: to complete his rehabilitation so he can return to active service. Haunted by what went down in Afghanistan, his wounded soul isn't healing as quickly as his body. But it's almost impossible to resist the appeal of the sexy, feisty fire chief and her plucky son--not to mention the friendly, caring small town way of life. In Lark's loving arms, the scarred soldier begins to believe he may finally have found his true home…
LOVE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU BOOK 6 -Sept. 29th, 2015
With its breathtaking terrain and welcoming people, the Western town of Caribou Crossing is the perfect place for a heart to heal, and for love to blossom once more…
Since the death of her husband three years ago, young widow Sally Ryland has kept to herself and focused on her struggling business, Ryland Riding. Folks assume she’s still grieving, because Sally has never shared the truth about her abusive marriage, or the trust issues that remain. But when a sexy rodeo rider from her past turns up for a visit, he’s a reminder of the feisty woman she once was—and maybe still could be…
Ben Traynor was always attracted to Sally, but he didn’t move fast enough. Now what Sally needs is patience and gentleness. With an injury keeping him from his next rodeo, Ben has the perfect excuse to stick around and help with her chores—and her healing. And as Sally finds the courage to face her demons and open her heart again, she’ll have to decide if what she has with Ben is more than safety, gratitude, and short-term passion, but a forever love…
LOVE ME TENDER BOOK 5 -Dec. 2nd, 2014
Pay a visit to Caribou Crossing, the rustic, inviting Western town where broken hearts mend and new love takes root…
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest--and loneliest--guy in town. He's had his heart broken more than once, and he's determined not to let it happen again. So it's no wonder he's wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing--and nights with its handsome hotel owner--makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
STAND BY YOUR MAN BOOK 4 -June 24th, 2014
Karen MacLean is a hardworking, well-respected corporal for the Caribou Crossing detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Though she secretly longs for marriage and a home like the one she grew up in, she's made her job her top priority and grown accustomed to being alone. But a handsome sergeant whose will is as strong as her own could change everything she thought she believed. . .
Sergeant Jamal Estevez is often trusted with undercover work, but his greatest challenge has been to conceal his true identity as a recovering alcoholic. A city guy who's never had a real home, he's starting to find peace riding the country roads of Caribou Crossing--with beautiful Corporal MacLean. As the attraction between them grows, Jamal may discover that the life Karen has been hoping for is exactly what he's needed all along. . .
GENTLE ON MY MIND BOOK 3 -Sept. 3rd, 2013
Brooke Kincaid knows second chances don't come cheap. She's spent five years repairing past mistakes and making her life in Caribou Crossing steady and predictable. But now a stranger's Harley has shattered her fence and her peace of mind in one swoop. Brooke is drawn to everything about wounded undercover cop Jake Brannon--his raw masculinity, his tenderness, and the undisguised desire that makes her feel more alive than she's ever been.
By rights, Brooke should curse Jake for complicating her life. Instead she's offered him a place to heal and a cover story as he searches for a wanted man. Jake knows she's vulnerable, but she's also strong, kind, and hotter than hellfire. It's a combination that could make even a die-hard loner long to put up his boots and put down roots at last, and show her just how good a second chance can get. . .
HOME ON THE RANGE BOOK 2 -Aug 6th, 2013
For Evan Kincaid, the best thing about his dusty hometown was watching it fade into the distance. Jessica Bly was the only one who didn’t treat him like an outsider, and their friendship ended with one mind-blowing night of young passion. Now they’ve both got the lives they planned—Evan in New York, Jess with her beloved horses in Caribou Crossing. But business has brought Evan back to Jess’s Crazy Horse ranch on a mission that could destroy whatever’s left of her trust.
Ten years ago, Jess wanted one perfect night to remember Evan by. What she got was a broken heart and a secret that’s kept them strangers ever since. The boy she knew was sexy and sweet;the man he’s become leaves her breathless. And no matter how much she tells herself that country girl and city boy don’t belong together, in her heart she wants to believe his home has been right here all along…
CARIBOU CROSSING BOOK 1 -June 25th, 2013
Wade Bly is certain of his destiny: He’ll marry his high school sweetheart, Miriam, work at his father’s ranch, and eventually inherit the place and make it his own. And of course, they’ll have a few kids once they’ve had time to enjoy married life and save some money. But when an unexpected pregnancy speeds up their plans, Wade can only hope he’s up for the challenge…
Miriam always knew she and Wade would be happy together. He’s a good provider and a doting father to their spirited daughter, Jess. And when the lights go out, he’s the passionate cowboy of her wildest dreams. But when a string of disappointments leaves them both feeling doubtful about their future, they’ll have to rediscover themselves and their love—to see that the life they fear is over is really just beginning…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH DURAN
Meredith Duran is the best selling author of over a dozen historical romances. Meredith’s passionate and well-drawn characters are original and always exciting to read. She is also known for her atypical and complex story lines. Plots that have kept fans on their toes, wondering what this sly author has in store for them next!
In her latest book, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, she continues her Rules for the Reckless series. It is set to be released this February 2017. And I had to find out more!
1) How did you start writing historical romance? Is there a favorite time period you enjoy the most and why?
Meredith Duran:
As a teenager, I loved historical fiction but couldn’t find many novels that featured female protagonists. (The 1990s were a different time, indeed!) Then one day I stumbled on a Judith McNaught book and discovered everything I’d been searching for: a close attention to the history of everyday life, to customs and social rituals, and to female characters to boot! I was an avid reader of historical romance long before I started writing them.
Most of my own novels are set in the Victorian period, which is by far my favorite to read about. Do you remember life without the internet? If you’re in your thirties, you probably do. You also probably have paused to marvel over how much the internet altered all the things you took for granted as a child. Think of what the daily mail delivery (or the library, or video stores, or shopping trips) meant when you were little, compared to now.
Late Victorians also lived in the interstices between two eras. The advent of the telegraph (and the spread of railways and improvements to steamships, and, in the very late Victorian period, the telephone) made the world feel suddenly smaller, and far-flung places more accessible. But my heroes and heroines also remember reading by candlelight, and waiting three months to hear from relatives gone overseas. It’s a fascinating time to explore.
2) What do you think makes historical romance in particular so special?
Meredith Duran:
History can feel like a dry recitation of facts about distant, bloodless figures. Historical romance insists that we apprehend the past as it truly was: full of living, breathing people who woke up in bad moods, fell in love despite their better judgment, stayed awake too late worrying over relationships and bills, and lived through the great moments of history with the same anxieties and aspirations that we feel today. Historical romance recoups the humanity of those who lived before we were born.
3) Is there any era in history or historical event you would love to write about but may not so popular?
Meredith Duran:
I am fascinated by early Roman Britain, but it would be hard to set a romance in a period so fraught by violence and upheaval.
4) Historical books often limit female characters. Their education and positions. Do you find these constraints make it difficult when you write about your heroines? How so?
Meredith Duran:
This is one of the reasons I enjoy writing books set in the late Victorian period. Women’s roles were expanding dramatically. It was not unusual to see women working as clerks in the postal service, for instance. The question of a woman’s role in public life was up for active debate in late Victorian England, which means that when my heroines question the norms, they are, in fact, being historically accurate. :)
5) How did you come up with the Rules for the Reckless series? How many book do you plan to write in the series?
Meredith Duran:
I set out to write about a trio of women who (wittingly or unwittingly) violated the extant social codes that governed polite society. Lizzie (That Scandalous Summer) is an unapologetically merry widow; Olivia (Fool Me Twice) is unapologetically illegitimate; Lilah (Lady Be Good) is a reformed thief. I intended to stop the series there, but Lilah’s employer, a cold-blooded businesswoman named Catherine, so caught my fancy that I ended up writing her book as well (Luck Be a Lady). In short, the series is an organic development at this point, and I’ve no notion of when it will officially conclude!
6) Can you tell us about A Lady's Code of Misconduct? What inspired you to write about a hero with such complexity? (I thoroughly enjoyed reading this romance. I have to admit it is a rare author that can create a villain and turn him into a hero of such worth!)
Meredith Duran:
You nailed it when you used the word “villain.” I try to set a new challenge for myself with each book, and for this one, I decided to start with a proper villain – the sort of dark, dangerous bad boy that mothers warn their daughters about – and put him through the wringer until he emerged a hero. I’m so glad you think I succeeded!
7) What makes A Lady's Code of Misconduct special to you?
Meredith Duran:
Oh, so many things about this book make it special to me! First, I always wanted to write an “amnesia book” – this is such a classic device in our genre – but it took ten years (!) to find the right story.
Second, this book felt like a pretzel when I was beginning to write it; the plot is so twisty that it took weeks to wrap my mind around it. But once it clicked, it made for the most seamless writing experience I’ve ever enjoyed.
Third, no scene has ever intimidated me as a writer like Crispin’s speech in Parliament. I spent days buried in books on parliamentary procedures, period descriptions of parliamentary sessions, transcripts of speeches, and so on. I still vividly remember my exhilaration when I finished writing that scene.
And, of course, Crispin himself makes this book special. I don’t think I’ve ever written a bona fide villain-as-hero before.
8) Your characters have had a wide variety of backgrounds. What quality do you think is essential for your hero/heroine to possess and why?
Meredith Duran:
Since this is romance, I think we all idealize our protagonists to some degree. I like my heroes with a modicum of self-awareness and humor (dark or no), because these are crucial qualities when the going gets rough, and my heroines deserve a man who knows why he’s upset, is able to explain it, and even to laugh about it shortly thereafter. My heroines—I think I’ll be honest and say that I invest each of them with a degree of shrewd self-interest. I don’t write about martyrs. I write about women who want happiness for themselves as well as for those whom they love.
9) Yes, I do feel that your characters have a real sense of humanity which makes them more relatable and loveable. Do you think you would ever write a contemporary romance or a time travel romance?! Or is that too bland?
Meredith Duran:
I love both of these subgenres but my imagination hasn’t yet inclined in those directions. That said, who knows what the future may hold?
10) Can you give us sneak peek and tell us about future books on the horizon?
Meredith Duran:
I’ve received a lot of email over the years asking me when I intend to write about the man whose story will be told in my 2018 release. Those who finish A Lady’s Code of Misconduct will know exactly who he is!
Whoo hoo! Cannot wait! Thank you so much for gracing us with your pesence :)
For additional information you can check her out at:
http://www.meredithduran.com/
Upcoming and Recent Books by Meredith Duran:
A Lady's Code of Misconduct -Feb 2017
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL...
Trapped in the countryside, facing an unwanted marriage and the theft of her fortune, Jane Mason is done behaving nicely. To win her freedom, she’ll strike a deal with the most dangerous man she knows--a rising star of politics, whose dark good looks mask an even darker heart.
...NEVER GOES TO PLAN.
The bitter past has taught Crispin Burke to trust no one. He’ll gladly help a lovely young heiress, provided she pays a price. But when a single mistake shatters his life, it is Jane who holds the key to his salvation. And in a world that no longer makes sense, Crispin slowly realizes that she may be the only thing worth fighting for. . .
Sweetest Regret -Nov. 2016
At a house party in the countryside, the joyful spirit of the Christmas season threatens to sweep Georgiana Trent under the mistletoe—and back into the arms of the dashing rogue who broke her heart two years ago. Little does she know that Lucas Godwin has no intention of leaving until he has reclaimed her as his own.
Luck be a Lady -Aug 2015
THE WALLFLOWER
They call her the “Ice Queen.” Catherine Everleigh is London’s loveliest heiress, but a bitter lesson in heartbreak has taught her to keep to herself. All she wants is her birthright—the auction house that was stolen from her. To win this war, she’ll need a powerful ally. Who better than infamous and merciless crime lord Nicholas O’Shea? A marriage of convenience will no doubt serve them both.
THE CRIME LORD
Having conquered the city’s underworld, Nick seeks a new challenge. Marrying Catherine will give him the appearance of legitimacy—and access to her world of the law-abiding elite. No one needs to know he’s coveted Catherine for a year now—their arrangement is strictly business, free from the troubling weaknesses of love. Seduction, however, is a different matter—an enticing game he means to ensure she enjoys, whether she wishes to or not. . . .
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH BARB HENDEE and J.C. HENDEE
Barb and J.C. Hendee are the New York Times best-selling authors of the Noble Dead Saga. An epic fantasy series with a huge fan following.
Now they have focused their attention on a new series set in the same world called The Dead Seekers. Their first book is debuting to great anticipation in January 2017. But will old characters makes cameos? And what will make this new series different from their last?
I couldn’t wait to ask!
1) What started your successful writing collaboration? Did you both know that you had to write fantasy together?
Barb: We went to college together and took many of our courses together. We collaborated on a few stories together, and then later, we were living in Colorado and we wrote Dhampir. We sold that book to the first editor who read it—at Ace/Roc—and the publisher contracted for the entire series. As with many things in life, it just sort of . . . happened.
J.C.: Yeah, what she said. We were both readers of fantasy in our earlier lives. We each had other [different] genres we favored. In non-fiction narrative, Barb liked historical works, while I liked metaphysical / occult / mythology fiction. There you have it: all of the various components that contributed to the world in the Noble Dead Saga.
2) Why return to the same world for your new book The Dead Seekers? Why not explore a new one?
Barb: Many of our fans love the dark dripping superstitious Eastern continent, and we left it behind with book six of the Noble Dead Saga. J.C. wanted to have more room to develop the Móndyalítko further, and we decided to go back and play in that world again.
J.C.: Regardless of how widely our NDS main caste traveled, they rarely stayed in one place/land/culture for long. The world we created is bigger than even we can grasp all at once. Plus, we wanted to get back to the root of it all that many readers liked the most—our eastern lands derived [lightly] from post-medieval Eastern Europe.
3) What sets The Dead Seekers apart from your Noble Dead series besides the main characters?
Barb: That’s a tough question. The easy answer would be “ghosts as opposed to vampires,” but the Noble Dead Saga was about so much more than vampires, and I think The Dead Seekers is about so much more than ghost-hunting. For me, the main difference would be that The Noble Dead Saga was incredibly, intricately episodic. Some novels literally picked up right where the last one left off. We swore to each other that we’d never write anything so episodic again. With The Dead Seekers series, we will have a larger story arc, but each novel could be a “stand alone” story unto itself.
J.C.: Again, what she said. And I’ve always like playing around [lightly] with the meaning of Life… and Death… and how one becomes the other as an existence. Barb’s also right in that I’ve always want to live among one people of our world, where I would most feel at home—the Móndyalítko. More specifically, among the yai-morchi, yai-urvai, and yai-dôytri—the “two-fleshed,” “two-spirited” and “two-minded.”
4) Will beloved characters make appearances in your new series?!
Barb: Beloved characters will not (smiles). But you may see some secondary characters along the way. If you remember the opening sequence in Traitor to the Blood, our heroes met an interesting military captain named Stàsiuo. He’s a character in the first book of this new series.
J.C.: Third tier characters might make an appearance in future books, but other than that, don’t expect any “guest appearances” from the NDS main cast. They’ve had enough, and they’ll tell you so; some of them in less-than-pleasant terms.
Anyone got enough of a death wish to ask Magiere—or Leesil—to strap-in for another quest?
5) Yipee, something to look for! Can you both tell us what is so special about your main characters Tris and Mari?
Barb: Oh, gosh, I could talk about this for a while. Tris was born dead, and the resulting impact has left him with some personality elements that make relationships with other people nearly impossible. He is a man apart, but he’s not exactly the strong, silent type either. In many ways, he’s sort of vulnerable. He has a natural ability to send spirits back to the other plane of existence, and he uses this ability every chance he gets.
Mari watched her entire family being murdered when she was a child, and she functions from a platform of anger. She also has some special abilities—but I don’t want to give too much away. Beneath the anger, she is surprisingly fair-minded and given to unexpected bouts of compassion for others.
J.C.: Not going to touch this one much. Anything more than what Barb’s said would be too telling. Well, except that I favor Mari a little more, since she’s a feral, bloody, nasty piece of work when pushed over the edge. And that’s going to become a big problem in the future.
6) I often wondered, since both series have a male and female protagonists. Does Barb sort of write the female point of view and J.C. the male perspective? How does that work?
Barb: Actually, if you’ve read any of the Mist-Torn Witches books, you know I have a very different take on female characters than J.C. So, for our collaborations, he does more writing for the women such as Magiere and Mari. In the Noble Dead Saga, I did a lot of development for Leesil and Chane. But of course we cross over. Most of J.C.’s female characters are very, very angry. Hah! I’m not great at writing angry women.
J.C.: The opposite of what you’d expect. But there are elements of both of us in all of those characters and others. Perhaps it more telling we each set the BIG PICTURE for characters of gender opposite from our own. Then we switch off the subtle side to flesh out the details.
It has worked well. There isn’t one reader we’ve heard from who didn’t have a deep affinity for more than one member of the NDS caste. Wynn was probably the least liked in general. Among those who did like her, they were utterly ardent about it—more so than readers who favored other characters.
7) Do you see yourselves writing the Dead Seekers series as long as the Noble Dead series? Will it be more than a trilogy?
Barb and J.C: A two-part question. To answer the first one: No, no, no, no . . . and no (smiles). To answer part two, we are planning for a trilogy, and then we’ll see.
8) So much to look forward to! I’ve also read the Mist-Torn and Vampire Memories books by Barb Hendee. Does Barb intend to write more? The sistesr in the Mist Torn series really captured by imagination and I hope they will get their own ending.
Barb: I LOVED writing both series, especially the Mist-Torn Witches. That series sold “decently,” but not enough for my publisher to justify contracting for more. In today’s industry, you really have to sell a lot of books for a publisher to keep contracting for more.
9) That makes sense. The Vampire Memories series is also addicting; does J.C. contribute to the plot/characters - like a sounding board? What is the fascination with vampires in your books?
Barb: No, JC hasn’t even read my other books. But there’s no reason that he should. For me, vampires are fun to work with. I like making up “rules” for supernatural characters. I loved the idea of a small group of vampires living in a church with a mission of their own. That was a fun series to write. Oh, and Eleisha is my idea of a “strong female character.”
10) I have to ask, I noticed that you have two cats. Will they ever be featured in one of your books?!
Barb: That’s a fun question. I doubt Ashes and Cinders will make appearance, but we both love to create pets/animals as main characters . . . so you never know.
J.C.: Yeah, I know, but I’m not telling. “Cinders” and “Ashes”—and “Keiko” and “Nyx” before them—as well as my best-buddy of childhood, “Scampy” [½ Black Labrador, ¼ Cocker Spaniel, ¼ Coyote]—have and will contribute to minor animal characters into the future. And others not-so animal, though you might not guess which ones.
Thank you so much for answering my questions and taking time out of your busy schedules!!
Barb and J.C.: Oh, you are so welcome. You’re very familiar with our work, and this was our pleasure.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about this dynamic duo you can check them out at:
http://www.nobledead.org/
Upcomings Books:
The Dead Seekers by Barb and J.C Hendee -Jan. 2017
Mari Kaleja was only 10 years old when she saw her family slaughtered in the Wicker Woods. She’s vowed to hunt down the one responsible for their deaths: The Dead’s Man. Tris Vishal was born dead to a baron and his wife. He came back from the dead and now has powers to seek out and destroy restless spirits. He also has a dark half, trapped between portals, lying in wait to take over Tris’ life. Mari is Mondyalitko, a shifter, who has tracked her prey and is ready to seek vengeance — until she finds herself rescuing Tris and questioning his guilt in her family’s death. She agrees to accompany Tris as his translator as he travels to a village to lay a dead girl’s spirit to rest. Mari must learn more about Tris before she kills him. After vanquishing the young girl’s ghost and learning of the circumstances surrounding her death, Tris and Mari head to the barracks in Soladran, where soldiers are dying. It is here they are enveloped in a battle in which they are outnumbered. Mari must question everything she thought she knew to defend the Dead Seeker as the spirits come for him and his dark half gains power.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH CARLY PHILLIPS
Sexy and smart defines New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Carly Phillips. Carly is a prolific writer of contemporary romance and a huge fan favorite! She has written over fifty romances from her racy to ultra steamy novels. Either way her sassy heroines and hunky heroes will make your heart race and your soul melt. Her popular Dare series has books coming out and her new erotic series, the New Billionaire Bad Boys is one I'm eager to get my hands on!
I couldn't wait to ask her all about them!
1) Welcome to our site! It's such an honor to have you here. Thanks for taking the time in your busy writing schedule to be with us!
Carly Phillips:
Thank you so much for having me. I’m sorry we’ve had to delay the initial interview but I am thrilled to be here now!
2) You've written so many books where do you get your inspiration for your characters?
Carly Phillips:
I find inspiration everywhere. I’m a big television watcher, from daytime soap operas to night time TV and the smallest nuance of a character can inspire a story.
3) Have you ever been tempted to rewrite or modify an early book that you felt could have expanded on? Do you ever feel tempted to revisit old characters, kind of like old friends? If you could redo one book which might you do and why?
Carly Phillips:
It’s funny. Often I’ll be tempted to go back but when I do, I don’t have the same innate knowledge of the characters I had while I was writing the original story. I’ve come to accept that a story is written the way it was meant to be written. When time passes, I’m happy to go back and update technology but really, the rest of the story I prefer to let stand as is. If I could redo one book … I’m really not sure for the reasons said above.
4) Your Dare to Love series is so popular we hope you keep writing them! (More, please!) How did you conceive of the idea for this series? How may books do you have planned?
Carly Phillips:
Thank you! The idea for the series came with my plotting partners, Julie Leto, Leslie Kelly and Janelle Denison aka Erika Wilde. We plotted the notion of the father with a second family and the series sprang from there.
I’m on hiatus from the Dare to Love series because I needed a fresh look and perspective with a new backstory. I hope to revisit some day … then again, thinking about what I said above… we’ll see. I originally had 12 planned. I’ve since divided them by family - the Dare to Love Series (the legitimate siblings), the NY Dares (the NY cousins) and then the illegitimate siblings of which I had already written Dare to Desire. In the end, I felt the family’s story was told as well-rounded as I could do so for now, I’m moving on.
5) Can you tell us the difference between the Dare series set in Miami and the steamy NY Dare series?
Carly Phillips:
The difference between the Dare series set in Miami and the NY Dares begins with family. The Dare to Love series (the Miami Dares) are the legitimate (and one illegitimate) sibling of Robert Dare. The NY Dares are the NY cousins and a touch more erotic in nature than the Miami books. All books are extremely HOT.
6) Will you have more Dare cousins from other locals? (Maybe even exotic areas out of the country?!) Do you feel different locations provides a different mood for the story and/or characters?
Carly Phillips:
I’m passing on this question given the answers above. I really don’t have a lot of differences, just Miami and NY :)
7) Your Dirty, Sexy series has been such a favorite this year -so delightfully delicious! You latest, Dirty, Sexy Cuffed came out this summer. Can you tell us more about the hero, Levi? Because he is a cop did it make the story more naughty?!
Carly Phillips:
Thank you! Erika Wilde and I have worked together as critique partners for years. Writing together was a natural progression. Levi is a cop who prides himself on control, in the bedroom and outside. When he meets a woman with secrets, he feels compelled to protect her. It’s a hot, sizzling cop/protection story. I loved writing it with Erika.
8) I'm excited to read about your new Billionaire Bad Boys series staring this summer. Can you tell us more about it? How many books do you have planned?
Carly Phillips:
There are now 4 books planned. Originally there were three books but then I introduced a “bad guy” in book one and he just begged to have his redemption story told. Going Down Easy is an office romance, Going Down Fast is a friends to lovers/reunion story with a twist, and Going Down Hard is an opposites attract/different sides of the track type story. Then comes Going in Deep, the redemption story. I love my billionaires. They have been great to write.
9) It seems that some books today are more written to shock readers. More sex and bondage but then lack characterization. How do you feel about the erotic trend and your writing style?
Carly Phillips:
I am an erotic romance fan. That said I require STORY, plot, emotion, characterization. I’m not happy when a book lacks those things. I grew up trained by NY publishing and I’ve learned those things and they’re ingrained in my writing. Couldn’t take it out of me if you tried. I look for the same in stories I love to read. Shock value only works if the writer follows through with the rest of what I mentioned above.
10) You keep busy but you always seem to have something to 'wow' your readers. What new ideas do you have for future books?
Carly Phillips:
I’m currently tied up with the Billionaires. I tend to work on one book at a time. In this case I know what’s coming next with the last billionaire story but after that it’s fair game and I have no idea!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional information about Carly Phillips you can find her at:
http://www.carlyphillips.com/
Upcoming and Recent Books by Carly Phillips
Dirty Sexy Sinner -Nov. 8th, 2016
Are you ready to get in bed with a SINNER?
After a lifetime of lies, deceit and betrayal, Jackson Stone isn't a man who trusts easily—with women being at the top of the list. Now he’s all about control in every aspect of his life. Especially between the sheets. Hot, mutual pleasure with a woman? No problem, as long as he’s in charge. But there’s something different about sexy bartender Tara Kent that he finds irresistible, in bed and out. Something that has him willing to compromise his principles and bend his rules. Let the sinning begin.
Going Down First -Oct. 11th, 2016
A stand-alone Billionaire Bad Boys novel.
Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.
Lucas Monroe dropped out of college only to become a multi-billionaire and tech world God. He can have any woman he desires in his bed, but the only woman he's ever wanted is off limits and always has been. When Maxie Sullivan finds herself in dire straights, the only man she can turn to is the one she’s always secretly loved: her childhood best friend.
Can they trust their hearts and make a future, or will their complicated pasts stand in the way?
This bad boy is going down fast …
And going down fast has never felt so right.
Going Down Easy -July 19th, 2016
Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.
Billionaire Kaden Barnes has a reputation for being difficult and always getting his way.
Enigmatic and exacting, he's unable to keep an assistant for long. Enter his newest hire, Lexie Parker. She's no-nonsense, efficient and all business… She’s also hot as sin and soon starring in Kaden's dirtiest fantasies.
As their passion for each other reaches a boiling point, neither can control theexplosive outcome when they finally give in to their desires. He may think he’s calling the shots, but for this bad boy, going down easy has never felt so good.
Dirty, Sexy Cuffed -June 21st 2016
ARE YOU READY TO GET CUFFED?
As a cop, Levi Kincaid is all about discipline and control . . .in the bedroom, and out of it, and he's always been very careful about choosing women who abide by his rules. Hot sex and intense pleasure? No problem. Emotional commitment and forever promises? No way. But he never anticipates falling for a blue eyed angel who makes him want to cuff her to his bed and do dirty, sexy things to her. And that control of his? It doesn't stand a chance against Sarah Robins, the one woman he can't resist . . .
Dare to Take -May 3rd, 2016
She was off limits ...
But he couldn't resist.
There are just some guys you don't touch--even someone as innocent and inexperienced as Ella Shaw knows that. But when her brother's best friend is up for grabs and willing, she can't resist. After all, she's wanted him for years...
On leave from the army, Tyler Dare was just looking for a little fun, but his best friend's sister is off limits. Yet unable to deny how sexy and alluring she is, he finds it all too easy to succumb to a night of passion and heat that ends the next morning in the worst way possible.
Now years later, Ella is stranded on a tropical island with a hurricane bearing down, and only Tyler can save her. It's his chance to make amends for the past and show the woman he's never forgotten that he's coming after her . . . in more ways than one.
Dirty, Sexy Inked -April 5th, 2016
Breaking hearts is what wild and rebellious Mason Kincaid does best. Hit it and quit it is his motto, and with his bad boy reputation and tattoos, he doesn't lack for female companionship. Until one hot night with the one woman he swore he'd never touch becomes an all consuming addiction he can't kick. Katrina Sands has been his best friend for years, but now that he knows what she feels like, and tastes like, there is no going back to being just friends. Hot, dirty sex has never felt so good...or so right.
Dirty Sexy, Saint -Jan 19th, 2016
New York Times bestselling authors Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde bring you a dirty, sexy, smoking hot SERIES featuring three bad boy brothers bonded by shocking secrets and their damaged past. Sinful, addicting, and unapologetically alpha, these men are every woman’s erotic daydream ... And your ultimate dirty fantasy.
Are you ready to get Dirty Sexy with a Saint?
Clay Kincaid knows he's more a sinner than a saint. Especially when it comes to women. With a rough and damaged past that has left him jaded, he doesn't do committed relationships. But he does like sex—the hotter and harder, the better. He likes it fast and filthy, which is why he refuses to even touch someone as sweet and guileless as Samantha Jamieson. Until he discovers that she likes it just as down and dirty as he does. Let the sinning begin
Dare to Seduce -Nov 19th, 2015
Alpha billionaire businessman, Max Savage has had a thing for Lucy Dare for as long as he can remember but he values his long standing friendship with her brothers too much to cross the line. When Lucy shows up at an engagement party on the arms of another man, Max doesn’t like the changes he sees in her and vows to make her his own.
It’s now or never. Max can think of one way to convince Lucy she’s with the wrong guy. He’ll dare to seduce her … no matter what the consequences.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JULIE CZERNEDA
Award-winning Fantasy and Science Fiction author Julie Czerneda is a biologist by education but thankfully turned her hand to writing. She is known for using her background in the sciences to create unique species and fascinating worlds that are a joy to read. As the author of several series including, the Clan Chronicles and Web Shifters as well as her Species Imperative trilogy, she continues to push the envelope by firing the imagination. Intrigue, danger, the science of possibilities, romance (Yes!) and underlying social commentary hallmark her epic novels.
But where does this prolific author find her ingenious ideas? And would she give us a peek and let us know what she has in store for her loyal readers?
I couldn't wait to find out!
1) As a Science Fiction and Fantasy author, do you feel writing is about possibilities? How do you feel your background gives you a unique perspective?
Julie Czerneda: To me, it’s more about storytelling. We’re all storytellers at heart. It’s how we communicate best with one another and how we make sense of our world, but only if the listener—the reader—is drawn into the story too. If they don’t come along, the story fails.
When I write from my imagination, whether science fiction or fantasy, I’m faced with that. Anything’s possible. That’s the easy part. The hard part is ensuring other people will come along with me. If my story has talking toads, how do I help a stranger believe in them? Can I convince a dweller on this world they’re in a starship, travelling through subspace with my characters?
Fortunately, readers of science fiction and fantasy will meet an author more than halfway They’re primed and ready for any possibility. It’s brilliant! Unfortunately, readers unaccustomed to our genres struggle, caught by unfamiliar details and missing the story.
That’s where relationships come into play. We get those. Doesn’t matter what else we like to read or watch, we’re wired to grasp and care about social situations. If I can engage a reader’s emotions through my characters and what they mean to one another, the rest is more likely to flow for them.
My background? Being a biologist is a big help when it comes to creating weird-but-true aliens, but it also gives me the stories I want to tell. Stories about the importance and wonder of living things, including us of course. That’s my perspective.
2) When you wake up each day, are you surprised that you are an award-winning author? How did you find yourself getting interested in and then seriously writing Science Fiction and Fantasy books? Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?
Julie Czerneda: ::laughs:: I can’t say I think about myself that way--especially in the morning--but thank you. Most kind. I do get those “pinch me” moments, but usually that’s when a reader writes to me about my work or when I’m invited to be a guest at some amazing event. Those are the times when I’m reminded it’s not just me and my little story, but my books and the people out there who have graciously picked them out to read. And love. When that happens, well, I do pinch myself.
I loved reading as a kid. Fantasy was there from the start—it’s kid-stuff, right? When I was ten, I discovered science fiction, and the love affair was on, big time. Tolkien got me back into fantasy when his books arrived in our high school. I adore both to this day. As for writing my own? My Mom gave me her old typewriter and suggested I “fix” a book with an ending I hadn’t enjoyed. I realized almost at once I could write the whole story! Didn’t look back.
My advice to aspiring authors? Do it. Writing is a worthy skill in its own right, as well as creative. If you want to be published, go after that too. The world needs your voice. Trust me, there isn’t a wall in your way, except the one we let doubt build for us.
Oh, and be patient. Publishing can seem to operate at two speeds: dead slow and frantic.
3) Where do you get your ideas for new worlds and cultures? Do you secretly wish you were an alien in disguise on our planet? If so, what powers would you have?!
Julie Czerneda: Everywhere. I collect facts about living things and science, the odder and more unexpected the better, and those end up in my world-building. Sometimes it’s a small thing. I read about shrimp and how they breathe, and that became a new form for my shapeshifter, Esen, complete with the sort of spacesuit she’d need in order to venture on dry land.
As for wishing I was an alien in disguise? Aren’t we all, in a way? Every so often I pause, struck by that feeling of being contained inside this skull, this shape, this place and person. We’re fundamentally isolated from one another, yet can connect with such depth and meaning—or not. Humans are remarkable. Still, I’ll play. If I were an alien on this planet, my special power would be: translation. I’d be able to understand and be understood by any person—or anything—I wished. While some conversations would be very brief, I’ve questions for trees. That could take a while.
4) This September, your latest Clan book, The Gate to Futures Past (Reunification #2) came out. Can you tell us more about it?
Julie Czerneda: My pleasure. GATE is the climax to the story I began with my first published novel, A Thousand Words for Stranger. That book introduced Sira di Sarc, the most powerful Chooser (not yet reproductive female) of the alien Clan, and Jason Morgan, Human, telepath, and captain of the Silver Fox. Sira’s species may look Human, but are not. The Clan have lived in secret among Humans and thought they could continue to do so. Unfortunately, Sira’s birth marked the beginning of what may be their end: females too powerful to mate. That’s the science “what if…?” underlying the series: what if an intelligent species willingly bred itself for some advantage in the next generation, only to find they’d doomed themselves.
That said, it’s space opera with aliens everywhere, starships, a Trade Pact of mostly peaceful mutual agreement, adventure, humour, and, oh yes, a love story.
Which didn’t answer my “what if…” so after several years of thought—and other books—I returned to Sira’s kind and wrote the prequel trilogy (Stratification) to show how the Clan came to be as they are and how they arrived in Human space. Last year, I began writing the concluding trilogy, Reunification. Book #1 of that, This Gulf of Time and Stars, knits the previous books together as we return to Sira and Morgan at a time of crisis for the present-day Clan. GATE? Is where I tackle my “what if…” by answering “who are the Clan” in the first place.
5) What inspired you to create the Clan? Can you tell us how your main characters came to mind? What makes Sira so special?
Julie Czerneda: The inspiration for the Clan was a minnow species I was researching, evolved with a reproductive strategy that changes the bodies of males during mating season, putting them at greater risk from predators. Clearly reproduction is worth it, but when wouldn’t it be? That got me thinking.
My main characters? Morgan is both heroic starship captain (because who doesn’t love those?) and a vulnerable person who has overcome a dark past. He’s the best of us: cares deeply, has his own firm moral centre, and, while he doesn’t interfere lightly, he’s the one who steps up to correct injustice. Nothing like the Clan upbringing Sira’s had, with politics and status determined by individual power and where the choosing of a mate no longer involves love. Morgan is her role model for a different type of relationship, one we learn in Stratification was normal for the Clan, but forgotten.
Aryl Sarc and her love, Enris Mendolar are the main characters of Stratification. She’s Sira’s great-grandmother and the first to meet a Human. They are whole, as the upcoming generations are not.
I should mention Barac, Sira’s cousin, before readers protest I haven’t. He started as the typical ordinary Clansman, there to show the consequences to those who aren’t as powerful. His story grew throughout, as did that of others. Huido, the giant lobster-esque being who is Morgan’s best friend and owner of the Claws and Jaws restaurant, is another who instantly caught the attention of readers—and keeps reappearing.
Sira herself? I couldn’t imagine who else to make my point of view character than the first female doomed by her own “gift.” Make no mistake, however. Sira is never a victim.
Sira and Morgan’s love for one another has been a pleasure to write, especially as it grew while they became partners in their lives as well.
6) How difficult is it to create new worlds and keep them all congruent? Do you ever find yourself wishing you hadn't made certain 'rules' later in the storyline?
Julie Czerneda: It’s tricky, that’s for sure. I’ve notebooks and lists. As for making rules etc. I may regret later? These days I’m careful to look ahead and not box myself in, but I hadn’t expected to be writing an entire nine book series about the Clan when I started. Words in print can’t be changed, so I dealt with all the twists and side bits while muttering under my breath. Could happen again, since I’m revisiting my Web Shifter series soon, but Esen’s plots weren’t…political?...as Sira’s, so I think I’ll be fine. Remind me I said that.
7) Which was the hardest book you had to write and why?
Julie Czerneda: The Gate to Futures Past. I knew it would be, which is why I took so long getting to it, but I’m pleased with the result.
Anyone who’s read the book will know why it was hard. I sobbed. Often. What helped was being utterly certain I was doing the right thing for the entire series and the characters.
If anyone doubted I’d bring the Clan Chronicles to an end, I imagine they’re convinced now.
8) As a woman, I enjoy reading about strong female leads. What do you think makes having a female main character so compelling?
Julie Czerneda: I don’t know. For me, it doesn’t matter who or what the main character is so long as they *are* compelling. I have to believe in them, and their being at the centre of that story, and find them interesting.
In my writing, the personality who’ll be that main character flows logically—or from my gut—during the process of asking my question, building my world, and forming the edges of the plot. I can’t go very far without that person in my head, so developing her/him/it is crucial.
Mackenzie Connor from Species Imperative is a case in point. I wanted a realistic research biologist working with fish—which was me, I suppose, though I’m not Mac--but also many of the people I’d studied with as well. I’d no interest or plan about a statement re: female scientists, I simply followed my gut and wrote her as real as I could.
I’ve male main characters. Aaron Pardell (In the Company of Others) lives apart from society, maintaining his humanity through a single lifelong friendship. That dynamic, “buds,” is something I treasure and wanted here. I could have written him as female, but this felt right.
Of course, there’s Esen (Beholder’s Eye etc.,) but she’s only a she because biologists talk like that about species without sexes.
9) Okay, I'm sure you know but....I love that you have romance in your books! Would you ever write a 'straightforward' romance novel? And if so, what genre would you find fun to write about?
Julie Czerneda: Thanks! I’m a big fan of warm and happy endings myself.
If by ‘straightforward’ you mean not Science fiction or Fantasy, no. I’ve too many such stories to tell—and contracted to write, which means I’d better get telling them—to envision branching out.
With romance in them, if that’s where the plot takes me.
In the future? I don’t know. I’m still pinching myself that I get to do this stuff.
10) Speaking of which, can you tell us about any future books your have in rolling around in your mind?!
Julie Czerneda: Glad to!
Up next will be the finale to the Clan Chronicles, Reunification #3, To Guard Against the Dark. That’s what I’m writing now and it’s scheduled for release October 2017, 20 years after Thousand. I won’t spoil Gate for readers, but suffice to say you’ll be seeing familiar faces again. And…Assemblers.
I’m going back to the Web Shifters and my beloved blob, Esen-alit-quar. This November, DAW Books will release gorgeous trade paperback editions of her first three books: Beholder’s Eye, Changing Vision, and Hidden in Sight. I’ll start Search Image, a new novel in that series shortly. WHooOO!
I’ve four other fantasy novels to come: three more in my Night’s Edge series and a standalone. Plus I’m doing research on a standalone science fiction that’ll be a future project. (Ideas are never the problem.)
There’s some shorter work underway as well, but as you can see, I’ve a good amount on my writerly plate. All fun!
Wow, I can’t wait! This has been such a honor! Thanks you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Julie Czerneda: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.
For Additional information you can check Julie Czerneda out at:
http://www.czerneda.com/
Recent and Upcoming Books by Julie Czerneda:
This Gulf of Time and Stars: Reunification #1 Sep 6, 2016
This Gulf of Time and Stars begins the hard sci-fi Reunification series, perfect for space opera readers looking for unique aliens and interstellar civilizations.
Sira di Sarc, the leader of an alien race hiding in plain sight among humans, must find a way to take her Clan home, in this trilogy within the award-winning Clan Chronicles series.
To save their world, the most powerful of the Om’ray left their homes. They left behind all memory of their past. Calling themselves the Clan, they settled among Humanity, hiding in plain sight, using their ability to slip past normal space to travel where they wished, using their ability to control minds to ensure their place and security.
They are no longer hidden.
For the Clan face a crisis. Their reproduction is tied to individual power, and their latest generation of females, Choosers, are too strong to safely mate. Their attempt to force others to help failed until Sira di Sarc, their leader and the most powerful of their kind, successfully Joined with a human, Jason Morgan, starship captain and telepath. With Morgan, Sira forged the first peace between her kind and the Trade Pact.
But it is a peace about to shatter. Those the Clan have controlled all these years will rise against them. Her people dying around her, war about to consume the Trade Pact, Sira will be left with only one choice. She must find the way back. And take the Clan home.
The Gate To Futures Past: Reunification #2 Sep 6, 2016
Second novel in the hard sci-fi Reunification series, The Gate to Futures Past continues the Clan Chronicles, perfect for space opera readers looking for unique aliens and interstellar civilizations.
Betrayed and attacked, the Clan fled the Trade Pact for Cersi, believing that world their long-lost home. With them went a lone alien, the Human named Jason Morgan, Chosen of their leader, Sira di Sarc. Tragically, their arrival upset the Balance between Cersi’s three sentient species. And so the Clan, with their newfound kin, must flee again.
Their starship, powered by the M’hir, follows a course set long ago, for Clan abilities came from an experiment their ancestors—the Hoveny—conducted on themselves. But it’s a perilous journey. The Clan must endure more than cramped conditions and inner turmoil.
Their dead are Calling.
Sira must keep her people from answering, for if they do, they die. Morgan searches the ship for answers, afraid the Hoveny’s tech is beyond his grasp. Their only hope? To reach their destination.
Little do Sira and Morgan realize their destination holds the gravest threat of all....
No Place Like Home Feb 1, 2016 Reprint ebook
The alien Umlari sent out a thousand starships in search of resources and to find, if they can, their long-lost home world. Walkers like Drewe are trained to use a custom-grown body to explore each new world. If she and her crechemates find the one where the Umlari first evolved, it will be the greatest discovery of their time. Or will it? For a terrible secret binds their lives together, and learning the truth may mean the end of all.
A Turn of Light: Night's Edge: Book One Mar 4, 2014
The pastoral valley of Marrowdell is home to a small pioneer settlement of refugees, lush fields of grain, enigmatic house toads—and Jenn Nalynn, the miller's daughter. Life here is full of laughter and peace, as well as hard work, and no one bothers overmuch about the outside world.
Except Jenn Nalynn.
Jenn longs to travel, to seek what's missing in her life. Not that she's sure what that is, but since this summer began, she's felt a strange and powerful yearning. She's certain she'll find what she needs, if only she can leave the valley.
But she must not.
Jenn is turn-born and cursed, born by the light of two worlds and bound to both. For the valley is more than it seems. Long ago, a cataclysm of misused power pinned Marrowdell to the Verge, a place of wild magic, home to dragons and even stranger creatures. Should Jenn step beyond Marrowdell, she will pull the worlds asunder.
To prevent this, powers from the Verge have sent a guard to watch over her, a disgraced dragon Jenn knows as Wisp, her invisible playmate. Wisp's duty is to keep Jenn in Marrowdell.
By love, if he can. By her death, if he must.
But time is running out. What Jenn unknowingly feels is the rise of the Verge's magic within her, a magic that will threaten her and those she loves. Worse, this summer will end with a Great Turn, and strangers seeking power at any cost have come to Marrowdell to try to force an opening into the Verge, to the ruin of all.
A Play of Shadow: Night's Edge: Book Two Nov 3, 2015
In A Turn of Light, veteran science fiction writer Julie E. Czerneda’s first venture into fantasy, she introduced readers to Marrowdell, a pastoral valley that is home to a small pioneer settlement of refugees, lush fields of grain, enigmatic house toads—and Jenn Nalynn, the miller’s daughter. Jenn Nalynn—turn-born.
Though Jenn has always dreamed of venturing beyond this sheltered valley when she came of age, she is soon faced with the grim reality that for her, setting foot beyond Marrowdell’s borders in the normal way is impossible.
Then Bannan Larmensu—the truthseer who won Jenn’s heart—learns that his brother-in-law has disappeared in Channen, the capital of the mysterious domain of Mellynne. And when Bannan’s young nephews arrive in Marrowdell in the midst of a devastating storm, he fears that his sister has gone in search of her husband, leaving her sons in his care.
The law forbids the exiled Bannan from leaving Marrowdell and traveling to Mellynne to help his sister. At least, in this world. But as a turn-born, Jenn has the power to cross into the magical realm of the Verge—and take Bannan with her. Once there, they could find a way into Mellynne, if they survive.
The Verge is wild and deadly, alive with strange magic. Dragons roar and kruar wait in ambush, and not all the powerful turn-born who tend their world care for Jenn Nalynn. But Jenn is willing to try. Their friends Wisp and Scourge—and the house toads—offer their help.
But what none of them know is that Channen is rife with magic that flows from the Verge itself. And not even a turn-born will be safe there.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SHILOH WALKER
National best-selling author, Shiloh Walker has had a love affair with the written word since she was six years old! Destined to be a writer, she specializes in romance and urban fantasy novels. I first encountered her writing when I read her books from the erotic Ellora's Cave publishing company. I've followed her writing from her popular paranormal Hunter's series to the present.
This year she has multiple new romances out. Her latest series, the McKays, is set in Missisipppi where romance and mystery make for a scorching blend of sheer blissful reading! But she also writes under the pen name, J C Daniels, where she writes her popular Kit Colbana fantasy novels. But what's next?
With so many books coming out how does she have time for a life outside of work?!
1) I can't believe you have so many books coming out this year. How do you find the time to write? Will there be any room for 2017 books?!
Shiloh Walker:
I'm still trying to figure out the timing thing myself! Right now, I'm not sure what's coming up in 2017, although I plan to reissue more of my backlist titles for sure.
2) I first read your books when I ran out of paranormal books to read and stumbled upon your erotic novels with Ellora Cave Publishing. Did you know you were going to be such a popular and prolific writer?
Shiloh Walker:
I don't know how popular I am, but as far as prolific? Well, I've got a short attention span and a lot of things hold my interest. So I follow my interests when it comes to writing as well.
3) I noticed you still write erotic novels but now seems to be shifting to romantic suspense and urban fantasy as your main focus. Will stop writing erotic romance or do you have more planned for your fans?
Shiloh Walker:
I've mostly shifted away from straight erotic romance. My books in general contain steamy situations but my interest has gravitated toward other areas besides just straight erotic romance.
4) Is there a great deal of difference writing in different genres? If you could pick one which would be your favorite to write about and why? Which is your favorite to read?!
Shiloh Walker:
For me, telling a story is telling a story. Every genre is different, of course, but if I didn't enjoy a genre, I just wouldn't write it. I don't think I could pick one genre either. That would be like picking only one author or one specific genre for the rest of my life.
5) My personal favorite are your futuristic novels! I loved your Veil series and have multiple copies. Will you be writing any new futuristic romances any time soon?!
Shiloh Walker:
I don't have any plans to right now. It doesn't mean I won't, but I don't have any ideas burning at the moment.
6) This year you have several McKays books being published. What was your inspiration for the McKay family series?
Shiloh Walker:
There wasn't an inspiration for the family in particular I just wanted to a series based around the river, specifically something that had to do with river pirates and a treasure.
7) Is McKay's Ferry a real place in Mississippi or is it based on a place you have visited before?
Shiloh Walker:
No...it's totally made up.
8) I didn't know about your J C Daniels novels until I saw it featured on your website. Can you tell us more about the heroine Kit Colbana?
Shiloh Walker:
In short... Kit is a smart-assed swordswoman who sometimes bites off more than she can chew. I love her.
9) Is it difficult to come up with ideas in your fantasy world and translate them into your books? Do you consult with other authors when writing your books?
Shiloh Walker:
Not really. If an idea isn't there, then that just means it's not time to write the book yet. I'm not sure what you mean by consult. I have a few friends I might bounce ideas or brainstorm with, but that set of friends is very, very small.
10) What new books do you have planned for 2017? Can you please tell us about them or will you be taking a short break?!
Shiloh Walker:
I'm too busy trying to finish projects to figure out what I'm doing next year!
Well, I have to say this has been a fabulous experience for me! Your creativity and versatile writing have really 'Wowed' me. I'm so happy you found the time to be interviewed by me.
Shiloh Walker:
Thanks for having me!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about Shiloh Walker you can find her at:
http://www.shilohwalker.com/website/
Recent and Upcoming books by Shiloh Walker:
The Right Kind of Trouble (McKays Series) Aug 2nd, 2016
Desire won’t take no for an answer in The Right Kind of Trouble by Shiloh Walker
In the small Southern town of McKay’s Treasure, everybody knows that the handsome local police chief, Gideon Marshall, has been carrying a torch for Moira McKay. It’s also no secret that Moira has been rejecting Gideon since…forever. But after an attack from a mysterious stranger bent on taking down the McKay family, Moira becomes filled with distrust toward most men. Now she wonders whether she’s been wrong about Gideon all along—and if it’s not too late to admit him back into her life…and into her bed...
Gideon has finally convinced his wasted heart to give up on Moira, who he’s loved since he was sixteen years old. Moira’s attack changes everything, however—and he vows to protect her. But how much is he willing to risk for a woman who’s always kept him at bay…until now? And is it too late for Moira to tell him that her love for him has always been locked deep in her heart—and he holds the key?
Ruined (A Barnes Brothers novel) - July 19th, 2016As one of the Barnes brothers, Sebastien has always felt blessed. Not only does he have an amazing family, but he’s become a Hollywood golden boy who has everything he’s ever wanted—with one exception. He’s had a thing for Marin since he was a kid, but when he finally summons the courage to ask her out, she turns him down. Marin is ready to settle down, she wants commitment and stability, and Sebastien is still too much of a playboy, caught up in the wild life of the spotlight.
Still reeling from the rejection, Sebastien’s luck runs out later that night when he saves a girl from an assault. The shining knight role fits him just fine, but his armor—and his perfect life—become tarnished when the near-deadly attack lands him in the hospital. Physically scarred, he gives up acting and retreats from everybody.
If anyone can pull Sebastien back from the abyss, it’s Marin. But first she has to convince him that beauty is not only skin deep...
Never As It Seems June 13th, 2016
When a woman shares her deepest secret with the man she loves, the last thing she wants is for him to laugh at her. Or worse…not believe her. But that was what happened three years ago when Chloe Perkins confided in Leo Brant.
I’m psychic.
The words were like a bombshell, one that had a cataclysmic effect on their relationship. Leo’s world was black and white and he didn’t believe in any of that. Walking away from Chloe all but killed him, but the lies she told him would have destroyed them anyway.
Now she’s back in his life, all but thrown into his arms.
He’s got a new job and it’s all centered around Chloe.
Keep her safe. That’s it. He isn’t supposed to want her, love her, need her…and yet here she is, back in his life once more and all he can do is want her, love her, need her.
With danger breathing down her neck, he’s going to have his hands full and he needs to be smart and stay away. But his black and white world is suddenly getting rather gray and he can’t seem to tell up from down, right from wrong, truth from lie…
The Trouble with Temptation (McKays Series)- May 3rd, 2016
Love is the greatest risk of all.
After seven days in a coma, Hannah Parker remembers nothing about the accident that landed her in the hospital―or how she ended up pregnant with Brannon’s baby, the man she’s loved since high school. Her body and heart have burned for him for years, and when she wakes up, he’s sleeping by her bedside, anxious to keep her safe at all costs. But as Hannah struggles with her amnesia, a threat looms closer―one that could have deadly consequences if she recovers her memories. She will have to trust Brannon completely if she is to keep what haunts her at bay…and their baby safe….
Brannon McKay spent the last ten years fantasizing about Hannah. In his mind, he’s explored every passionate scenario he can think of while, in real life, Brannon took their budding relationship and threw it away with both hands. Hannah doesn’t remember what happened but now that she is awake, Brannon would rather die than watch her walk away again. When Hannah and his unborn child’s lives are threatened, Brannon must stake claim to the woman who has held his heart captive for years…or risk disaster tearing them apart…
Her Best Friend's Lover – April 15th, 2016
Dale Stoner loved women, and women seemed to love him right back. He danced around the line that led to seriousness, but any time one woman got too close, he two-stepped back, quick and pretty as you please. He’s fallen in love before and he doesn’t want to go that route again. No woman was ever going to get close to him again.
The only exception is his best friend, Lauren. She’s the only one who really matters. But she’s his friend…and guys don’t sleep with their best friends, do they?
Lauren wasn’t the kind of woman to believe in love at first sight, but then she met Dale. He’s everything she shouldn’t want—a flirt, a woman chaser…and he’s also in love with somebody else.
But one hot, steamy night changes everything…
Guilty Needs -March 28th, 2016
I know you love him…
Not the words you want to hear from your best friend. Especially when the him she is talking about is the man she’s married to. But when Alyssa Hutchins said those words, Bree realized her best friend knew the one secret she’d hoped to keep hidden for always.
Just before she died, Alyssa asked Bree to promise her something, but it’s a promise that Bree isn’t sure she can keep.
Colby Hutchins left town the day he buried his wife, but he couldn’t outrun the pain of losing her…nor could he outrun the guilt. The very night he buried his wife, he’d almost done the unthinkable. All Bree had done was offer comfort, but he had wanted more. Still wants more.
Chased by guilty needs and taunted by dreams where Bree offers so much more than comfort, he returns home to close the book on the life that ended with his wife’s death. But he comes face to face with Bree and it sets everything inside him to burning all over him.
These two battered souls long to be together, but something unspoken lingers between them…
Headed for Trouble (McKays Series) Dec. 29th, 2016
SHE'S A SMALL-TOWN GIRL WITH BIG DREAMS.
Nine years ago, Neve McKay fled her small Southern town and disapproving family to seek a career in the big city. Now she's finally coming home-and hoping for a fresh start. But the relationship that shattered her world still haunts her. And even among her nearest and dearest, she doesn't feel safe. . .
CAN THIS BAD BOY BE THE ANSWER TO HER PRAYERS?
Ian Campbell is a pure Scottish muscle-as hard and handsome as they come. But when Neve walks into his bar, his heart melts. . .and he vows to have this gorgeous and somewhat vulnerable woman in his life-for better or for worse. What is Neve's tragic secret? And how can Neve expect Ian to protect her, when doing so could put his own life at risk? The only thing Ian knows for sure is that he will do whatever it takes to keep her out of harm's way and in his loving arms. ..
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH DIANNA LOVE
New York Times best-selling author, Dianna Love, first blasted on the romance scene when Harlequin published her first book titled WORTH EVERY RISK, which went on to win a RITA® award. She later was invited to collaborate on a romantic suspense and urban fantasy series with Sherrilyn Kenyon. Now a famous author herself, Dianna has carved her own unique and sexy romances in Urban Fantasy (Beladors) and contemporary suspense (Slye Temp). Not one to stay in one genre she has also explored Young Adult novels (Red Moon Trilogy). This intense writer is unstoppable and as a fan of her romantic thriller novels and paranormal books, I could not wait to find out what else she has in store for her devoted followers!
1) How did you get the writing bug? What makes romance so special to you?
Dianna Love:
I was a voracious reader, but it wasn’t until someone handed me a romance in a stack of books (I used to exchange books with another reader) that I fell in love with romantic fiction. I used to spend long hours alone high up in the air painting large murals for companies, and entertained myself by creating stories in my mind. When I stopped climbing and spent my first year working inside more, I began jotting down an idea for a story and it ended up being the first book I sold.
2) I know you are great friends with Sherrilyn Kenyon. How difficult or easy is it to collaborate on a story? Will you collaborate together again? I particularly loved your BAD series. Will there ever be more books in that series?!
Dianna Love:
Collaborating is an interesting venture no matter how many times you do it. Sherri and I worked differently than I did with Mary Buckham when Mary and I created the Red Moon Trilogy young adult series we wrote as Micah Caida. It’s actually more work to collaborate than it is to write alone. You have to be willing to stretch and trust when you work with another person on creating anything. I’ve spent my entire life creating, and have collaborated often in different ways. Sherri has so much going on with her movie and television deals on her Dark-Hunter® series (yay!!!) that we finally realized it would be better for me to continue writing the Belador urban fantasy since I had created that series a few years before meeting her. There is a possibility that Mary and I will do another young adult story, but I have no idea when. We’re both so busy with our individual books. As for BAD agency, I’m sorry to say I don’t think there are any plans to continue it, so to get my personal writing fix (lol), I developed a romantic thriller series called Slye Temp and just released the seventh book in that series – FATAL PROMISE. I’ve heard from a lot of former BAD Agency fans who are really enjoying the Slye Temp series and that warms my heart.
3) I also enjoy your Belador series! How did you conceive of the mythology of this series?
Dianna Love:
I think most stories start with ‘what if,’ and this one was no different. I kept reading different mythological series that were built around one pantheon, such as the Greek one, and how the gods/goddesses were at the top of the food chain. But what about Hindu, Celtic, Castilian, Egyptian and so on? What would happen if a Celtic goddess had a conflict with a Hindu god? Who would win or how would they resolve their issues? From that grew the idea of VIPER, which is a coalition of powerful beings and their followers who protect the world from supernatural predators. The series is set in Atlanta and it’s a closed world (humans don’t know preternatural beings exist). The series focuses on one woman to begin with – Evalle Kincaid – but she has two male best friends who are like big brothers to her (I did not want those three to be a love triangle). So as the world building develops and more characters come on stage, we see not only her character arc and love life, but that of those two men and secondary characters. As an urban fantasy, each book has the same characters and it’s not a paranormal romance, but it’s filled with romance because I love that genre. Evalle’s romantic arc with Storm, a mysterious Skinwalker, has been wonderful to write as that relationship unfolded. Quinn and Tzader, her two best friends, have their own female complications and all this happens in the midst of action-filled stories. I like a big playground when I write.
4) All your heroines are tough ladies, was Evalle based on anyone? How many books do you plan to write in the series?
Dianna Love:
Thank you. I love to write Alpha males and I believe you must have a female who is capable of standing toe-to-toe with her mate. Evalle is a very special heroine for me. I kept seeing (in my mind) her world as she grew up and thought she had to have her story. She was born with bright green eyes and a deadly reaction to the sun, plus her mother died in childbirth. Her father dumped her on an aunt who raised Evalle in her basement just to get the money he gave. Evalle was sexually abused in that basement by the only man she’d ever met. When a druid appeared on her eighteenth birthday, she agreed to be a Belador warrior with no idea what to expect. By the time Storm meets her, she’s never even dated, so he’s got his work cut out for him and on top of that, he has no intention of getting involved with a woman when she could die just from being around him.
5) You also have another Urban Fantasy series featuring a young heroine named Rayen in your Red Moon Trilogy. Do you feel writing a YA book you have to 'tone' your writing down? Can you tell us about this series?
Dianna Love:
Rayen is another female whose story kept prodding me. Mary Buckham and I get together on occasion to brainstorm our individual stories. During one of those meetings, I told her about a weird idea I had and we immediately started going, “Oh, this could happen and that could happen…” When we paused, I said I didn’t see how this would work as an adult story. She didn’t either. It’s one of the most unusual young adult stories out there.
We didn’t tone our writing down from our standard edgy and intense pacing, but we would not put sex in a book that would target high school teens. We both believe that if a story is strong, it should be able to stand on being a high fantasy type adventure, like Harry Potter and Hunger Games.
What’s been fascinating is that we not only have a large older-teen reader base, but we have both genders from age 11 to over 60 reading this trilogy. Rayen wakes up tumbling on the ground in a desert. She sort of recognizes it, but has never heard of Albuquerque and is chased by a sentient beast. She has no idea who she is, where she came from or why she’s there. The only reason she knows her name and that she’s seventeen is because a cranky old ghost who looks like an old medicine man tells her that. When she ends up dropped at an unusual private high school, she accidentally opens a portal where she and two friends fight to save the current day world, and the future, from an apocalypse.
6) What compelled you to write a YA series? Do you have plans to write more YA books?!
Dianna Love:
I really had no plans to write YA at all. I don’t have children (I have godchildren, nieces and nephews), but I was an avid YA reader. So just like how romance inspired an idea, I believe reading all those YA books played a part in generating the seed idea for Red Moon Trilogy.
We had a wonderful time writing the series, and that does make me (and Mary) want to write another YA. In addition to that, it’s the feedback we’ve gotten. I’m always touched and flattered by the emails and letters I get from adults telling me how my adult books have impacted their lives (getting through a loss or a tough time), but now we hear from parents about how their reluctant child/teen reader read TIME TRAP (book 1) and gobbled up the other two books immediately.
I love when an adult asks if this book is “safe” for a child of X age and being able to say absolutely, yes, and it’s action packed, plus there’s a strong romantic thread. I think we must all encourage children to read and I am thrilled to have a small part in that.
7) In your Slye Temp agency series you have some very sexy alpha heroes! How many books do you have planned for this contemporary suspense series?
Dianna Love:
I’m glad you asked. FATAL PROMISE (book 6) was just released and it wraps up the Slye Temp series arc. I love that series, but I feel that we need to end a series when the time comes. The good news is that I introduced a group of black ops agents called HAMR Brotherhood in KISS THE ENEMY (book 3) and they’ll be in a spinoff romantic suspense series I’m developing. This means that characters from Slye Temp who did not get their HEA yet, very likely will get their stories in the new series. I love romantic suspense and would miss it, so unless something changes, I have no plans to stop writing them.
8) Is there a big difference between writing urban fantasy/paranormal versus romantic suspense? Is it more difficult to write fantasy or contemporary romance for you and why?
Dianna Love:
Both genres have their challenges. With Slye Temp, I built a big romantic thriller world with an over-arcing villain story in the background, which is why that series had to have an end point where everything got tied up. Writing that requires a lot of research to be sure something as simple as a setting will work for what I have in mind. Due to how complex my world building was for seven books (six series novels plus a prequel), it’s a lot to juggle and keep straight. Thankfully I have great reading support from the first read to the multiple beta reads later on. My assistant, Cassondra Murray, does a wonderful job of helping me catch inconsistencies so that a character doesn’t look different from one book to the next or sometimes I think something is on the page because I’ve seen it in mind so much, but it isn’t.
Writing urban fantasy and paranormal is a great change of brain direction for me. I like to alternate genres for that reason. I love the fantasy world and I enjoy taking mythology and spinning it. I enjoy putting characters in the worst situation then figuring out how to solve the problem with them. I don’t think urban fantasy/paranormal is easier or more difficult, just different because I pull out all the stops with every book no matter the genre. When I finish any story, I feel like I’ve been in a battle for months. Like right now, I’m writing on DRAGON KING OF TREOIR (Belador book 8) and it’s the start of a new arc in the series, which means it’s as difficult as writing a first chapter or a first book in a series, but so exciting because of all the things I know will be happening down the road.
9) I discovered that you also co wrote a thriller with another author. Will you do more Riley Walker books in the future?
Dianna Love:
I just adore Wes Sarginson who convinced me to collaborate on that with him, but Wes is retired and it’s tough to put salt on his tail long enough to finish the next book. We brainstormed book 2 almost two years ago. He was an NBC anchor when I met him and he’s full of energy, but he had never written before so I have to sometimes say, “No, we can’t have that scene just because it was fun to write.” lol I have readers waiting on book 2 so I hope we get it done at some point but I have no idea when. See? Didn’t I tell you that collaborating was harder than doing it by yourself?
10) I noticed that you have a contest on your website for book clubs! :) Can you tell about it and how you got it started?
Dianna Love:
I think you’re talking about my Quaantum Book Club program, which we put on hold when ebooks became so prevalent. I’m currently working on a new book club program and hope to have something in place by the beginning of 2017. I started Quaantum to connect book clubs with authors and it was really wonderful, but when fewer and fewer authors had print books to give away, it was harder to expand our author base for the readers. That’s okay, though, because I’m a big believer in adapting to change. I want a book club program that includes author interaction with the readers, so I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s ready. I have a brand new website launching in a month and will try to have something about it up on that.
Whew! Those were a lot of questions. Thanks so much for giving me this fabulous opportunity to interview you :)
Dianna Love:
Thank you for inviting me, Steph, and for reading my books. I’m looking forward to chatting with your fans and welcome any questions from them. Here’s a question from me – I’m seeing a lot of shorter books being released. How do you feel about a series of stories the length of a novella
(150-200 pages)?
That is a great question Dianna! Now people are always in a rush. It seems that shorter books can fit that lifestyle. Often I personally like to read a short story to relax before bed. Shorter stories are a quick fix that are very satisfying. I have found very good writers can still build deep characterization and strong emotions into short stories. That being said, if I have the leisure time I really do enjoy immersing myself in a big book and savoring the romance. So I think I depends on how I feel and how much time I have free. And I find that I have less free time as I have more responsibilities!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about Dianna Love you and find her at:
http://www.authordiannalove.com/
http://www.authordiannalove.com/keeper-kase -more fun stuff for readers
*READERS: If you haven’t tried any of Dianna's books, you can download Nowhere Safe (Slye Temp romantic thriller Book 1) and Time Trap (Red Moon young adult book 1) for free right now!
Recent and Upcoming books by Dianna Love:
Fatal Promise (Slye Temp Book 6) – June 28th, 2016
The last person Sabrina Slye wants on this mission is Gage Laughton, the one man capable of distracting her when a lack of attention will get them both killed. A rogue CIA assassin has eluded Sabrina for two years after her team was traded for his life during a blown op. She turned her back on everyone in the agency. Who wouldn't after that betrayal? A lead that sets her on thekiller's trail exposes the tip of a deadly international threat. Everyone in her world is at risk, including Gage, her one-time CIA handler ... and former lover. Gage has waged war on Sabrina's emotional walls from the moment she surfaced again, determined to have her back in his arms. As one of the deadliest operatives alive, Sabrina bends to no one's will, not even when Gageis trying to keep her alive. That won't happen unless they can stop a megalomaniac from starting a third world war. The survival of her Slye agents and the future of the world depend upon Gage convincing Sabrina to trust him again with all that she protects, including her heart.
Rogue Belador (Belador Book 7)- Feb. 19th 2016
Immortals fear little … except a secret in the wrong hands.
While searching for a way to save Brina of Treoir’s failing memories, Tzader Burke discovers someone who can help her if Tzader is willing to sneak into the heart of his enemy’s stronghold—TÅμr Medb. He’ll do anything to protect the woman he loves from becoming a mindless empty shell, but his decision could be the catalyst for an apocalyptic war. The deeper he digs for the truth, the more lies he uncovers that shake the very foundation of being a Belador and the future of his clan.
Tzader’s ready to execute his mission. Alone. But the minute his best friends Quinn and Evalle, plus her Skinwalker mate Storm, find out about his suicidal plan they organize a black ops team around him. While battling on every front, one secret surfaces that two immortal powers have spent thousands of years keeping buried. Tzader and his team have no choice but to fight for what they believe in, because the world as they know it is never going to be the same again.
Tristan's Escape (Belador) a Novella – Oct 26th, 2016
Saving her may destroy his world, but once he has Mac back in his arms, no one else is going to touch her.
Holidays rate just above Tristan having his fingernails ripped off. He was a fool once over a woman, a human no less, and that little moment of insanity got him imprisoned for four long years. He's never had someone special to share holidays with and doubts he ever will, but December does matter to the other half-blood-Belador Alterants stuck alongside him on Treoir Island. To help his friends, Tristan has been secretly teleporting them to Atlanta for short visits. Sure, the Belador goddess warned him not to teleport in and out of Treoir's hidden realm without her permission, but she ranks below holidays for Tristan. Screw her. His secret trips are going great until Elaine "Mac" Mackenzie, the five-foot-six, red-haired genius Tristan vowed to pay back for the four years he lost, steps between Tristan and a powerful sorcerer with a deadly agenda. If Tristan exposes his preternatural abilities in the human world, he'll forfeit his freedom forever.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KAT MARTIN
Kat Martin is a New York Times best-selling author and universal fan favorite. Her darkly sensual historical and contemporary heroes make her romances hot, Hot, HOT! With so many books coming out, where does she find the inspiration and time to write? Her current focus has been on her thrilling suspense novels in her BOSS Inc. series. This series focuses on the men of Brodie Operations Security Service. How they catch the bad guy and keep their women satisfied. Oh, yeah!
I couldn't wait to ask her how many more books she intends to write. Plus quiz her about her newest, Into the Whirlwind, which is due to com out this May!
1) What drives your love for writing romance?
Kat Martin:
I’ve always been a romantic person. I love reading any sort of romantic story. I love the challenge of finding two people exactly right for each other.
2) You started writing historical romances and moved to contemporary romantic suspense. What attracts you to writing contemporary suspense in particular? Is it hard to constantly think of new villains an mysteries?
Kat Martin:
I love romance, but I also love high action novels and movies and solving puzzles. After writing forty Historicals, I was ready for a change. Put action, intrigue and romance together and you have a romantic suspense. It just seemed a natural fit.
3) How did you come up with your heroes the Brodies? Did you base them on men you have known?
Kat Martin:
I live in Montana. I am around men constantly and very few women. Last week we went hunting---not me! But I went along with a big group of men. After so many years, I’m actually more comfortable with males than females most of the time. Though I didn’t base the Brodies on real guys, I kind of know how they think. I usually start with a hero and find the right woman for him.
4) I noticed that your series seem to tie up in a trilogy. Will you only have three BOSS novels or will there be a spin of?!
Kat Martin:
I was hoping to do more BOSS, Inc, but I had an idea for a Texas trilogy and my publisher wanted me to do it. So after BOSS, Inc. I’m in Texas for three books then I may return to Seattle or go back to Alaska for three.
5) Can you tell us how you conceived of the idea for the BOSS series?
Kat Martin:
I never know where my ideas come from, at least not the original kernel of the idea. I spend hours fleshing them out, but the little niggle just somehow gets into my head. So I sent Nick Brodie to Seattle to work with his cousin Ian at BOSS Inc. It was just natural that Ethan and Luke had to have stories. Dirk Reynolds was a bonus. INTO THE WHIRLWIND, book #2 of the trilogy, turned out to be one of my favorites.
6) In your popular Brodies of Alaska series you wrote about tough and sexy brothers. Do you think you will do a series about strong sisters in the Brodie clan?
Kat Martin:
As I said, I prefer starting with men. Once I know the male character, I can find the woman who fits him and also helps tell the story I am trying to tell.
7) Into the Whirlwind is sure to be one thrilling novel. Can you tell us about Dirk, the hero, Into the Whirlwind?
Kat Martin:
I love Dirk Reynolds. He is just so tough and at the same time so sweet. Not usual for an alpha hero. Dirk wasn’t supposed to get his own book but at the end of INTO THE FURY, he and Meg break up and they were both so broken hearted I just had to fix things for them! I had to give them a happy ending. So Dirk got his own book and it’s one of my personal favs.
8) I really like that your heroine Meg O'Brien is a mother who has a son. Wasn't she was featured in an earlier book in the series? Did you always plan for her to have her own story?
Kat Martin: .
She was Valentine Hart’s best friend in INTO THE FURY. She and Dirk had a very brief affaire, but Meg believed she had to end it because she didn’t believe Dirk--a guy with a sexy tattoo who rides a Harley, could be a father to her 3 year old son. I’m happy to say she finds out in INTO THE WHIRLWIND that she has underestimated Dirk.
9) I know you love to travel. You wrote the Brodies of Alaska and based your heroes in that dramatic state. Will you do another series set in another place you love? What place would you enjoy writing about?
Kat Martin:
Texas is a place that has a certain mystique. That’s where I’m heading after BOSS, Inc. The hero of my first book, BEYOND REASON, is multi-millionaire, Lincoln Cain, six-foot five inches, two hundred twenty pounds of gorgeous male. Carly Drake, who has inherited her grandfather’s trucking company, a woman determined to make it in a man’s world, is Cain’s nemesis. It’s a high action, romantic thriller I’m hoping readers will enjoy.
10) What exciting books do you have in the works? Can you tell us about them? Please?!
Kat Martin:
Since I told you about BEYOND REASON, I’ll tell you about my next BOSS Inc novel, INTO THE FIRESTORM. This is Luke Brodie’s story--one of my all-time favorite heroes and one of my all-time favorite books! Luke is a bounty hunter. He’ll collect a huge reward if he brings in international criminal, Rudy Vance.
But Emma Sullivan is also hunting Vance. It’s been a year since she found her housekeeper dead and her young niece the victim of Vance’s sick assault. Emma is determined to find Vance and no one--not even the infamous blue-eyed, super sexy Luke Brodie is going to stop her..
I really want to thank you so much for honoring us in this interview. It is always pleasure having such a fan favorite here!
Kat Martin:
Thanks so much for having me, Steph. Hope you have a wonderful summer and that readers will look for INTO THE WHIRLWIND and INTO THE FIRESTORM. Love ya, Kat
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Kat Martin check her out at:
http://www.katmartin.com/
and check out her contest at:
http://www.katmartin.com/contests/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Kat Martin:
Into The Whirlwind -May 31st, 2016 A bodyguard, a bounty hunter, a private investigator, no one can handle the heat like the men of BOSS, Inc. Megan O'Brien is at her wit's end. Her three-year-old son has been kidnapped. No police, says the ransom demand. Fearing for her son's life, Meg has no choice but to turn to her former bodyguard, Dirk Reynolds.
Dirk's never forgiven Meg for the way she left him after their brief affair. But with bounty hunter Luke Brodie on his side, Dirk knows he's got to help Meg rescue her son.
The few clues they've gathered send them spiraling into a murky world of high-stakes gambling and international crime. Meg may be way out of her depths, but she's seeing a side of Dirk she never suspected–one no woman could possibly resist.
Into The Fury -Jan 26th, 2016
A bodyguard, a bounty hunter, a P.I.—the men of Brodie Operations Security Service, In. are down for the job…
Sinners, whores, and sluts beware—your time is at hand: a faceless menace is threatening lingerie models on a cross country tour, and Ethan Brodie is there to defend and protect.
Ethan’s learned the hard way that beauty is no substitute for character. So even though Valentine Hart is one of the most breathtaking women he’s ever seen, he’s keeping his hands off and his eyes open. Or that’s what he tells himself.
Then one of the models is murdered, and the closer Ethan gets to the answers, the closer he finds himself to Valentine—and the hotter the pressure feels. There’s more to Val—more to the other girls—than he could have guessed. But one is keeping a secret that could kill them all.
Against the Tide - May 27th, 2015
Secrets—and safety—melt under a midnight sun…
Liv Chandler is running for her life, and the cops haven’t been able to do a thing to help. But there’s one man who makes her feel safe, no matter what…rugged charter boat captain Rafe Brodie.
To Rafe, Liv is a beautiful mystery, one he can’t ignore. He means to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck is on his side, maybe the spark between them will ignite.
But Liv’s past is more dangerous than Rafe could guess, and when his first mate turns up dead, she fears that she’s next. That there’s something else coming she can’t see. That even Rafe and the remote village of Valdez, Alaska can’t protect her forever…
Against the Sky -Jan. 27th. 2015
ALASKA
In America's last wilderness there are no limits to what a man can do.
For detective Nick Brodie, that means keeping the perps off the streets of Anchorage 24/7. Nick has never backed down from danger, but after the horrors he's seen, he's definitely in need of a break.
Samantha Hollis never thought she'd meet anyone like Nick, especially in a place like Las Vegas. But after one reckless, passionate night, she discovers the charismatic stranger is everything she wants in a man. But can he ever be anything more than a one-night stand?
When Nick invites her to Alaska, Samantha decides to find out, never guessing the depths she'll discover in him or the tangle of murder, kidnapping, and danger about to engulf them both. .
Against the Wild -May 27th, 2014
Alaska
Where the men are as bold and untamed as America's last wilderness
It's been three years since Lane Bishop tragically lost her fiancé, and she's finally ready to risk her heart on someone else. The hot look in Dylan Brodie's eyes says he's going to be that man.
But when Lane flies to the remote 1930's fishing lodge to help him renovate, she discovers a little girl who won't speak, eerie legends and strange sounds in the night. And when she investigates the history of the lodge, she uncovers a legacy of injustice and murder.
As danger stalks his daughter and the woman he is coming to love, Dylan must risk everything to uncover the shocking truth.
Against the Heart -novella Jan. 12th, 2014
Some Women Find Trouble Wherever They Go.
Some Are Lucky Enough To Find A Man Tough Enough To Handle It.
When Meriwether Jones takes her four-year-old daughter and runs from trouble in L.A., that trouble follows. By the time Meri reaches rural Spokane, she’s out of gas, out of money, and out of ideas.
Ian Brodie has troubles of his own. His father is the shell of the man he once was, lonely, bitter and determined to stay that way--even after Ian, an ex-cop, now the owner of Brodie Security in Seattle, shows up to help him get his farmhouse clean and his life back in order.
Hiring Meriwether Jones to help seems the answer to Ian’s prayers. But Meri is keeping a dangerous secret, one that poses a threat to all of them.
As Ian delves deeper, the danger increases.
But the biggest threat he faces is losing his heart to Meriwether Jones and her sweet little girl.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN FOX
International, award-winning author, Susan Fox (AKA Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox) is known for her sexy contemporary romances that blend real life drama as well as sympathetic main characters. Her current series, Caribou Crossing is set in British Columbia and is an actual ranching community filled with real people. As a big fan, of the series, I feel as if I know the town and it characters -even though the characters are imaginary! What makes her books so special is how this talented writer tackles great tragedies as well as heart rending triumphs. And I can’t get enough of them!
So when I had the chance to interview her about her seventh novel in the Caribou series, Ring of Fire, I couldn’t wait.
1) Thank you taking the time to be on our website. For new readers, can you tell us what draws you to write romance?
Susan Fox: Thank you for inviting me, Steph! I’m delighted to be here. And thank you so much for those wonderful compliments about my books. I’m so glad you enjoy them.
When I first started writing fiction, I tried to write mysteries, but I found that I was way more interested in character than in plot, and especially interested in romantic relationships. A romance novel provides so many amazing opportunities for a writer (especially one with a psychology degree!). I get to explore what it means to fall in love, how you know it’s love rather than just lust or liking, and what it takes to make a relationship last long-term. The path of true love is never straightforward in a romance novel. The couple faces many challenges, and in my books those challenges force them to recognize some hard truths about themselves and to grow emotionally—basically, to become worthy of love and to win that love. As a reader, I’m also very fond of women’s fiction and the issues raised by its authors, and I can incorporate similar themes in my romances—such as losing a loved one, betrayal, single parenthood, facing serious illness or injury, dealing with PTSD, or learning to trust again after domestic abuse.
Some uninformed people disparage romance fiction as trivial. I believe the exact opposite. If you asked almost anyone what’s the one thing they most want, it would either be world peace or to love and be loved. Romance fiction is about the latter—and if everyone did have love, I’m pretty sure we’d also have world peace. So, what’s romance fiction about? Only the most important things in the world.
2) I feel the same way. Romance and love have an inspiring impact for many. I’ve always admired that you have tackled some serious issues in your writing (that many authors would not), where do you get your inspiration? Is there anything that most authors feel is a taboo subject that you have thought about writing or been hesitant to write about?
Susan Fox: Thanks. I’m glad you enjoy that aspect of my books. It’s important to me that my characters and books reflect real people with real problems. Some readers are looking for pure fantasy, heroines and heroes who are very much larger than life rather than being like us and our friends. But I’d rather write and read about more realistic characters who face the kinds of challenges that we do. Reading about characters who face significant challenges with courage, who have the strength to recognize their frailties and to grow and change, gives us all encouragement and hope to do the same. I also believe that people who must cope with issues like bipolar disorder or physical disability are just as deserving of romance and love as anyone else, and it’s important to me to portray them as romance heroines and heroes.
As for taboo subjects, I avoid incest for obvious reasons. I’ve avoided having an adulterous hero or heroine because it’s hard to view them as romantic—but I do think it’s possible and it’s something I might tackle down the road.
3) Can you tell us how you started the Caribou Crossing series? How many books do you plan to write?!
Susan Fox: Though I lived in Vancouver at the time and loved it, I also love the countryside and horses. I took a writing retreat at The Hills Health Ranch in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, and loved it. It provided great inspiration. First, I wrote a short story about a country girl and a city slicker, which was published in Woman’s World magazine. Out of that story grew the idea for Home on the Range. As I got to know Jess and Evan, the heroine and hero of that book, I realized that there were two other characters who deserved their own romances (Evan’s still-young mother and Jess’s ex-husband), and that led to the next two books. My editor and I decided to make it a series, and I’ve had a wonderful time writing the books. Ring of Fire will be followed in October by Holiday in Your Heart, a Christmas story and the final Caribou Crossing romance.
My publisher and I agreed that eight titles makes for a fairly long series. So I’m starting out a brand new series in 2017, Blue Moon Harbor, set on a fictional Gulf Island near Victoria, BC. The characters, issues, and writing style will be similar to the Caribou Crossing Romances, but rather than a small-town ranching community, the setting is a ruggedly picturesque Pacific Northwest island populated with some rather eccentric characters. In the first book, Fly Away with Me, the hero owns the local seaplane business and the heroine is an Ottawa lawyer who comes to the island in search of her long-lost aunt.
4) Sound very interesting.... In your latest Caribou Crossing novel, Ring of Fire, you address the subject of a single woman with a son that has cerebral palsy. Can you tell us why you decided to write about such a debilitating condition?
Susan Fox: Because not all kids are born “perfect”—although of course in Lark Cantrell’s eyes her ten-year-old son Jayden is as perfect as they come (and he truly is a charmer!). As with my heroines and heroes, I want to show that the world is diverse and that kids and parents often have major issues to deal with—but that their lives can still be rich and rewarding. Jayden’s physical disability also gave me an opportunity to connect him with Major Eric Weaver, a soldier with a prosthetic leg and PTSD. Eric’s and Jayden’s physical therapist teams them up doing riding therapy with Sally Ryland (the heroine of Love Somebody Like You). When infant Jayden was diagnosed with CP, his father couldn’t handle the fact that his son was “flawed” and he walked out on his wife and son. In contrast, the respectful way Eric treats Jayden is one of the things that makes Lark realize he’s a man worth caring about.
5) What makes your heroine Lark so special?
Susan Fox: Her strength, her close-knit small family (it’s just her, her mom, and her son), and her commitment to her job and community. She’s the child of an indigenous single mom, her husband deserted her and Jayden, and she’s raising a child with significant health issues—but she never falters. She’s also not only worked hard to realize her childhood dream of being a firefighter, but she’s now the fire chief of Caribou Crossing, a highly demanding job.
But of course there’s a flip side to all that strength, because every heroine needs a vulnerability. Lark has bought into the notion of the curse of the Cantrell women: that they’re doomed to pick the wrong men (like her grandfather, father, and ex-husband). She works with men, has male friends, and occasionally has a totally casual fling, but she’s not about to let a man into her heart. She doesn’t trust them, which really means she doesn’t trust her judgment to pick a good one.
6) I think there are a lot of single mothers that are underrepresented in romances. Do you think you will write more about their challenges? Or have more single mothers as heroines?
Susan Fox: As a matter of fact, I have two of them in the works! I’ve just started a holiday novella about a single mother. As a party-oriented university student, Jillian Summers found herself pregnant. She rejected the father’s suggestion that she terminate the pregnancy and then she rejected his obligation-driven marriage proposal, knowing that the two of them didn’t have strong feelings for each other. Years later, the boy’s dad, after having paid child support but never having seen his son, turns up at Christmas thinking that maybe he’d like to get to know his child. This story is title 2 in my new Blue Moon Harbor series, and will be published in 2017 as part of the Fern Michael's Christmas anthology. And it just so happens that title 3 also features a single mom and a widower with two kids.
7) Great, something to look forward to! Your hero also faces many emotional as well as physical challenges. As a soldier injured in combat it seems very relevant. What made you feel impelled to write about him?
Susan Fox: The timeliness, for one thing. So many soldiers come home damaged, physically and/or emotionally. In Eric’s case, it’s both. He’s as physically and mentally strong as Lark and he’s a career soldier, determined to get back to active duty. His strength has allowed him to cope with a leg amputation, multiple surgeries to both legs, wearing a prosthesis, and restoring his physical strength and capabilities. But no amount of steely determination is overcoming his PTSD. Eric’s father, a career soldier, is a “mind over matter” guy who thinks PTSD is a mental weakness and that soldiers who can’t overcome it are pussies. I wanted to show how wrong his father is, and also to show that healing is a slow process but it is possible, especially when loved ones are understanding and supportive. I also wanted readers to understand that PTSD can happen to people other than soldiers. For example, in the support group Eric attends there are female and male victims of sexual assault, an army nurse, a girl who lost a leg in a car accident, and a bank manager who was held up at gunpoint.
8) I have to say you choose characters that must struggle and overcome serious obstacles. Wouldn’t it be easier to write about less complex main characters?!
Susan Fox: LOL. Probably not, for me. I’m not sure I’m capable of it. There’s that psych degree entering in again! I’m fascinated by complexity. Besides, when you think about your own family and friends, can you honestly say that any of them are—hmm, what’s the opposite of complex?—simple? It’s the serious obstacles that test us (test our mettle, as Eric’s father puts it) and they make for the kind of stories I enjoy: ones that are emotional and that involve character growth as well as a well-deserved happy ending.
9) Well, I'm sure glad you do! I know it is early but I hope you have another Caribou Crossing romance coming soon! If so, can you give us a sneak peak?!
Susan Fox: Oh yes, there is one more, the final book in the series. Holiday in Your Heart will be out in October and as you can guess from the title, it’s a Christmas romance. The one thing Maribeth Scott has always known is that she wants, more than anything, to be a mom. She’s dated “men, men, men” since she was a teen but never found “the one.” And so, as her fortieth birthday approaches, she decides on artificial insemination. Well, of course that’s the exact time that fate sends her Mo Kincaid, a man she might actually fall in love with. He’s a redeemed sinner and a good man, but there’s a big hitch: he totally screwed up parenthood the first time around and has resolved never to do it again. But Caribou Crossing is a magical place and Christmas is a magical time—and who knows, maybe miracles really can happen!
10) Only one more!! Okay, I’m curious, since Caribou Crossing is a real town, do you get letters from fans from the town? Do they ever correct you?!
Susan Fox: The real Caribou Crossing is in the Yukon and my fictional one is in British Columbia. No, I have never received a letter from a resident of the real town. It’s kind of surprising, but on the other hand I’ve set stories in Vancouver, BC, and no one has ever confused it with Vancouver, WA. When I first created my setting, a former gold rush town that later turned to ranching and tourism, I called it Whiskey Creek. But just as I was contracting for the series, Brenda Novak came out with her Whiskey Creek series. My second choice for a town name was Fool’s Gold and, guess what, Susan Mallery was coming out with her Fool’s Gold series. So I went back to the drawing board. And I thought of an old TV show I used to enjoy, Northern Exposure, set in a small town in Alaska. The title credits had a caribou wandering through the rustic downtown. When I suggested Caribou Crossing, my publisher was happy with it.
11) I know you also write under different pen names. As Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox you have written some pretty steamy romances. Do you have plans to write more? Or have they been retired forever?!
Susan Fox: I think the Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox pen names have been retired. The truth is, those books didn’t sell well enough to please the publishers. It’s all about the numbers because this is, after all, a business. One day, I’ll get my rights back to the books and then I’ll likely update them and self-publish them, but most probably I’ll use my Susan Fox pen name. I never liked having different pen names because I thought it was confusing for readers. The Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox books are a little steamier than some of the Susan Fox ones, but they have the same kind of characters, issues, and emotions. I think they appeal to the same readers.
Wow! What can I say, it is always such and honor to have you on our website. Thank you so for being here :) I love your writing.
Susan Fox: I am delighted to visit, Steph! Thank you so much for having me.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Susan Fox check her out at:
http://www.susanlyons.ca/
www.facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Susan Fox:
RING OF FIRE BOOK 7 -May 31, 2016
No one is a stranger in Caribou Crossing, a small Western town made for healing and second chances…
She's raising her son on her own, but that's just fine with Lark Cantrell. Caribou Crossing's fire chief comes from a long line of strong, independent women--who have lousy luck with men. Lark's ex-husband walked out when Jayden was born with cerebral palsy. No matter--Jayden, now ten, is a bright, terrific kid, and the love of her life. When it comes to men, Lark is content with the occasional casual hookup; there's no room in her heart for more disappointment.
Major Eric Weaver is in Caribou Crossing for one reason: to complete his rehabilitation so he can return to active service. Haunted by what went down in Afghanistan, his wounded soul isn't healing as quickly as his body. But it's almost impossible to resist the appeal of the sexy, feisty fire chief and her plucky son--not to mention the friendly, caring small town way of life. In Lark's loving arms, the scarred soldier begins to believe he may finally have found his true home…
LOVE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU BOOK 6 -Sept. 29, 2015
With its breathtaking terrain and welcoming people, the Western town of Caribou Crossing is the perfect place for a heart to heal, and for love to blossom once more…
Since the death of her husband three years ago, young widow Sally Ryland has kept to herself and focused on her struggling business, Ryland Riding. Folks assume she’s still grieving, because Sally has never shared the truth about her abusive marriage, or the trust issues that remain. But when a sexy rodeo rider from her past turns up for a visit, he’s a reminder of the feisty woman she once was—and maybe still could be…
Ben Traynor was always attracted to Sally, but he didn’t move fast enough. Now what Sally needs is patience and gentleness. With an injury keeping him from his next rodeo, Ben has the perfect excuse to stick around and help with her chores—and her healing. And as Sally finds the courage to face her demons and open her heart again, she’ll have to decide if what she has with Ben is more than safety, gratitude, and short-term passion, but a forever love…
LOVE ME TENDER BOOK 5 -Dec. 2, 2014
Pay a visit to Caribou Crossing, the rustic, inviting Western town where broken hearts mend and new love takes root…
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest--and loneliest--guy in town. He's had his heart broken more than once, and he's determined not to let it happen again. So it's no wonder he's wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing--and nights with its handsome hotel owner--makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
STAND BY YOUR MAN BOOK 4 -June 24, 2014
Karen MacLean is a hardworking, well-respected corporal for the Caribou Crossing detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Though she secretly longs for marriage and a home like the one she grew up in, she's made her job her top priority and grown accustomed to being alone. But a handsome sergeant whose will is as strong as her own could change everything she thought she believed. . .
Sergeant Jamal Estevez is often trusted with undercover work, but his greatest challenge has been to conceal his true identity as a recovering alcoholic. A city guy who's never had a real home, he's starting to find peace riding the country roads of Caribou Crossing--with beautiful Corporal MacLean. As the attraction between them grows, Jamal may discover that the life Karen has been hoping for is exactly what he's needed all along. . .
GENTLE ON MY MIND BOOK 3 -Sept. 3, 2013
Brooke Kincaid knows second chances don't come cheap. She's spent five years repairing past mistakes and making her life in Caribou Crossing steady and predictable. But now a stranger's Harley has shattered her fence and her peace of mind in one swoop. Brooke is drawn to everything about wounded undercover cop Jake Brannon--his raw masculinity, his tenderness, and the undisguised desire that makes her feel more alive than she's ever been.
By rights, Brooke should curse Jake for complicating her life. Instead she's offered him a place to heal and a cover story as he searches for a wanted man. Jake knows she's vulnerable, but she's also strong, kind, and hotter than hellfire. It's a combination that could make even a die-hard loner long to put up his boots and put down roots at last, and show her just how good a second chance can get. . .
HOME ON THE RANGE BOOK 2 -Aug 6, 2013
For Evan Kincaid, the best thing about his dusty hometown was watching it fade into the distance. Jessica Bly was the only one who didn’t treat him like an outsider, and their friendship ended with one mind-blowing night of young passion. Now they’ve both got the lives they planned—Evan in New York, Jess with her beloved horses in Caribou Crossing. But business has brought Evan back to Jess’s Crazy Horse ranch on a mission that could destroy whatever’s left of her trust.
Ten years ago, Jess wanted one perfect night to remember Evan by. What she got was a broken heart and a secret that’s kept them strangers ever since. The boy she knew was sexy and sweet;the man he’s become leaves her breathless. And no matter how much she tells herself that country girl and city boy don’t belong together, in her heart she wants to believe his home has been right here all along…
CARIBOU CROSSING BOOK 1 -June 25, 2013
Wade Bly is certain of his destiny: He’ll marry his high school sweetheart, Miriam, work at his father’s ranch, and eventually inherit the place and make it his own. And of course, they’ll have a few kids once they’ve had time to enjoy married life and save some money. But when an unexpected pregnancy speeds up their plans, Wade can only hope he’s up for the challenge…
Miriam always knew she and Wade would be happy together. He’s a good provider and a doting father to their spirited daughter, Jess. And when the lights go out, he’s the passionate cowboy of her wildest dreams. But when a string of disappointments leaves them both feeling doubtful about their future, they’ll have to rediscover themselves and their love—to see that the life they fear is over is really just beginning…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH STEPHENS
Elizabeth Stephens is a writer that has seen it all. A former political correspondent and travel writer, she draws inspiration from many sources. Now she has turned her hand to writing fiction. While she has written several horror shorts, her latest is a full-length novel called, Population. Population is a post apocalyptic, zombie romance. Sounds intriguing!
I wondered how this talented author got her start what gave her the idea to create a book with such a unique blend of horror and romance.
1) What inspired you to write fiction?
Elizabeth Stephens: I wrote my first book at the age of eleven. My mother promised me that she would purchase me a look-alike American girl doll on the condition that, like the other American girl dolls who had stories about growing up in the Great Depression and in the Victorian Era, I craft a story to accompany this new doll. I then set to work drafting a ninety-six page science fiction saga on my massive old school computer. The book was about a young girl picked up by a ragtag group of bandits and transported to other worlds; it’s a book I still have. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of publishing several short works of horror in a number of online magazines and last year, I published my first fiction novel.
In 2015, I worked with Vantage Point Books, the adult fiction arm of NubiTales LLC, to produce Population. Population is a post-apocalyptic science fiction romance about a young woman of color struggling to keep herself and her family alive following the coming of the Others, a predatory race of aliens that hunger for human flesh and blood. When her younger sister is captured, she is forced into an alliance with one of the Others and must confront foreign concepts like trust and desire in order to save her family.
The sequel to Population will be released in May 2016 and is titled, Saltlands. Both works can be found anywhere online books are sold, as well as in book stores across the United States. More information, including excerpt downloads and where to purchase, can be found on my website www.booksbyelizabeth.com.
2) Will have to look out for Saltlands! I know your first fiction novels were horror. What attracted you to write about horror?
Elizabeth Stephens: I find writing about violence, more so than horror, to be a truly cathartic experience and as such, take genuine pleasure in crafting an epic action scene. When writing both horror and action, I love the adrenaline rush!
As a kid, I was inspired very early on by the Cat Who books by Lilian Jackson Braun, as well as by Agatha Christie. My other all time favorite (horror) authors have come to include Shirley Jackson, Clive Barker, Stephen King, and Anne Rice. The Lottery, A Haunting of Hill House, Salem’s Lot, Pet Semetary, A Hellbound Heart, Abarat, Queen of the Damned, and Interview with the Vampire are on my list of absolute favorite reads.
3) I understand Population, includes monsters but also romance! Do you feel it could be classified as an Urban Fantasy?
Elizabeth Stephens: Though I have been writing for a long time, I am still quite new to the publishing scene! Thus, you’ll have to forgive my ignorance but I get lost in the distinctions between Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Dark Fantasy, Dark Erotica, and others. If I were to most accurately attempt to classify Population’s genre, I would call it a post-apocalyptic, science fiction, violent, action adventure, fantasy romance. It’s romantic – but also messy.
4) Don’t you feel that horror and romance are a difficult mix? (They seem so different.) Can you tell why or why not?
Elizabeth Stephens: My two all time favorite genres are horror and romance. The intersection where these two genres lie is where I idle both as a reader and as a writer. I love romantic elements in books when they are in situations that are anything but romantic – when characters defy human nature and put the lives of others before their own. For this reason, I think the most romantic story I’ve ever come across is 28 Days Later, an apocalyptic, zombie movie set in London.
5) What makes your main character, Abel, so special? Do you base her off of anyone you know?
Elizabeth Stephens: Abel is who I would want to be if a host of blood-sucking aliens descended through the sky and took over the planet. She’s tough as hell and always ready to fight to the death for those she loves.
In addition, Abel is a character of color. As a kid with multiracial heritage, I always found it difficult to find characters in my favorite books that A) looked like me, and B) were non-white. I strive to include a diverse cast of characters in all of my books that is more representative of the world we see today than what we find on today’s best seller list and on the big screen.
6) I totally understand. I don't feel there is as much diversity in books as there can be. Your books seems to show a darker side of humanity. Has traveling all around - particularly in troubled areas inspired you to write a sci-fiction/apocalyptic world as a social commentary?
Elizabeth Stephens: Traveling has certainly had an impact on my writing, and in a number of ways: It has influenced the setting of many of my works, both existing and upcoming, and has also impacted the way I view conflict.
Living in the Middle East during the Arab Spring and the Syrian Revolution, I was never more aware of my sexuality and the way conflict impacted the lives of women. Throughout the course of my works, I attempt to highlight these issues while showing the positive power of women in overcoming them.
7) Yes, your heroine definitely demonstrates a strong woman. Where did the idea of Population 'pop' into your head? Will you write more post-apocalyptic books?
Elizabeth Stephens: I was very much so inspired by the young adult book Angelfall by Susan Ee. I loved the opening fight scene and set to craft a similar scene – who knew I would have kept writing and that in the end, would have produced, not one, but two books!
While I don’t limit myself to the post-apocalyptic genre, I love the world I’ve built in Population and in its sequel, Saltlands. I plan on producing additional books set in this world that are told outside of Abel’s perspective. Book three in the Population series, Generation 1, is already well underway and is told from the perspective of an unlikely survivor of Saltlands!
8) So more to look forward to! What other new works do you have on the horizon?
Elizabeth Stephens: Population was published by NubiTales LLC in May 2015. It’s sequel, Saltlands, will be released in May 2016 and will complete Abel’s story, which ended on a cliff hanger in book one! Additional books in the series, including Generation 1, will be released at a date TBD.
For more information on the series, including excerpt downloads and details on where to purchase, please see my website www.booksbyelizabeth.com.
Wow! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to interview you. It has been a real pleasure learning about your books on our site! :)
Elizabeth Stephens: Thank you so much for having me! I certainly hope that your readers enjoy Abel’s world as much as I enjoyed crafting it.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about Elizabeth Stephens you can check her out at:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.stephens34
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/elliestephens5
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25220487-population?ac=1
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Stephens/e/B010M3BUY4
Recent and upcoming books by Elizabeth Stephens
Saltlands -May 2016
Abel and Mikey are trapped and Kane is taken. Tensions between Mikey and Abel keep their odds of survival bleak as they fight to escape their submerged prison cell and find Kane. With over 200 miles to trek, Mikey will have to learn how to trust and Abel, how to hope again as their journey across the apocalyptic landscape known as Population takes them through even more dangerous territory and into the Saltlands.
Saltlands is the second book in the Population series and will be released in May 2016. This is a science fiction romance with elements of fantasy and horror.
Population -May 2015
The day the sky ripped open and the Others descended on Earth marked the beginning of the World After. Twelve years later and violence is Abel’s native tongue in a world run by monsters, ravaged by gangs, and fueled by the desperation of hunger. The list of rules she lives by keeps her among the few humans left living, but when her best friend’s daughter is taken by one of the Others, Abel discovers that to get her back she’ll have to break them all.
Rule number five: run. But she doesn’t even though blood bastes the scene and one of the Others is still breathing. In a jolt of irrational inquiry, Abel takes something so precious from one of the Others as he clings to life.
Rule number three: don’t get personal. When he hunts her down to retrieve what she has taken, violence brings them together in an unlikely alliance and Abel realizes that in order to save the last of her family, she’ll have to learn to trust.
Rule number one: never hope. Unused to foreign concepts like passion and unity and desire, Abel is wary when the Other drags her into his world and offers her something she didn’t think existed in the World After: hope.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SHANA GALEN
Shana Galen is a nationally acclaimed, best-selling author of historical romance. She specializes in rakish heroes and feisty heroines set in the Regency era. I am a big fan of her exciting Lord and Lady series. It features daring spies, exhilarating danger and spirited romance.
But she also writes another series about the illustrious Derring Family that is equally addictive. And her latest book, I Kissed a Rogue, is coming out in March 2016!
I had to ask her what else she has planned for her fans.
1) I understand that you have always had the writing bug. What was the first book you wrote about? Was it a romance?!
Shana Galen: Oh, I’ve definitely always had the urge (or should I say compulsion?) to write. I’ve been writing stories since I learned how to read. The first book I wrote was When Dashing Met Danger, which was also the first book I sold for publication. It was absolutely a romance and an historical romance, which though I’ve tried other genres, has always been my first love.
2) Were there any authors that inspired your writing?
Shana Galen: So many of them! When I first sat down to write a romance it was because I’d run out of Julie Garwood historicals to read. I figured if I didn’t have any of those to entertain me, I’d just have to write my own romance. Marsha Canham wrote dozens of really adventurous, exciting historical romances, and she was also a big influence. Jane Austen’s books have always resonated with me. Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice were two books that made me want to write books set in the Regency era.
3) What do you like best about Regency Era? What makes writing about this era so special to you?
Shana Galen: I love the Regency Era because it was prior to the Industrial Revolution. The Victorians had many of the same rules about conduct and etiquette those in the Regency held, but they also had photos and trains and gas lighting. The Regency was also a time of great upheaval in the world and in London. King George III was ill and his profligate son was ruling in his stead. Napoleon was doing a pretty good job of taking over Europe. Everything was changing. It was exciting and cary and makes the perfect setting for a romance novel.
4) I love you Lord and Lady series! It is so fun and exciting to read! Can you tell us how you conceived this series?
Shana Galen: I was watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith one evening when I didn’t have a book contract and I needed to think of a new idea to propose to my editor. I had lots of ideas but nothing I loved. I’d seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith before, but for some reason (probably because I was desperate) the idea popped in my head that I could take the story premise and set it not in 2005 (or whenever the movie was made) but in the Regency. I’d still have two spies who are married and don’t know the other is a spy. But instead of making them assassins, I made them have to compete for a position in an elite spy agency. Since spying is all they care about, they go all out. But by the end of the book, they learn there is more to life than espionage.
5) Do you have any new books planned for the series? (Please say there are more!)
Shana Galen: At the moment I don’t have any more books planned, but I have had fun writing novellas for some of the secondary characters. Blue got two novellas--The Spy Wore Blue and All I Want for Christmas is Blue—and Moneypence and Q starred in The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe. I could see myself writing another novella for Blue or perhaps a sort of The Incredibles-type story for one of the couples in the series and their family.
6) Your Covent Garden Cubs series features the Derring Family. Can you tell us more about this series? How did you get the idea for the Derring Family?
Shana Galen: I actually asked some of my writing friends to help me think of ideas for a new book series. I gave them some parameters—like the idea has to have adventure and action. I wanted it set primarily in London. I wanted a juxtaposition between the upper classes and the lower classes, and so on. My author friend Margo Maguire suggested I write about thieves in London, sort of a take on Charles Dickens’s Oliver. The Derring family is the aristorcratic family who crosses paths with this group of thieves called the Covent Garden Cubs because the thieves operate in Covent Garden and they’re mostly young boys (cubs). We first meet their leader in Viscount of Vice and then in Earls Just Want to Have Fun Brook, the younger of the two Derring brothers, extricates a female thief from the group because he suspects she is the daughter of a marquess who was kidnapped as a child. He asks his brother to keep an eye on her until he can arrange for her to meet her real parents, and the slum gang and the earl’s family become inextricably entwined.
7) I understand your newest book (yipee!), I Kissed a Rogue, is coming out in March. What makes this book so special?
Shana Galen: This is Brook’s story. He’s been waiting for 4 books to get to be a hero. In the other 3 he was always in the background. This is also one of my favorite kinds of stories because it’s a second chance at love trope. Brook fell in love with the heroine seven years before, but she spurned him. Now they’re thrown back together and he has to protect her from the leader of the Covent Garden Cubs.
8) Can you tell us about the main characters?
Shana Galen: Brook is an investigator often hired by the nobility to find missing persons or recover stolen property. He’s something of a hero because he’s found people thought to be lost forever. But when he first knew Lila, the heroine, seven years before, he was nothing but a younger son hopelessly infatuated with the beautiful daughter of a powerful duke. Lila has changed quite a bit since she and Brook last met. She was haughty and arrogant when they first knew each other, but she lost all of that when she nursed her mother through an illness that took her life. Now she’s not exactly humble but a lot less conceited and she’s genuinely sorry for how she treated Brook and everyone all those years before. The question is whether Brook believes she’s really changed.
9) You have also written contemporary romance novels under the name Shane Bolks. Do you plan to write more?! Can you tell us about your contemporary books?
Shana Galen: Right now I don’t plan to write more because I’m enjoying writing historicals so much and because I have so many contracted. I don’t know where I’d find time to write more books. My contemporaries are what used to be called chick lit--Sex and the City/Bridget Jones’s Diary-type books. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Men I’ve Dated is about a woman who was always the nerd in school. She’s obsessed with Star Wars and wants to go to her 15-year high school reunion and show everyone how much she’s changed. Reality TV Bites is about a gorgeous interior designer who gets stuck on a reality TV show, and her life falls apart. She has to find a new identity for herself.
10) What new ideas/books do you have planned for your fans? Can you give us a sneak peek?!
Shana Galen: I’m writing a new series about a group of soldiers who fought together during the war against Napoleon. These men are younger sons of the nobility—the best, the brightest, but most importantly, the expendable—who form a troop and complete daring assignments, risking their lives for their country. After the war, the surviving 12 soldiers return to London and frequently meet at a club known as The Draven Club. The “Draven Dozen”—hellraisers before they left for war, now a group of restless renegades —must settle back into Society and the world they left behind, facing new threats to their lives and their hearts. It’s something new for me, but also something I think my readers will totally adore.
Wow! Your books really make the Regency Era come alive. It has been true pleasure having you on our website. Thank you.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information about Shana Galen you can check her out at:
http://www.shanagalen.com/
Recent and Upcoming Books by Shana Galen:
I Kissed a Rogue (Covent Garden Cubs) -March 1, 2016
Once she spurned the man...
When the Duke of Lennox hires Sir Brook Derring, England's best investigator, to find his daughter, Brook intends only to rescue the lady and return to his solitary life. He deals with London's roughest criminals every day of the week; surely he should be able to endure seeing his first love again-the perfect girl who broke his heart...
Now her life depends on him
Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox has always done her best to live up to her father's standards of perfection-at the cost of following her heart. When she's kidnapped and her perfect life is shattered, Lila has another chance. Together, Lila and Brook navigate not only the dark and deadly side of London, but the chasm of pride and prejudice that divides them.
A Gentleman For All Seasons -Nov 10, 2015 The Summer of Wine and Scandal by Shana Galen
When viscount’s son and dandy Peregrine Lochley is temporarily exiled from London to the country for his misdeeds, the last thing he expects is to encounter an intriguing woman. But Caroline Martin has a secret to hide, and it just might be too scandalous for even this debauched rogue.
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe Nov 2, 2015 | Kindle eBook When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) is sent to the English countryside with Pierce Moneypence, clerk to the mysterious M, she’s worried the memory of their steamy encounter will interfere with the task at hand.
The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sheriff of Nottingham. But with the Sheriff in their sights, secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents—and Q and Pierce will learn that rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.
The Rogue You Know (Covent Garden Cubs) Sept 1, 2015
She's beyond his reach...
Gideon Harrow has spent his life in London's dark underworld-and he wants out. A thief and a con, he plans one last heist to finally win his freedom. But when everything goes wrong, he finds himself at the tender mercies of one of Society's most untouchable women-Lady Susanna Derring.
...and out of her depth.
Susanna has spent her life in London's glittering ton, under the thumb of a domineering mother-and she wants out. When a wickedly charming rogue lands at her feet, she jumps at the chance to experience life before it's too late. But as she descends into London's underworld, she finds that nothing- not even Gideon-is as it seems. As excitement turns to danger, Susanna must decide what price she's willing to pay...for the love of a reformed thief.
Dancing in The Duke's Arms: A Regency Romance Anthology Jun 26, 2015 WAITING FOR A DUKE LIKE YOU by Shana Galen
There’s no such thing as the perfect hero…
Nathan Cauley, tenth Duke of Wyndover, is so handsome ladies swoon—literally swoon. His blond hair and blue eyes certainly draw attention at the Duke of Sedgemere’s house party, but Nathan doesn’t want a fawning young miss for his duchess. He stumbles upon a bedraggled woman sleeping under Sedgemere’s bridge, and his protective instincts stir. When he recognizes her as the princess he fell in love with eight years before, he’s determined to win not only her affections but her heart.
While You Were Spying (Regency Spies Book 0) -Apr 7, 2015
Francesca Dashing would like to forget that Ethan Caxton, the Marquess of Winterbourne, exists. He humiliated her in front of all of London Society—and he doesn’t even remember it! But when Ethan shows up in her sleepy Hampshire town, he’s hard to overlook, and his presence stirs up long-buried feelings. Francesca tries to keep her distance…until her life is threatened and the mysterious and handsome marquess comes to her rescue, in more ways than she ever thought possible.
Winterbourne has traveled to Hampshire on orders from the Foreign Office—he’s investigating an arms smuggling ring and is determined to find its leader. Miss Dashing stumbles into his way—literally—and derails both Ethan’s assignment and his ordered country life. Ethan knows he needs to ignore the distraction, but when Francesca is the victim of a vicious attack, he’s compelled to put aside his mission to protect her. Guarding the viscount’s daughter is work, nothing more, and Ethan has no plans to let down his guard…until Francesca’s chocolate-brown eyes and endless compassion melt the ice in his heart and lay siege to his defenses.
Earls Just Want to Have Fun (Covent Garden Cubs Book 1) -Feb 3, 2015
Marlowe runs with the Covent Garden Cubs, a gang of thieves living in the slums of London's Seven Dials. But there was a time she went by a different name and when a private investigator thinks that she may be the missing daughter of a lord and lady, she is introduced to the spectacle of Society.
Maxwell, Lord Dane, is intrigued when his brother ropes him into his investigation of the fiercely beautiful hellion who is believed to be the lost daughter of the Marquess of Lydon. He teaches her how to navigate the social morass of the ton, but Marlowe will not escape the Cubs so easily. Instead, Max is drawn into her dangerous world, where the student becomes the teacher and love is the greatest risk of all.
Suspenseful and passionate, Earls Just Want to Have Fun is a captivating historical romance. Fans of Julia Quinn, Sabrina Jefferies, and Elizabeth Boyle will love this story that combines action and mystery with enchanting romance.
Viscount of Vice: A Novella (Covent Garden Cubs Book 0) -Jan 6, 2015 Whispers and secrets are no match for love...
Henry Flynn, the new Lord Chesham, still blames himself for the disappearance of his younger brother when they were children. That incident destroyed his family, and now he's on a path of self-destruction that no one can interrupt...
Lady Emma Talbot can't stand watching the man she secretly loves destroy himself little by little. She's determined to show him that no one holds him culpable, before it's too late. But Emma doesn't know what really happened to Flynn on that fateful day long ago, so what chance does she have of saving him from himself?
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH PAIGE TYLER
Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today Best-selling author. What makes her paranormal romance explode off the page are sexy, super-charged heroes and their strong heroines. In her upcoming book she returns to her wildly popular X-Ops team series. This series often features out of control alpha shifters and the women that dare to tame them! But in her latest book, Her Fierce Warrior, her heroine is the shifter. Ohh! I can't wait!
Having been a big fan of her series, I had to ask her details and see what new surprises she has in store for her loyal readers.
1) Have you always wanted to write romance?
Paige Tyler: I started writing romance when I was nine or ten years old, scribbling out stories about the cats around my house having adventures. Of course, there wasn’t a lot of romance going on at that point. Everybody knows that cats are girls and dogs are boys, and that cats and dogs don’t get along. Or at least that’s what I thought when I was a kid! The romance parts came later when my doll Susie Homemaker married my Green Giant doll. You know, the guy on the can food labels?
All through my teens, I wrote story after story in notebooks just for fun. It wasn’t until I started working as a teacher and realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life that I seriously pursued a writing career. I simply knew I had to be a writer. It was what I was born to do.
2) What appeals to you about writing paranormal romances and in particular your super studly shifter heroes?!
Paige Tyler: While my New York series (SWAT and X-OPS) are focused on shifters, it seems that I’ve always been drawn to the paranormal. Vampires, zombies, ghosts, ghouls—there’s something attractive about having a whole new world to work with, setting up your own rules and going in a completely different direction than anything else out there. Paranormal lets you do that.
Shifters are just a subset of that paranormal world. Mixing animal abilities with human emotions is intriguing and works really well with the covert operations (X-OPS) and law enforcement (SWAT) worlds I write about. Having characters that get to see the world completely differently than you and I because of their animal senses makes for great situations that people love to read about. It also doesn’t hurt that the animal aspect of these characters allows for some awesome kick-butt action!
3) How do you get ideas for your stories? Is it difficult to create authentic military and special ops stories seem realistic?
Paige Tyler: I write with my hubby. He’s retired Army and helps keep me straight on the military stuff. Once you’ve built the world your characters live in—a covert operation organization that pairs humans and shifters (for X-OPS), or a SWAT team made up completely of alpha werewolves (Special Wolf Alpha Team, aka SWAT)—the stories almost write themselves.
As we’re coming up with the stories, we ask ourselves questions, like where would the Department of Covert Operations (DCO) find a partner for Ivy Halliwell, a shifter who has failed to mesh with her first two partners (also military guys, by the way)? Well, they’d probably go looking in the Special Forces world for a Captain named Landon Donovan. Hmm, that sounds intriguing. I wonder how this SF guy would handle Ivy the first time he saw her? What kind of missions they would go on?
As far as realism, that’s about the rules you set up for your world. Establish up front what the shifters/werewolves can and can’t do, and don’t violate those rules.
Getting the military stuff right is about focusing on those few details that create the feel for the environment you’re in—the thump of the explosion, the recoil of the weapon in the heroine’s hand, the short and savage violence of a hand-to-hand combat. We like to give the reader enough details to let them put themselves in the scene, then back out and let them do the rest.
4) I have to say one of my all time favs is your first X-Ops books, Her Perfect Mate. Instead of a shifter hero you feature a female shifter. Where did you get the inspiration for Ivy? Will she be making a cameo in your newest book?
Paige Tyler: Thank you so much! We created feline shifter Ivy Halliwell specifically to pair her with Special Forces Captain Landon Donovan. We made her a feline shifter because we love the stealth and agility she adds to a covert operation team. From there, the true essence of who Ivy is developed based on her background.
Her story starts with her current partner refusing to listen to her and ending up dead. Plus, she’d had a previous partner who was a piece of crap. How would a woman deal with situations like this? How would any shifter behave in an organization where the first cardinal rule is to kill your shifter partner rather than let them be captured or compromised? Who would Ivy become in this kind of world? It’s easy to believe that she’d have to become tough if she wanted to survive. But she also has a sensitive side, too.
X-OPS is a unique series in that it revolves around Ivy and Landon. Even though they’re not the hero and heroine in the books that follow, they play a part in every book in the series, if not as point of view characters, then as key components. Ivy in particular is extremely important in my newest release, HER FIERCE WARRIOR.
5) Speaking of your latest X-Ops book, Her Fierce Warrior is coming out this March. Will your female shifter, Minka be as bada## as Ivy? What can you tell us about her?
Paige Tyler: Minka Pajari will definitely be as bada## as Ivy, but in a completely different way. Not every female character can be (or should be) Ivy. As everyone who has read the first three books in the series knows, Minka was a young woman grabbed up by the psycho doctors from Book One and experimented on. They turned her into a monster (as far as she’s concerned). She’s a gentle soul who never wanted to hurt anyone. But now there’s a hybrid creature living inside her and when that creature takes over, it can be very violent, and all Minka can do is sit there trapped in her head and watch.
That is, until Special Forces soldier Angelo Rios comes along. There’s something about him that calms the beast and Minka’s greatest hope is that he’ll be able to help her get control of this monster inside of her, maybe even make it go away. But then Dick Coleman (the deputy director of the DCO) gets involved, and Minka finds herself in a position of needing the beast as much as it needs her. That’s when the real a## kicking starts!
6) How many books do you have planned for your X-Ops series and your Dallas SWAT series? Will all of the SWAT team find their mates?!
Paige Tyler: X-OPS is fourteen books, fully exploring the broad storyline arc of the Big Bad in the DCO, the person (or persons) behind all the conspiracy and hybrid stuff going on there. All I can say about this fourteen book plan is that the stuff going on behind the scenes at the DCO is far more twisted than anyone has guessed so far, and there are going to be romantic relationships between lots of couples the readers haven’t even met yet! But by Book Fourteen, the series will come full circle, closing out the story that started with Landon and Ivy.
As for SWAT, yes, there will be sixteen books, with each member of the team finding their mate. But as you’ll start seeing over the next few books, the series is going to get more complicated as the werewolf mythology is rounded out and threats from outside Dallas start to pull many of the stories away from the typical SWAT duties.
7) As I mentioned before, I love your female shifter heroines -Ivy and Khaki. Is it easier to write about male shifters than female? Or is it just that there are more men are in the military and police department? Do you think you will ever have a series about a kick a## female team?!
Paige Tyler: I love them too! It’s why I write them. It’s not easier to write male shifters, but I’ll be honest, sometimes it can be easier to get people to accept an animalistic man than it is for them to be comfortable with a woman who might do the same things. So, maybe I’ll write a series about a kicka## female team sometime, but you’d better believe that the guys they fall for will be a match for them.
8) Oh, yes! I have to say, I always feel very connected to your characters. When you write, do you imagine yourself as the main character sometimes? If you could be a shifter what type of animal would you be and why?!
Paige Tyler: I like the idea of having some shifter abilities, and when you write a character, a little bit of you goes into them (it’s impossible to not let a little of your personality leak into a character you write). But really, I’m more likely to be a bunny shifter than a kick-butt cat shifter. In dangerous situations, I tend to either freeze or run the other way. At least if I were a bunny shifter, I could run faster!
9) What new books do you have in store for your fans? Can you give us a sneak peek?
Paige Tyler: Well, you already know about HER FIERCE WARRIOR, Book Four of the X-OPS Series. That releases March 1st. TO LOVE A WOLF, Book Four of the SWAT series releases June 7th, but you can pre-order now in ebook and paperback at Amazon, Nook, and iBooks. This is the book where you’ll finally get to see Cooper’s story. Then later in 2016, Book Five of X-OPS, HER ROGUE ALPHA, releases September 6th, and Book Five of SWAT, A WOLF UNLEASHED, releases December 6th. Readers can keep up with X-OPS and SWAT by connecting with me on social media, as well as signing up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bM8ykT
Now, here’s a sneak peek at TO LOVE A WOLF (SWAT 4)
HE'S FOUND THE ONE...
SWAT officer Cooper Landry is certain Everly Danu is The One. The problem is, she has no idea what Cooper really is. And as much as he wants to trust her, he's not sure he can share his deepest secret...
BUT CAN HE KEEP HER?
When Everly's family discovers Cooper's a werewolf, her brothers will do anything to keep them apart-they'll kill him if they have to. Everly is falling hard for the ridiculously handsome SWAT officer, and she's not about to let her brothers tell her who she can love... Until Cooper's secret is exposed and she discovers the man she thought she knew is a monster in disguise.
10) This has been such a treat. Thanks so much for the sneak peek. I can't wait for more of your books. I always look forward to reading them! Paranormal romances with shifters are my all time fav :) and you write the best ones. Thank you so much for spending time with us here!
Paige Tyler: Thank you so much for having me. It’s been so much fun! Thank you for being a fan!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Paige Tyler check her out at:
http://paigetylertheauthor.com/
AND for Free romances at her website:
http://paigetylertheauthor.com/XOPSShortStories.html
http://paigetylertheauthor.com/SWATShortStories.html
Recent and Upcoming books by Paige Tyler:
Her Fierce Warrior -March 2016
The woman tensed. As anger and fear ricocheted across her face, her eyes changed from red to green to brown in a dizzying display like nothing he'd ever seen.
Every instinct in Angelo's body screamed at him to lunge for his weapon. Instead he set his feet for impact, blocking her slashing claws. Unbelievably, after a few moments of struggling, she went still, all the fight gone...
Minka isn't sure she should trust the sexy Special Forces soldier who found her. Subjected to horrors, on the run from scientists set on locking her in a cage, Minka is terrified of the monster she's becoming...and somehow, Angelo is the only one who can calm the beast inside her and make her feel safe.
But can she trust the way he makes her feel when she's not even sure she can trust herself?
In the Company of Wolves -Dec. 2015
There's a new gang of criminals in town who are organized and ruthless in the extreme.
When Eric Becker, along with the rest of the Dallas SWAT team, ends up in the middle of a
shootout, he immediately senses werewolves-a lot of them. Turns out, the new bad guys are
a pack of wolf shifters.
In a spray of gunfire, Becker comes face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman he's ever
seen. Becker does the logical thing. He hides her and leaves the scene with the rest of his
team.
Jayna Winston has no idea why that SWAT guy helped her, but she's glad he did. Ever since
she and her pack mates got mixed up with those Eastern European mobsters, everything
had pretty much fallen apart.
So what's a street-savvy thief like Jayna going to do with a hot alpha-male wolf who's a police officer
Wolf Trouble -Aug. 2015
He's in trouble with a capital T...
There's never been a female on the Dallas SWAT team and Senior Corporal Xander Riggs prefers it that way. The elite pack of alpha male wolf shifters is no
place for a woman. But Khaki Blake is no ordinary woman.
When Khaki walks through the door attractive as hell and smelling like heaven, Xander doesn't know what the heck to do. Worse, she's put under his command
and Xander's protective instincts go on high alert. When things start heating up both on and off the clock, it's almost impossible to keep their heads in the
game and their hands off each other...
Hungry Like the Wolf -Jan. 2015
INTRODUCING SWAT: SPECIAL WOLF ALPHA TEAM
They’re tight.
They’re on target.
They’re as alpha as men can get.
The Dallas SWAT team is hiding one helluva secret…they’re a pack of wolf shifters.
The team of elite sharpshooters is ultra-secretive, and also the darlings of Dallas. This doesn’t sit well with investigative journalist Mackenzie Stone. They
must be hiding something, and she’s determined to find out what.
Keeping Mac at a distance proves impossible for SWAT team commander Gage Dixon. She’s smart, sexy, and makes him feel alive for the first time in
years. But she’s getting dangerously close to the truth—and perilously close to his heart...
Her Lone Wolf -Nov. 2014
Leaving him was Impossible...
It took everything she had for FBI Special Agent Danica Beckett to walk away from the man she loved. But if she wants to save his life, she has to keep her distance. Now, with a killer on the loose and the stakes higher than ever before, the Department of Covert Ops is forcing these former lovers into an uneasy alliance...whether they like it or not.
Seeing her again is even worse…
The last thing Clayne Buchanan wants is to be shackled to the woman who broke his heart. She gets under his skin in a way no one ever has and makes him want things he has no right to anymore. All he has to do is suffer through this case and he can be free of her for good. But when Clayne finds out why Danica left in the first place, everything he's tried to bury comes roaring back-and there's no way this wolf shifter is going to let her get away this time.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MARLISS MELTON
Marliss Melton is the best-selling author of over a dozen military, SEAL romances. She expertly combines passion, danger and complex characters that explode off the page and keep your heart racing for more. Her addictive writing has garnered her a loyal fan base. As an avid fan myself, I couldn’t wait to find out what she has next!
Her newest series, the Echo Platoon, has all the right stuff. Sexy military heroes and unrivaled suspense. As this talented writer combines realistic situations and sexy characters that keep me coming back for more.
But where does she get her inspiration and will she tell us more!?
1) How did you get the writing bug? What do you like best about writing romance?
Marliss Melton: I fell in love with gothic romance novels by Victoria Holt when I was twelve. At age thirteen, I decided to write my own gothic romance novel. The Emerald Castle was by far the worst story I have written but it had a beginning, a middle and an end, which is farther than most people get. I fell in love with the process. Writing romance is like getting to relive the best parts of your life over and over again. It’s better than eating chocolate! Being able to make a living doing what I love more than anything? Everyone should be as lucky as I am. But I can tell you that it took a lot of practice and a long, LONG time to make a decent income.
2) Ohh! I'm a big fan of Victoria Holt, too. But am I glad you decided to write military romance instead. I love your heroes! What makes SEALs in particular so special to you?
Marliss Melton: I’ve always loved a man in uniform. I married two of them! My first husband was an Army officer, and I enjoyed being called “ma’am” at the ripe age of twenty-three. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident leaving me widowed with two young boys. I met and married a Navy man next and got to experience what it was like to send my sailor off for months at a time—not fun! I have a deep appreciation for the sacrifices our fighting men and women make for us and especially the impact that their job has on their families. Why Navy SEALs? Because they’re the most-highly trained warriors in our military. Women love the idea of a man who can protect them, and who better than a man who has overcome overwhelming odds? The SEAL-selection process alone puts SEALs a notch above other mortal men. Furthermore, SEALs are the guardians of the free world, and there is something very sexy about a man willing to give his life to protect what he believes in.
3) Your books are so realistic and your heroes are super hot!! Where do you get your ideas and how do you make them so amazingly addictive?
Marliss Melton: My ideas come from all kinds of places—my own life, people I’ve read about; news articles, dreams, etc. I couldn’t begin to describe the process of creation. Writing a book is so organic! One shortcut to making my books addictive is making sure that all of my heroes are completely unique. They’re not cookie-cutter heroes. The way I do this is by using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a tool that breaks people down into sixteen basic personality types. Very few of my heroes have the same personality type. They are all quite distinct, and I pair them up with heroines whose personalities will compliment them, ensuring happily-ever-after when the book is over.
4) I understand you have your very own military hero! Do you base many of your heroes on him?!
Marliss Melton: Actually, I have a number of military heroes who have inspired the heroes of my books. My second husband provided a pattern for the hero of Don’t Let Go, Senior Chief Solomon McGuire. Former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrelle, bestselling author of Lone Survivor, inspired the story Next to Die. And my upcoming hero First Class Jeremiah Winters demonstrates the philosophies and intuitional acuity of former Navy SEAL Michael Jaco, author of The Intuitive Warrior.
5) Can you tell us more about your Echo Platoon series?
Marliss Melton: Echo Platoon is a spin-off from my Navy SEAL Team Twelves series. It features the men in Echo Platoon of Team Twelve. The series kicks off with the platoon leader, Sam Sasseville, having to find and rescue environmentalist Maddy Scott, whose passion for the environment puts her continuously into danger. In Danger Close, the reader meets the ever cheerful Chief Bronco Adams, who becomes the hero for the next book, Hard Landing. Bronco considers his commander’s wife a really good friend, but when she admits her husband is up to something the Navy would abhor, he realizes he’ll protect Rebecca from her husband’s dealings at all costs. The series continues when Bronco’s best friend Bullfrog (Jeremiah Winters) takes a cruise to Mexico and runs into the woman he has always loved, along with a band of guerillas who take them both hostage. Friendly Fire will be released this winter. The series will most certainly continue as there are plenty more SEALs in the platoon.
6) I understand your latest Echo Platoon book is coming out in Feb 2016 called Friendly Fire. What makes Navy SEAL First Class Jeremiah Winters so swoon worthy?
Marliss Melton: Jeremiah (Bullfrog) Winters is unlike any hero I have ever portrayed. For one thing, he has developed his intuition to such a degree that he can remote-view (see what’s coming around the next turn). This is not a paranormal gift. As it turns out, Native American Indians as well as modern-day special forces soldiers have developed a heightened sense of awareness out of necessity. If you don’t want to die, then you grow your intuition to the point where it can warn you where the enemy lies in wait. Bullfrog meditates. He believes in the power of human consciousness. He is so advanced and yet so human at the same time. Furthermore, he’s a well-read intellect and has the perfect quote for every occasion. He’s definitely my dream-man.
7) Okay, I have to ask. I understand you wrote historical romances before you authored military romance. I noticed that you have a new trilogy about sisters set in Medieval England. Is the first story a reissue of your one of your previous books? Why have you decided to go back to writing historical romances? Will you give up your military romances?!
Marliss Melton: I will never give up on military romances; they are truly a good fit for me. But my first love was always historical romance—sweeping stories of long-ago eras. My first published romances were two medieval tales set in Northern England. I had started a third book, but it was never published. Thirteen years later, the trilogy will appear as a complete set. Since 2002, my writing has improved so much that I found myself rewriting the first book and retitling it The Slayer’s Redemption. The second book, which used to be By Starlight, will also be rewritten and retitled as The Dark Knight’s Reward. Lastly, the last book, co-authored by my best friend and editor, Sydney Jane Baily, will appear in the summer of 2016, titled The Crusader’s Challenge. I’m so proud of these stories. They demonstrate a huge amount of research, tons of creativity, and excellence in story-telling. If you’ve never read a historical romance, this is the time to start!
8) What inspired you to a historical series about sisters? Can you tell us more about The Slayer's Redemption, coming out this Oct.?
Marliss Melton: Having grown up with three older sisters, I understand the bond of sisterhood and the roles played by each sister. The eldest is the protector, and that is certainly the case with Clarisse DuBoise. She has been told by her stepfather to infiltrate the castle of his enemy and poison him—or her mother and sisters will be put to death. Clarisse will do anything to protect them, even pretend she has breastmilk for baby of the man she must poison. Masquerading as a wetnurse gets her into the enemy’s castle but it doesn’t prepare her for her emotional response to both the baby and his immensely appealing father.
9) What makes your heroine in The Slayer's Redemption so special? Can you tell us a little about her sisters?
Marliss Melton: Read the reviews, and you can tell that readers the eldest sister of my Warriors of York trilogy. Not only is she strong-willed and sassy, but she has a deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong that guides her decision-making. The middle sister, Merry, on the other hand, isn’t considered a witch for her powers of healing. Like a feral cat forced to defend herself in the wilderness, Merry has learned to use her skills to protect herself. She needs a man who understands her fears and tames her wildness. The youngest sister, Katherine, is the wild and independent sister. Born before her time, she loathes the thought of subjugating herself to a husband and will do just about anything to retain her independence. You’ll love this trio of amazing women just the way my heroes learn to love them!
10) Wow! You have so many book coming up, I can't wait! But I know you are constantly coming up with new ideas. Sooo any new series in the works that you can give us a peak into?!
Marliss Melton: I have several more Echo Platoon books up my sleeve. Beyond that, it’s hard for me to say what I’ll be writing, but I have always wanted to take some of my Navy SEAL stories and rewrite them into inspirational romances. Why not throw God into the mix? After all, my heroes and heroines question their reason for being, the same way we all do.
This has been such a pleasure. Your books transport me into my happy place. Thank you so much for writing and giving your fans such blissful reading enjoyment.
Marliss Melton: My pleasure, Steph. I thank all of my readers for allowing me to do what I love best—write!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Marliss Melton check her out at:
http://www.marlissmelton.com/
https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/MarlissM for free autographs by the author!
Recent and Upcoming books by Marliss Melton:
Friendly Fire Coming out February 2016!
The Slayer's Redemption October 2015!
The first in a glittering trilogy set in medieval times, Warriors of York explores the lives of three sisters and the fierce fighting men who claim their hearts.
Lady Clarisse uses deceit to gain access to the fierce warrior she must kill to save her family. The Slayer has a reputation for ruthlessness but she'll care for his infant son in order to carry out the murder. As baby—and warrior—touch her heart, she seeks another solution. Could the Slayer, who may have killed his own wife, become her champion? A revised and expanded version of Danger's Promise (Previously printed on Feb 26, 2002 as Marliss Moon)
Having cut his baby from the body of his dead wife, Christian de La Croix only adds to the rampant, lurid rumors concerning his violent misdeeds. Now, he desperately needs a wet nurse to keep his son alive, but the people around Helmesly Castle fear him, putting baby Simon's life in peril.
When a stranger who calls herself Clare Crucis volunteers to nurse the newborn, Christian's relief overwhelms him. But it does not last long, for Dame Crucis tells contradictory stories of her past. Is she really an angel of mercy—or the agent of one of his enemies, sent to destroy him?
Clare Crucis is, in fact, Clarisse du Boise, a lady being forced to kill the Slayer in order to keep his enemy, her stepfather, from executing her kinswomen. At her very first encounter with the Slayer, Clarisse questions the terrible rumors that abound about him. Certainly, his reputation for ruthlessness is well founded, but she remarks a sadness in the warrior and a longing to be loved that she had not expected. Still, to save her family, she must carry her plan to completion. But as her heart quails and she delays, the Slayer grows ever more suspicious. Is there a way she can save the lives of her loved ones while seeing righteousness prevail? All she needs is a champion.
PLUS
Release Date . . . March 2016! The Black Knight's Reward
Release Date . . . July 2016! The Crusader's Challenge
Hard Landing (The Echo Platoon Series, Book 2) Apr 21, 2015
Navy SEAL Brant "Bronco" Adams adores women but never lets himself get too close to any one of them—until he meets sweet, classy Rebecca McDougal.
Rebecca is the wife of Mad Max, Brant's commanding officer and safely off-limits—until she confesses that she's desperate to escape her nightmare of a marriage and that Max isn't the upstanding commander they all think.
Emboldened to protect her, Brant skids head-long into Mad Max's plot to do him in. Suddenly, the former playboy will assume any risk to give him and Rebecca hope for a future of their own.
Danger Close (The Echo Platoon Series, Book 1) Jul 31, 2014
Navy SEAL Sam Sasseville resents being called upon to repeatedly rescue Madison Scott—an oil tycoon's daughter—from trouble of her own making. Just weeks after extracting her from drug-riddled Mexico, Maddy disappears into the terrorist-threatened region of El Chaco, Paraguay.
Dedicated to protecting the world's last agricultural frontier from her family-owned oil wells, Maddy knows her long-dead activist mother would approve of her work, even if that blasted Navy SEAL doesn't.
But between the terrorists trying to nab her and the shadowy assassin intent on snuffing out her life, Maddy and Sam discover a common goal—keeping her alive—while Sam faces a difficult choice: love Maddy just the way she is, or walk away with just his pride for company.
Look Again: A Novella (Echo Platoon) Paperback – June 20, 2014
Echo Platoon Novella
Tyler Rexall never considered being anything besides a Navy SEAL. But a mission-gone-wrong has ended his career in the Teams, leaving Tyler handicapped, his self-identity obliterated. Returning to his hometown of Louisa, Virginia, Tyler wallows in despair. He has no idea that the young woman showing up on his doorstep with a dog holds his future in the palms of her hands. Katie Crowley’s lifelong crush on the formidable “T-Rex” hasn’t waned one iota in the last decade. Seeing him beaten down and handicapped arouses her determination to help him, even as she’s being terrorized by a desperate man who is getting bolder by the day. Can Katie convince a proud man like Tyler to accept that a service dog can change his life? Unfortunately, she may not get the chance or the time to heal him as her heart demands, not when her stalker returns for a final encounter.
The Protector (The Taskforce Series, Book 1) Jun 11, 2014 Free on amazon
Embracing the solitude of the Blue Ridge Mountains, former Navy SEAL Ike Calhoun thought he'd left the War on Terror far behind, until he's contacted by an old friend.
Now Ike's stuck shielding Eryn McClellan from ambitious federal agents and crazed jihadists.
Worse, the charming, blue-eyed beauty is shattering his much-needed isolation.
As Ike's restraint erodes like a mountain in a mudslide, and the FBI keeps trying to use Eryn as bait, Ike wages a one-man war to protect the woman whose passion and faith fuels him to rise above his past.
The Guardian (The Taskforce Series, Book 2) Jun 11, 2014
When the Patuxent River prisoner-reintegration program—known as "Gateway"—falls under suspicion as a terrorist training ground, FBI Special Agent Jackson Maddox is sent in to investigate. Adopting the name Abdul, Jackson fits right in, until his cover is threatened by a sexy bombshell taking his picture.
An accomplished crime journalist, Lena Alexandra is on her own under-cover mission. Determined to send the man who raped and murdered her 15-year-old sister back to prison, Lena is interviewing Gateway's former-felons for a prison conversions book she's allegedly authoring. And not even the gorgeous ex-con named Abdul can derail her.
Until he gets in her way by acting as her guardian.
About to expose a home-grown terrorist plot reaching deep into the nation's capital, Jackson knows that he and Lena face a choice: figure out how to trust each other with their secrets and their lives. Or die in silence.
The Enforcer (The Taskforce Series, Book 3) Jun 11, 2014
ATF Special Agent Tobias Burke is undercover in West Virginia, infiltrating a militia led by Captain Dylan Connelly, suspected of murdering the Secretary of Defense
Dylan, once the Army's battalion leader of Mortuary Affairs, now works as a physician at the local Veterans Hospital, while leading her late-father's Seventh Amendment Militia.
When Tobias Burke shows up to enlist, with his ladies-man humor and lovable Labrador retriever, Dylan knows his killer charm hides an ulterior motive.
As evidence against Dylan mounts, Tobias's instincts—and then his heart—betray him into wondering if Dylan is being framed.
Now, with Dylan's militia locked in a stand-off with the FBI and the nation watching the drama unfold on television, Tobias stares down the barrel of the most difficult choice in his life: expose the real killer and clear Dylan's name, or follow orders.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KATIE REUS
Katie Reus is the popular New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of numerous paranormal and contemporary romances. I first became a fan when I read her first werewolf book in her Moon Shifter series. Her sexy heroes and high intensity stories got my attention!
But she also writes about tough, human alpha heroes in her Red Stone Security, Sin City and Deadly Ops series. Who-hoo!
Where does she get her ideas and what else does she have in store for us?!
1) What makes writing romance so special to you?
Kate Reus: I simply love the genre. There are so many wonderful romance books out there and though the genre is often looked down upon in literary circles (heh, like we care), it takes up a huge place in the fiction market. The majority of romance is read by and written by women and I feel like I’m in such amazing company. At this point in my life and career I don’t want to be writing anything else.
2) I'm so glad you found writing! Your romances are so exciting to read!! Where do you come up with your ideas? Do you think your degree in psychology gives you better insight into your characters?
Kate Reus: Thank you! My ideas usually stem from a single scene idea then from there I plot, plot, plot. That’s the toughest part, making sure there’s enough romance and suspense and finding that right balance. The kernel of an idea can be found anywhere, from music lyrics, to a news headline.
I love reading and writing about people and dissecting their motivation through their background and life experiences. I already had my degree when I figured out I wanted to be a writer so I can’t say for certain, but yes, I think having a background in psychology has probably been a help.
3) I never thought of that! Okay, you write so many books a year. (Yeah!) While a lot of authors are lucky to have one published. How do you keep yourself motivated and on track? Do you hide yourself in a cool hermit-like cave like batman?!
Kate Reus: Really, I’m just organized and have a really strong drive to write. It’s not difficult to stay motivated when I love what I do. At the beginning of every year I sit down and map out what books I want to write then just go from there. Then when I’m working on a project I have a detailed outline so I know what I’ll be working on day to day (obviously that can change but the core story is there for me). By now I have a general idea how long it takes to finish a book or novella and how many words I need to write a day to hit my deadlines so that helps too. And I reevaluate my publishing goals every few months. My original schedule from this past January changed but the amount of books I planned to publish hasn’t.
Ha, I just have a regular office that looks nothing like the bat cave ;)
4) I read that you started reading from your mom's stash of books? What types of books were your favorites and why?
Kate Reus: Contemporary romance and why is because that’s all she had, lol. But she also took my sister and me to the library weekly where I stocked up on Nancy Drew and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on.
5) I love, Love, LOVE your Moon Shifter series! Do you have a plan on how the series will end? (Please say it ain't so!) Can you give us a sneak peek?!
Kate Reus: Thank you! I love my Moon Shifter world. As of now, no, I have no plans on how the series will end. There are more stories I still want to tell.
6) I thought you only had one shifter series but discovered your Darkness series on your website! Can you tell us what sets it apart from your Moon Shifter series? Will this series ever be sold together as a set?
Kate Reus: The Moon Shifter world is set in a reality where supernatural beings came out to humans twenty years ago and in the Darkness series, my characters are all still very much living in secret. That’s really the main difference between the two series (plus there are demons, dragons and demi-gods/gods in my Darkness world, lol). Because of that, my characters face very different external threats.
Yes, it’s possible I’ll sell the Darkness books as box sets eventually.
7) Cool! In addition to paranormal romances, you also write several thrilling, action-packed contemporary romances. In fact, you have your Deadly Ops book, Edge of Danger out in Nov 2015. What makes this book so special?
Kate Reus: This is one of my favorite Deadly Ops books. The hero kidnaps the heroine the first time they ‘meet’ so it really starts off with a bang. And this woman who is basically a civilian manages to escape him and his trained men (temporarily). She was such a fun heroine to write because while she’s not as physically trained as the hero, she’s smart and uses her strengths to her advantage. Edge of Danger is incredibly fast-paced and intense and the H/h have to overcome their issues while basically trying to save hundreds of thousands of people from getting killed by extremists.
8) Sounds super intense! I like that your books feature so much tough alpha men. Many are government or military men. How do you research to make them feel so realistic? Do you have your very own alpha hero?!
Kate Reus: Thanks! I often utilize my best resource for research; my husband. He was in the Marine Corps and is now in law enforcement so a lot of questions (re: weapons, etc.) I can simply ask him to make sure I get stuff right. For things he doesn’t know I either ask one of his friends or co-workers. He has friends/contacts in various branches of law enforcement and different military branches so I have vast resources I can reach out to. I also use the Internet and books (I have so many books on law enforcement!) but I prefer to get the ‘okay’ from real people before putting stuff in my books. That said, I still use creative license, especially with my Deadly Ops series. So much of that is pure fiction.
9) I found out that you also write ultra smok'in hot books under the pen name Savannah Stuart! Is it fun to let out your sexier side out? Why did you choose another identity!?
Kate Reus: I haven’t written a Savannah book in a while (not enough hours in the day!) but I hope to get back to her one day. Originally I wanted to differentiate between my hotter stuff and my mainstream stuff so readers had a clear line on what to expect when picking up a Katie or Savannah book.
10) That makes sense! So....I gotta know more! What else have you planned for us in 2016?!
Kate Reus: You can expect more books in the following series’: Red Stone Security, Darkness, Serafina: Sin City, Deadly Ops and… potentially some surprises. I keep my website and newsletter updated so just be on the lookout! I don’t want to commit to more until I’ve got my schedule ironed out.
That is a lot to look forward to! This interview has been one of my highlights on this website. Thank you so much for honoring us with your time!
Kate Reus: Thank you so much for having me here!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information Check Katie Reus at:
Website: http://katiereus.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katiereus
Sign up for Katie's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/jEABv
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1563059.Katie_Reus
Recent and Upcoming Books by Katie Reus:
Edge of Danger
Deadly Ops Series: Book 4
Release date: November 3, 2015
When an assassin tries to kill undercover DEA agent Tucker Pankov the same week his boss is taken out, Tucker has good reason to be paranoid. And when other members of his elite team are not only targeted, but stripped of top-secret security clearance, Tucker has one shot at discovering who wants them dead—and why. So he kidnaps the only woman he thinks can save them.
Brilliant NSA analyst Karen Stafford doesn’t like being forced into anything, especially by someone she doesn’t trust. Yet after a hijacked US-owned drone starts attacking government installations resulting in mass casualties, Karen has to take Tucker’s side. Now, two unlikely allies must unite to prevent an escalating and unthinkable terrorist conspiracy. But as Tucker and Karen grow intimate, they realize the conspiracy runs deep, and their enemies are closer than anyone realized.
Shattered Duty
Deadly Ops Series: Book 3
Release date: June 2, 2015
When his wife was murdered two years ago, Special Agent Levi Lazaro turned his back on everything he cared about. Ever since, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. Now he’s finally uncovered the identities of those who killed his wife—and he’s ready to destroy them at any cost. He won’t let anything stand in his way—not even a beautiful NSA agent on a mission of her own.
Special Agent Selene Wolfe prides herself on being the best. Her fearlessness and quick-thinking make her the perfect person to take down a deadly terrorist cell. But she needs Levi’s help, and the moment he shows up, Selene knows her objectivity—and her heart—are in trouble.
As the two strike an uneasy alliance, Levi finds himself tormented by his desire for Selene—a feeling he thought long dead. But when their mission takes an unexpected turn, he finds himself faced with an impossible choice: either put aside his need for revenge, or save the woman who’s reawakened his soul…
Retribution
Release Date: May 12, 2015
She sees brief glimpses of the future…
Nika and Alena Brennan will do anything to kill a vicious Russian crime boss and they’re using his only son to get to him. Yet when the time comes to execute their plan, psychic Nika hesitates due to an unexpected entanglement with sexy security expert Declan Gallagher. When her sister is kidnapped and all their carefully laid plans go awry, Nika must depend on Declan and her mortal enemy’s son to get her sister back.
He invades her dreams and teases her with sensual pleasures…
As a dream walker, Declan is capable of seeing anyone’s innermost thoughts as they sleep. With Nika, however, he finds himself playing a deadly, seductive game. He knows she’s not who she says she is and he’s determined to find out the real reason she’s in Miami before she gets herself or someone else killed.
Time is running out…
Nika’s window of opportunity is closing to save her sister and find a way to protect their secrets without landing them both in jail. With innocent lives at stake, Nika must decide if the retribution she’s waited a lifetime for is worth losing the man who has won her heart.
Chasing Danger -Part of Deadly Ops series ebook
Release date: April 21, 2015
Chief Nursing Officer Hannah Young is accustomed to working under pressure, but even she’s still reeling in the aftermath of a horrific terrorist attack on Miami. And things only get worse after a knife wielding maniac tries to kill her. Desperate for help, Hannah must turn to the one man she never thought she’d see again.
After spending an intensely passionate night with Hannah, NSA Agent and former Delta Force operative Dax Costas fell off the face of the earth. He got called away for a two week mission with no way to contact her. Now he can’t get the smart, sexy woman out of his head. She might be angry at him, but when it appears she has a stalker, Dax moves her under his roof and into his protection.
Unfortunately, whoever wants Hannah dead will stop at nothing. And if Dax can’t identify the perpetrator in time, it could be too late to discover if there is more between him and Hannah than just heated passion…
Beyond the Darkness
Release date: March 3, 2015
Now that she has her freedom, she’s not giving it up.
Dragon shifter Keelin Petronilla spent centuries in forced hibernation dreaming of one thing: freedom. Now she’s living life on her terms—she’s ditched her clan for an unruly wolf pack, she tends bar for a half-demon, and she’s loving it…until a powerful supernatural being targets her. She intends to handle the mysterious attacks on her own…without the help of dragon Alpha Bran Devlin. Sure, he’s sexy in that hot, scowling possessive way, but Keelin wants to live her own life in her own way.
Now that he’s found his mate, he’s not letting her go.
Former black ops agent Bran Devlin is a born dragon Alpha and leader of a fierce clan. Getting mated was never part of his plan—until a feisty dragon princess gets under his skin in a big way. The hell of it is, she doesn’t want a mate; she just wants to have a good time. He plays along, but when a dark and powerful being marks her for death, he’s determined to stay by her side in spite of her protests. Now that he’s found his mate, he means to keep her safe no matter what the cost…even if he has to risk it all.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER ESTEP
Jennifer Estep is and Urban Fantasy writer extraordinaire! Known for her amazing heroes and heroines that seem to climb out a comic book and drag you into their adventures. From her popular Bigtime series to her Elemental Assassin series. She has broadened her fan base with hew new YA fantasy books. The latest being her Black Blade series.
Having just finished the first, Cold Burn of Magic I can’t wait to get my hands on the next!
Jennifer Estep: Thanks! I appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed the book.
So, I wanted to ask the author about her new series and what inspires her writing.
1) Wow, thanks for being on our site. I am a ‘Bigtime’ fan! (Ha-ha!) But it now seems you are more focused on YA books, what attracted you to write them instead of your adult Urban Fantasy?
Jennifer Estep: Actually, I’m still writing both young adult and urban fantasy books.
One of the things I like about writing YA is that I get to tell a little bit of a different story than in my adult urban fantasy books. My YA books are more coming-of-age stories about heroines who are trying to figure out their magic and what they want their place in the world to be. So writing YA is a fun challenge for me.
2) Is the writing style different, do you feel you have to tone things down when you write a YA book?
Jennifer Estep: I do tone down things in my YA books. Those books are definitely lighter on language, violence, and other things than my adult urban fantasy books.
But all of my books still have a lot of things in common, like strong heroines, lots of magic and world building, and lots of action and fight scenes. So if you like my writing voice in one of my adult series, you might like it in my YA series too.
3) What inspired you to create the Black Blade series?
Jennifer Estep: One of the things that inspired me was several vacations that I’ve taken in recent years. I always enjoy going on vacation and seeing new things. Somewhere along the way, I started thinking that it would be cool if there was a tourist town where folks could go to see real magic and monsters. So that was sort of the start of Cold Burn of Magic and my Black Blade series.
4) I noticed that many of your book feature a heroine that is orphaned or her mother has been murdered tragically. Usually most stories have the mother die in childbirth and their father raises them and dies. Do you feel by having a strong mother figure this makes your heroines stronger?
Jennifer Estep: I do think having a strong parental figure (whether it’s a mother or father or both parents) makes my heroines stronger people themselves. I also think giving my heroines a tragic backstory (like losing their parents) makes them a little more self-reliant because they don’t have someone looking out for them the way a parent should. And it also makes them a little more guarded with their emotions because they know how easily they can lose someone they love.
With my heroines, I think that kind of tough, heartbreaking loss can make for a really interesting character that folks can relate to and hopefully root for.
5) Speaking of mothers will we find out more about Lila’s mother soon and who her real father is?! Please....
Jennifer Estep: Without giving out spoilers, readers find out a little bit about Lila’s mother in Cold Burn of Magic, and there will definitely be more about her in Dark Heart of Magic, the second book in the series. Even Lila will find out some things about her mother that she didn’t know before.
6) How did you decided to create warring families with different talents. Are the Sinclairs and Draconis based on anyone? Can you tell us more about them and how Lila’s mother came to work for the Sinclairs? Or is that a secret for later?!
Jennifer Estep: When I came up with the idea of Cloudburst Falls, my tourist town, I knew that I wanted some sort of group in charge who ran things. Somewhere along the way, I thought it would be interesting if there were several groups – or mob families – who were all warring for control of the town. So I decided to create my own families in the Sinclairs and the Draconis.
You’ll find out more about Lila’s mother and her relationship with some of the other characters in Dark Heart of Magic.
7) Cool! How long would you like this series to run? Can you tell us how many books you have been asked to write so far? Will there ever be a spin off book/series?!
Jennifer Estep: As of right now, this will be a trilogy so three books total. Dark Heart of Magic, book two, was released on Oct. 27, with Bright Blaze of Magic, book three, tentatively set to be published in 2016.
As of right now, I don’t have any plans to do a spinoff series, but I’ll never say never. We’ll see what happens.
8) What makes your heroine, Lila so special to you? Why give her the talents she has?!
Jennifer Estep: I like how snarky and sassy Lila is, and how she is proud of all her thieving skills. She’s been a fun character to write. As for her magic, I tried to pick some things – like her soulsight and transference powers – that I could use in different ways and show how Lila grows in her magic and the things she can do with it as the series goes along.
9) Speaking of talents, where the heck did you come up with the various talents, many seem very unusual?
Jennifer Estep: I’m definitely a geek at heart, and I’ve always thought it would be so cool to have magic/powers/talents. So sometimes I give my characters talents that I think would be interesting to have, like Lila’s soulsight magic, which lets her know what people are really feeling just by looking at them.
10) Okay, I have to ask. What else do you have planned for your readers!? Sometimes I feel like I’m being tortured until the next book comes out!
Jennifer Estep: Thanks! I appreciate that. Glad you are enjoying my books.
Bright Blaze of Magic, Black Blade #3, is tentatively set to be published in 2016.
Bitter Bite, book 14 in my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, will be out on Dec. 29.
Ohh! I can't wait :) Thank you so much for taking time out to let us interview you! I really enjoyed having you on our site. It is such an honor to have an author of your talent here!
Jennifer Estep: Thanks so much for hosting me on your site. I appreciate it. Happy reading, everyone!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information you can check her at her website:
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Recent and Upcoming Books by Jennifer Estep:
BITTER BITE - Feb. 2016
Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship? That’s the question Gin Blanco is asking when a friend’s long-lost relative comes strolling back into Ashland under suspicious circumstances. The unexpected reunion is a surprise for everyone—and a big problem for Gin. Book 14 in the New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”
It’s not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far—my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I’m the one on the outside looking in.
It’s funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he’s doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I’d like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I’ll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground—for good.
DARK HEART OF MAGIC - Oct. 2015
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES…
As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there’s no escaping the spotlight—or the danger.
Even though he’s my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot of winning what’s supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious “accidents”, it looks like someone will do anything to win—no matter who they hurt.
As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone’s going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing’s for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else …
COLD BURN OF MAGIC -April 2015
THERE BE MONSTERS HERE…
It’s not as great as you’d think, living in a tourist town that’s known as “the most magical place in America.” Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power.
I try to keep out of it. I’ve got my mom’s bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.
But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend’s pawn shop, and I have to make a call—get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn’t. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I’m stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I’m going to end up just like her…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH LAURA TOLOMEI
Laura Tolomei’s super-hot specialty is writing unforgettable and edgy erotic romances. At this time, she primarily writes for eXtasy Publishing. As a worldwide traveler, she gets inspiration from people and place, which have added to her over twenty-seven books. And although her novels should come with an air conditioner, she says she writes not just for the steamy sex but the deep and interesting relationships that lead to each of her unique romances.
But what makes her books so special?
1) Hi, Laura! It is a pleasure to have you on our site. I have to ask, why become a writer and what about erotic romance specifically attracts you?
Laura Tolomei: Hi Steph and thanks so much for having me here! Now, the reason I became a writer is quite simple: to tell my own stories. After years of reading just about anything I could get my hands on, I had my head so filled with stories of my own invention that I just had to put them on paper. Mostly, I had to give voice to some very particular characters who kept bothering me LOL
Every time I closed my eyes, I could just picture them as they told their edgy tales full of fantasy, paranormal, horror and eros. Yes, lots of eros, too, ‘cause it’s one of the driving forces of human relationships. And since people are my main interest, and not just for writing purposes, I cannot ignore how sex affects them. Nothing like sex works better to reveal not just feelings, but how a person really is. Barriers fall quickly when sex is involved, which is and that’s what scares us the most. So we pile a whole lot of taboos, prejudices and discriminations on it, thinking that if we ban certain aspects, we can control sex. Which is pure absurd, ‘cause any form of sex is ok any as long as the people involved are free and equal partners.
This is why I chose to write erotic romances. To me, numbers and genders aren’t prejudicial to a deep fulfilling relationship. I believe you can love more than one person at a time, and it’s ok to play games in bed. Dom and subs, Masters and slaves, Tops and bottoms—everything is acceptable as long as it doesn’t get out of the bed and poison the balance between the partners, which is another terrible side-effect of these kind of games.
This is what you’ll find in my books: totally edgy, totally enjoyable sex games between characters that often love each other to death. But don’t expect anything traditional. However strong their love, they aren’t going to go all sweet when their birthdays roll round. No anniversary celebrations either. They aren’t going to say, “I love you,” a thousand times a day. But they will prove all they feel during their heated interplay on a bed, games that get so scorching hot you’ll need a high-powered air conditioner just to cool you down LOL
2) I understand your home base is in Rome, and you write in English and Italian. Since Italians are known for being more expressive, do you find that this has influenced your writing style?
Laura Tolomei: Mmmm…this is a tough question, Steph. Actually, I never really thought about it. What I can say, is that I’ve known English since I was five years old, so I feel it’s as much my language as Italian is. I also studied and read in English for much of my life, which is why the first things I wrote were in English. All in all, I can’t really say if and how Italian influences me when I write in English.
Funny, though, this difference between the languages affects the things I write. Genres are radically different when I write in one language or the other. In English, it’s easier for me to invent stories about fictional characters with unbelievable tales and scorching sex lacing every page. For some reason, I could never do this in Italian. The few things I did write in Italian (Piccolo Crocevia a Cinque, loosely translated Little Five Points, and L’Investigatto, loosely translated The Investicat) are much more personal. No fantasy there, just buts of my life that I wanted to take off my chest, so to speak. It’s curious, but it’s like Italian is my choice when I need to give voice to my emotions, while English is what I use to give voice to my imagination. And it makes quite a difference in my writing!
3) Do you have the same books translated between the two languages, or do you feel certain books are more appropriate for one ‘type’ of audience? Like the English books might be more conventional?
Laura Tolomei: Unfortunately, I don’t have any books translated, and it’s not a question of audience. It’s just a question of being famous enough to get translated LOL
I wish my books were available in Italian, too. Not an option, though, not until I find an editor wanting to take a chance on one of my English books. For sure, I don’t intend to do it myself. Not just because it would be very time-consuming. Mostly because these books were born in English, so I couldn’t think of them in Italian.
Still, reading some of these books—like those of the Virtus Saga, ReScue or Soulmate Series—would do Italians lots of good, seen how traditional and sometimes bigoted our culture is. Male chauvinist, too, which is another reason I hope I’ll become famous enough to have an editor ask to translate my books LOL
4) Are there some things you think are more taboo to mention from one country to the next and why?
Laura Tolomei: Yes, I think there are, and they all depend on culture. Some view all sex as taboo, to the point you’re embarrassed simply to be naked with another person, even if it’s your husband or wife. Others are more open and tolerate all sorts of extreme practices that it almost feels like no taboos exist. Others still are kind of in between, where taboos exist but aren’t that many.
As for me, I do have a few taboos of my own, which I steer clear from in my books. Like bestialities, for instance, which are a total turn-off for me. So my characters are pretty free and expressive in their sex, kind of wild at times, hence the hot and edgy romance, ‘cause they always playing it like sex is a game that, however extreme, has to be pleasurable for all involved.
5) Living in so many interesting cultures, do you feel you are multinational? Did you try to show that in your fantasy series Virtus Saga? Did you enjoy the world building in this series?
Laura Tolomei: More than multinational, I feel at home wherever I go. Ironically, the Virtus Saga starts with Prince Duncan Caldwell feeling lost and unable to find his home. Then it ends with Lord Christopher Templeton feeling finally at home. And that’s no coincidence!
Now, after all the traveling I’ve done, I believe I can understand different cultures, some of which quite distant from the one I grew up with, which is a definite advantage when I approached writing a series like the Virtus Saga LOL
Not just because it helped with my world building. Mostly because it gave me a variety of places in which to set the story. Like the volcano Stromboli, a place that deeply affected me, and that I used when Virtus first kidnaps Ylianor Meyer and plunges their world into chaos. Like the Wadirum Desert or the entrance to the Nephis Valley, both of which are in Jordan. The desert is the one where Lawrence of Arabia spent most of his time. The other is the entrance to Petra, one of the archaeological finds of the twentieth century (just think you can see it in the movie Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade). And just to make clear how deeply the place affected me, you should know that Nephis in Arab means soul, so not a coincidence it should be Sendar’s sacred valley.
Another place I modeled after a real one is the Hall itself. The seat of the High Council and the residence of my three protagonists, this is sort of a European medieval castle.
Not just places, many aspects of my world traveling have ended up in Virtus’s eight books. Like the underlying vegetarian culture, which is something that stems from my love for India, as are parts of the philosophy behind the concept of non-violence and reincarnation.
This last is in particular is another big theme of my writing, especially in the ReScue Series. For other books, I also use elements of Greek philosophy, like in my Soulmate Series, where the idea that soul mates could exist is from Plato’s books.
All in all, I think that traveling in general broadens your mind, and it’s been one of the main inspirations of my stories, whether fantasy or contemporary.
6) Speaking of the Virtus Saga, you have written your last book in the series. Will you ever write a spin off? Do you feel a bit bittersweet?
Laura Tolomei: Oh, I definitely feel bittersweet about having to let go of my three favorite characters of all after the release of The Lord, Virtus Saga Book 8, which ends their story. But guess what? My editor is giving me the opportunity to release the saga in PRINT, and I still can’t believe it! In fact, I’m hard at work to re-edit The Sex, Book 1 of the Virtus Saga. Once I’m done, it’ll be even better than before, considering that five years have passed since its first release. And it’ll be the appropriate start for Prince Duncan Caldwell, for his soul mate and lover Lord Christopher Templeton, and for the slave who’ll conquer both their hearts, Ylianor Meyer.
These characters are so intriguing and their story is so complicated, I had to write eight books just to give readers a measure of their world and of their search for a balanced way of life. Because this isn’t just another dark fantasy series. This is the making of a trio. Of three remarkable characters that have to overcome their jealousies and passions in order to be as one. Not an easy task at all, their tale starts with The Sex, then progresses with The Game, The Festival, The Leader, The Pledge, The Heat, The Princess and finally The Lord. Each book starts exactly where the one before left off, so they aren’t stand-alone. Only reading them in sequence will provide the whole story.
As for a spin-off, I did think about it, even if it wasn’t my intention. But on writing the last book, The Lord, the new characters that emerged gave me such an itch to write their stories that I’m not sure I can resist. So who knows? Maybe one day I will.
7) Is there a favorite character you created in your series? Can you tell us who and why?!
Laura Tolomei: Lord Christopher Templeton is my favorite character of all. Why?
‘Cause he’s so unpredictable and unique. ‘Cause he’s an angel and a demon all rolled up in one. Good and bad, white and black—that’s the essence of Christopher Templeton or The Lord. Playful like a little boy, yet loving like a man, Lord Christopher Templeton is capable of the most shattering feelings. He’s all fire after all, inside and out, which explains that extremely inflammable temper of his. His uncontrollable core, too, which is the secret that will most fascinate readers through all eight of the Virtus Saga books.
Small wonder the last book of the saga is entitled to him, The Lord. His towering blaze of pure fire can lash out in rage or lust quicker than the bat of an eye. ‘Cause pain or pleasure, he can go either way without any qualms, without caring either, except when it comes to his adored prince. But what he does with her is where everything hinges on, particularly that balance of the three becoming as one.
Just so you get an idea of how incredibly intriguing this character is, I’m adding the blurb to The Lord:
Lord Christopher Templeton: Angel or Demon? Angel and Demon! Two faces. One fucking gorgeous man! And only two people to switch him either way. Now Lord Christopher Templeton is going to prove himself to the entire universe. The past in his power. The present in his lust. The future in his temper. Because he is The Lord. Because us is sex!
Plus, he’s as gorgeous as a god, which never hurts no matter what world you’re in LOL.
8) You are known for pushing the edge in your books. Has there been a scene or book that was difficult or shocking for you to write, but you felt you had to do it anyway? Can you tell us about it?
Laura Tolomei: Strange as this may sound, nothing I write is too extreme, at least in my imagination. Even if I don’t particularly relish certain BDSM practices for real, I can totally relate as to how and why some people love them, to the point they couldn’t have sex without them. Which makes it all the more strange for me to have written a book like Bondage Slave for Hire, which is all about Lilly, a BDSM slave for hire, and you can just imagine what they put her through. So nothing shocks me. Not even the scenes of bloody horror I described in my horror books. Like Sacrificial Sex, where a real human sacrifice Aztec style could be a bit over the edge for a reader. Or Bloody Passion, Visionquest and Hunted, where shape-shifting is just an excuse for some very truculent scenes. In The Demon Waiter and Bondage Slave for Hire, horror reaches vertiginous heights, with demons taking over normal reality during Halloween. And if that wasn’t enough, my most extreme and edgy scenes of all are in Re-Scue and in the Virtus Saga, where heavy knife play becomes the link that ties and strengthens the relationship between the main characters. And you can’t get any kinkier than that LOL
9) Your Soulmate and Trespassing series feature male heroes. Were they difficult to write? Why did you decide you wanted to write them?
Laura Tolomei: Practically all of my books feature male heroes, so it’s no hardship at all. In fact, I love them, and some of my favorites are Martin and Drake. Not just because they are fantastic male characters. Mostly because of all the obstacles standing in the way of their coming together. For Martin, there is no doubt Drake is his soul mate. Not so for Drake, which is why To Seduce a Soul Mate, Book 1 of the Soulmate Series, is so unexpected. Because everyone believes that, once you find your soul mate, you’ve got it made, right?
Wrong.
Sometimes, you also gotta seduce him into accepting the inevitable. This is exactly what happens between Martin and Drake, given how little Drake cares for an MM entanglement. Not a matter of sex, since it’s so hot and passionate it cannot but shake Drake’s convictions. Mostly about the relationship itself, which is what Martin wants more than the sex itself.
This seduction spills into Book 2 of the Soulmate Series, The Pirate’s Surrender. Not just because the sex becomes scorching. Because Drake puts up a hell of a lot of resistances, until Martin doubts he’ll ever manage to convince him. And that’s all I’m prepared to admit to avoid spoiling the ending!
How did I come up with such intriguing characters? Thanks to a very dear friend, Cinzia. She used to tell me a whole lot about her boss, Martin, and his MF love affairs that never seemed to work out. So I imagined he was looking for a man rather than a woman, and then my imagination went a step further. What if Martin found his special one, but the guy was too scared to jump at the offer?
Things in the Trespassing Series worked a bit differently. In Trespassing All Hallows Eve, Book 2 of the series, which is my very first release, the protagonist was Brighit. But while writing it, two characters emerged that required more space of their own: Attilio and Aurelius. They are Roman centurions of 1st century Rome, and there’s no stopping the fire erupting whenever they’re together. In spite of the rigid Roman law, Attilio and Aurelius start a fiery relationship in Book 1 of the Trespassing Series, Roman Seduction. Meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, they decide to stick together and travel the world with the Roman army. And that was quite a life for those times!
I’m not sure what inspired me to write about them. Like I said, they were just marginal characters in Trespassing All Hallows Eve, but something about them struck me deep inside. True, I’ve always loved writing about ancient cultures like I did in my most historical book of all, Divinitas. Still, their bond was so strong I had to find out how it had started. That power of attraction between them is what blew my mind away, and that’s how Attilio and Aurelius came to be.
So whether you read the Soulmate Series or the Trespassing one, you’ll find it’s quite an adventure for my MM protagonists LOL
10) As such a prolific author, what books are you most excited about? Can you tell us about them before they come out?!
Laura Tolomei: The ReScue Series is definitely worth my excitement LOL
Not just because it’s the only series of mine that has an audio version of the first book in the series, Re-Scue the Audio Book. Mostly because it’s my most original and borderline stories of all.
The theme is all about reincarnation and resolving your issues, even if it’ll take you several lifetimes to do it. Because some conflicts never end, not even if death occurs. Patterns keep repeating themselves until you become aware of them and realize you has to change them. And this is so true in mind, there’s no going around it.
This is what happens to the two protagonists of Re-Scue, Book 1 of the series. Starting out as Didri and Tylean, they begin a vicious BDSM game of sadistic knife play and sex. No feelings, just the brutality of a game where blood and sex go hand in hand. Or so Tylean wants to play it. For Didri, things get complicated when she falls in love with him. And since he’s made it abundantly clear he feels nothing for her besides the excitement of the game, tragedy strikes.
Their story continues when they are born again as a gazelle and a panther. Kind of impossible they can have a future together. Still, they recognize one another. They know they have a past and a possible future together however limited their present. So things end like they should—with the predator snapping his prey’s neck, which is not an end, merely another beginning.
Born again as Aural and Rhodri, their fatal attraction pulls them together once more, and their game begins anew. Somehow, they remember their past lives, only this deal about not allowing feelings into this extreme game of theirs drives them apart again. Drives Rhodri to kill Aural…or almost. If Aural survives, it’s only thanks to a witch’s intervention and to Rhodri’s promise that things will change in the next lifetime.
Which is the turning point for the protagonists born again as Leon and Sean. Being two men, their game turns hotter and more extreme. Also more complicated and this is where things will get really interesting, to the point I had to continue their particular story in Book 2, Tasting Leon’s Mark, and in a third book that I’m still working on. Working title is Awere-Ness, and I hope to get it released by the end of the year.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the audio version of Re-Sche, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
I appreciate having an author that isn’t, ‘too’ shy! Thank you so much for sharing your time with us!
Laura Tolomei: Thank you so much Steph for having me. It’s been loads of fun for me, and I hope for your readers, too!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information Check Out The Author’s Website at:
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Upcoming and Recent Book Releases by Laura Tolomei
The Sex
Virtus Saga Book 1
BLURB
When Prince Duncan Caldwell loses his way home and knocks to get shelter, he doesn’t know his life is about to change forever. Not because he can’t tear his gaze away from the beautiful woman who opens that door. More because she’s a stranger, yet he can’t shake the feeling she belongs to him. And that’s just the beginning of the Virtus Saga, where nothing is as it seems, not since soul mates Prince Duncan Caldwell and Lord Christopher Templeton share a love that is unrivaled until that fateful knock on Ylianor Meyer’s dilapidated shack. This book starts it all—the love, the passion, the fiery sex and the intricate three-way relationship, but mostly the unique connection laced with a jealousy and violence that are unknown to their world. Because this isn’t just another erotic dark fantasy series. This is the making of a trio. Of three remarkable characters that have to overcome their uncontrollable lust to face the truth about themselves and their planet, in order to defeat the darkness about to devour them. To be as one whilst three! That’s their real challenge. Because, if they can’t learn to share power and love in equal measures, how will they be able to ensure their world’s survival?
Erotic fiction novel — GLBT, ménage, M/M gay, dark fantasy, paranormal, romance, series
eXtasy Books
Awere-Ness
ReScue Series Book 3
BLURB
Atlanta-San Francisco: on the road, trying to understand something about the soul-mates. Can it be only one? Can it be only of love? Can it have another purpose? Sex, relations, slaves and questions, in Awere-Ness all the answers.
Erotic fiction novel — GLBT M/M gay, M/M/F, ménage, romance, contemporary, paranormal
The Lord -Oct. 1st, 2014
Virtus Saga Book 8
BLURB
Lord Christopher Templeton: Angel or Demon? Angel and Demon! Two faces. One fucking gorgeous man! And only two people to switch him either way. Now Lord Christopher Templeton is going to prove himself to the entire universe. The past in his power. The present in his lust. The future in his temper. Because he is The Lord. Because us is sex!
Erotic fiction novel — BDSM; GLBT, ménage, M/M gay, MULTIPLE PARTNERS, dark fantasy, paranormal, romance, series
eXtasy Books
The Princess - Sept 15th, 2014
Virtus Saga Book 7
BLURB
Alone. The future of his world on his shoulders, Prince Duncan Caldwell has to connect the dots. To pick up the pieces of broken love. Before the new edition of the Game. Before the terrible loss awaiting him at Black Rose. But not alone. Not without his angel. Certainly not without his princess. For only her power will save him.
Erotic fiction novel — BDSM, GLBT, ménage, M/M gay, dark fantasy, paranormal, romance, series
eXtasy Books
Slave For Sex -Oct. 21st, 2013
BLURB
Alone, having lost the love of his life, Rydan has visions of a mysterious creature in the forest. Who is she? And what will happen when he finally meets her in the flesh to learn about the secrets of sex and passion? But that’s not all she’ll reveal, and the truth about his world will blow his mind away. Will he trust her enough to believe her or will he surrender to the sensual attraction of burning desire neglecting his duties?
Erotic fiction novella — M/M gay, fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal
eXtasy Books
Bondage Slave For Hire - Oct, 15th 2013
BLURB
Nothing satisfies Lilly. Not even working at The Dungeon BDSM Club as a bondage slave for hire. A slave looking for her true master. None have fit the bill so far. Until Terry. He spins her craving to fever pitch. And she might just fall in love with him, if she could only be his slave. Not just his. Julien and André’s, too. His gorgeous Creole lovers. Because they are the perfect Masters. But also keepers of the Black Room. On Halloween, she’ll discover just how bad and dangerous their pain-lust game can really be. Will she be able to fulfill their true needs? Or will she perish in the attempt?
Erotic fiction novel — BDSM, GLBT, M/M gay, dark fantasy, paranormal, horror, Halloween
eXtasy Books
Hunted -July 1st, 2013
BLURB
Why is this vicious predator terrorizing the village? Who is Therry, and why does he live deep inside the forest, away from mankind? But mostly, why can’t Kendryck get him out of his mind? As the hunt progresses, so does his fascination with the most intriguing young man the hunter has ever met, until things don’t add up, and Therry’s dark secrets will have to be revealed…eventually.
Erotic fiction novella — GLBT, M/M gay, dark fantasy, paranormal, horror, shapeshifting
eXtasy Books
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH FIELDING
Hannah Fielding has had a life-long passion for travel and the written word. These are reflected in her unique and evocative romances, set in exotic and mysterious settings. This April, her third romance, Indiscretion, has just been published. It is also set in the wild landscape of Analucia and features a half-English, half-Spanish young writer named Alexandra de Falla. Exciting, indeed!
As a devoted, full-time novelist, this intriguing author has a lot to say. And we are pleased to introduce her on our site.
Hannah Fielding:
Stories and writing have always been part of my life. My father was a great raconteur and my governess used to tell the most fabulous fairy stories – I could listen to them for hours. When I was seven she and I came to an agreement: for every story she’d tell me I would invent one in return. That is how my passion for storytelling began.
At school I consistently received first prize for my essays and my teachers often read them aloud in class. As a teenager I used to write short romantic stories during lessons and circulate them in class, which made me very popular with my peers (but less so with the nuns!). In addition, since a young age I have kept some sort of a diary where I note my feelings, ideas and things that take my fancy (or not).
My grandmother was a published author of poetry and my father published a book about the history of our family, so writing runs in my veins. I guess I always knew that one day I would follow in those footsteps and forge my own path in that field – a subconscious dream which finally came true.
So, writing came easily to me; the challenge was to decide to become published, to take the books I’d written out of the drawer and present them to the world… in other words, to accept that my work would be judged. It took a lot of persuading from my husband and my children, who believed in me and supported me to make this first step.
Hannah Fielding:
Most of all I enjoy setting off on my new journey: dreaming up the plot, looking for my characters and meeting them, moulding them first before placing them in a setting which I will enjoy discovering. And then of course the great adventure of the research, which will take me back to places I have visited and loved or new ones about which I am eager to learn.
Hannah Fielding:
There are so many amazing countries in the world! My ideas for settings for my plots come from places I have visited, places that I find romantic… places that make me dream.
‘Write about what you know’ is a common piece of advice given to writers, and I agree with it.
I have always been a traveller at heart, one who finds great inspiration from experiencing different cultures and places. My first novel, Burning Embers, was born of a trip I took to Kenya as a young woman. My second novel, The Echoes of Love, had similar roots, having found its way into my imagination during trips to Venice during which I was most struck by the two faces of the city – that which the tourists flock to see, and that which is beneath the illusion, the mirage. As for Indiscretion, my romance with Spain began when I was in my early teens after I saw a film called Pleasure Seekers. The wonderful setting and atmospheric music made me dream and triggered my imagination. Then once I had visited that beautiful, sun-drenched country and met its hospitable, fun-loving, flamboyant people, I was charmed and the seeds for Indiscretion were sown.
I have written several novels now, and vivid setting is a common factor in each. From Kenya in Africa to Venice and Tuscany, Italy, from Andalucia, Spain to Luxor, Egypt and the Greek Islands – these are books born of my travels; of poking around in back streets and cafes; of meeting locals and exploring landscapes – and, of course, of reading extensively on cultures.
Hannah Fielding:
I think that it is my descriptive ability that sets my books apart from other authors. I have always been a writer who pays keen attention to setting; to describing carefully sights and sounds and smells and tastes and textures. Since childhood I’ve loved writers who really paint a scene in your mind, and that was cemented when, as a young woman, I read French literature at university. I knew when I started writing romance that I wanted to transport my readers to the time and place in which I situate the story. Place holds such power to colour a story, and I believe any story must be firmly rooted in the ‘where’.
The following paragraph describes the scene that meets Alexandra, my heroine of Indiscretion, when she first gets off the train in Andalucia:
The station at the small port town of Puerto de Santa Maria swarmed with the oddest characters. Water sellers with huge earthenware pitchers and merchants selling wine, sweetmeats and shellfish bustled about next to the train. Brown urchins pushing barrows heaped with mountains of luscious fruit called out their offerings, ‘Que vengan todas las Marias, que traigo sandias y melons dulces como el caramel! Come all you Marias, I bring watermelons and melons sweet as caramel!’ Crippled beggars squatted in corners, palms outstretched. There were peddlers hawking their cheap wares of soap, matches, lace and miniature bottles of cologne, plus gypsy knife-sellers with trays of hand-crafted navajas, shouting ‘Afilo cuchillos y tijeras! Vamos barato! I sharpen knives and scissors! Come! It’s cheap!’, plus lottery ticket touts and a host of others.
Such description is typical of my writing, and it seems to appeal to readers, for many of the reviewers mention the exotic setting and the sense that the book offers an escape in transporting the reader to another world and another time.
For me, that journey is an essential element of a romance novel. The book must reach out and pull the reader into the pages – into the story world. Only then can we really experience the emotions of the characters. We read romance to feel romance. And to foster romance, setting is key. I can’t image my characters falling in love in a concrete multi-storey car park. But sheltering from a storm in a cave in the African wilderness, surrounded by the most vivid of flora, with the call of exotic animals on the air and the crackling of burning embers in the campfire – now that is a setting for passion.
Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion is the story of a young woman’s journey of discovery that takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty and danger.
The setting is spring 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to reunite with her long-estranged family.
Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are riven with seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra.
Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured onto the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed señoritas hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?
Indiscretion is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. Can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?
I decided to set Indiscretion in the fifties for three reasons:
1) Because it is a period I know well.
2) Because those fifty or so years have seen major changes in society and therefore there is much to explore in terms of romance in that era.
3) Because I was so taken by Spain that I knew that my inspiration would not stop at one book and I was giving myself the chance of writing a sequel or even a trilogy.
Hannah Fielding:
In Indiscretion, Alexandra, born from an English mother and a Spanish father, is a successful writer and a woman of independent means, which was rare in the 1950s. Adventurous, courageous and a fighter, she is able to convince her aunt Geraldine, who has brought her up and regards Spain as an outlandish, backward place, that it is important for her to travel to Andalucia to meet her estranged family and discover her roots – a rather modern attitude for those days. At twenty-five she is still unmarried, which again was unusual for women; most of her friends were already mothers at that age.
With this baggage behind her, when she comes to Andalucia Alexandra can hold on to some of the strong will and independence she has built up. When she arrives there, she comes up against the bigotry of 1950s Spain – the hero, his family and the wider society all adhere to ways she does not understand and, indeed, condemns because to her they belong in the dark ages. She is not afraid to speak her mind, which often brings her into trouble and creates friction with the man with whom she has fallen in love, despite herself.
Still, I’m also careful to make her a little lost in Spain, a little out of her depth away from home. You cast your heroine in a modern way when she’s at home, in her own setting; but then plunge her into an alien one that’s exciting and inspiring but also daunting and dangerous. Her reactions then form the balance between modern and ‘of the era’. In many ways, my heroines are caught in an interior battle between being ‘modern’ and being ‘old fashioned’ in terms of how they react to family responsibilities and to the men they meet.
Alexandra probably does have traits I’ve seen in real people. On my travels and during the periods I have lived in various countries, I have met so many interesting characters, so some of this is bound to come out in my writing. But there is no specific character or situation in my novels that is connected with people or events I’ve encountered.
Does Alexandra have any of my characteristics? All of the main female characters I write about have a little of me in them. Alexandra is, to a certain extent, naive where emotional experience is concerned, and that is definitely an element that reflects my own naivety when I was young. I was very protected as a child growing up in Egypt and the big, wide world came as something of a surprise to me when, in my early twenties, I began to travel. Alexandra definitely has that emotional freshness, which comes through immediately, a quality that Salvador, being a conservative Spanish male, finds highly attractive. Her unworldliness might land her in trouble (as mine did on occasion!) but, nevertheless, her innocence is not without charm.
Hannah Fielding:
I love my book covers too! Unfortunately design is not my forte, so my publisher uses a designer, but my opinion was taken into account when they were in process. I wanted them to convey to my readers passion, exoticness and romance.
Hannah Fielding:
The seed of the idea for Burning Embers was sown many years ago when as a schoolgirl I studied the works of Leconte de Lisle, a French Romantic poet of the 19th century. His poetry is wonderfully descriptive and vivid about all the things that make me dream: from wild animals to magnificent dawns and sunsets.
Burning Embers is a passionate tale of the love between a young photographer coming to Kenya from England and an entrepreneurial plantation owner. I chose newly independent Kenya, Africa, as the setting. I had travelled to Africa as a young woman and fallen in love with the people and the wild landscapes. I knew this would be the perfect wild backdrop to a sultry love story with an undercurrent of danger and superstition. I chose to situate the action in 1970, because this was a pivotal time in Kenyan history, with new crashing up against old and a good deal of insecurity, and this offsets the development of the main character, Coral, from naive girl to mature woman.
Burning Embers is indeed the dearest of my romance novels to my heart. Maybe because it was my firstborn, and the first step to my finding the courage to put my work out there.
Hannah Fielding:
Since finishing Burning Embers, I’ve been unable and unwilling to stem the flow of ideas that completing my debut novel seems to have unleashed. I’ve so far written:
1) The Echoes of Love, a touching novel of secrets, tragedy and haunting love set in Venice and Tuscany, Italy.
2) The sensual and flamboyant Andalucian Nights Trilogy, the eventful story of the de Falla and de Rueda families that spans a period from the 1950s to the present day – Indiscretion is the first book, and the release of the second, Masquerade, is imminent.
3) An intriguing and exciting romance inspired by Greek mythology set on the Greek Islands.
4) A dark story of love and revenge set in Luxor, Egypt, the land of my birth, a world of deeply ingrained customs and traditions, interesting though often cruel.
I am now working on a love story that tackles contemporary women’s problems and is set on the French Riviera and on beautiful Lake Como.
I very much enjoy the publishing process and hearing from readers of my books. But for me, being a writer is not about publishing. It is simply about writing – writing from the heart the books that I most want to read. As the great American writer Toni Morrison said, ‘If there’s a book you want to read and it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ And so I write – to please the little girl I once was who delighted in fairy stories at the knee of her governess; the young woman who lost herself in Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo and Charlotte Brontë; and the mother who cradled a baby in one arm while holding a romance novel in the other.
The most wonderful aspect to the path to being a writer, I think, is that there is no ending. The path leads on, wide and meandering, leading to exciting new places to explore and learn from.
Hannah Fielding:
There are many strong women in my family, the strongest being my paternal grandmother Ester Fanous, also known as Ester Wissa. Ester established the Egyptian Feminist Union to improve women’s knowledge of literature and to prompt them to be treated on an equal footing with men in rights and obligations. She significantly influenced national unity and the endeavor to emancipate Egyptian women. She was also a politician who stood beside my grandfather Fahmy Bey Wissa when he was a senator and a minister under Nahas Pasha before the 1952 revolution against King Farouk.
With such a legacy, I infuse strength and independence and courage into each of my heroines – and their antagonists!
This has really been a treat! I feel like I have travelled to the beautiful settings you describe. Thank you for taking the time for our interview!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club.
For Additional Information about Hannah Fielding Check Out her website at:
www.hannahfielding.net
Recent and Upcoming Books by Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion - April 2015
Secrets, danger and passion under the scorching Spanish sun. Set in the wild landscape of Andalucia, Indiscretion is a compelling story of love and identity, danger and desire, and the uncertainty of happiness when two worlds collide. Written in Fielding’s signature style, infused with an old-school Hollywood glamour, Indiscretion evokes the drama and passion of 1950s post-war Spain.
Echoes of Love - Dec. 2013
The Echoes of Love is a touching love story that unfolds at the turn of the new millennium, set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. It is a tale of a lost love and betrayal, unbleached passion and learning to love again – and a terrible truth that will change the lives of two strangers forever.
Burning Embers - April 2012
Burning Embers is a contemporary historical romance novel set in Kenya in 1970. It depicts the developing attraction and love between a young and naive woman, Coral, who has come home to Africa, the land of her birth, and Rafe, a handsome, virile, commanding plantation owner who carries a dark secret heavy in his heart. It is an evocative and passionate story of coming of age, of letting go of the past, of having faith in a person and of overcoming obstacles to love, set against the vivid and colourful backdrop of rural Africa and its culture.
Hannah Fielding has had a life-long passion for travel and the written word. These are reflected in her unique and evocative romances, set in exotic and mysterious settings. This April, her third romance, Indiscretion, has just been published. It is also set in the wild landscape of Analucia and features a half-English, half-Spanish young writer named Alexandra de Falla. Exciting, indeed!
As a devoted, full-time novelist, this intriguing author has a lot to say. And we are pleased to introduce her on our site.
- Why did you decide to devote yourself to being a full-time author? What challenges have you had?
Hannah Fielding:
Stories and writing have always been part of my life. My father was a great raconteur and my governess used to tell the most fabulous fairy stories – I could listen to them for hours. When I was seven she and I came to an agreement: for every story she’d tell me I would invent one in return. That is how my passion for storytelling began.
At school I consistently received first prize for my essays and my teachers often read them aloud in class. As a teenager I used to write short romantic stories during lessons and circulate them in class, which made me very popular with my peers (but less so with the nuns!). In addition, since a young age I have kept some sort of a diary where I note my feelings, ideas and things that take my fancy (or not).
My grandmother was a published author of poetry and my father published a book about the history of our family, so writing runs in my veins. I guess I always knew that one day I would follow in those footsteps and forge my own path in that field – a subconscious dream which finally came true.
So, writing came easily to me; the challenge was to decide to become published, to take the books I’d written out of the drawer and present them to the world… in other words, to accept that my work would be judged. It took a lot of persuading from my husband and my children, who believed in me and supported me to make this first step.
- What do you enjoy the most about writing? As you write more, do you find your writing style changing?
Hannah Fielding:
Most of all I enjoy setting off on my new journey: dreaming up the plot, looking for my characters and meeting them, moulding them first before placing them in a setting which I will enjoy discovering. And then of course the great adventure of the research, which will take me back to places I have visited and loved or new ones about which I am eager to learn.
- Where do you get the ideas for your exotic settings and plots?
Hannah Fielding:
There are so many amazing countries in the world! My ideas for settings for my plots come from places I have visited, places that I find romantic… places that make me dream.
‘Write about what you know’ is a common piece of advice given to writers, and I agree with it.
I have always been a traveller at heart, one who finds great inspiration from experiencing different cultures and places. My first novel, Burning Embers, was born of a trip I took to Kenya as a young woman. My second novel, The Echoes of Love, had similar roots, having found its way into my imagination during trips to Venice during which I was most struck by the two faces of the city – that which the tourists flock to see, and that which is beneath the illusion, the mirage. As for Indiscretion, my romance with Spain began when I was in my early teens after I saw a film called Pleasure Seekers. The wonderful setting and atmospheric music made me dream and triggered my imagination. Then once I had visited that beautiful, sun-drenched country and met its hospitable, fun-loving, flamboyant people, I was charmed and the seeds for Indiscretion were sown.
I have written several novels now, and vivid setting is a common factor in each. From Kenya in Africa to Venice and Tuscany, Italy, from Andalucia, Spain to Luxor, Egypt and the Greek Islands – these are books born of my travels; of poking around in back streets and cafes; of meeting locals and exploring landscapes – and, of course, of reading extensively on cultures.
- What do think sets your books apart from other authors?
Hannah Fielding:
I think that it is my descriptive ability that sets my books apart from other authors. I have always been a writer who pays keen attention to setting; to describing carefully sights and sounds and smells and tastes and textures. Since childhood I’ve loved writers who really paint a scene in your mind, and that was cemented when, as a young woman, I read French literature at university. I knew when I started writing romance that I wanted to transport my readers to the time and place in which I situate the story. Place holds such power to colour a story, and I believe any story must be firmly rooted in the ‘where’.
The following paragraph describes the scene that meets Alexandra, my heroine of Indiscretion, when she first gets off the train in Andalucia:
The station at the small port town of Puerto de Santa Maria swarmed with the oddest characters. Water sellers with huge earthenware pitchers and merchants selling wine, sweetmeats and shellfish bustled about next to the train. Brown urchins pushing barrows heaped with mountains of luscious fruit called out their offerings, ‘Que vengan todas las Marias, que traigo sandias y melons dulces como el caramel! Come all you Marias, I bring watermelons and melons sweet as caramel!’ Crippled beggars squatted in corners, palms outstretched. There were peddlers hawking their cheap wares of soap, matches, lace and miniature bottles of cologne, plus gypsy knife-sellers with trays of hand-crafted navajas, shouting ‘Afilo cuchillos y tijeras! Vamos barato! I sharpen knives and scissors! Come! It’s cheap!’, plus lottery ticket touts and a host of others.
Such description is typical of my writing, and it seems to appeal to readers, for many of the reviewers mention the exotic setting and the sense that the book offers an escape in transporting the reader to another world and another time.
For me, that journey is an essential element of a romance novel. The book must reach out and pull the reader into the pages – into the story world. Only then can we really experience the emotions of the characters. We read romance to feel romance. And to foster romance, setting is key. I can’t image my characters falling in love in a concrete multi-storey car park. But sheltering from a storm in a cave in the African wilderness, surrounded by the most vivid of flora, with the call of exotic animals on the air and the crackling of burning embers in the campfire – now that is a setting for passion.
- Can you tell us about your latest novel, Indiscretion? What drew you to write about Spain in the 1950s?
Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion is the story of a young woman’s journey of discovery that takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty and danger.
The setting is spring 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to reunite with her long-estranged family.
Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are riven with seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra.
Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured onto the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed señoritas hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?
Indiscretion is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. Can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?
I decided to set Indiscretion in the fifties for three reasons:
1) Because it is a period I know well.
2) Because those fifty or so years have seen major changes in society and therefore there is much to explore in terms of romance in that era.
3) Because I was so taken by Spain that I knew that my inspiration would not stop at one book and I was giving myself the chance of writing a sequel or even a trilogy.
- What makes your heroine, Alexandra de Falla, so special? Did you base her character on anyone you know? Does she have some of your characteristics?
Hannah Fielding:
In Indiscretion, Alexandra, born from an English mother and a Spanish father, is a successful writer and a woman of independent means, which was rare in the 1950s. Adventurous, courageous and a fighter, she is able to convince her aunt Geraldine, who has brought her up and regards Spain as an outlandish, backward place, that it is important for her to travel to Andalucia to meet her estranged family and discover her roots – a rather modern attitude for those days. At twenty-five she is still unmarried, which again was unusual for women; most of her friends were already mothers at that age.
With this baggage behind her, when she comes to Andalucia Alexandra can hold on to some of the strong will and independence she has built up. When she arrives there, she comes up against the bigotry of 1950s Spain – the hero, his family and the wider society all adhere to ways she does not understand and, indeed, condemns because to her they belong in the dark ages. She is not afraid to speak her mind, which often brings her into trouble and creates friction with the man with whom she has fallen in love, despite herself.
Still, I’m also careful to make her a little lost in Spain, a little out of her depth away from home. You cast your heroine in a modern way when she’s at home, in her own setting; but then plunge her into an alien one that’s exciting and inspiring but also daunting and dangerous. Her reactions then form the balance between modern and ‘of the era’. In many ways, my heroines are caught in an interior battle between being ‘modern’ and being ‘old fashioned’ in terms of how they react to family responsibilities and to the men they meet.
Alexandra probably does have traits I’ve seen in real people. On my travels and during the periods I have lived in various countries, I have met so many interesting characters, so some of this is bound to come out in my writing. But there is no specific character or situation in my novels that is connected with people or events I’ve encountered.
Does Alexandra have any of my characteristics? All of the main female characters I write about have a little of me in them. Alexandra is, to a certain extent, naive where emotional experience is concerned, and that is definitely an element that reflects my own naivety when I was young. I was very protected as a child growing up in Egypt and the big, wide world came as something of a surprise to me when, in my early twenties, I began to travel. Alexandra definitely has that emotional freshness, which comes through immediately, a quality that Salvador, being a conservative Spanish male, finds highly attractive. Her unworldliness might land her in trouble (as mine did on occasion!) but, nevertheless, her innocence is not without charm.
- I love your book covers. Did you design them? Where did you get inspiration for them?
Hannah Fielding:
I love my book covers too! Unfortunately design is not my forte, so my publisher uses a designer, but my opinion was taken into account when they were in process. I wanted them to convey to my readers passion, exoticness and romance.
- Can you tell us about your first book, Burning Embers? Is it dearest to your heart
Hannah Fielding:
The seed of the idea for Burning Embers was sown many years ago when as a schoolgirl I studied the works of Leconte de Lisle, a French Romantic poet of the 19th century. His poetry is wonderfully descriptive and vivid about all the things that make me dream: from wild animals to magnificent dawns and sunsets.
Burning Embers is a passionate tale of the love between a young photographer coming to Kenya from England and an entrepreneurial plantation owner. I chose newly independent Kenya, Africa, as the setting. I had travelled to Africa as a young woman and fallen in love with the people and the wild landscapes. I knew this would be the perfect wild backdrop to a sultry love story with an undercurrent of danger and superstition. I chose to situate the action in 1970, because this was a pivotal time in Kenyan history, with new crashing up against old and a good deal of insecurity, and this offsets the development of the main character, Coral, from naive girl to mature woman.
Burning Embers is indeed the dearest of my romance novels to my heart. Maybe because it was my firstborn, and the first step to my finding the courage to put my work out there.
- What other fascinating locals are you thinking about writing for your next books
Hannah Fielding:
Since finishing Burning Embers, I’ve been unable and unwilling to stem the flow of ideas that completing my debut novel seems to have unleashed. I’ve so far written:
1) The Echoes of Love, a touching novel of secrets, tragedy and haunting love set in Venice and Tuscany, Italy.
2) The sensual and flamboyant Andalucian Nights Trilogy, the eventful story of the de Falla and de Rueda families that spans a period from the 1950s to the present day – Indiscretion is the first book, and the release of the second, Masquerade, is imminent.
3) An intriguing and exciting romance inspired by Greek mythology set on the Greek Islands.
4) A dark story of love and revenge set in Luxor, Egypt, the land of my birth, a world of deeply ingrained customs and traditions, interesting though often cruel.
I am now working on a love story that tackles contemporary women’s problems and is set on the French Riviera and on beautiful Lake Como.
I very much enjoy the publishing process and hearing from readers of my books. But for me, being a writer is not about publishing. It is simply about writing – writing from the heart the books that I most want to read. As the great American writer Toni Morrison said, ‘If there’s a book you want to read and it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ And so I write – to please the little girl I once was who delighted in fairy stories at the knee of her governess; the young woman who lost herself in Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo and Charlotte Brontë; and the mother who cradled a baby in one arm while holding a romance novel in the other.
The most wonderful aspect to the path to being a writer, I think, is that there is no ending. The path leads on, wide and meandering, leading to exciting new places to explore and learn from.
- Do you think you will ever write a series or a book about generations of strong women?
Hannah Fielding:
There are many strong women in my family, the strongest being my paternal grandmother Ester Fanous, also known as Ester Wissa. Ester established the Egyptian Feminist Union to improve women’s knowledge of literature and to prompt them to be treated on an equal footing with men in rights and obligations. She significantly influenced national unity and the endeavor to emancipate Egyptian women. She was also a politician who stood beside my grandfather Fahmy Bey Wissa when he was a senator and a minister under Nahas Pasha before the 1952 revolution against King Farouk.
With such a legacy, I infuse strength and independence and courage into each of my heroines – and their antagonists!
This has really been a treat! I feel like I have travelled to the beautiful settings you describe. Thank you for taking the time for our interview!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club.
For Additional Information about Hannah Fielding Check Out her website at:
www.hannahfielding.net
Recent and Upcoming Books by Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion - April 2015
Secrets, danger and passion under the scorching Spanish sun. Set in the wild landscape of Andalucia, Indiscretion is a compelling story of love and identity, danger and desire, and the uncertainty of happiness when two worlds collide. Written in Fielding’s signature style, infused with an old-school Hollywood glamour, Indiscretion evokes the drama and passion of 1950s post-war Spain.
Echoes of Love - Dec. 2013
The Echoes of Love is a touching love story that unfolds at the turn of the new millennium, set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. It is a tale of a lost love and betrayal, unbleached passion and learning to love again – and a terrible truth that will change the lives of two strangers forever.
Burning Embers - April 2012
Burning Embers is a contemporary historical romance novel set in Kenya in 1970. It depicts the developing attraction and love between a young and naive woman, Coral, who has come home to Africa, the land of her birth, and Rafe, a handsome, virile, commanding plantation owner who carries a dark secret heavy in his heart. It is an evocative and passionate story of coming of age, of letting go of the past, of having faith in a person and of overcoming obstacles to love, set against the vivid and colourful backdrop of rural Africa and its culture.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SANDRA HILL
New York Times bestselling author Sandra Hill's popular books are unique and utterly addictive. Her books can be counted on to tickle your funny bone and make you believe in the power of love. She has also single-handledly brought Vikings men into sex symbol status. In her newest series, the Deadly Angels, she has introduced her hot vampire angel heroes. This August, her latest book, Even Vampires Get the Blues, features her hunky hero, the vampire angel Harek Sigurdsson. I was hoping to ask her more about her latest book and how she started her Deadly Angels series.
1) This is such a treat! It is so hard to find a good romance with humor. How did you find your writing style? Why do you think no one can write quite like you?!
Sandra Hill:
I never intended to write humor when I started writing novels. In fact, my family would say I don’t have a funny bone in my body. My first effort at fiction was a historical romance, but then I read a book by then new author Constance O’Day Flannery, a time travel in which a woman was in a dentist’s chair when an electrical storm broke out, and somehow she landed in the Old West where everyone thought she was a lunatic because of her swollen cheek (novocaine), drooling, and a paper necklace. I laughed out loud, and thought, I can do this! Thus was born THE RELUCTANT VIKING.
2) I'm a glad you did! I have to ask, your Deadly angels series are a huge hit! How did you come up with the idea for this series? How many books do you have planned for the series?
Sandra Hill:
Years ago, when the vampire craze just hit the publishing scene, I mentioned to my editor that I should write a series about Viking vampires and she told me not to bother, that vampires were just a passing craze. Hah! I’m not really fond of vampire books myself, not the dark ones, but then I got hooked on the TRUE BLOOD/Sookie Stackhouse series. Vampires with a sense of humor! Because I a bit religious, I wanted my vampires to have some ties to God (or at least St. Michael), and, of course, they had to be Vikings. It was a natural progression. And, really, the common element in all my books is humor, whether they be Vikings, or vampires, or Navy SEALs or sexy Cajuns.
3) What makes your latest book, Even Vampires Get the Blues so special?
Sandra Hill:
Harek is one of my favorite of the Sigurdsson brothers. Extremely smart and business savvy. A Viking geek, you could say, who knows more about sex than, oh, let’s say Christian Gray. <g> I also like the fact that my heroine, a female Navy SEAL, is from New Orleans, one of my favorite places, and that she has a family history tied into Harek’s gravest sin. This book has more of a contemporary feel than a paranormal one, imo, because of Harek’s ability to adapt to modern times.
4) Can you tell us more about the hero, the vampire angel Harek Sigurdsson?
Sandra Hill:
Harek is the Viking who is not only a genius, mentally, in the world of 2015 (an I.Q. of 200, no kidding!), but he was equally smart and successful when he was a Viking merchant in 850 A.D.
He’s always getting in trouble with St. Michael because he keeps making money, even when he doesn’t try that hard. A game of cards. A stock pick. Harek thinks he’s too smart to fall for that ridiculous notion of love as some of his brothers had (not after his bad experiences in the past). Boy, does he have another thing coming when he gets knocked for a loop, literally, by Camille Dumaine.
5) Your heroes are always swoon worthy. But why did you choose Vikings? What about them just had to be written about?
Sandra Hill:
At the time I first started writing novels, I was also working on a family history. To my amazement, I was able to trace my father’s lineage all the way back to Rollo (or Rolf the Gangr)…yes, the same character from the History Channels Viking series. With a little research, I learned that Vikings were a fascinating people…not necessarily the brutal raiders portrayed by some historians. They were known to be especially tall and good looking, plus they bathed more often than other men of that time period. They were brave seamen who had a remarkable sense of humor as evidenced by their sagas.
6) Speaking of hot heroes, will you write more Cajun romances anytime soon?!
Sandra Hill:
Yes, I am working on the LeDeux twins. Plus, I am planning a novella prequel to that, telling Tante Lulu’s story when she was a young woman. Tentative titles for those books are DON’T THINK TWICE! and WHEN LULU WAS HOT!
7) Goody! :) Your vampire angels are so sexy, but do you think you will ever have a female vampire angel?!
Sandra Hill:
I’m considering it. My next book in the series involves Zebulon the Hebrew, a demon double agent for the vangels. I’ve been pondering Regina, the vangel witch, but haven’t decided for sure yet.
8) I love your books but I have a soft spot for your time travel books in particular. Do you have plans to write more time travel books...soon?! Is writing a time travel book more difficult?
Sandra Hill:
Yes. There are still stories to be told about the other Navy SEALs…Slick, Jam, Geek, etc. Plus there are Vikings in the past who need stories, too. Alrek the Clumsy Viking. Jamie the Scots Viking. Tykir’s other sons. And others.
9) Is there any subject you haven't written, that you would like to write about?
Sandra Hill:
Right now, there are two many books on my plate to handle. That doesn’t mean an idea won’t pop into my head, without warning. Perfect example is Tante Lulu. Despite fans urging me to go back and write her story, I resisted for years, but then recently I got a lightbulb moment about how to handle it.
10) Can you tell us what books you have planned for your fans in 2016?!
Sandra Hill:
Zeb’s story in the Deadly Angels series. And hopefully Tante Lulu’s novella and a LeDeux twin novel.
Ohhh! I can't wait!! This interview has been one of the highlights on the website for me. Thank you so much for your gracious and generous time!
Sandra Hill:
Thank you. As always, I wish you readers smiles in your reading.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information Cher out Sanda Hill's website at:
https://www.sandrahill.net/
Recent and Upcoming Romance by Sandra Hill:
Even Vampires Get the Blues- Aug 2015
New York Times bestselling author Sandra Hill delivers a sizzling new entry in her Deadly Angels series, as a Viking vangel’s otherworldly mission teams him with a Navy SEAL who’s more than his match— she’s his predestined mate . . .
The fact that vampire angel Harek Sigurdsson was a Norseman in his mortal life doesn’t make thawing out after exile in Siberia any easier. But things heat up when his search for evil Lucipires connects him with Camille Dumaine, a human who thrums with sensual energy that can mean only one thing: she’s the mate Harek’s been seeking for centuries . . .
The SEALs call her “Camo” for her ability to blend into a crowd—yet Harek’s intense blue gaze singles Camille out like a white-hot spotlight. The security wiz was hired to help bring down a ruthless band of international kidnappers, but Camille senses an unspoken agenda—besides Harek’s bold declaration that she’s his "destiny." Just Camille’s luck that the sexiest man she’s ever met may also be . . . a vampire!
Desperado - May 2015 Reprint
Major Helen Prescott always played by the rules. That’s why Rafe Santiago nicknamed her “Prissy” at the military academy years before. But it wasn’t just Rafe’s teasing that got under her skin. His irresistible good looks made Helen lose control on one unforgettable night. So when a stint in the National Guard brings Rafe under her command, she not only lays down the law with him, but swears to herself she’ll resist him. When a routine skydive goes horribly wrong, all bets are off as they find themselves parachuting back in time to the 1850 California Gold Rush.
Mistaken for a notorious bandit and his infamously sensuous mistress, Rafe and Helen are now on the wrong side of the law. As they try to stay one step ahead of the authorities, they surrender to temptation. But will their desire be strong enough to keep them together if they ever find their way back to the present . . . ?
Vampire in Paradise -Nov 2014
The vangels are back in Vampire in Paradise, the latest in Sandra Hill’s bestselling Deadly Angels series.
It’s been centuries since the Norseman Sigurd Sigurdsson was turned into a Vangel—a Viking Vampire Angel—as punishment for his sin of envy, but he’s still getting the hang of having fangs that get in the way when seducing women. Slaying demon vampires known as Lucipires and using his healing gifts as a cancer research doctor, Sigurd is sent to Florida’s Grand Keys Island as a resident physician . . . where he encounters a sinfully beautiful woman.
The only hope Marisa Lopez has of curing her five-year-old daughter is a pricey experimental procedure. When she meets the good-looking doctor, Marisa is speechless. Then Sigurd tells her he believes he can help her daughter. Could this too-hot-to-resist Viking doctor be an angel of some sort sent to bring a miracle for her daughter? Or is he just a vampire bent on breaking Marisa’s heart?
CHRISTMAS IN TRANSYLVANIA
A Deadly Angels Novella -Oct. 2014
For the first time ever the leader of the Viking Vampire Angels, Vikar Sigurdsson, has been talked into celebrating a traditional Christmas in the creepy castle in Transylvania. That would be Transylvania, Pennsylvania, not Romania. The tree has been decorated, gifts have been wrapped and stockings have been hung. And that’s mistletoe, not cobwebs. hanging from the ceiling…really!
The icing on the vampire cookie comes when vangel Karl Mortensen rescues Faith Larson, a battered young waitress, from her abusive boyfriend and hides her in the castle amidst the Christmas chaos. But what Karl thought was a frail young teenager is actually a very tempting woman. And she thinks his fangs are sexy!
But a strange “Christmas visitor” at the castle and demon vampires up to their old tricks could threaten the budding romance between Karl and Faith. It’s an impossible match: a human and a vangel, but Christmas is a time for magic.
Karl and Faith don’t stand a chance…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH FIELDING
Hannah Fielding has had a life-long passion for travel and the written word. These are reflected in her unique and evocative romances, set in exotic and mysterious settings. This April, her third romance, Indiscretion, has just been published. It is also set in the wild landscape of Analucia and features a half-English, half-Spanish young writer named Alexandra de Falla. Exciting, indeed!
As a devoted, full-time novelist, this intriguing author has a lot to say. And we are pleased to introduce her on our site.
- Why did you decide to devote yourself to being a full-time author? What challenges have you had?
Hannah Fielding:
Stories and writing have always been part of my life. My father was a great raconteur and my governess used to tell the most fabulous fairy stories – I could listen to them for hours. When I was seven she and I came to an agreement: for every story she’d tell me I would invent one in return. That is how my passion for storytelling began.
At school I consistently received first prize for my essays and my teachers often read them aloud in class. As a teenager I used to write short romantic stories during lessons and circulate them in class, which made me very popular with my peers (but less so with the nuns!). In addition, since a young age I have kept some sort of a diary where I note my feelings, ideas and things that take my fancy (or not).
My grandmother was a published author of poetry and my father published a book about the history of our family, so writing runs in my veins. I guess I always knew that one day I would follow in those footsteps and forge my own path in that field – a subconscious dream which finally came true.
So, writing came easily to me; the challenge was to decide to become published, to take the books I’d written out of the drawer and present them to the world… in other words, to accept that my work would be judged. It took a lot of persuading from my husband and my children, who believed in me and supported me to make this first step.
- What do you enjoy the most about writing? As you write more, do you find your writing style changing?
Hannah Fielding:
Most of all I enjoy setting off on my new journey: dreaming up the plot, looking for my characters and meeting them, moulding them first before placing them in a setting which I will enjoy discovering. And then of course the great adventure of the research, which will take me back to places I have visited and loved or new ones about which I am eager to learn.
- Where do you get the ideas for your exotic settings and plots?
Hannah Fielding:
There are so many amazing countries in the world! My ideas for settings for my plots come from places I have visited, places that I find romantic… places that make me dream.
‘Write about what you know’ is a common piece of advice given to writers, and I agree with it.
I have always been a traveller at heart, one who finds great inspiration from experiencing different cultures and places. My first novel, Burning Embers, was born of a trip I took to Kenya as a young woman. My second novel, The Echoes of Love, had similar roots, having found its way into my imagination during trips to Venice during which I was most struck by the two faces of the city – that which the tourists flock to see, and that which is beneath the illusion, the mirage. As for Indiscretion, my romance with Spain began when I was in my early teens after I saw a film called Pleasure Seekers. The wonderful setting and atmospheric music made me dream and triggered my imagination. Then once I had visited that beautiful, sun-drenched country and met its hospitable, fun-loving, flamboyant people, I was charmed and the seeds for Indiscretion were sown.
I have written several novels now, and vivid setting is a common factor in each. From Kenya in Africa to Venice and Tuscany, Italy, from Andalucia, Spain to Luxor, Egypt and the Greek Islands – these are books born of my travels; of poking around in back streets and cafes; of meeting locals and exploring landscapes – and, of course, of reading extensively on cultures.
- What do think sets your books apart from other authors?
Hannah Fielding:
I think that it is my descriptive ability that sets my books apart from other authors. I have always been a writer who pays keen attention to setting; to describing carefully sights and sounds and smells and tastes and textures. Since childhood I’ve loved writers who really paint a scene in your mind, and that was cemented when, as a young woman, I read French literature at university. I knew when I started writing romance that I wanted to transport my readers to the time and place in which I situate the story. Place holds such power to colour a story, and I believe any story must be firmly rooted in the ‘where’.
The following paragraph describes the scene that meets Alexandra, my heroine of Indiscretion, when she first gets off the train in Andalucia:
The station at the small port town of Puerto de Santa Maria swarmed with the oddest characters. Water sellers with huge earthenware pitchers and merchants selling wine, sweetmeats and shellfish bustled about next to the train. Brown urchins pushing barrows heaped with mountains of luscious fruit called out their offerings, ‘Que vengan todas las Marias, que traigo sandias y melons dulces como el caramel! Come all you Marias, I bring watermelons and melons sweet as caramel!’ Crippled beggars squatted in corners, palms outstretched. There were peddlers hawking their cheap wares of soap, matches, lace and miniature bottles of cologne, plus gypsy knife-sellers with trays of hand-crafted navajas, shouting ‘Afilo cuchillos y tijeras! Vamos barato! I sharpen knives and scissors! Come! It’s cheap!’, plus lottery ticket touts and a host of others.
Such description is typical of my writing, and it seems to appeal to readers, for many of the reviewers mention the exotic setting and the sense that the book offers an escape in transporting the reader to another world and another time.
For me, that journey is an essential element of a romance novel. The book must reach out and pull the reader into the pages – into the story world. Only then can we really experience the emotions of the characters. We read romance to feel romance. And to foster romance, setting is key. I can’t image my characters falling in love in a concrete multi-storey car park. But sheltering from a storm in a cave in the African wilderness, surrounded by the most vivid of flora, with the call of exotic animals on the air and the crackling of burning embers in the campfire – now that is a setting for passion.
- Can you tell us about your latest novel, Indiscretion? What drew you to write about Spain in the 1950s?
Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion is the story of a young woman’s journey of discovery that takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty and danger.
The setting is spring 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to reunite with her long-estranged family.
Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are riven with seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra.
Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra’s destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured onto the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed señoritas hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?
Indiscretion is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. Can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?
I decided to set Indiscretion in the fifties for three reasons:
1) Because it is a period I know well.
2) Because those fifty or so years have seen major changes in society and therefore there is much to explore in terms of romance in that era.
3) Because I was so taken by Spain that I knew that my inspiration would not stop at one book and I was giving myself the chance of writing a sequel or even a trilogy.
- What makes your heroine, Alexandra de Falla, so special? Did you base her character on anyone you know? Does she have some of your characteristics?
Hannah Fielding:
In Indiscretion, Alexandra, born from an English mother and a Spanish father, is a successful writer and a woman of independent means, which was rare in the 1950s. Adventurous, courageous and a fighter, she is able to convince her aunt Geraldine, who has brought her up and regards Spain as an outlandish, backward place, that it is important for her to travel to Andalucia to meet her estranged family and discover her roots – a rather modern attitude for those days. At twenty-five she is still unmarried, which again was unusual for women; most of her friends were already mothers at that age.
With this baggage behind her, when she comes to Andalucia Alexandra can hold on to some of the strong will and independence she has built up. When she arrives there, she comes up against the bigotry of 1950s Spain – the hero, his family and the wider society all adhere to ways she does not understand and, indeed, condemns because to her they belong in the dark ages. She is not afraid to speak her mind, which often brings her into trouble and creates friction with the man with whom she has fallen in love, despite herself.
Still, I’m also careful to make her a little lost in Spain, a little out of her depth away from home. You cast your heroine in a modern way when she’s at home, in her own setting; but then plunge her into an alien one that’s exciting and inspiring but also daunting and dangerous. Her reactions then form the balance between modern and ‘of the era’. In many ways, my heroines are caught in an interior battle between being ‘modern’ and being ‘old fashioned’ in terms of how they react to family responsibilities and to the men they meet.
Alexandra probably does have traits I’ve seen in real people. On my travels and during the periods I have lived in various countries, I have met so many interesting characters, so some of this is bound to come out in my writing. But there is no specific character or situation in my novels that is connected with people or events I’ve encountered.
Does Alexandra have any of my characteristics? All of the main female characters I write about have a little of me in them. Alexandra is, to a certain extent, naive where emotional experience is concerned, and that is definitely an element that reflects my own naivety when I was young. I was very protected as a child growing up in Egypt and the big, wide world came as something of a surprise to me when, in my early twenties, I began to travel. Alexandra definitely has that emotional freshness, which comes through immediately, a quality that Salvador, being a conservative Spanish male, finds highly attractive. Her unworldliness might land her in trouble (as mine did on occasion!) but, nevertheless, her innocence is not without charm.
- I love your book covers. Did you design them? Where did you get inspiration for them?
Hannah Fielding:
I love my book covers too! Unfortunately design is not my forte, so my publisher uses a designer, but my opinion was taken into account when they were in process. I wanted them to convey to my readers passion, exoticness and romance.
- Can you tell us about your first book, Burning Embers? Is it dearest to your heart
Hannah Fielding:
The seed of the idea for Burning Embers was sown many years ago when as a schoolgirl I studied the works of Leconte de Lisle, a French Romantic poet of the 19th century. His poetry is wonderfully descriptive and vivid about all the things that make me dream: from wild animals to magnificent dawns and sunsets.
Burning Embers is a passionate tale of the love between a young photographer coming to Kenya from England and an entrepreneurial plantation owner. I chose newly independent Kenya, Africa, as the setting. I had travelled to Africa as a young woman and fallen in love with the people and the wild landscapes. I knew this would be the perfect wild backdrop to a sultry love story with an undercurrent of danger and superstition. I chose to situate the action in 1970, because this was a pivotal time in Kenyan history, with new crashing up against old and a good deal of insecurity, and this offsets the development of the main character, Coral, from naive girl to mature woman.
Burning Embers is indeed the dearest of my romance novels to my heart. Maybe because it was my firstborn, and the first step to my finding the courage to put my work out there.
- What other fascinating locals are you thinking about writing for your next books
Hannah Fielding:
Since finishing Burning Embers, I’ve been unable and unwilling to stem the flow of ideas that completing my debut novel seems to have unleashed. I’ve so far written:
1) The Echoes of Love, a touching novel of secrets, tragedy and haunting love set in Venice and Tuscany, Italy.
2) The sensual and flamboyant Andalucian Nights Trilogy, the eventful story of the de Falla and de Rueda families that spans a period from the 1950s to the present day – Indiscretion is the first book, and the release of the second, Masquerade, is imminent.
3) An intriguing and exciting romance inspired by Greek mythology set on the Greek Islands.
4) A dark story of love and revenge set in Luxor, Egypt, the land of my birth, a world of deeply ingrained customs and traditions, interesting though often cruel.
I am now working on a love story that tackles contemporary women’s problems and is set on the French Riviera and on beautiful Lake Como.
I very much enjoy the publishing process and hearing from readers of my books. But for me, being a writer is not about publishing. It is simply about writing – writing from the heart the books that I most want to read. As the great American writer Toni Morrison said, ‘If there’s a book you want to read and it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ And so I write – to please the little girl I once was who delighted in fairy stories at the knee of her governess; the young woman who lost herself in Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo and Charlotte Brontë; and the mother who cradled a baby in one arm while holding a romance novel in the other.
The most wonderful aspect to the path to being a writer, I think, is that there is no ending. The path leads on, wide and meandering, leading to exciting new places to explore and learn from.
- Do you think you will ever write a series or a book about generations of strong women?
Hannah Fielding:
There are many strong women in my family, the strongest being my paternal grandmother Ester Fanous, also known as Ester Wissa. Ester established the Egyptian Feminist Union to improve women’s knowledge of literature and to prompt them to be treated on an equal footing with men in rights and obligations. She significantly influenced national unity and the endeavor to emancipate Egyptian women. She was also a politician who stood beside my grandfather Fahmy Bey Wissa when he was a senator and a minister under Nahas Pasha before the 1952 revolution against King Farouk.
With such a legacy, I infuse strength and independence and courage into each of my heroines – and their antagonists!
This has really been a treat! I feel like I have travelled to the beautiful settings you describe. Thank you for taking the time for our interview!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club.
For Additional Information about Hannah Fielding Check Out her website at:
www.hannahfielding.net
Recent and Upcoming Books by Hannah Fielding:
Indiscretion - April 2015
Secrets, danger and passion under the scorching Spanish sun. Set in the wild landscape of Andalucia, Indiscretion is a compelling story of love and identity, danger and desire, and the uncertainty of happiness when two worlds collide. Written in Fielding’s signature style, infused with an old-school Hollywood glamour, Indiscretion evokes the drama and passion of 1950s post-war Spain.
Echoes of Love - Dec. 2013
The Echoes of Love is a touching love story that unfolds at the turn of the new millennium, set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. It is a tale of a lost love and betrayal, unbleached passion and learning to love again – and a terrible truth that will change the lives of two strangers forever.
Burning Embers - April 2012
Burning Embers is a contemporary historical romance novel set in Kenya in 1970. It depicts the developing attraction and love between a young and naive woman, Coral, who has come home to Africa, the land of her birth, and Rafe, a handsome, virile, commanding plantation owner who carries a dark secret heavy in his heart. It is an evocative and passionate story of coming of age, of letting go of the past, of having faith in a person and of overcoming obstacles to love, set against the vivid and colourful backdrop of rural Africa and its culture.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH GABRA ZACKMAN
Gabra Zackman is a woman of wild imagination and many talents. She is a popular actor and the voice of numerous audio books. While narrating she became inspired to write her own romance! A spy romance trilogy with tons of adventure and humor called the Bod Squad series. She debuted her first book Game On and already has critics raving for more.
I wanted to ask her how her life as a gifted actor influenced her writing career and what future books she has in store for us.
1) Getting your work recognized is difficult. As a new author, do you have any advice for writers trying to get their work published?
Gabra Zackman:
I was extremely blessed in having one of my best friends from childhood, the great writer Abby Sher, introduce me to her agent, Joelle Delbourgo. Joelle and I hit it off—she loved my ideas and the first few chapters of Game On—and she literally schooled me on how to write a pitch, a summary and a bio. I was so lucky that a friend opened the door for me, and that my now agent opened it further. I think this is how it works in every creative field: being unafraid to ask for help, advice or introductions is a great way to start. Also I think being willing to learn is a huge bonus…I really took all of Joelle’s advice to heart and followed it to the letter.
2) I understand that narrating audio books inspired you to write a book of your own?! Or did you always have a hankering to write before that?
Gabra Zackman:
I always had a hankering to write but since I built my career in audiobooks by narrating romance and chick lit, it did send my wheels turning in a certain direction. I’ve wanted to write fun sexy books for a long time. In truth, all of us in the audiobook community have these conversations: what would we write if we had a chance? Could we? Could we find a way to write stories that we then could all narrate? This dream has come true as Audible.com has bought my books and is allowing me to have them produced as a multicast—this means I can use all my friends in the industry to bring these stories to life.
3) Why did you decide to write about romance in particular?
Gabra Zackman:
Well first off I am a huge admirer of the genre. I’ve always felt that romance is the greatest escape one could ask for, and the deepest journey. In narrating a lot of romances, I’ve come to look up to so many writers whose stories inspire me to open my heart wider, to laugh, to cry. Some of my favorites who I’ve narrated for are Kyra Davis, Maria V. Snyder and CE Murphy…all exceptional writers with imaginations that always take me on a grand adventure. They’ve inspired me to want to give the gift of great stories like they’ve given to me.
In addition, I’m a romantic at heart! This means that no matter what the story, the genre, the scenario, I always create the romance But we all know what a gift it is to be transported by a romance, to be taken in by a couple and their chemistry, to root for them to win. I think romances are the best stories on earth.
4) Do you personally prefer audio over reading and why? Will you offer your books in audio in the future?
Gabra Zackman:
I don’t prefer audio—if pushed to it, I’d say I prefer reading. But I am so enamored of the craft of audiobook narration, and the community of narrators and engineers and producers that makes it happen. I actually think the written book and the audiobook are two entirely different forms of craft: equally impressive, equally expressive and yet they manifest in the mind and soul differently. I think they are interwoven forms of telling a story and I love them both for different reasons. I’m just in the midst of starting the audiobook versions of my books for Audible.com and I’m deeply excited about the possibilities.
5) Being an actor, I'm sure you have been exposed to a lot of 'good material' to write about both on and off the screen. What inspired you to write the Bod Squad series?
Gabra Zackman:
Well first of all I needed two things, quite desperately, when I began to write the series: 1: a good laugh, and 2: a good romance (not necessarily in that order). I had just moved to Denver from New York to try to change the course of my life—I felt like I was in a rut, and needed to see life from a different perspective. I wondered if it was time for me to leave acting, and to do something radical to shift the path I was on. Interestingly, the opposite happened: I continued to get a tremendous amount of both narration and stage work all over the country, and in addition wound up writing this series. But there was a while there when I wasn’t doing anything, except searching for my own romance, and I wound up writing this series as a way to find it.
6) Can you tell us more about your heroine, Susannah 'Legs' Carter? What makes her so special?
Gabra Zackman:
Oh I just love Susannah! She’s who I wish I were! What makes her so special? Well, I wanted her to feel real. Strong, but feminine, too. Awesome and shit kicking but with a heart that is built to love. And funny. I think that’s what’s special about all of the members of the Bod Squad… they’re sexy, but funny too. And Susannah is a fierce, sexy, funny, goofy lady. She’s got a difficult past as well, having lost her father as a teenager. Mostly I think she’s looking for someone who is a challenge, who can match her, who can stand by her side, and she finds all that and more in Chas.
7) Did you base your main characters, Susannah or Charles Oakley Palmer III on anyone you know, a movie or a character you have played?
Gabra Zackman:
I based Susannah, AJ Jones and Tyka (all recurring characters) on three of my best friends! Part of it was that I was living away from most of the people I knew, and part of it was that I felt we had all earned the right to live the romances we dreamed of. So it was a gift to them in some ways, but it was more of a gift to me to have them living inside my head and my stories while I was so far away from home. Many of the other characters also have pieces of my life in them, pieces of my community, and many pieces of my own fantasies.
8) Why did you decide to write your new series as a trilogy instead on one book? Can you tell us a little about All In, your next book coming out in July 2015?
Gabra Zackman:
Initially I pitched it as a four book series because I wanted each member of the Bod Squad to have a romance, and to have that romance dictate the leads of the book. The members of the Bod Squad changed, it was bought as a three book series, and some of my ideas about it have progressed. That said, each book focuses on a different romance, though the real lead of each is the Bod Squad itself. In All In, Lisa Bee and Jackson, who have been friends and colleagues for years, wind up teamed together in what becomes a massive international hunt for a criminal mastermind. Early on Jackson reveals his feelings for her—but will she fall for him? My main interest in this romance was writing about what happens when a relationship changes from deep friendship to something more. Is that possible? How? How can the rules of a friendship change and become something deeper? And what does it look like when all those feelings are being recognized in the midst of an international game of cat and mouse?
9) You are such a creative person, since you have now authored a book do you think you might turn your hand to writing a screen play, too?!
Gabra Zackman:
From your lips to God’s ears. Actually, I wrote this series with the hopes that it would turn into either a film trilogy or a TV episodic…it is written so cinematically because being an actor I tend to process stories in a visual medium. So I hope this series goes in that direction…it’s primed to do so. Regarding other projects, I have written a screenplay over the last few years with one of my best friends and we’re just about to have it ready to shop around. I always joke and say, “I’ll tell a story any way they let me” but this is really turning out to be true.
10) I have to ask, when is your third book in the Bod Squad coming out? Can you tell us more about Susannah's adventures and any future books you have been thinking about?!
Gabra Zackman:
The third book, Double Down, is coming out in November, and much like the other two books, it focuses on a particular romance but has the Bod Squad as a whole as the lead. The fun part about the trilogy is how many times a wedding gets interrupted before anyone can tie the knot…it is as though no one can get married until the case is solved and the criminal is put away for good. Coitus interruptus in the highest degree! But there is, at the end, a tying of many knots and loose ends. That said, I would love this series to go further…I see them all continuing to pursue the forces of evil with humor, ferocity and a good bit of foreplay I do have a couple of spinoff ideas about specific members of the Bod Squad, or characters that come into the story later on. I guess we’ll all have to wait and see how those develop. In terms of future ideas I’d have to run them all by my agent, Joelle, and my editors at Pocket Star, Abby Zidle and Marla Daniels—deeply admirable women all, and filled with enthusiasm and opinions! I think there’s that old joke…. You ask two editors, you get three opinions
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my prying questions it has been a pleasure having you on our site!
Gabra Zackman:
Truly, Steph, the pleasure was all mine!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For additional information on Gabra Zackman check out her website at:
http://www.gabrazackman.com/
Recent and Upcoming books by Gabra Zackman:
All In -July 2015
“Stop the wedding!”
No bride wants to hear those words, least of all Susannah “Legs” Carter, one of the Bod Squad’s best agents. But when her colleague Jackson bursts in with news that her presumed-dead father may still be alive—and possibly a double agent—the vows are on hold and the Bod Squad hits the road.
Jackson wants to help, but he’s a little distracted by Cajun cutie Lisa Bee, his closest coworker. They’ve always been friends, but there’s nothing like a little overseas danger to set sparks flying! As the two work to track a criminal mastermind, will they swap undercover work for under-the-covers play?
Game On -April 2015
Part caper, part romantic comedy, this hilariously entertaining book in the Bod Squad series features a sassy and sexy undercover operative, Susannah “Legs” Carter, and her Ocean’s Eleven–style team of private investigators.
From Washington, DC, to Paris, Legs is tailing Charles Oakley Palmer III, a white-collar criminal she’s determined to bring to justice. But will romance or betrayal blossom along the way? Find out in the first in a sizzling new series about a team of highly skilled investigators who go undercover to catch criminals—while juggling romance, world travel, and danger around every corner.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ANNE GRACIE
Anne Gracie is the best-selling and award-winning author of numerous Regency romances. Her books are known for their poignant and heart-warming characters. Novels that have thrilled loyal fans for years.
As one of my personal favorites, I was honored to have this esteemed author on our site. This June she will be publishing her latest Regency, The Spring Bride, which is part of her popular Chance Sisters series.
Ohhh, yes!!
1) I love, love your books. As an impatient reader, why do you books seem to take soooo long to come out?!
Anne Gracie: Because I'm not a fast writer. My books take time — I need to mull them over, and let the characters come to life. But I am trying to get faster.
2) I guess that is why it makes them sooo good! :) Where did you get your love for the Regency period? Is it difficult to write a period/historical book? Does it take a lot of research and time to get all your facts correct?
Anne Gracie: I grew up reading Georgette Heyer from the age of eleven. She's the writer who invented the Regency Romance as a genre — I know some people think it's Jane Austen, but Jane was writing contemporary novels at the time. Heyer wrote historicals, and her Regencies are funny, clever and fast-paced with wonderful characters.
Because I grew up reading and re-reading Heyer's novels, the period feels very natural to me, so I don't have much trouble getting the "feel" right. Of course I have to do some research for every book, but usually that's part of the fun. Some books need more research than others.And I have to admit, though I try, I don't always get my facts correct — I've made a couple of boo-boos so far, both things I didn't research because I thought I knew the facts already. Wrong!
3) I always feel like I am part of your books -transported back in time! What attracts you to the Regency period in particular?
Anne Gracie: For me, that's part of the appeal of historicals — being taken off to another place and time. The Regency period offers a writer a lot of scope for all kinds of different plots. Some people think it's only about balls and going to Almacks, but there was a lot more happening during that quite short period (1811-1820) — the Napoleonic wars, for instance, the industrial revolution was really getting going, the British Empire was expanding and people were traveling all over the place. As well as London and Bath, I've set books in different parts of the UK, in Egypt, in France and Spain and on the Grand Tour (traveling through France and Italy.) Some of my characters have been at war and at sea — and not just the men. Some of my heroines have been quite adventurous.
4) The thing that sets your books so far apart from the rest are how well-developed your characters are. I feel like they are my friends. How do you build your characters?
Anne Gracie: Thank you — that's a lovely thing to say. I don't usually pre-plan them. I can decide everything about a character, but the moment I try to write them, they'll morph into someone different — it's on the page that my characters truly come to life. For instance, Gideon in The Perfect Rake — he was supposed to be a dark and dangerous hero, but instead he walked onto the page being flippant and funny and totally charming. I wrestled with him a while, but eventually let him be who he was.
Some characters, like Gideon just walk onto the page, three dimensional and complete. Some, like Abby in Autumn Bride will take me longer to really get to know them. I ask myself questions about them all the time I'm writing — why did s/he do that? What is he thinking? That sort of thing—the questions make me dig deeper into their background and personality and motivation.
5) I really adore that your books come in a series. I really feel I get to know the characters more with each book. How did you come up with the idea for the Chance Sisters?
Anne Gracie: That scene where Abby meets Lady beatrice for the first time came to me in a sort of dream. Often, when I'm drifting off to sleep or just waking up, a scene will come to me out of the blue — a but like a movie rolling in my head. I always write them down in a notebook I keep by the bed — sometimes there are pages and pages of dialogue. They usually become important scenes, and sometimes spark a book — in this case a series.
6) Your dreams are a lot better than mine! I loved the area on your website that describes how you wrote each book. Can you tell us what inspired you to write The Spring Bride, and what makes Jane Chance so special?
Anne Gracie: Thanks — I need to update that page, don't I? So, the inspiration? A contract and a deadline? <g> No, seriously I always knew I was going to write Jane's story and I had some ideas for her, but when I started, I realized the hero I had planned for her wasn't right for her, so I had to find out who her true hero was and what her story would be with him. He's a wild card, and a mystery for a lot of the time but he brought out the best in Jane, and in the story she really grows as a person, I think. As does he.
7) I have to ask, when will The Summer Bride romance be coming out? Will we get a peek about the storyline in The Spring Bride romance, or can you give a sneak peek now?!
Anne Gracie: I don't have a date yet for The Summer Bride — 2016 sometime. It's Daisy's story — yes, Daisy who is so certain she doesn't want to marry. She's not like the other girls, who are all, despite their pasts, ladies; she's an outspoken Cockney foundling who grew up working as a maid in a brothel. She has a bad leg, a temper, a wicked sense of humor and a dream: to become the most fashionable dress maker in the Ton — "Fashion to the toffs" as she puts it. I love her to bits. As for her hero... you'll just have to wait and see. ;)
8) Ohh! I can’t wait! I discovered that you also co-wrote a Tudor series book as well as wrote a short contemporary cowboy romance. Do you have plans to write more book outside of the Regency genre you are so well known and loved for? Can you tell us about it/them if you are?!
Anne Gracie: The Tudor book was a novelization of The Tudors TV series. My job was to take the scripts of the first series and turn it into a novel. It was interesting, but the deadline for the second book clashed with my own novels, and writing my own novels won.
I had a lot of fun with my one contemporary romantic comedy. I would like to write more contemporary rom-coms, but at the moment I just don't have the time. If I write anything extra outside my current contracts it will be the books readers have been asking for.
9) That makes sense. Your books are so vivid and real. I can see them as wonderful movies. If you could pick one of your to books to be made into a movie, which one would it be and who would be your dream heroine and hero and why!?
Anne Gracie: Thank you so much. It's hard to pick one — movies need action as well as dialogue. Maybe The Perfect Rake, or perhaps Bride By Mistake. As for a hero, for Bride By Mistake, I'd pick Jensen Ackles and Zoe Saldana as Bella. Prudence and Gideon are harder to cast — he needs to be good looking but with a gift for comedy, and she needs to be sweet and a bit plump. Any suggestions?
10) Well, I rather like Hugh Jackman... But I digress, I know this is way into the future, but once you finish your Chase Sister series. Do you have any new ideas for future books? Can you give us a hint?!
Anne Gracie: I am currently tossing around ideas for a future series, but nothing definite yet.
I have to say, this has been such a dream come true! Thank you, thank you, for taking the time to let us interview you at our website. :)
Anne Gracie: Thanks so much for inviting me, Steph.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Anne Gracie check out her website at:
http://www.annegracie.com/index.htm
Upcoming and Recent books by Anne Gracie:
Summer Bride 2016 (Forth book in the Chance Sisters series)
Spring Bride -April 2015 (Third book in the Chance Sisters series)
A dog in need of rescue brings together a young debutante and a mysterious stranger in this regency charmer from the beloved Anne Gracie. For fans of Mary Balogh and Madeline Hunter.
On the eve of the London Season, Jane Chance is about to make her entrance into high society. And after a childhood riddled with poverty and hardship, Jane intends to make a good, safe, sensible marriage. All goes according to plan until a dark, dangerous vagabond helps her rescue a dog.
Zachary Black is all kinds of unsuitable—a former spy, now in disguise, he’s wanted for murder. His instructions: to lie low until his name is cleared. But Zach has never followed the rules, and he wants Jane Chance for his own.
If that means blazing his way into London society, in whatever guise suits him, that’s what he’ll do. Jane knows she shouldn’t fall in love with this unreliable, if devastatingly attractive, rogue. But Zach is determined—and he‘s a man accustomed to getting what he wants.
Winter Bride -April 2014 (Second book in the Chance Sisters series)
Damaris Chance’s unhappy past has turned her off the idea of marriage forever. But her guardian, Lady Beatrice Davenham, convinces her to make her coming out anyway—and have a season of carefree, uncomplicated fun.
When Damaris finds herself trapped in a compromising situation with the handsome rake Freddy Monkton-Coombes, she has no choice but to agree to wed him—as long as it’s in name only. Her new husband seems to accept her terms, but Freddy has a plan of his own: to seduce his reluctant winter bride.
Will Damaris’s secrets destroy her chance at true happiness? Or can Freddy help her cast off the shackles of the past, and yield to delicious temptation?
Autumn Bride -Feb. 2013 (First book in the Chance Sisters series)
Governess Abigail Chantry will do anything to save her sister and two dearest friends from destitution, even if it means breaking into an empty mansion in the hope of finding something to sell. Instead of treasures, though, she finds the owner, Lady Beatrice Davenham, bedridden and neglected. Appalled, Abby rousts Lady Beatrice's predatory servants and—with Lady Beatrice's eager cooperation—the four young ladies become her “nieces,” neatly eliminating the threat of disaster for all concerned!
It's the perfect situation, until Lady Beatrice’s dashing and arrogant nephew, Max, Lord Davenham, returns from the Orient—and discovers an impostor running his household…
A romantic entanglement was never the plan for these stubborn, passionate opponents—but falling in love may be as inevitable as the falling of autumn leaves...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH EVE LANGLAIS
Eve Langlais is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author. This saucy Canadian romance author mixes humor, sexy, over- protective heroes and feisty, atypical heroines into hot, Hot romance. Her books range from contemporary to paranormal. (Although I have to admit her paranormal romances are my all time favorites!)
All her books are sensual and a little bit wicked -which makes them all the more satisfying. They are like having your cake and eating it, too! When this popular author agreed to be interviewed by us I was over the moon!
Oh, yeah! I couldn't wait to ask her about her upcoming books!
1) I love futuristic books and stumbled on your Alien and Cyborg series through Amazon. Well, I never looked back! Do you think e-books have really launched your career? Did you ever think you would be so successful?
Eve Langlais: I never imagined readers would enjoy the weird ideas floating in my head. There is something wildly exciting about letting my humor and sarcasm, not to mention the vivid stories in my head, come to life on the screen. But that exhilaration is nothing compared to the pleasure I get when people let me know how much they enjoyed it.
2) With so many e-books on the market how did you break from the pack? Do you have advice for new writers?
Eve Langlais: I still don’t know why some books are hits. When Alien Mate and Defying Pack Law, my first two real hits, resonated with readers, I was stunned. And then when I hit bestseller status with Bunny and the Bear as well as Delicate Freakn’ Flower, I was over the moon (and frantically trying to figure out what I did right). Writing a good book is obviously important, but a lot of times, the success of a title has to do with what resonates with readers. Sometimes it’s a cover, a title or a blurb. Other times a hot genre. The only thing a writer can do is put out the best story and then hope it catches the reader’s eye.
3) I have to say, I adore your Aliens series, but fell in love with your Cyborgs! How did you get your inspiration for these two series? Are futuristic books your favorite genre to read?
Eve Langlais: I was always a sci-fi romance lover, but the genre is pretty sparse. Inspiration comes from the plain idea of “What if?” What if aliens truly did exist and were compatible with humans? What if cyborgs became a reality, what would govern them, programming or their humanity?
Given the many wonders of science, technology and the vast unknown frontier of space, it’s been awesome being able to explore the possibilities. To imagine what life might look like if we tampered with it. What might lurk beyond our star system. And seriously, if we can’t get kidnapped by a marauding Viking, or sword wielding Saxon, then isn’t a dashing alien or a deadly cyborg the next best thing?
4) While I enjoy all your paranormal romances my favorites are your shifter books. (Especially your Freakn' series!) How do you come up with the personalities of each animal shifter?
Eve Langlais: lol, if I said I didn’t know would you smack me up the side of the head? Each character starts out as a blank slate when I write, but as the story goes on, they reveal personality quirks, some great like Nolan’s obsession with his mane, some teeth gritting like Naomi’s stubbornness, but in the end, they each become individuals. Annoying habits and all lol. As for their animal side, before I start a book with shifters, I do a bit of reading on the animal I’m working with. I look beyond just their habitat and eating habits etc to try and see what social quirks they might have. Then I look at images, and sometimes videos. Armed with that info, they come to life, or at least that’s the plan.
5) Is there an animal-shifter you would like to write but haven't yet? Can you give us a sneak peek?!
Eve Langlais: I have done a crocodile, BUT, I’m dying to do another. There is something deadly about those reptiles, and the idea of making those cold creatures human, and even better, having to bend to the love of a woman…Sigh. So sexy. I’ve also thought of doing some more obscure myth like animals like a griffon, or a manticore. Perhaps even an elusive sphinx. What an intriguing history those creations could have.
6) Ohhh, yes! Do you have a favorite shifter animal you like to write about and why?
Eve Langlais: I tend to revolve around 3 actually—bear, big cat and wolf. Probably because they’re classic and familiar for readers. But given the oversaturation by those awesome beasts, I’ve branched out, literally, with some antlered heroes (see Outfoxed by Love with a moose and Caribou’s Gift). I like to sometimes write outside the box just to see what happens lol.
7) I find your Welcome to Hell and Hell Princess series hilarious. The female leads have plenty of attitude! Do you base your women from anyone in particular!? Will you continue to write more...please!!
Eve Langlais: I love those sassy ladies. They aren’t afraid to speak their minds, get dirty and dish ou
t some ass kicking. I wish I could be more like them. I think I base them on the person I’d like to think I could be if I wasn’t such a wimp lol. The idea of being brave enough to stand up to a demon or take a frying pan to a bear make me hope if I were thrust in those situations that maybe I’d find my inner ass kicking heroine too.
8) If you could be one of your characters who would that be and why?
Eve Langlais: lol, that’s tough, but I think I’d go with Muriel from my Princess of Hell series. She’s tough, yet soft. Has had to deal with adversity because of her dad, but hasn’t let it kill her spirit. And really, can you imagine the entertainment of having my version of Lucifer as a father?
9) I
know you have two new hunky Cyborg books coming out. Yay! Adam and Avion will be out this spring. Can you us tell about them?!
Eve Langlais: Adam is the sixth book in my series and the first one that takes place on earth. As the leader of the cyborg resistance and underground, he’s made it his mission to rescue cyborgs in need and to find answers to their creation. On the way, he falls for a human scientist and things explode—quite literally. As for Avion, he’s the wounded cyborg. Dying because of some military experiments, he somehow gets in touch with a mysterious being who calls herself One. Is the origin they’ve been looking for? Does she hold the answer to curing him? Will they survive those desperate to destroy her?
10) I love that there is always something to look forward to in your upcoming books. Do you have plans for a new series!? Can you tell us about it/them?
Eve Langlais: I’ve got a few specials projects planned this year, some of which are in collaboration with other authors. In June, I’m releasing an alpha shifter story. In the fall, I’ve got a carnival themed story coming. Freakn’ 7 has been kicking around in my head as well as a sequel to Two’s A Couple. And, maybe, just maybe, we might see a new sci-fi series emerge this year time permitting.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions. I can't wait for more of your books. Please don't stop writing! :)
Eve Langlais: Stop writing! Never. Lol. I’ve got too many stories to tell. Thanks so much for having me on your blog. It’s been a blast :D
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Eve Langlais:
http://evelanglais.com/wordpress/home
and you can joing her mailing list at:
http://evelanglais.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4206880f0a05cf184325f0f81 HYPERLINK "http://evelanglais.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4206880f0a05cf184325f0f81&id=f4d3e14c67check"& HYPERLINK "http://evelanglais.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4206880f0a05cf184325f0f81&id=f4d3e14c67check"id=f4d3e14c67check
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Eve Langlais:
Avion Cyborg #7 -April/May 2015
Being a cyborg was so much better when all his parts worked. Avion’s nanotechnology stopped functioning after some experimentation done on him by the military. They broke him and now, Avion is no better than a human, even more annoying, he’s dying.
But at least he completed his final mission. He saved, One.
Mysterious and alluring, Avion isn’t the only person who wonders what surprises this woman hides. The human military and their alien allies fear what she’s capable of and will stop at nothing to destroy her. However, the one thing they didn’t take into account is that the cyborgs always protect their own, and they aren’t afraid to use deadly force.
And no one could imagine the depths One will stoop to in order to protect the man she loves.
Adam Cyborg #6-March/April 2015
Adam survived the great cyborg purge because the military made a mistake, a mistake they lived to regret. They crossed the line when they decided to take away his free will and turn him into a machine. They erroneously thought him a slave they could command. However, their biggest screw up of all was when they didn’t terminate him at the first sign cyborgs were regaining sentience.
As the rebel cyborg leader on Earth, Adam is doing everything he can to rescue others of his kind. Part of his current, undercover mission involves infiltrating a top secret military facility where he comes in contact with a human scientist. A sexy scientist whom he’s ordered to protect.
What should have been an easy job turns into a fight for his life because it’s not just bullets and hit squads he’s got to worry about, but his heart.
How can one fragile female mean so much? It’s almost too much for a rational-minded cyborg to understand. When the choice is given, escape or let her die, he lets his heart decide, and after that, things start to explode—literally.
Grizzly Love -Feb. 17th, 2015
His mother would have beaten him to within an inch of his life, if she knew Travis had the hots for the town doctor, but he couldn’t help it.
Dr. Jess, a redhead with a few years on him, was his soulmate. His grizzly knew it. He knew it. Suspected she did as well. But he did have one dilemma standing in his way.
Her husband.
Talk about inconvenient.
Good thing Travis was tenacious. Even if he has to travel half a continent, and brave some hot sands, subsist on crappy food and survive attempts on his life he won’t give up until he wins her heart.
Or dies trying.
Jess made a mistake. She married too young, to the wrong man. Problem is, hawks mate for life, and murder is against the law. To add more insult to the situation, her mate won’t even attempt to be a husband. It seems he isn’t interested in keeping his vows, nor is he coming home anytime soon, so when the chance arises to confront him, she takes it. However facing him changes nothing.
Freddie doesn’t want her…but Travis does.
And oh how she wants him too. Wants and yet can’t have him.
However, her marital problems aren’t the only issue. Their pursuit of the nefarious being behind the attacks on their town is being sabotaged by treachery. When Jess and Travis barely survive an ambush, she can no longer deny her love for the rascally bear. But will they survive enough to see if it’s possible for her to rectify a wrong and take him as her mate?
Wolf's Capture -Jan 6th, 2015
She might think she’s captured the wolf, but in the end, he’ll take her heart.
Brody is a soldier who misses the excitement of the military and its missions. He retired to work as clan beta in Kodiak Point. Talk about boring, until he’s captured by a foreign enemy.
Him, a prisoner?
Not for long. This wolf will do anything in order to get away–even if it involves seduction.
First step in plotting his escape: pretend interest in a woman. But Layla isn’t just any woman. She’s special.
Not human. Not shifter. He doesn’t know what this exotic lady is other than his.
A prisoner for years, Layla isn’t sure what to make of the enemy who shares a cell with her. He promises her hope, but that would involve trust. Despite her doubts, she can’t help but be drawn to him. Unacceptable which means she does her best to drive him nuts.
Working together, can they escape the clutches of the enemy?
And do they dare fall in love?
My Secretary, Her Fantasy -Dec. 30th, 2014
Isabelle has a fantasy, a very naughty desire that her boss is balking at. She wants to claim him in a way he’s never imagined, a way that frightens him, but excites her.
Grant would do anything for his secretary, or so he thinks until she tells him her secret fantasy. His desire to please is strong, but giving her what she wants means redefining his notions on proper sexual games—and giving up all sense of control.
Can Isabelle convince him to trust her and allow himself to enjoy the carnal ways a mistress can claim her submissive?
Caribou's Gift -Dec. 16th, 2014
Damn it, a man had his pride and a caribou a certain majestic presence, all of which could wind up ruined if he abased himself to play a simple-minded reindeer in the tow
n’s Christmas parade.
No way was he wearing damned tinsel in his antlers.
Like hell was he sporting a red nose and pulling a sleigh.
But he changes his mind when he meets the woman in charge of the event.
Single mom, Crystal, is doing her best to offer her daughter the best Christmas ever. It’s their first in Kodiak Point, and she’s not about to let some vain jerk ruin it for her little girl. If playing dirty is what it takes…then bring on the Christmas games.
As Crystal and Kyle butt heads—and lips—they discover more than goodwill this holiday season. They’re gifted with a second chance at love.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW SHANNON MCKENNA
New York Times best-selling author Shannon McKenna writes sexy thrillers that include hot alpha men and the daring women that love them. Her popular McCloud series is a fan favorite and she returns to the series with her latest book, In For the Kill coming out in January 2015. Yes!!
As one of my favorite authors I couldn't wait to ask her about her stunning conclusion to her beloved series and what she has in store for the future!
1) It is such a special treat having you on our website. Can you tell us how you become an author? And, why romance?!
Shannon McKenna:
I am delighted to be here! Thanks so much for inviting me! And why romance? What a question! What else BUT romance would be my first, knee-jerk response! Romance novels saved me, in my confused and haphazard youth—I always knew that no matter how bad I might be feeling that day, there was a remedy for me in the bookstore—actually thousands of wonderful, delicious, alluring remedies. A bottomless supply. I could just go get a romance, and I could be assured of that delicious rush of endorphins that would make everything OK, at least for a while. I confess, when I was really broke, I would often just stand in the aisles of the bookstores for hours at a time, and read the books, then and there. My uncle called it “shooting up print.” Though I admit, I would never underestimate the power of chocolate as a coping mechanism!
I wanted to write romance novels since I was a teenager. I always had it in the back of my mind that it was something I could really love, and maybe even do quite well, but I never found the time and the focus necessary to get all the way to the end of one until I moved to Italy. There, I suddenly found myself with more time than I knew what to do with. I started with short contemporaries because I thought that Harlequin and Silhouette romances were the lines most open to new, unagented authors. Though H/S never did accept a book from me. I confess, I also had this innocent notion that short contemporaries would be easier, because there would be less research. I have since learned, to my cost, that nothing about writing is ever easy. Everything is equally difficult, in its own unique way.
I love romance as a genre, when it does what I consider the romance novel’s appointed job, and that is to give me that giddy emotional high, to turn me on, make me cry, scare me to death and boost my serotonin up to its proper levels. My happiest moments as an author are when I get an email from a reader saying something like, “your books really helped me believe in love again after my terrible divorce,” or “I was bedridden after gall bladder surgery and your books really helped me through the tedium.” Where the shit of real life hits the fan, that’s when you need the magic of a romance novel, to give you a break, and a boost. That is what I humbly aspire to do.
2) I've read all your books and they introduced me to 'steamy' books. I've never gone back! Did you intend to make your books more erotic on purpose? How would you define your writing style? Or is it definable?
Shannon McKenna:
Little ol’ me? I introduced you to steamy books? Wow, what an honor, and what a responsibility! I hope that I set the bar high!
To be perfectly honest, I did not start out with any intention of writing “steamy.” This was long before the explosion of erotic books on the market, and my first efforts, as I said before, were category romances written in the style of Harlequin Temptations or Silhouette Desire’s, with two and a half relatively tame sex scenes per book. But in 2001, I got a wonderful opportunity to be in an anthology of erotic novellas with three other authors, all of whom were much better known than I, Suzanne Forster, Thea Devine and Lori Foster. I was overwhelmed and delighted, but very timid and nervous about writing an erotic novella. Then my wise editor, Hilary Sares, gave me some wonderful advice—she said, just focus on letting all the action in the novel center around the erotic relationship, have it be absolutely central.
I took this to heart, and made a wonderful discovery while writing that novella. I realized that thinking in this way about making their sexuality integral to the characters and to the plot really made the whole thing pop off the page. Plot development and character development is so much more interesting when it is charged with romantic and erotic energy! And sex scenes are so much more compelling when they develop character and advance plot! It’s like a perpetual motion machine.
After that, I got hooked on the steamy vibe, and all of the many gifts that it can offer to a story. Now I can’t even imagine depriving myself of that sexy edge, that buzz. I just enjoy the hell out of it.
As for defining my writing style, I am the last person on Earth who would be qualified to do that. I just try to be as deep inside the characters heads’ as I can when I write. If they are dictating the story and the dialog, then I know I can’t go too far wrong.
3) Well, please keep them coming! Speaking of which, I love your alpha men. What qualities do they have to have to be one of your hot heroes?!
Shannon McKenna:
I have to fall in love with him myself! He has to be smart, intense, brave, creative and emotionally alive, to say nothing of super hot, physically powerful, sexually skillful, with a devilish grin and a smoldering gaze! And if that’s stereotypical, well, then, phooey. Just sue me, already. If I’m going to have a sexy fantasy, I’m going to go all out!
I think that a romance hero can be flawed almost to the point of ruin, but not quite—he must be redeemable. He has to be courageous, because apart from his requisite dose of mortal peril, he has to go on a frightening journey of self-discovery to become a viable romance hero. Volcanic sexual lust is the catalyst. True love always takes my heroes by surprise, and it usually takes them more or less unwillingly, but it does take them—completely, and for all time. I love it when love brings a difficult hero to his knees, melts his barriers, sweeps away his emotional blocks. It tears him open to make space for the new reality, the new paradigm of his life. Then he can finally bond, grow, take root in his own life, become a lover, a husband, a father. That moment of sweet surrender is such a huge turn-on. It’s the true payoff for his valor.
4) How did you come up with your popular McCloud series?
Shannon McKenna:
It was entirely by accident! I was an innocent newbie when I wrote BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, and I did not dare to presume that my publishing company would actually buy another book from me. So when I created the McCloud brothers, it was just to give the lonesome, miserable Seth Mackey, the hero, some help, and someone to talk to. Then as I got further into writing them, I realized that that those McCloud brothers were, well . . . kinda hot. And interesting. And I realized that maybe I could write another three books, since there were three brothers, being as how one of them had tragically died long ago. I had no idea that Kev McCloud was still alive. When Sean discovered in EDGE OF MIDNIGHT that the body in Kev’s grave was not his brother’s body, I was genuinely gobsmacked. Horrified, too, at the responsibility, and the size of the task. It took me years to figure out what the hell happened to that poor guy. I wrote three books in the meantime!
If I had been more crafty and forward-looking, I would have made more McCloud brothers at the outset—hell, maybe even a few McCloud sisters, and I might have tossed in a few McCloud cousins for good measure. But I think they did OK, with their ragtag group of friends and associates. They created their own tight-knit family group, and that is one of the dynamics that makes the books special. Because I think that at the heart of a romance novels is ultimately a search for a true home of the heart, a place where you are safe, and genuinely loved and accepted for who you are. That’s the ultimate fantasy behind a love story, and it’s certainly the reason that I’d love to be part of the McCloud Crowd family! Other than the fact that, if anyone ever messed with me, my McCloud Crowd pals would kick their asses soooooo very hard . . . .
5) Your books have a very real-life, edgy feel. I like how you incorporate issues that face us today and create heroes that fight the war against them! Where do you get your inspiration for your characters and stories?
Shannon McKenna:
You don’t have to look very far to get inspiration for stories! Just looking over news headlines seems to do the trick. Human trafficking was the big theme in Sveti’s story, and that issue is all over the news right now, and also the stories about the boat people flooding into Italy is very much in the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, particularly with Africa and the Middle East convulsed with war and terrorism. People are disposed to do any desperate thing to get themselves and their families away from it. It’s heartbreaking, particularly when the refugees are exploited or abused or abandoned to their deaths on a stormy sea, as all too often happens.
Conflict is everywhere—it’s terrible for people and families and countries, but the one single thing that it is good for is stories.
6) I really enjoyed your book Fatal Strike which included paranormal elements. Will you write more books with the paranormal theme in them?
Shannon McKenna:
Oh, God, yes. I had a wonderful time with the paranormal elements in the McCloud series, and I want to include similar elements in future books. I’ve been fascinated with the idea of extrasensory perception since I was a little girl. I wish I could say that I had personal experience with it—how cool and mind-blowing that would be! But probably inconvenient. Take telepathy, for instance. Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be, to be able to read people’s thoughts? So uncomfortable socially! The mind just boggles. It’s bad enough to navigate the world socially just limited to guessing what people are thinking of you, let alone actually knowing! (shuddering)
But seriously. I’ve read about all manner of miraculous abilities that have been attained when certain parts of the brain became active, and the possibilities tickle my fancy no end. I’ve also spoken to people who have direct personal experiences of such things. But none of this titillating stuff has ever happened to me personally. My feet stay planted stolidly on the ground. No ghosts, no visions, no astral travel, no precognition, no telekinesis. I guess I’m not meditating hard enough! But whatever. I can fantasize, and get my dose of speculation by writing novels about it. That way, I don’t have to adhere to any sort of objective reality—I can just make it all up as I go along!
7) Please, say it ain't so!! Does In For the Kill have to be your last in the McCloud series? Do feel writing this book was bittersweet?
Shannon McKenna:
Oh, my God, yes! It is so hard to say goodbye! To be honest, I meant to finish the series much sooner than I did. but I got attached to Bruno, Aaro, Miles and Sveti, once I had written scenes from their points of view. Once they came to focus inside my mind, they just continue to grow. I wrote one scene scene from Aaro’s point of view in FADE TO MIDNIGHT, and from that moment on, he bugged me relentlessly, like a mafia goon who wanted his story right now or he would mess me up. And I’ve loved Miles ever since he shuffled out of the second McCloud book, STANDING IN THE SHADOWS, and in to the clutches of the McCloud brothers, blinking in the light. God knows, the noble, selfless, heroic Sveti deserved her own Happily Ever After, considering the hell that she went through. I would have writhed in guilt forever if I had not written her a happy ending.
In the very beginning, even in my wildest dreams, I never thought to write past Sean McCloud’s story. Then I discovered Kev was still alive, so I wrote EXTREME DANGER and ULTIMATE WEAPON while gestating Kev’s book. Then after Kev’s book, I had gotten interested in Bruno, and during the writing of Bruno’s book, I got hung up on Aaro . . . one thing just led to another! It was out of control! Which for me is a clear sign that something is really working, and should therefore be aggressively pursued.
Each book seemed to get progressively harder, though, because the characters from the previous books are all there, swarming around, butting in, forcibly offering their opinions and their help. Tam is always in everyone’s faces, and Sean is bouncing around making smart-ass remarks, and there are toddlers running around screaming, getting into trouble, and the whole thing just gets way out of hand. But still. I will miss them so much. What a wild, wonderful ride it has been.
8) So I am sooo excited to read your latest book. Can you tell us about your main characters and what makes them so special?
Shannon McKenna:
IN FOR THE KILL came out January 27th of this year, and it is Sveti and Sam’s long-awaited story. Sveti is finally facing down the demons of her past, and Sam is just the man to help her do it!
It took so long for Sveti to grow up! She was almost thirteen when I first met her in EXTREME DANGER, and not for an instant did I ever think the series would go on long enough for me to even consider writing a romance with her as the heroine! But then people started asking me to write her story. For while, I just continued to just say to them, get real, that poor girl is only fifteen years old! (or sixteen, or nineteen, or wherever she was in her timeline when they asked.) But as time wore on, Sveti took on form in my head, I starting thinking, hmm. She’s cool. Heroine material, if she were just a little older. Grow, Sveti, grow. So I started tapping my foot, waiting for her to get on with it—and she was finally ready for it, just in time to close out the series!
Sam Petrie, the hero, came relatively late to the McCloud Crowd, and only to follow the elusive Sveti around, although she coldly spurned him for years. But Sam wouldn’t give up. When he was given a chance to protect her, he grabbed it with both hands, no matter the danger. He’s not ashamed to offer her his heart, nothing held back, and he’ll put everything on the line for his chosen lady. I personally just melt for his selfless ardor and incredible valor, if I do say so myself. Ah, Sam. (hands fluttering)
The book is big and sexy and scary, and jam-packed with intense emotion. I am very proud of it. I think it closes the McCloud series with a big, loud bang and a shower of colored sparks. I hope you all enjoy it!
9) I can't help myself, so I have to ask, of all the McCloud brothers do you have a favorite and why?
Shannon McKenna:
Gosh, that’s tough! I love them all! They have such completely different attributes. Maybe Kev McCloud is the one who resonates with me the most, but damn—as I’m writing a book, the hottest hero is always the one I’m wrestling with at the time! I’ll have to waffle on this, because the moment that I named Kev, I had a sudden stab of guilt, as if I had betrayed Miles and Sam and Nick and Val and Aaro and Davy and Sean and Connor and Seth and Bruno . . . and how could I do that to them?
10) Since In For the Kill is to be your final in your popular series. Is there another book or series we can anticipate soon? Can you give us a sneak peak?!
Shannon McKenna:
I’m playing with a bunch of different new ideas. It’s so strange, to emerge from the familiar McCloud world! But it’s exciting, too. I’m hard at work on some new projects.
I’ve come to understand, over the last few years, that my readers fall into two camps. There are those who love the paranormal elements that began to crop up in the last few McCloud books, and there are those who just absolutely hate them, and want the straight romantic suspense like before, no funny stuff. So, I must figure out how to write books faster, because I really like writing both kinds of novels, and I love all of the esteemed readers who appreciate the McKenna vibe. I wish to serve both groups, with books that delight and satisfy!
To that end, I’m dreaming up two distinctly different series. I am keen to try my hand at self publishing, but I also want to continue to enjoy the advantages of a publishing house’s support as well, so I aspire to be what they call a “hybrid” author.
For my self-published series, I’m dreaming up stories with a paranormal, urban fantasy kind of edge. This series features, as heroes and heroines, a group who as very young people were swept up into a secret experimental program in which they were being groomed with implanted techno-enhancements and brain stimulation to be super-agent/soldiers with amazing abilities. They realized just in time the criminal lengths to which their experimenters were willing to alter them, and banded together to rebel and escape. Now they’re all adults, with new identities and many painful and complicated issues because of their enhancements and their problematic special abilities—to say nothing of the looming menace of their nemesis, the Obsidian Corporation, from which they fled. I’m having great fun with it! I like a paranormal element that springs out of the real, bottomless human potential that science is only beginning to reveal, and I could go any number of wild directions with this. Which means, freedom, scope, and wild, outrageous plots by the handful! Hog heaven.
I also have fun and juicy ideas for new straight romantic suspense novels, but it’s too soon in my process to talk about those yet! But you can bet that they will be intense, steamy, scary, over the top fun.
I’m excited for the future, and so keen to write all of these novels! I’ll be making announcements and posting excerpts as soon as I have news, so be sure to check my site, shannonmckenna.com, and sign up for my mailing list so I can keep you up to date! Or visit me on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShannonMckenna?ref=hl
Ohhh, sounds so good! I can't wait!
Thank you, thank you for letting us interview you! :) Having you on our website has made my day.
It’s been a delight, Steph! Thanks for having me!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Shannon McKenna check her out at:
http://shannonmckenna.com/index.php
and check out her contest at:
http://shannonmckenna.com/contest.php
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Shannon McKenna:
In For the Kill -Jan. 27th 2015
Years ago, the McClouds and their friends rescued little Sveti Ardova from ruthless organ traffickers. Now she’s all grown up, and getting into some scorching trouble of her own . . .
NO SURRENDER
The risks ex-cop Sam Petrie has taken have turned his life into a train wreck. So he has nothing to lose by doubling down as the elusive Svetlana Ardova’s unwanted bodyguard on her ill-advised trip to Italy. Her crusade against modern slavery has blazoned a bullseye on her chest, but when one of the death threats against her almost hits the mark, Sam’s protective instincts go into overdrive. Every lethal obstacle and trap they encounter ups the stakes—and the undeniable heat between them.
Now they’re spiraling in on a deadly and explosive secret—one that could either redeem them or destroy them … and the closer they get, the shorter the fuse …
Fatal Strike -Sept. 23rd. 2013
When Lara Kirk was abducted months ago, Miles Davenport vowed he’d bring her home. But the mission failed. Miles has become totally obsessed; he can practically hear Lara pleading for him to save her. Finding her after all this time will be next to impossible…
Lara Kirk lives in a shadowy world where reality and fantasy are one. Her captors have poisoned her body with concoctions that enhance psychic abilities–and they seem to be working. To escape, Lara has formed a deep attachment with a man whose virile, sensual presence in her mind is her only comfort. She’s not even sure if he’s real–until the six-foot-five-inch powerhouse bursts in to rescue her…
Once freed, Lara has no choice but to trust Miles with her life as they run from enemies too twisted to imagine. But they’re also fighting a dangerous attraction that could kill–or save–them both. Either way, it’s going to be a hell of a ride…
One Wrong Move -Sept. 1st, 2012
Alex Aaro has spent most of his life on the run from his Ukrainian mafia family. But when he learns that crazy Aunt Tonya, the only relative who ever gave a damn about him, is dying, he risks returning home to say goodbye. He’s prepared for anything except the call from his friend, Bruno Ranieri, that sends him on a wild and dangerous ride with a mysterious woman who holds a deadly secret and a white hot passion that binds them together.
Social worker Nina Christie has no idea how much trouble she’s in when her Aunt Helga shows up unexpectedly, emaciated and bleeding, and injects Nina with an unknown drug. Now a ruthless crime syndicate will stop at nothing to make Nina disappear, and only Alex Aaro, that inscrutable six-foot-four rock hard slab of lean muscle, stands between her and certain death. Now Nina and Alex are in a race against time, death, and their desire for one another . . .
Blood and Fire -Oct. 1st. 2011
Restless and impulsive, Bruno Ranieri has the temperament to fit right in with the McClouds. And just like the McCloud brothers, Bruno has a dangerous past to contend with—one that’s about to come crashing back into his life…
Bruno Ranieri has always lived at a chaotic pace, and that goes double lately. Since his uncle’s untimely demise, Bruno is working himself to the bone, trying to keep his nose clean and save the family business. Not easy when the nightmares that plagued his childhood are hi-jacking what little rest he gets.
So when exotically beautiful Lily Parr sashays into his all-night restaurant, claiming to be on the run from mysterious assassins, Bruno starts to wonder if sleep deprivation is finally getting to him. Especially when Lily implies that Bruno is involved. But the violence that accompanies her arrival is no illusion. Nor is the blisteringly hot, completely inconvenient desire that explodes between them.
Lily Parr has been a fugitive ever since her father’s death a month ago in a mental hospital. Officials claimed it was suicide, but Lily’s gut—and the savage murder attempt she barely escaped afterwards—say different. Snippets of information led Lily to Bruno’s door…and his magnetic charisma compelled her right into his bed. But there are cold-blooded killers on her heels, with resources as limitless as their cruelty.
Running won’t help, not when the biggest threat is the terrifying secret lurking in Bruno and Lily’s pasts. A secret their mysterious enemy will gladly destroy them to protect—unless they can uncover it first…
-Sept. 1st, 2012
Alex Aaro has spent most of his life on the run from his Ukrainian mafia family. But when he learns that crazy Aunt Tonya, the only relative who ever gave a damn about him, is dying, he risks returning home to say goodbye. He’s prepared for anything except the call from his friend, Bruno Ranieri, that sends him on a wild and dangerous ride with a mysterious woman who holds a deadly secret and a white hot passion that binds them together.
Social worker Nina Christie has no idea how much trouble she’s in when her Aunt Helga shows up unexpectedly, emaciated and bleeding, and injects Nina with an unknown drug. Now a ruthless crime syndicate will stop at nothing to make Nina disappear, and only Alex Aaro, that inscrutable six-foot-four rock hard slab of lean muscle, stands between her and certain death. Now Nina and Alex are in a race against time, death, and their desire for one another . . .
Blood and Fire -Oct. 1st. 2011
Restless and impulsive, Bruno Ranieri has the temperament to fit right in with the McClouds. And just like the McCloud brothers, Bruno has a dangerous past to contend with—one that’s about to come crashing back into his life…
Bruno Ranieri has always lived at a chaotic pace, and that goes double lately. Since his uncle’s untimely demise, Bruno is working himself to the bone, trying to keep his nose clean and save the family business. Not easy when the nightmares that plagued his childhood are hi-jacking what little rest he gets.
So when exotically beautiful Lily Parr sashays into his all-night restaurant, claiming to be on the run from mysterious assassins, Bruno starts to wonder if sleep deprivation is finally getting to him. Especially when Lily implies that Bruno is involved. But the violence that accompanies her arrival is no illusion. Nor is the blisteringly hot, completely inconvenient desire that explodes between them.
Lily Parr has been a fugitive ever since her father’s death a month ago in a mental hospital. Officials claimed it was suicide, but Lily’s gut—and the savage murder attempt she barely escaped afterwards—say different. Snippets of information led Lily to Bruno’s door…and his magnetic charisma compelled her right into his bed. But there are cold-blooded killers on her heels, with resources as limitless as their cruelty.
Running won’t help, not when the biggest threat is the terrifying secret lurking in Bruno and Lily’s pasts. A secret their mysterious enemy will gladly destroy them to protect—unless they can uncover it first…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA BARKSDALE INCLAN
Jessica Barksdale Inclan is the best-selling author of women’s fiction and paranormal romance. Her newest romance, How to Bake a Man is a humorous contemporary that readers will be sure to enjoy.
In addition, to being a popular author she writes poetry and teaches literature, mythology and creative writing! I wonder, how this talented author has the spare time to write? And if she could tell us about her latest books!
Here is what she said:
1) Wow! It is such a pleasure to have you on our website. Let's get started with how you got the writing bug? What do you like best about writing?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: Hi there. Thanks so much for asking me over to tell you all about me To answer your first question, I think I was just born with the desire to first read stories. To hear them read to me by my parents and teachers. I learned as a child that a story was the best thing in the world, and I wanted to write myself.
What I like best about writing is losing myself in that first push of story, when it is all coming out messy but fast.
2) Is there a big difference between writing poetry and fiction? How do you approach each?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: A poem starts often with just a feeling. A desire to express something ineffable, unknown. With fiction, I have at least a word, a sentence, a name. In fact, I just started a story based on a name I heard somewhere out in the universe: Tiny Higgins. For me, a story needs something tangible. A poem seems deeper and more mysterious, the topic and theme revealing themselves to me as I write.
3) What is your favorite fiction to read? What writers have inspired you writing?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: I am an omnivorous reader. Mostly during the academic year, I read student work, pieces of novels and stories that my students are writing. I read The New York Times every morning, and in my car, I listen to books, bringing me back to my early love of being read to.
My favorite writers are Jane Austen, John Irving, Alice Hoffman, Toni Morrison, but I love any good story well told.
4) Where do you get your ideas from?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: Everywhere. My students, the newspaper, my children, my imagination, history. Everything is rife with possibility.
5) You are such a diverse and talented writer. What keeps bringing you back to writing romance?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: Thank you! What a nice thing to say. The truth about romance is that I’m a sucker for love. It’s just so fun to put two people together in a story and watch them find their way toward each other.
6) Okay, I have loved your paranormal romances. Do you plan to write any more soon?!
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: One of the important aspects for me in terms of my writing practice is the need or desire to write something. The interest and pull toward a particular story. Of late, I haven’t been pulled to a paranormal, but in my long life, I’ve learned to never say never!
7) I loved the idea behind How to Bake a Man! What makes this story so special? Can you tell us more about the heroine, Becca?
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: To some readers, Becca seems insecure. But I’ve been watching young women for 27 years now as a college teacher. They come in, wanting to start their adult lives but unsure which direction to take. They’ve been told they need college, but do they really? What if like Becca their skills lie elsewhere. In her case, her love is baking. It is what sustained her all her life. Baking for Becca is like writing for me. As Becca started baking, I realized that she was baking my mother’s, grandmother’s, and great-grandmother’s recipes. For me, the story seemed even more special as there were the sugar cookies and sand tarts that I grew up with.
8) I noticed that you are now working on a YA novel. Can we please get a sneak peak?!
Jessica Barksdale Inclan: I need to update that bio! My YA had such a crazy experience out in the world. (Almost sold, revised, almost sold, revised. Agent fighting for it. Talks with editors. Despair). But I will tell you that it landed on Kindle. The title is Prime, and it’s free through Kindle Direct.
9) What new adventures do you have planned in your writing?
Jessica Barksdale Inclan: I’ve been publishing a lot of short stories (the links to which are on my web site) and I’ve just completed a novel manuscript titled The Burning Hour, about a young firefighter and an eighty-four-year-old Native American woman. Their paths cross in Northeast Nevada, and as the title suggests, there’s a fire. I just finished my revisions and edits, and we will see what happens. Please cross your fingers for me!
10) It has been such a please having you on our website. Thank you so much for your time :)
Jessica Inclan Barksdale: It’s my pleasure, Steph. I really appreciate the invitation and the visit. Thank you.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Jessica Inclan Barksdale her out at:
http://www.jessicabarksdaleinclan.com/home.html
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Jessica Inclan Barksdale:
How to Bake a Man -Oct. 21st, 2014
When Becca drops out of grad school, all she has left to fall back on is her baking. With the help of her lizard-booted neighbor Sal, she starts a small business selling her wares to hungry office workers. But things quickly get complicated when she meets the man of her dreams and an arch-enemy, his bitchy lawyer girlfriend. Before long, she s neck-deep in office politics, clandestine romance, and flour. Saving her business (and finding true love) is going to take everything she's got, and more.
Swimming Lessons Kindle -July 24, 2012 Kindle
When Sara Malone's father dies, her overwhelming feelings are of guilt and relief. For years Sara and her younger sister Hope, both star swimmers at their high school, lived in constant anxiety over his abusive demands and pressure to succeed; now it's all over, and the girls can make their own choices and live their own lives.
Hope and their mother both thrive with this new freedom, but for Sara things only seem more complicated. In her grief, she has a surprising and emotional night with her best friend's Maggie's brother Dom, the boy she's idolized for years. To make things worse, Maggie also has hidden feelings for Sara that go beyond friendship, and Sara is stunned when both Maggie and Dom pull away. Feeling abandoned and isolated, Sara spends more time at home alone and in the garden her father once tended. One lonely day, she discovers her father's journals and letters, writing that reveals a side of her father Sara never knew possible. Slowly, Sara works her way through her grief, able at the end of the story to rely not on a friend or boyfriend or even sister but herself.
The Wolf at the Window -April 25, 2010 Kindle
Talaith and Kaherdin should never meet. They should never know each other. They and their people are at war. Her people hold onto the very magic that would change his people’s lives. His people want to kill hers and take what has been withheld for so long. To find each other, to fall in love with each other, to want each other could cause the fragile balance in both their worlds to crack and shatter, changing more than just their own two lives.
The Wolf at the Window is the story of lovers brought together from two different, opposing, warring worlds, a shapeshifting Romeo and Juliet set in a post apocalyptic world, but a story with a happy ending.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN LYONS
International, award-winning author, Susan Fox (AKA Susan Lyons), pens hot contemporary romance. Her sexy novels include engaging characters and real life drama that often push the boundaries of the genre. Creating stories that tug at the heart-strings and keep fans wanting more! As a big fan myself, I especially enjoy reading the tough issues her characters tackle. While her main characters always find true love at the end, the road towards it is always filled with unexpected transformation and passion. Her new series set in a small 'cowboy' town called Caribou Crossing is no exception!
I couldn't wait to ask her about her latest book.
Here is what she said:
1) It is such a pleasure having you here! Can you tell us how you got started writing?
Susan Fox: Thank you so much for inviting me, Steph, and for the kind words about my books. I’m delighted to be here.
As for how I got started writing, I’d always been a huge fiction reader, but I’d never really thought about writing a book myself. I got a law degree and worked as a legal editor, and then a friend gave me Natalie Goldberg’s book “Writing Down the Bones.” I didn’t understand why he’d given me the book and when I asked, he said because I was a writer. He told me to read it. I did. And he was right: I’m a writer. I started my first novel over the Christmas holidays that year, and I was hooked. There was no going back!
2) What attracted you to romance in particular?
Susan Fox: At the time, I mostly read legal suspense books and mysteries, so that’s what I first tried to write. But I realized I cared much more about the characters than the plot, and I kept putting romances in my books. The developing romance interested me a lot more than figuring out “who done it.” I attended a workshop put on by romance writers, and found my home. I started devouring romances and women’s fiction, and refocused my own writing.
What I love about romance is that it’s deeply meaningful. Love is the most powerful force in the world. It’s the thing most people desire more than anything else. But romance novels are about even more than that: they’re about character development, as the heroine and hero work through their personal issues and relationship issues and find the strength to be better people and to build a future together. I think the heroines and heroes of romance novels can make fabulous role models.
3) Your books are so real and heart-felt. I always feel invested in your characters, especially when they face difficult issues that they have to overcome. (From alcoholism, death of a loved one or differences in age and race.) As such a fearless writer, is there anything else you would like to write about that you haven't yet? Is there anything you don't think you would write about?!
Susan Fox: Thank you so much! If I’m going to spend 100,000 words with characters, I want them to be people I care about deeply myself and would want as friends if they really existed. I do tend to throw some serious issues at my characters (like a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in Love Me Tender). It tests them and helps them find their own strength. Characters I have in mind for upcoming Caribou Crossing Romances include the single parent mom of a child with a disability, and a hero who, in his younger days, abused his wife and son and now he’s reformed and wants to make amends and find his way back into their lives. I think those two books will be pretty challenging. It’s good to set challenges for myself, as well as for my characters!
As for things I wouldn’t write about… Well, I don’t want to write books that are depressing or have unhappy endings. I like it if readers find some poignant moments and shed a few tears, but I also like them to smile and laugh and believe that my characters will have a happy ending.
4) Have you based any of your books from your own life?!
Susan Fox: Not really, but there are little bits of me in most of my heroines and probably some of my heroes too. An occasional real-life experience has found its way into a book, but that doesn’t happen often. And none of the story lines are based on my own life.
5) Can you tell us more about the town of Caribou Crossing? How did you conceive of it and the people that live there? Is it based on where you live?!
Susan Fox: No, it’s definitely not based on where I live. But it is based on British Columbia’s Cariboo, a region I’m fond of. When I was a child, my parents and I spent quite a bit of time there, especially in Barkerville, a restored gold rush town. Caribou Crossing is based loosely on Barkerville, but with the idea that, when the gold died out, the town didn’t die as well. Instead, a few miners decided not to keep pursuing dreams of gold but to start ranching. So Caribou Crossing is now a ranching town and also has a lively tourist industry based on ranching and the gold rush history. It’s a small community, casual and friendly, very into horses, Western clothing, country music, and helping out your neighbor. It’s the kind of place where almost anyone can find acceptance and friendship, provided she/he is a decent person.
6) How many books do you plan to write in the series? Can you give us a sneak peek?
Susan Fox: So far there have been five published titles. Caribou Crossing launched the series. It’s an e-novella and is also included in the print edition of the next title, Home on the Range. The next book is Gentle on My Mind. Then there’s Stand by Your Man, another e-novella, and it is also included in the print edition of the fifth title, Love Me Tender. The sixth title, Love Somebody Like You has been written and will be published in October 2015.
Love Me Tender has a minor character, Sally Ryland, a young widow. The reader gets a sense that there’s something going on with her. In Love Somebody Like You, you find out that she was abused physically and emotionally by her husband. She has major trust issues. I matched her with Ben Traynor, a sexy rodeo cowboy who knew her years ago when she was a champion barrel racer. He remembers how feisty she was, and he wants to help her heal. Then, as he slowly wins her trust, he realizes that there’s something else he wants from Sally: her heart.
And after that, Kensington has contracted for two more books, which will probably come out in 2016.
7) I can't wait! I love the hometown feel of Caribou Crossing. Did you want to write about it because you are a cowgirl at heart? Do you secretly love westerns?!
Susan Fox: I’ve never been big on westerns, but I have always loved horses. One of my favorite TV shows – I don’t know if you get it where you live – is Heartland, which is filmed in Alberta. The heroine is a bit of a “horse whisperer” and has a big, complicated, loving family. As for me personally, I think I’m half city girl and half country girl. I truly love both. After years of writing Vancouver-set books, I’m very much enjoying hanging out in Caribou Crossing.
8) Have you considered writing another genre besides contemporary romance and why or why not? Do you think you might write a historical western?!
Susan Fox: I’ve thought about writing women’s fiction or mainstream fiction (whatever you want to call that genre). In other words, books that are about relationships other than romantic ones (although they might include romantic elements as well). In a way, I have done this already with some of my books under my Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox pen names, which straddle the line between women’s fiction and romance. The Awesome Foursome series is about the relationship between four girlfriends as well as about their romances. The Wild Ride to Love series is about four semi-estranged sisters growing closer, as well as being about their romances. And The Dirty Girls Book Club series is about the members of a book club getting to know each other better as they discuss books, relationships, and issues – as well as their romances.
As for a historical western, well, I’ve thought of something kind of like that. I have the idea for a series set in Caribou Crossing back in the gold rush days. But right now I’m too busy writing contemporaries. It also seems that there’s not a large market for historical romances set in Canada or the U.S. Readers seem to want England. But to me, those frontier days are incredibly exciting.
9) Speaking of hot cowboys, I loved the hero, Dave. What makes him and your heroine in your latest Caribou Crossing book, Love me Tender so special?
Susan Fox: Ah yes, Dave. I love him too. I loved him from the moment he appeared way back in Home on the Range (as the heroine’s ex-husband), and he has appeared in every title since then. He is known as the nicest guy in town. He’s kind of an Atticus Finch (from To Kill a Mockingbird). He’s the guy people turn to; he can deal with troublemakers in the bar; he’ll help a stubborn, independent widow who refuses to ask for help. He owns and restored a historic inn; he’s good friends with his ex; he’s a fantastic, if rather over-protective, father to their 10-year-old daughter. And of course he’s tall, fit, and handsome!
His fatal flaw is that his heart is broken. He was engaged to a woman who died, quite quickly, of brain cancer. He’s convinced that she was the love of his life. His heart belonged to her and he doesn’t believe he will ever love again – nor is he willing to risk suffering that kind of pain again.
Obviously, he needs a special woman to shake him up, drag him out of his rut, brighten up his life. So I sent him a free-spirited drifter, Cassidy Esperanza. A girl who, for her eighteenth birthday, got a tattoo of a wild goose flying with the moon on its wing – a symbol of her own desire to fly free and wild. (Her parents had never given her a stable home, and she convinced herself she didn’t want one.) In the eight years since then, she has never had the slightest desire to settle down, and she figures she never will.
I knew from the first time I “met” Dave that his biggest challenge would be moving past his fiancée’s death and having the courage to love again. Cassidy, too, needed to grow and to admit that she secretly did long for a happy home life and some stability, and that she had the guts to go after it.
Character growth usually happens when something major shakes us up. For Dave and Cassidy, meeting each other is major, but I felt they needed something even bigger: a crisis to test them as individuals and as a couple. So, part-way through the book, I gave Cassidy a medical diagnosis that will change her life. Dealing with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is a test of courage for both her and Dave – and the catalyst for their deepening feelings for each other.
If love can grow in times of crisis, that’s a pretty good indication that it will stand the test of time, don’t you think?
10) Yes, I do! Okay, I have to know, do you have any other upcoming books planned for your readers? Can you give us a hint, please?!
Susan Fox: As well as Love Somebody Like You, which I already mentioned, I’m planning to self-publish a book in February. Fly Close to the Sun is a book of my heart, set on Crete. It’s set in 1998 and it’s a romantic suspense. I fell in love with Greece when I read Mary Stewart’s The Moonspinners, My Brother Michael, and This Rough Magic. My new book is an homage to Mary Stewart and to Crete – and, of course, to romance, feisty heroines, and sexy heroes. I even wrote part of it on Crete.
Fly Close to the Sun is the story of Kieran Bridge, a Canadian lawyer who has had a career crisis and an emotional breakdown, and comes to Crete because some instinct tells her she’ll find the key to her future there. That kind of irrational, magical thinking is completely unlike Kieran’s normal practicality. Once on Crete she finds more than she’s bargained for: bizarre visions, a cheeky but charming teenage boy, a pair of mysterious English siblings – and a stunningly sexy man who is a complete stranger and yet seems, somehow, familiar to her.
Dr. Stefanos Dimitrakis is not just charismatic and frustratingly macho, he’s also a fugitive, accused of killing his uncle. He’s innocent, of course – or so he says – and as Kieran is drawn into helping him, she learns secrets of her own past, secrets tying her to Crete, to a newly discovered and long-dead grandfather, and to Stefanos. And yes, the key to her future is on Crete, if she’s willing to accept advice from her grandfather’s journal: to fly close to the sun, to risk living the moments of opportunity to their absolute.
I enjoyed having this wonderful opportunity to interview you. Thank you so much!
Susan Fox: You’re most welcome. I’m so happy you invited me.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Susan Fox check her out at:
http://www.susanlyons.ca/
www.facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Susan Fox:
LOVE ME TENDER BOOK 5 -Dec. 2, 2014
Pay a visit to Caribou Crossing, the rustic, inviting Western town where broken hearts mend and new love takes root…
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest--and loneliest--guy in town. He's had his heart broken more than once, and he's determined not to let it happen again. So it's no wonder he's wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing--and nights with its handsome hotel owner--makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
STAND BY YOUR MAN BOOK 4 -June 24, 2014
Karen MacLean is a hardworking, well-respected corporal for the Caribou Crossing detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Though she secretly longs for marriage and a home like the one she grew up in, she's made her job her top priority and grown accustomed to being alone. But a handsome sergeant whose will is as strong as her own could change everything she thought she believed. . .
Sergeant Jamal Estevez is often trusted with undercover work, but his greatest challenge has been to conceal his true identity as a recovering alcoholic. A city guy who's never had a real home, he's starting to find peace riding the country roads of Caribou Crossing--with beautiful Corporal MacLean. As the attraction between them grows, Jamal may discover that the life Karen has been hoping for is exactly what he's needed all along. . .
GENTLE ON MY MIND BOOK 3 -Sept. 3, 2013
Brooke Kincaid knows second chances don't come cheap. She's spent five years repairing past mistakes and making her life in Caribou Crossing steady and predictable. But now a stranger's Harley has shattered her fence and her peace of mind in one swoop. Brooke is drawn to everything about wounded undercover cop Jake Brannon--his raw masculinity, his tenderness, and the undisguised desire that makes her feel more alive than she's ever been.
By rights, Brooke should curse Jake for complicating her life. Instead she's offered him a place to heal and a cover story as he searches for a wanted man. Jake knows she's vulnerable, but she's also strong, kind, and hotter than hellfire. It's a combination that could make even a die-hard loner long to put up his boots and put down roots at last, and show her just how good a second chance can get. . .
HOME ON THE RANGE BOOK 2 -Aug 6, 2013
For Evan Kincaid, the best thing about his dusty hometown was watching it fade into the distance. Jessica Bly was the only one who didn’t treat him like an outsider, and their friendship ended with one mind-blowing night of young passion. Now they’ve both got the lives they planned—Evan in New York, Jess with her beloved horses in Caribou Crossing. But business has brought Evan back to Jess’s Crazy Horse ranch on a mission that could destroy whatever’s left of her trust.
Ten years ago, Jess wanted one perfect night to remember Evan by. What she got was a broken heart and a secret that’s kept them strangers ever since. The boy she knew was sexy and sweet;the man he’s become leaves her breathless. And no matter how much she tells herself that country girl and city boy don’t belong together, in her heart she wants to believe his home has been right here all along…
CARIBOU CROSSING BOOK 1 -June 25, 2013
Wade Bly is certain of his destiny: He’ll marry his high school sweetheart, Miriam, work at his father’s ranch, and eventually inherit the place and make it his own. And of course, they’ll have a few kids once they’ve had time to enjoy married life and save some money. But when an unexpected pregnancy speeds up their plans, Wade can only hope he’s up for the challenge…
Miriam always knew she and Wade would be happy together. He’s a good provider and a doting father to their spirited daughter, Jess. And when the lights go out, he’s the passionate cowboy of her wildest dreams. But when a string of disappointments leaves them both feeling doubtful about their future, they’ll have to rediscover themselves and their love—to see that the life they fear is over is really just beginning…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ROSE CARAWAY
Rose Caraway loves pushing the envelope in her erotic stories and her podcasts. She is especially attracted to the darker side of erotica. She has written an erotic zombie short and is busy working on a new, sexy werewolf novel. Adventurous and not afraid to write or speak her mind, I wanted to know what she has in store for her fans.
Here is what she said!
1) How did you get started writing erotica stories? Do you think erotica and romance can be the same thing?
Rose Caraway:
I’ve always had vivid dreams. For as long as I can remember I’ve been compelled to write as many of them down as I could. Growing up, I had so many spiral notebooks secreted away in the garage where no one could find them, loaded with tons of sexy stories. I’d go to my notebooks and begin developing the juiciest dreams into short stories. I don’t know when I started having sex in my dreams, but it was probably earlier than the “regular” girls. I was so devastated when my parents’ house caught fire just before I moved out… all those dreams were suddenly just… gone.
Predominantly, horror movies did it for me. Nightmares be damned! There was some major hibbity-dibbity going on in many those movies! I’d secretly watch which ever rental movie my parents put into the VCR, crouched in the shadows of the hallway bathroom, mesmerized when I was supposed to be tucked soundly in bed. I easily recognized that some of the movies were titles of books my mother owned and had naturally banned me from reading. That is how I first found Stephen King—out of sheer curious defiance. I ate the apple. Carrie was the first S.K. book I’d ever read. There are so many aspects of that little story that lined up perfectly with me and my life back then. Not only did I empathize with Carrie White, I related to her in many ways. That story felt like the perfect amalgamation of everything synaptically brewing inside of my young brain back then. And that unsettling ending… as much as I adore happy endings, my heart pitter-patters over endings that leave me a little anxious. I can remember in passing, people would tell my mother that I ‘looked just like Sissy Spacek’, I of course smiled deviously on the inside, after seeing her the movie. They had no idea. It was fate that I should fall in love with the little boy heart in the jar on S.K.’s desk.
Can Erotica and Romance be the same thing? Yes and No. Erotica is still treated like the slutty little step sister to Romance. Amazon, Audible and iTunes love to pimp her though. Oh they greedily rake in the profits off of her sexy allure, but it’s behind a black curtain. We Erotica authors have to work within this dirty little category which takes way too many clicks to find. Erotic Romance exists and thank goodness for that. The seemingly limitless imagination of writers astounds me sometimes. But Erotica as its own genre? Well, the big companies are still big ol’ scaredy cats. Erotica is putting up one hell of a fight though, and I am proud to assist in that fight. Romance and Erotica is the difference between R-rated stories and X-rated stories. Romance keeps readers safe, I guess. It kind of ‘fades to black’ when things start getting good. Which cracks me up sometimes because there are plenty of farm-girls and snobby princesses on the page getting fingered until their cheeks turn bright pink! How is that not erotica? Romance is totally sex driven, so is Erotica. Frankly, I really don’t see any difference between a penetrating finger and a penis. Let’s stop beating about the bush (tee hee) when it comes to the words. If a story is good, then a sex scene written just as well won’t steal its thunder, it will add to it. Sex is sex, let it be.
2) You wrote an erotic zombie tale for 2014, what attracts you to the darker side of erotica? Can you tell us a little bit about it?!
Rose Caraway:
Yay! You are talking about my Libidinous Zombie and Other Scary Erotic Tales audiobook anthology! I am going to send out a call for submissions for that audiobook anthology after my Rose Caraway’s Dirty Thirty Vol. 1 is complete. Libidinous Zombie is the title of my story in this anthology and my very first zombie themed erotica story ever, and it is awesome! I really can’t wait to record it. My Lurid Listeners know that I love scary stories and I want to put together a fun collection just for them as I can. This anthology will be scary and maybe a little snicker worthy too.
Ahh, yes… the darker side. Well, that says it all, right there. I think maybe I am attracted to the opposite of what people tell me I should like. Once upon a time I was accused of being a ‘walking contradiction’, and since then I’ve embraced that label. I’m not a rabble-rouser, I don’t always root for the bad guy, I wanted Pazuzu to leave little Reagan alone in The Exorcist. I am one of those people who believes that avoidance doesn’t keep me safe in this world and I don’t know if it’s a rites of passage thing, but I do know that Horror novels and movies get my adrenaline pumping—when Reagan crawls down those stairs in a back-bend, it literally frightens me. Real life is dirty, messy, gritty, raw, unpredictable and horrific. I relate to characters in Horror far better than in any other genre because that extraordinary stage is set in a way that I can be present because it combines romance, comedy, sci-fi and an excellent side-dish of the human condition that we don’t often talk about. Fear and sex! Horror whole-heartedly and often times quite shamelessly, embraces all facets of fear and sex instead of avoiding it. Horror never ‘fades to black’—unless it’s setting up for something even more titillating. I love that. Over-analysis and drawn-out indecision gets boring.
3) What do you like best about writing?
Rose Caraway:
Ooo! That’s easy. Writing lets me pursue my fantasies. I get to share my dreams and stories and turn people on. I love sharing my imagination and passion with the world.
4) I am so intrigued.... How did you get the nickname, ‘The Sexy Librarian?’ Does it have to anything with the book, The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica? Can you tell us what makes this book so special?
Rose Caraway:
The Sexy Librarian podcast came to be about a year after The Kiss Me Quick’s podcast had been running in iTunes. I rallied my nerves and took a really big chance. I wanted to reach out to other erotica authors and ask them if I could narrate some of their work, help promote them because I believed in their work and wanted to support them. In 2012, around July if I remember correctly, I came upon Shanna Germain’s short story titled, Skin Deep, from her anthology Beneath Sea and Sky. Skin Deep is a delightfully dark erotica story of Beauty and the Beast with a twist that only Shanna Germain could concoct, and after reading it, I simply had to narrate it. But, it wasn’t my story—the KMQ podcast only featured my stories. So my husband thought that I might wear another hat. Not only would I write, edit and narrate my own erotica, but I would be a librarian of the best erotica I could find for the Lurid Listeners. So, of course that was a completely sexy idea, and thus, I became The Sexy Librarian… and I quickly needed another podcast! The Sexy Librarian podcast format would, at that time, feature erotica from other authors I adored. Well, eventually our audience grew and we decided that no library is complete without a Non-Fiction and Reference section. So, we changed the format to The Sexy Librarian’s podcast completely. It became a blog-cast. All fiction stories—my own and guest authors were shifted over to The Kiss Me Quick’s podcast and now I interview fellow authors and leaders in the erotica community on The Sexy Librarian’s Blog-cast. I will sometimes sit in my recording booth and chat with my husband, Big Daddy about my current projects or be all by myself—just me and my mic. Brenda Knight over at Cleis Press noticed what I was doing. That woman is unstoppable when she gets the scent of anything good. She facebooked me, suggested that I give her a call and—it just happened. The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica. What makes this book so special? Well, of the many things I could list here, I believe that the single most important thing about this anthology is that it proves that any genre can become an erotic tale. Whether its horror, sci-fi, romance, fairy tale or a literary classic—erotica is a diverse genre and it takes traditional genres and makes them better. Erotica is fearless.
5) I understand you are also working on another horror/erotic novel named, Wolf. What is it about and what exactly is a horror/erotic novel? Does it have any elements of romance?
Rose Caraway:
WOLF is a story that revolves around nine characters and this book has become so big, I have to put some of it into episodes for my KMQ podcast because I know it just won’t all fit into a single novel. Those episodes will be the darlings I simply couldn’t kill. For example, my secondary character, Tarak the eldest wolf-shifter has an entire backstory that is too good to just leave in the binder. His story needs to be told. WOLF is a blend of horror/erotica/paranormal. I say Horror because this novel offers up some pretty ‘horrific’ events in order to construct the proper stage I am wanting my characters to perform on. There are a couple of tough events to get through, but don’t worry—this book isn’t in any way a form of ‘torture porn’. Balance is everything in this book for me as the creator, I have been working too hard for this beast to be crap. The paranormal aspect of this novel is that there are wolf-shifters involved. WOLF is also very much a love story (Erotica) between several of the characters, but mainly between Jake; a modern half white/half Arapaho man who is tortured by some pretty devastating family baggage and my sweet, sweet Virginia Dawson; a sixth grade school teacher whose struggling with her teaching job, learning to run the family business and care for her older sister, Elise (Virginia’s only living relative) who is dying. Much of the story revolves around a wolf sanctuary in Colorado and acknowledges some political themes surrounding wildlife preservation, American Indian stereotypes and controversial themes regarding human beings. I start big and then bring it all in.
This book has birthed a few wild and crazy antagonists, and so I feel because of these characters this book has to be labeled under Horror before anything else. The ring leader is school principle, Rick McVicar who is completely infatuated with Virginia. McVicar is a complicated little guy who has had an interesting family history in the Great Silver Boom of 1880 in Colorado, and due to certain unlucky circumstances, McVicar has adopted a special friend named, Benry Goothe. Benry right now is my favorite character because he has been the most challenging and entertaining to write. (He might need his own novella at some point.) Benry plays a major part in the novel’s underlying plot twist.
There is definitely some spicy erotica involved in this book. That is what my audience thirsts for, so yeah—sex absolutely happens, I’m dealing with wolf-shifters here! The cast of WOLF are characters that I want to read. I think I’ve always wanted to read them, I just didn’t know their story, until now. They are complicated, afraid, strong in their own ways, and such courageous individuals and I hope, with all my heart that readers will enjoy meeting them when the time comes.
6) How did you get the idea for your unabashed podcast, The Kiss Me Quick’s? I love the name of your podcast. How did you come up with that catchy title?
Rose Caraway:
My tech-savvy husband actually suggested that I share the stories that I’d been writing for him with the rest of the world. He has always been my biggest fan. The KMQ title was inspired by one of my most treasured gardening books, The Complete Herb Book by Jekka McVicar. (You may recognize part of that name) This book inspired not only WOLF, but my pseudonym as well. I love the mystique and traditions of herbs. Flipping through this book, I came across a cute little tri-colored pansy called ‘Heartsease’. According to the book, ‘Heartsease’ “… has been long prescribed for a broken heart”. How perfect is that?! But the name didn’t really roll off the tongue easily, so I looked through the list of its other commonly used names and found ‘The Kiss Me Quick’. Now that worked for the podcast perfectly! Everything about this podcast just came together as though it was meant to be.
7) On your podcasts, what topics do you like most to discuss? What do you think is the most important thing about your podcasts?
Rose Caraway:
On the KMQ podcast, I feature erotic stories with as much variety as I can either create myself or find from other authors. Variety is key. Like I said before, anything can become erotic. And the Lurid Listeners love that I don’t stick with the same ol same ol cookie-cutter erotica. And it is just so much fun to see what I can write/find next. Erotica is limitless. On the Sexy Librarian’s Blog-cast, I like to talk to the people I interview. Writing is just our mutual playground, I like to get to know these people so that the audience can too, because having a prescribed list of questions is great to keep conversation moving forward, but in the end I don’t want to be boring. If an author used to do clown porn, I want to hear all about it. If they climb mountains for fun-tell me why! Erotica authors are some of the most interesting people on this planet and there is so much more to them than their current “works in progress”.
The most important things regarding the KMQ podcast is that it is free, extremely accessible and portable, and it offers a certain privacy. I keep saying the same thing, over and over—audio offers a convenience that nothing else can touch.
8) Do you get inspiration for your books from the Kiss Me Quick’s? Is there anything that you won’t discuss or write about?!
Rose Caraway:
Some episodes are bigger than a single episode can handle and so I have to release them in parts. I had a Succubus story that was going to be an eBook that I would make some money to help fund my podcast work, but in the end I put it out there for the Lurid Listeners for free in four episodes. The KMQ stories written by me are all inspired by my dreams, but when I was bitten by my WOLF dream, I immediately knew it was too big for the KMQ. Although, I may pull a Scott Sigler and release each chapter on a separate podcast for people to listen to for free and then if they want to buy the book or audiobook, they can.
9) As you write more will you ever give up your podcasts?!
Rose Caraway:
I could never give up my KMQ podcast. I owe everything to the Lurid Listeners. They have supported me from the very beginning and I love them. I have fun with them. I may not be able to put out as many of my own stories because of time constraints, but I will always narrate for them and provide the best of the best in Erotica. The Sexy Librarian’s Blog-cast is too much fun too! I am just as much a fan of the people I’m interviewing as those subscribers that are listening!
10) What new books or ideas do you have planned for the future? Can you give us a sneak peak?!
Rose Caraway:
Now that is a very big question. I have so many ideas—so much planned, I don’t even have complete plans detailed out yet. The best place to go see what I am working on is my website; thekissmequicks.com, there I have a calendar with everything listed and you can reach my Sexy Librarian Blog through there too. Right now I am putting together my very first self-published audiobook titled, Rose Caraway’s Dirty Thirty Vol.1 which is completely under the Rose Caraway and Stupid Fish Productions brand. This is an anthology that will include all genres of Erotica, similarly to The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica, but will not be available in print or e-Book. The Dirty Thirty is going to be available in audiobook format only. This is a project my husband and I have wanted to do for a very long time, specifically for the Lurid Listeners of the KMQ podcast. After the Dirty Thirty is produced, I am going to send out another call for my next self-published audiobook project, Libidinous Zombie, which I mentioned earlier. That one may go to e-Book, but I haven’t really decided. Audio Erotica is my home, so I will think about it. I also have several audiobook projects that I am contracted to do with the Publisher of the Year, Cleis Press and I am very excited about those projects! I will be narrating more from editors Rachel Kramer Bussel, DL King, Alison Tyler and Shanna Germain!
Thank you so much for taking the time out in your schedule to let us interview you! :)
Rose Caraway:
Thank you, Steph! I had a great time.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Rose Caraway check her out at:
http://www.thekissmequicks.com/
http://rosecarawaythesexylibrarian.blogspot.com/
Recent and Upcoming Books by Rose Caraway:
The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica by Rose Caraway
WOLF an Erotic Horror Novel written by Rose Caraway
Audiobook - Rose Caraway’s Dirty Thirty Vol.1
Audiobook – Diverse Desires by Allen Dusk
Audiobook - Bound by Lust by Shanna Germain
Audiobook – The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica by Rose Caraway
Audiobook – The Big Book of Submission by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Audiobook – Slave Girls by DL King
Audiobook – The Big Book of Submission by DL King
Audiobook – Nine to Five Stories by Alison Tyler
Audiobook – As Kinky as You Wanna Be – by Shanna Germain
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH DONNA KAUFFMAN
Donna Kauffman is a wildly popular USA Today bestselling author. She is best known for her deliciously sweet Cupcake Club romance series. The author brings to life joyous and charming characters that have readers coming back for second helpings!
Last year she stared a new series called the Bachelors of Blueberry Cove. It is set in a small town in Maine where I am sure there will but much mischief and meddling!
I was excited to have the opportunity to get a sneak peak in this series, her past writing and exciting new projects!
1) Did you always want to be a writer? Can you tell us about your very first story?!
Donna Kauffman: I’ve always been a storyteller. (My mom would say “teller of tall tales” but that’s just semantics, really, isn’t it? :) My love of books and reading is also a lifelong passion, but writing them was something I didn’t actively start pursuing until I was a mother of two.
My very first story… I guess I was about seven or eight. Actually, it was more of an ongoing series based on the imagined antics of my family pets, which I named The Hamster Chronicles. (See, I knew all about the popularity of series, even then!) Multiple copies were carefully hand printed (and illustrated!) for each member of my family. Whether they wanted one or not.
2) Writing can be solitary and intense! How do you deal with deadlines and/or writer's block?
Donna Kauffman: Deadlines are really all about time management and putting your backside in a chair (or a picnic table by the river, the front seat of my car, the back of a plane/train/automobile…) as often as necessary to make the pages happen. We all learn what our pace is, some of us write faster, some slower, so you set your schedule accordingly, all while trying as best you can to factor in some flexibility to manage all the unforeseen things that will undoubtedly happen to screw up even the most dedicated amongst us
As to writer’s block…I don’t know that I really give that any more credence than I do the “writer’s muse.” I do think it’s important to understand what kind of environment you need, in order to be able to sink into the story, and it’s important to do the best you can to give yourself that space so you can create freely. As to the work itself…well, there are days when figuring out what happens next comes easily and you’re immensely proud of yourself for being so clever and witty. Then there are the other days where there is a lot of pondering, staring, and in my case, sock folding, to help you work through whatever scene you’re in, in rapidly dwindling hope you’ll ever get to the scene that comes after it. It’s not being “blocked” -- which sounds to me as if you’ve lost faith in your ability to write, or have some kind of writer’s stage fright of some kind that makes you incapable of working.
To me, you just have to accept the time it takes to figure out what happens next. Stories don’t come in an even flow of thoughts and ideas. I think as you complete multiple novels over time, you also start to understand what your rhythm is. For me, the beginning goes relatively fast, then gets rewritten a million times before I can move on, the middle goes painfully slow and I wonder what the heck I was thinking, coming up with this obviously stupid plot idea, then by the end I generally can’t write fast enough because I finally know what’s going to happen and hooray, it’s all exactly how I wanted it to be! I’m still not quite sure how that happens, but it seems to, every time. So that gives you confidence that it will next time, too. Once you understand that, then panic or anxiety on a slow day doesn’t set you back.
3) Your characters are so appealing. How do you get your inspiration to write them!?
Donna Kauffman: I don’t base my characters on anyone I know, or anyone I’d like to know (though, admittedly, a brief tete a’ tete with, oh, Hugh Jackman, say, would have to be inspiring, don’t you think?) I think of my characters as new people I’ve just met and can’t wait to get to know. It takes the entirety of the book for that to happen, but by the end, they are each dear friends and feel like extended family to me.
4) I especially love that you write Christmas romances. What makes them so special for you as an author? Do you try to have a 'theme'?
Donna Kauffman: I love the holidays and I’ve never met a Hallmark Christmas movie that I didn’t have to record. (My DVR has a folder set up just for them. Yes, it’s like that.) So it’s great fun to think that maybe I can bring the same kind of holiday romance joy that those movies give to me, in a story for my readers. I don’t have any particular themes in mind going in. I let the plot dictate the course of the story. A lot depends on whether it’s a full length novel or one of the many holiday novella’s that I’ve written over the years. In those, the development of the relationship has to be more immediate, so I plot accordingly. In a full length novel, the holidays can take on a deeper, richer meaning, so it’s fun to play with that and dig a little more.
5) Will you write anymore Cupcake Club books?! How did you get inspired to write this series? Do you enjoying baking or just eating cupcakes?!
Donna Kauffman: My grandmother taught me to bake at an early age and I’ve loved it ever since. Holiday cookie baking has always been a very big thing in my family, both growing up and with my own kids. So, The Cupcake Club books were an extension of that love and it’s been an absolute joy writing them. I only wish my grandmother was still here so she could enjoy them, too. They owe a lot to her. I do plan to add to the series. Emmaline Sweet, introduced in the most recent Cupcake Club book, HONEY PIE, needs her story told. And I can’t leave Alva unattended for too awful long or goodness knows what kind of trouble she’ll get into! The Blueberry Cove series is also dear to my heart, and that’s been taking center stage for now, but I will return to Sugarberry Island! I’ll be sure to blab everywhere when there’s a date set!
6) I noticed that you have written many Scottish themed romance books, what makes a Scotsman such a sexy hero for you? Will you ever write another Scottish series?
Donna Kauffman: My heritage is English and Scot, so it was in doing research on my family history that I got caught up in the spell of the western Highlands and all things Scotland. I was really intrigued by the idea of getting to set romances in contemporary Scotland, as most are historical. As to what makes a Scots hero sexy? Well, what’s not to love about a man with a brogue who can do justice to a nice plaid? I loved getting to start out by writing some contemporary paranormal Scottish romances and have written numerous regular contemporary Scottish romances since. I don’t have a particular series planned at the moment, but I can’t imagine not going back there again. We can never have too many Hot Scots.
7) Speaking of your prior books, I have to admit I still have your paranormal books from the 90s. Do you plan to write more someday? Or any books with a 'magical' twist in the works?
Donna Kauffman: I had a blast with those books, but they were admittedly a wee bit before their time. No one knew exactly what to do with them then, and by the time they became a huge market in the romance world, I’d already moved on to other established series. (Just my luck!) I’ve woven in a hint of magic here and there since then. SOME LIKE IT SCOT and HONEY PIE both have what I call a bit of “woo woo” in them. And then there’s Eula March and her whispered about faery oak tree and elf-staffed workshop in the current Blueberry Cove series.
Also recently, I’ve contributed two fully paranormal short stories to the Mammoth Books series. One can be found in the MAMMOTH BOOK OF FUTURISTIC ROMANCE and the other in the MAMMOTH BOOK OF SCOTTISH ROMANCE. It was great fun getting to flex those particular imagination muscles again.
8) Great! You have been a successful author for quite a while, how do you think your writing has changed since you started your career?
Donna Kauffman: I think (hope!) I’ve learned a great deal since my first book. Not just in discovering ways to express the stories I want to tell in a more entertaining fashion, but also as life experience accumulates, in finding ways to imbue my stories with all that collective life wisdom and experience.
9) I have to ask about your latest series, the Bachelors of Blueberry Cove. Why did you choose a sleepy town in Maine for your backdrop? What makes your latest book so special? How many books do you have planned for the series?
Donna Kauffman: I have always loved coastal Maine and this gave me the perfect opportunity to revisit a much loved locale and create a series to (hopefully) bring to readers the same feelings being there evokes in me. I have had a wonderful time immersing myself in this fictional cove town and have been back to Maine numerous times while writing them to learn more, research more, soak up more. I can only hope the stories reflect how personal and loved this place is to me.
As for planned books…well, there will definitely be at least six! There are three books in the current Bachelors of Blueberry Cove series: PELICAN POINT, HALF MOON HARBOR, and most recently, SANDPIPER ISLAND. In 2015, Logan McCrae’s sisters, first mentioned in PELICAN POINT, will get their own series in The Brides of Blueberry Cove. Hannah’s story is first in SEA GLASS SUNRISE, out in May 2015, followed by Fiona’s story (a Christmas story!) SNOWFLAKE BAY, coming in November 2015, and Kerry’s story, STARFISH MOON, coming in early 2016.
10) Wow, those sound good! What other books do you have planned? Can you give fans a sneak peak?!
Donna Kauffman: I recently moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern Virginia, and am dying to set a series here. I don’t know when, but I think it’s a pretty sure bet you’ll be hearing about them someday soon!
This has been such fun! I'm glad we had the opportunity to interview you. Thank you! :)
Donna Kauffman: Thank you so much for inviting me! It’s been a pure pleasure
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Donna Kauffman check her out at:
http://donnakauffman.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Donna Kauffman:
Sandpiper Island Sept. 2014
Ford Maddox was running from his past when he came back to Blueberry Cove, Maine, where he’d tasted both heartache and comfort. With feisty Delia O’Reilly there to cheer him on, he couldn’t have picked a better place to start over–even if he’s determined to do it alone in his island tree house, working to save endangered seabirds…and himself. But when he finds Delia fighting to hold on to her local diner, and all that’s best about their little seaside town, Ford has to lend a hand. Suddenly two fiercely independent people are building something sweeter than they ever imagined…together.
Half Moon Harbor April 29th, 2014
Bachelors of Blueberry Cove Series,
Book 2
Bold, brash, Irish–Brodie Monaghan’s been breaking hearts ever since he arrived in Maine to rebuild the family business. Still, there’s one woman he just can’t wow. Grace Maddox claims she’s now part owner of Monaghan Shipbuilders, and she has her own dreams for the weathered dockside buildings. Tiny Blueberry Cove has a way of welcoming strangers with wide open arms, but is the sleepy coastal village ready for the fireworks these two spark?
Pelican Point -Oct. 29th, 2013
Bachelors of Blueberry Cove Series,
Book 1
Blueberry Cove, Maine, is as small-town as small towns get. More than a little quirky, it has sheltered generations of families. But there’s always room for a new face…
Fixing things has always been Alex McFarland’s greatest gift and keenest pleasure. But with her own life thoroughly broken, she’s signed on to renovate the dilapidated Pelican Point lighthouse, hoping to reconnect with herself. The last thing she expects is to find herself falling in love – with the glorious coastline, with age-old secrets and welcome-home smiles . . .with rugged Logan McCrae, the man she just might be able to build new hopes on.
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap -Sept. 24th 2013
For friends Clara, Abby and Lily, only one thing is more delicious than the Pine Mountain holiday cookie exchange – finding the right man before they ring in the New Year!
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE…
USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman
When flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky firefighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker’s rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist….
THE GINGERBREAD MAN
National bestselling author Kate Angell
Folks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are…impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she’s truly been longing for?
SUGAR AND SPICE
Kimberly Kincaid
When caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high—and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily’s heart—and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
Babycakes -Oct. 30th 2012
Molten Chocolate…Cinnamon Spice…Blueberry Lemon…Old-Fashioned Vanilla…
You can’t stop at just one.
And the women of the Cupcake Club love to indulge…
Kit Bellamy was raised on pie. Mamie Sue’s Peanut Pies, to be exact, the family company her scheming brother-in-law sold out from under her. Now Kit needs a new recipe for her life””and sleepy Sugarberry Island is the first ingredient. Running mail-order cupcake business Babycakes is a chance to get her baking on again””until she meets tall, dark, and adorable lawyer Morgan Westlake. New to the island to raise his goddaughter, he’s as mouthwatering as any of Kit’s creations. It’s just her luck that he’s the spawn of the very law firm that helped crush her dreams…
Fortunately, Kit’s new friends can assure her that Morgan is no typical Westlake””and that even lawyers, not to mention single dads, need romance. If Kit can just be persuaded to follow her appetite””and set another place at her table””her sweetest dreams just might .
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MARY JO PUTNEY
Mary Jo Putney is the New York Times bestselling author with legions of loyal fans. (Myself included!) She has written numerous historical, contemporary and paranormal romances. But my favorite are her historical romances set in Regency England. This year, her sixth, Lost Lord book, Not Quite a Wife, is coming out. I couldn't wait to ask her about it plans for future books!
Here is what the illustrious author said.
1) Your career is the envy of many writers. What do you think is the secret to your success?
Mary Jo Putney:
Hmmm…..terrier tenacity? It helps to be adaptable because the business changes, and has been changing really fast these last few years! And a certain amount of luck is required; I've been fortunate never to be buried under one of those huge life issues that make writing impossible.
But I think the key is to have a passion for telling stories. That's what keeps me coming back to the computer on bad days as well as good ones. Writing is hard, but it's also profoundly satisfying.
2) You do you feel your writing has changed over the years?
Mary Jo Putney:
I'm not as wordy as I used to be! When I started, my style was very traditional Regency. I never met a compound sentence I didn't like. Over time, I've tried to sleek down my writing so it's more efficient and accessible. Some days I'm more successful than others.
But the kinds of stories and characters I like have remained the same. I still mix romance and adventure. I like my protagonists to be intelligent and honorable even when they're hurting. Many, especially the heroes, have suffered deep traumas, but through the course of the story, they become "stronger in the mended places." So I'd say that the core of my writing hasn't changed dramatically.
3) I especially like how you tackle difficult issues in your romances. Have you had publishers ever shied away at some of your storylines or asked you to change them?
Mary Jo Putney:
On the whole, I've been able to write pretty much what I want. My first editor, Hilary Ross at NAL, would let me get away with almost anything as long as the result was a strong romance. Often I didn't even know that what I was writing could be considered edgy until it came out and some readers hyperventilated. <G> But real people are complicated, and I want my stories to reflect that.
4) I am a big fan of your historical romances. However, the women in those times we often restricted, unlike woman of today. Do you find it difficult to portray their strengths without being out of context too much?! Speaking of which, of all your heroines do you have a favorite and why?
Mary Jo Putney:
The restrictions are part of the fun! There have always been strong, creative women, and a writer's challenge is shape characters who have strength and ability in ways that fit the time period.
A favorite heroine? Impossible to choose! But Cassie in No Longer a Gentleman would make the short list. She's a spy and a survivor, and doesn't expect to make it through the wars alive. Then she rescues Grey, who has been a prisoner in a French dungeon for ten years. She gives him understanding and passion, he gives her laughter and joy. They're a great couple. At least, I think so!
5) I read in one of your interviews that you love the 'warrior poet' hero. Can you tell your fans more about this hero type? Do you have your very own?! Do you know where your fans can find one in real life?!
Mary Jo Putney:
A warrior poet is strong and secure enough that he doesn't have to behave like an alpha-jerk! He may be suffering from past traumas, but he doesn't use them to justify bad behavior. He's protective of women and children, and usually in touch with his emotional and creative side. As for finding one in real life--well, you're on your own there!
6) Can you tell us what inspired you to write your Lost Lords series and how they all connect?
Mary Jo Putney:
I love series built around powerful male friendship. My Lost Lords started out as damaged boys who became family for each other and who aren't afraid to be loyal and supportive. Because they can be good friends, you just know that they can be great partners and husbands. The heroes in this series were all sent to school at the Westerfield Academy for boys of "good birth and bad behavior." The founder, Lady Agnes Westerfield, has great compassion and understanding for her square peg students, and she teaches them how to live in their world without losing their souls.
7) What can you tell us about your sixth Lost Lord books? What makes the hero so special?
Mary Jo Putney:
James, Lord Kirkland is a dark, enigmatic spymaster. His loyalty to his country and friends is bone deep, and he appears as a secondary character in all the earlier books. But he always seemed rather haunted, and there are hints of mysteries in his past. It isn't until the beginning of Not Quite a Wife that his great secret is revealed--and then the fun begins!
8) You also have written an exciting YA historical fantasy books called the Dark Mirror series. Why a YA series? Was writing for a different audience more difficult/challenging?
Mary Jo Putney:
I've always been fascinated by the parallels between Britain in the Napoleonic Wars and in World War II. During both wars, there were long periods when Britain stood alone against a Continental monster. In Dark Mirror and Dark Passage, my teen mages travel in time from the Regency to WWII and use their magic to help Britain, which was in dire straits. In the third book, Dark Destiny, the friends they've made in the twentieth century go back in time to help against Napoleon. Since friendships, action, and personal growth are so important, YA turned out to be a great way to tell these stories.
It's always a little scary to try a new genre, but I've been a YA reader for years, and ultimately, a good story is a good story. YA readers are so wonderful and enthusiastic when they find stories they enjoy.
9) With the success of your Dark Mirror series, do you think you might write another adult themed fantasy/romance series again?!
Mary Jo Putney:
I wouldn't be averse to that, but it's hard to find the time! I'm only writing one full length novel a year, along with a shorter work or two, but I've been releasing my backlist as e-books and now audiobooks, and it's hugely time consuming. I do love combining the history and the magic, though. We'll see.
10) Can you please give us sneak peak about your future books?!
Mary Jo Putney:
I'm currently working on Lost Lords #7, Not Always a Saint, which will be out in September 2015, I believe. The hero is the brother of Laurel, the heroine in Not Quite a Wife, and he's another graduate of the Westerfield Academy. But his life has gone in a different direction from earlier heroes, and that's why I found him interesting. A saintly man meets a wicked woman. Fun!
My current guess it that there will be two or three more Lost Lords books beyond this. But I won't swear to that!
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions!! Your books have often been my most enduring and well-loved companions. It has truly been an honor having you on our site. :)
Thanks so much for having me! I always love talking about my stories.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Mary Jo Putney check her out at:
http://www.maryjoputney.com/bookshelf.htm
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Mary Jo Putney
Not Quite a Wife Lost Lords #6 -Aug. 26th. 2014
James, Lord Kirkland, owns a shipping fleet, half a London gaming house, and is a ruthlessly effective spymaster. He is seldom self-indulgent...except when it comes to the gentle, indomitable beauty who was once his wife. Laurel Herbert gave James her heart as an innocent young girl - until she saw him perform an act of shocking violence before her very eyes. That night she left her husband, and he let her go without a word of protest. Now, ten years later, a chance encounter turns passionate, with consequences that cannot be ignored. But as they try to rebuild what was broken, they must face common enemies and a very uncommon love.
Sometimes a Rogue (Lost Lords) -Aug. 27, 2013
Sometimes…
Even the most proper young lady yearns for adventure. But when the very well bred Miss Sarah Clarke-Townsend impulsively takes the place of her pregnant twin, it puts her own life at risk. If the kidnappers after her sister discover they’ve abducted Sarah instead, she will surely pay with her life…
A Rogue…
Rob Carmichael survived his disastrous family by turning his back on his heritage and becoming a formidable Bow Street Runner with a talent for rescuing damsels in distress. But Sarah is one damsel who is equal to whatever comes. Whether racing across Ireland with her roguish rescuer or throwing herself into his arms, she challenges Rob at every turn.
Stirring the Embers -Jan. 11, 2013
Previously titled: The Burning Point
Kate Corsi always dreamed of working in her family's world-famous demolition business—a wish her old-fashioned father denied until his untimely death. He leaves a fortune to Kate and the business to her ex-husband, Donovan—but only if they agree to live under the same roof for a year.
Kate and Donovan married too young and stayed too long in a dangerously destructive marriage. Ten years later, surely they're mature enough to co-exist peacefully. But the embers of attraction swiftly flare into flame again.
Now, they must confront the pain of the past if they are to have a chance for a future and save their business from a saboteur they're beginning to suspect of murder.
No Longer a Gentleman -April 24, 2012
Grey Sommers, Lord Wyndham, never met a predicament he couldn’t charm his way out of. Then a tryst with a government official’s wife during a bit of casual espionage in France condemns him a decade in a dungeon, leaving him a shadow of his former self. Yet his greatest challenge may be the enigmatic spy sent to free his body—the only woman who might heal his soul.
Half English and half French, Cassie Fox lost everything in the chaos of revolution, leaving only a determination to help destroy Napoleon’s empire through her perilous calling. Rescuing Grey is merely one more mission. She hadn’t counted on a man with the stark beauty of a ravaged angel, whose desperate courage and vulnerability touch her frozen heart as no one ever has. With Grey, she can become the passionate woman she has long denied. But a spy and a lord are divided by an impassable gulf even if they manage to survive one last, terrifying mission….
The Rake -March 27, 2012 Reprint
The Rake
Known as “the despair of the Davenports,” Reginald Davenport lived a reckless, rakish life while waiting for his hated uncle to die and leave Reggie an earldom. Then the rightful heir claims the title and property and offers Reggie one last chance: Strickland, the estate where he was born and the site of his greatest joys and sorrows. Reggie returns to Strickland, resolving to build a healthier, more honorable life—if he can.
The Reformer
Young Alys Weston fled her home in despair, vowing never to trust another man. Over the years, she’s built a good life with a foster family and a position as steward of Strickland. She uses her skills to help her people, and her initials to convince the elderly earl who owned the state that she’s male.
Then the new owner appears in all his dangerous masculinity and threatens everything Alys holds dear. Good resolutions crumble when two passionate, complicated people are drawn together despite their best judgment. Can love lead to redemption and trust? Or is it too late?
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MICHELE SINCLAIR
Michele Sinclair is a popular, multi-award winning author of numerous historical romances. She is best known for her sexy Scottish heroes! Recently, she has started writing a new Regency romance series called the Promises Trilogy. It features three daring, independent women that fans are sure to fall in love with. The second in her series, A Woman Made for Sin, is coming out this August.
I couldn't wait to ask her about her new series and what else she has in store for her readers
Here is what she said.
1) How did you get started writing romance?
Michele Sinclair: On a dare, actually. I used to read ~2 books a week since I was 9. Someone asked me if I enjoyed one that I had just finished and I said that I could probably write one in my sleep. They said I should and I looked at them and replied, “You know… I bet I could…” But what about? I read mostly science fiction believe it or not, but despite my boast, I found it very difficult to write that genre with my lack of science background, but by then the writing bug had bitten me. During an historical movie, I quipped about how they got the ending wrong and then verbally rewrote it. It was then it hit me. I love history almost as much as science fiction. I guess it is that longing for a different time and place. Soon afterwards, the McTiernay brothers came to me along with their stories they wanted me to tell. Not just about them finding love, but what happens to them after they get married, their families and all the people in their lives.
2) What makes historical romance so special to you? Who are your favorite authors in the historical romance field?
Michele Sinclair: Gulp – I rarely read historical fiction anymore. Probably a little paranoid about repeating someone else’s idea, but I’m mostly reluctant because there are so many good writers that I inevitably compare myself to them and get a little bit nervous about the quality of my own work. My style is somewhat different than many out there who are successful in this genre, so I start to have self-doubt. Also, the reading genre I gravitate to is hard core science fiction or histories. That being said, at times I would go through historical romance phases and it would usually be one of the well-known authors. Lavryle Spencer (loved “Years”), Amanda Quick, Diana Galbadon, and so many others. I remember loving Patricia Pellicane, Catherine Hart and Lauren Wilde from the early 90s. But probably the one that influenced my love to actually write Highland books is Julie Garwood. I could read her books over and over and it is that kind of story—the ones I want to reread—I hope to create for my readers.
3) Is there a big difference between writing Regency characters versus Scottish characters? Is it difficult to switch between genres?
Michele Sinclair: Not so much a difference in writing the characters, but definitely in the genres. Characters tell me their story and I write it down. It’s like a movie in my head that I am trying to capture. It can be challenging switching genres due to the research/history. In an effort to accurately capture surroundings, smells, customs, songs, clothing, habits, mannerisms, etc., I need to mentally be engrossed in the time period and medieval Scotland and Regency are very different. Also, to write Regency these days you almost need a PhD in the period. Regency readers usually have a deep knowledge of the time period. Regardless, a LOT of research has to take place for each book! I think for me the most difficult is not switching characters or genres…but switching series. I remember the overall storyline clearly as well as the characters, but it’s the little things, like biting lip habits, phrases a character uses, etc. that can get lost—especially now that there are multiple books in the series and many of the characters are in more than one book. Each time I switch series, I have to brush up on everyone…because as many of my readers know, even the most innocuous character has their own story, background and personality. JR Rowling mentioned in an interview a while back that she mapped out the background of all her characters, though most of the information never reached her books. I have mimicked this approach. For example, readers learn tidbits of the interesting, but elusive Madame Sasha in my Regency series, but her full story is still unknown to the reader. But I have mapped out her life, how she grew up in Russian nobility, why she was forced to leave, how she found and lost love, etc. Maybe someday Millie will find her diary…
4) Why did you decide to write your new Promises series? How do all the books connect?
Michele Sinclair: This story actually came to me as I wrote my first Highlander book “The Highlander’s Bride.” I was watching Pride and Prejudice (one of my favorites—yes the one with Colin Firth ) and some of my close girlfriends and I were chatting about the ongoings of our lives. I thought women, their friendship, and how we interact with each other is probably one of life’s constants. So the series focuses on the friendship of three women—the kind that cannot be weakened or destroyed by distance, time, marriages, children, etc. I wanted to explore the bonds we share with our very close girlfriends and how that plays into our love lives.
The second thing I really wanted to do from the very beginning was write THIS book, A Woman Made for Sin. I wanted to write a sequel about what happens after two people who are madly in love and complete opposites actually make it work. Too often in romance books (and movies!!) the couples are married in the end and we don’t get to see how it all turns out. I love movies where during the credits pictures of a happy future are shown. It completes the story in a way for me. So A Woman Made for Sin is just as much about Millie and Charles’s continued love story as it is about Aimee’s. It is because of this idea that most of my books are comprised of two parts—getting the couple together and then exploring what happens afterwards. I also bring in past couples as part of the story so that you get an idea of their continued love story. Plus, I love epilogues. I consider them the equivalent of pictures during the movie credits.
5) This year you have A Woman Made for Sin coming out. What makes your characters so special? Can you tell us a little about them...please!
Michele Sinclair: I don’t know if I’m really qualified to answer! And it probably differs for each person. But I can tell you the characters I am hoping to give my readers. I want them to be multi-dimensional in that there are so many aspects of what drives us humans to think, act and react like we do. It is our past, our present, our friends, our highs and our lows. So I include a significant number of rich secondary characters, helping to create a world for the reader to immerse themselves. As such, these secondary characters show up in several books, enriching the story as their own background is revealed more and more. In Sin, readers will want to know even more about a couple of significant secondary characters and I will tell you now that YES…Devlin has a story I plan to write.
For my main characters, I want them to be likable and relatable. I like my men loyal and strong, not just physically, but also reliable and dependable—someone you can reach out to and count on to be there. I want my women to be strong in spirit, intelligent, little feisty and independent. By independent, I mean that they don’t need a man in their life, they want one. I hope my characters are relatable, even though they are in an historical setting. The mistakes they make are things that we can see ourselves doing (or our spouses). The situations they overcome are things we are challenged with today, whether it be PTSD, miscarriage, physical abuse, figuring out who we want to be, the effects of pride, the power of faith, how to let go of the life planned in order to embrace the future, or as in this latest book—the necessity of acceptance and compromise.
Last, I think what makes the characters special in my latest book in particular is that they grow. On the surface, they are like so many romance figures. Stubborn man, bold somewhat rebellious women, determination, witty, etc. They also have flaws that are not so unusual, but it’s how they recognize those flaws and then stumble their way to addressing them that perhaps (at least I hope) is a little special. No quick fixes because in life when we truly believe we are right…it takes us a little while to figure out how to give without feeling like we just capitulated to appease another at the expense of our own happiness. Compromise in itself is not a hard, but sometimes the willingness to compromise is. How does one decide to change themselves to make things work? To what degree? And when is it too much? Millie explores the idea of learning to compromise while Aimee, who has desired Reese since she was a young girl, discovers that despite her willingness to change, give up and make sacrifices to capture her man…that there are just some things not worth compromising. To me, it is the journey that makes these characters so likeable and relatable.
6) Your McTiernay series is such a fan favorite. Can you tell us what inspired you to write your McTiernay series? Do you have a favorite brother?! Will the series end when the last brother gets hitched? Or do you have something else planned for readers?!
Michele Sinclair: Oh boy…do you have like pages and pages for me to answer? Inspiration was probably that I just love the time period and I wanted to write about a family. I chose a large number because as an unestablished writer I did not know how many books it would take to get any kind of fan base. I thought “shoot for a big number!” Then when I sat to write them out, they just came to me and when I was done sketching the family tree, it turned out there were seven brothers.
Favorite brother…Hmmm. I really like them all. I love Conor as the patriarch. He is kind, decisive and passionate. I love that Laurel is both frustrating and a mystery to him even after being married for years. I can relate to Crevan in that it was a long time before I sat back and went, “Wait—what is it that I want to do with my life?” Conan makes me chuckle and I know a few people like him, in that it takes effort to crack that arrogant shell, but deep down, they are fantastic people who would do absolutely anything for friends and those they love. Craig is interesting and the back cover of Book 5 is misleading as it is really about two best friends who don’t know whether it is worth the risk to their friendship to become lovers. I like Craig because he treasures his friendship with Meriel so much that he doesn’t want to put it in jeopardy. Ah the things Meriel must do to convince him otherwise…I’m writing Hamish’s story now and it might just be my favorite to date as overall stories go, but my favorite character is probably Cole from book 3. Such a mixture of strength and vulnerability. He does not show it, but it hovers underneath the surface. He never really says it aloud, but Ellenor’s faith in him is his true strength.
7) Why do you think so many romance readers are captured by books set in the Highland? Do you think the kilts play a big part?!
Michele Sinclair: Hmmm. The setting cannot be beat. Having visited the Highlands with plans to return, it is just unbelievably gorgeous. Also when we think of Highlanders, we think of big strong men. Men who know who they are and can/willing to tackle all that life dishes at them. Highlanders in many ways are the epitome of a "man’s man”—now mix in a dash vulnerability and a woman that can shake their well-ordered world…well, now you got a beginnings of a whisk-me-away Scottish romance story.
As far as kilts? They MUST play a part because it is SO historically inaccurate and so many of us Highland romance authors use them anyway! The tartan and kilts we think of today really did not exist until the 16th century. What men really wore in this time period was a voluminous shirt worn with a leather belt. When it got cold, they wore a brat or a plaid—a long piece of cloth (usually grey or brown), pinned as a cloak. Most went barelegged and barefoot, for shoes were a lot like sandals with leather (e.g., deerskin) laced on. I could go on, but as a writer you make decisions. For example, do I write with a brogue accent? I decided no because of the style of my dialogue, which I happily admit to having a more modern flair than other historical writers. For me, it makes the ideas I’m writing about in my novels easier to read. Another decision was that of kilts and the level of historical accuracy. I really do not like anachronisms in general, but I admit the dress code is one of a handful of items where I intentionally crossed the line. A man running around in a loose, mustard-color shirt, with a rough beard and scraggly, unkempt hair is just not sexy to me. And since I cannot imagine going barefoot in the mountains, let alone winter…most of my women tend to wear shoes and prefer the Lowland style of dress, wearing bliauts, chemises, etc. It is somewhat plausible they adopt this style as they are more wealthy and live in castles. But in truth, mostly I dress my characters the way I do because it makes for a better visual.
8) What do you enjoy most about writing those sexy Scottish heroes?
Michele Sinclair: Simply put? That they are really strong, capable men who are secretly vulnerable. In many cases, they don’t realize it. It amazes every last one of them just how a woman could burrow so deeply into their hearts, making them whole when they had no idea until they found their true love, just how incomplete they were. That they can provide strength to the women they love not through physical power and might (though that IS nice), but through faith, belief and sincere friendship. Isn’t that what we all want? Someone who loves us without doubt, believes in us and is our best friend?
9) I really enjoyed your paranormal novella in Highland Hunger. Do you plan to write more vampire romances or even a shifter romance set in Scotland?!
Michele Sinclair: Dorian is sooo sexy. For those that do not know the story, it really focuses less on the vampire aspect and more on the idea of can immortals and mortals share a true, love when almost everything they see and do is done from radically different perspectives. But in answer to your question, I do have the two other full-length books in that series outlined. The next is a prequel of the love story that lays the foundation of Moirae’s roots and just why she is so uniquely special. This book, I have pretty much outlined out. Aeolus’s journey, who thinks he knows what love is, but doesn’t have a clue, is the third story. All three novels are all linked as a part of a higher arc that I’m not willing divulge as there are some twists that I want to leave for the reader to discover.
10) Speaking of different genres, do you think you will ever write a contemporary romance or a time travel romance?
Michele Sinclair: Contemporary. Hmm. Never say never, but I probably have the plots for 50+ books at various stages from sketched out to fully outlined. Not one of them is a contemporary. Neither a character or story has come to me in today’s setting. Time travel on the other hand? Absolutely! But they are SOOO tricky. One of the things that really irks me is unresolved plot threads and timeline stories tend to have these in abundance. I can accept even the most outrageous of premises but then the writer has to be true to that premise. Anyway – I do have a really cool two-book story that I have actually started writing. It’s about the concept of in order to manipulate the makeup of the future, one sometimes needs to tweak the past. But what happens when someone makes a mistake? In this case, the only way to resolve it is to pull someone into the past and convince them to live a lie. It’s set in the Regency period. Someday I’ll finish it, but loving science fiction as much as I do I have read a LOT of time travel books. There’s OK, there’s bad, there’s those that just really gloss over the time travel thing, and then there are those that actually do it right. I want to write one that truly makes a reader think and not just give them a fun story about a hero and heroine from different times. But to do that takes time and a lot of research.
Thank you so much! I loved learning more about your books and getting the inside scoop. This has been a real treat!
Michele Sinclair: Thank YOU! I always enjoyed hearing from other authors about inspirations, processes, etc. and it is my pleasure to do so for others. Please reach out to my website www.michelesinclair.com. From there, you can email me, read more about my other books and get links to my Facebook page. Take care and thanks again for this opportunity to talk to your members!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Michele Sinclair check her out at:
http://www.michelesinclair.com/index.shtml
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Michele Sinclair:
A Woman Made For Sin -Aug. 5, 2014
Three best friends are the most eligible ladies in London. But Lady Aimee Wentworth only has eyes for the handsome sailor who captured her heart long ago...Everything She Lost...Lady Aimee Wentworth has grown tired of Reece Hamilton avoiding her. Unable to shake her childhood vow to marry the dashing sailor, she devises a plan that she's certain will land her in his arms. But before she can act, she's captured by Reece's crew, and an ill-timed case of mistaken identity all but shatters her hopes of winning back his affections...Was Worth Everything She Gained. Born the untitled second son of a lord, Reece has resigned himself to the life of a sailor. Unable to provide the luxuries befitting a Lady, he insisted that Aimee seek the hand of a nobleman. But when he discovers her on board his ship he knows there is only one direction in which to set his sails - toward a destiny more adventurous - and more passionate - than either could have ever imagined...
Seducing the Highlander (The McTiernays) -June 4, 2013
Of the seven McTiernay brothers to protect their Scottish Highlands, Craig is most willing to place duty before love--until he's enchanted by the last woman he expects...
BOUND BY HONOR
Meriel Schellden knows that marrying Craig McTiernay will strengthen the ties between their clans. She insists she is motivated by duty and responsibility, nothing more. But when a mere formality becomes a kiss far from platonic, Meriel must question where her true intentions lie...
TEMPTED BY DESIRE
Though Meriel entices him far more than she realizes, Craig's commitments have always kept his passions restrained. But no sense of duty to his clan can make Craig forget the way Meriel's touch left him teased, tantalized, and desperate for more. Now as a surprising rival contends for Meriel's affections, there has never been a better time to listen to what his heart has desired all along...
Highland Hunger -Sept. 4, 2012
"Dark Embrace" by Hannah Howell. While searching for his clan's demon Lost Ones, Raibeart MacNachton encounters anethereal beauty running for her life - and discovers they share a powerful connection...
"The Guardian" by Michele Sinclair. The immortal Dorian vows never to fall in love with a mere human - until he meets the Beguiling, arousing Moirae Deincourt. And when her true nature is revealed, the lust tha trages between them can no longer be controlled...
"A Knight Beyond Black" by Jackie Ivie. Vampire Iain Duncan MacAvee has stepped forward to claim the woman he betrothed years ago - only to learn that Lady Tira knows nothing of the engagement. But the Duke's animal-like charisma unleashes a hunger within her...
A Woman Made for Pleasure -Aug. 7th, 2012
Known as the Daring Three, a trio of exquisite young women are taking London by storm. But if Lady Millie Aldon has her way, no man will win her hand in marriage--not even the one she loves...
A Passion for Adventure
Drawn to a life of excitement and risk, Lady Mille Aldon made a pact to forsake marriage. But her plans are thrown into chaos when Chase Wentworth returns to town. The lanky lad she remembers from childhood is now the Marquess of Chaselton, possessing an air of mystery Millie can't resist. As Chase moves through Lon's elite circles, his stealth manner has Millie convinced he harbors a secret--one she is determined to reveal...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH PAM CROOKS
Pam Crooks grew up in the ranch country of western Nebraska. She has written over a dozen historical westerns. And she clearly shows her love of the untamed west in her romances!
Recently, this talented author started writing in different genres. She wrote her first contemporary romantic suspense novel, HER MOTHER’S KILLER, and now has begun her newest series with THE SPYGLASS PROJECT set in the 1920s, Chicago's Prohibition era. The series is called the Secret Six. I have to admit I have always been fascinated by this time. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask her about her upcoming books!
Here is what she said.
1) Why do you feel romance books are important? Did you find it difficult to break into the publishing world?
Pam Crooks:
Romance novels definitely have a place in a woman’s life! Their importance lies in the storyline--a man and a woman who love each other so much that the world could fall apart around them, and they wouldn’t even notice. It’s every woman’s dream to have a man committed to her with his heart and soul, loving her so much he’d walk on hot coals in his bare feet to protect her. It’s every man’s dream to have a woman want to cherish him and live the rest of her life with only him and no one else. That dream becomes real in our books.
I did, indeed, find it difficult to break into the publishing world. Everything that could go wrong for me did. But I persevered, and I finally sold in 2000, going on to eventually write for two New York publishers.
2) What do you think of e-books? Do you think they are a good opportunity for new authors or established authors to expand their horizons?
Pam Crooks:
E-books have turned the publishing world upside down. As one who is very detail oriented and a bit of a control freak, I love the experience of being the head honcho and calling all the shots. I also love being able to check sales in real time at an assortment of publishing platforms. Getting paid every month is just amazing. Who knew five years ago this would be happening?
That said, the ease of self-publishing, while entailing a substantial learning curve, has opened the door to--forgive me--a lot of muck. Amateurs hoping to get rich are publishing poor quality work. But cream rises to the top, and many deserving authors who have been ignored by New York publishers have done exceedingly well on their own.
3) I’ve heard that some publishers won’t print books of certain genres/time periods. Have you had this difficulty, especially writing your ambitious Secret Six series set in the Prohibition era?
Pam Crooks:
I’ve never submitted the first book of the Secret Six series, THE SPYGLASS PROJECT, to a traditional publisher, but it wasn’t because I didn’t think the 1920s was a sellable time period. After getting the rights back to my first four historical western romances, I’d had a sweet taste of self-publishing, so I’d always planned on publishing the Secret Six series on my own.
4) Did you always secretly want to be a flapper? What attracted you to Chicago's 1920s? Do you find it the perfect backdrop for suspense and seduction?! How many books do you have planned for the Secret Six series?
Pam Crooks:
LOL. Me, a flapper? Hardly. I’m too much of a live-by-the-rules kind of girl. I don’t think any of my heroines will be flappers, either, but who knows where whimsy will take me in future books?
1920s Chicago was all about gangsters, too, and since I’m Italian, they have always fascinated me. Throw in undercover government agents like the Secret Six, give them a beautiful woman to tangle with, some period cocktails to drink, a little murder and mayhem, and hey, what’s not to love? I have so many story ideas for my Secret Six guys, I hope to get them all written in the six-book series.
5) You are a well established western writer. What is it about the old west that calls to you?
Pam Crooks:
As much as I love guys in Fedoras and dark suits driving long, sleek automobiles, I love cowboys in tight jeans on a horse, too. Cowboys lived their days working hard, revering the land and their animals. They were unpretentious, they respected women and lived by a code of honor that is often sadly missing today. Calloused hands, rock-hard muscles and those Stetsons riding low on their forehead . . . sigh.
6) How difficult is it to switch into different genres? Do you think it is a different aspect of your personality when you write in a different genre?
Pam Crooks:
Yes, it’s been a bit tricky. I’d written westerns for so long, that some of the phrasing would slip through and be a glaring step back into a different time period! But learning to use the slang so prevalent to the 1920s has been fun, too. Chicago was quite the city back then, and writing in the fashions, automobiles, Mafia hitmen, etc., have all added layers to the series I’ve found exhilarating. Like I said earlier, being Italian and growing up around my immigrant family, I can really relate to some of my characters. I think I’ve portrayed them quite accurately.
7) Speaking of different genres, can you tell us about your romantic suspense novel, HER MOTHER’S KILLER?!
Pam Crooks:
After writing so many westerns, I was ready to try my hand at a contemporary romantic suspense, and HER MOTHER’S KILLER was born. I’d intended it for Harlequin’s Intrigue line, and my editor at the time wanted to buy it, but alas, the book didn’t make it past Intrigue’s senior editor. So I set it aside until the self-publishing wave hit. It was very gratifying bringing that story to life. I especially love the cover--it’s perfect for the mood of the book.
8) Do you plan to write more suspense novels or are you now concentrating on your Secret Six series?
Pam Crooks:
I am totally concentrating on the Secret Six series. I really poured my heart into THE SPYGLASS PROJECT, and right after that, I wrote a free short e-story featuring Agent Delilah (introduced in THE SPYGLASS PROJECT) called IN THE ENEMY’S SHADOW.
9) Can you tell us what other books you have planned for the future?!
Pam Crooks:
I’m currently writing THE BREWER’S DAUGHTER, book #2 in the Secret Six series. Even though Major Michael Malone is the lead character in the series, THE BREWER’S DAUGHTER features Grant Halverson, one of the Secret Six. Each of the Secret Six guys will have their own story--and their own true loves, of course!
10) I want to thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions! It has been a pleasure having you on our website. :)
Pam Crooks:
Oh, gosh, Steph, it was such an honor. I’m delighted to be asked. Thank you--and your readers--for having me!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Pam Crooks check her out at:
http://www.pamcrooks.com/
and check out her free Secret Six short e-story, IN THE ENEMY’S SHADOW, at Amazon!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CTP4AQE/pamcro
www.facebook.com/pamcrooks
www.facebook.com/pamcrooksauthor
Twitter @pamcrooks
www.pinterest.com/pamcrooks
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Pam Crooks:
In the Arms of a Cowboy
4 Best-Loved Historical Romances in 1 Boxed Set!
HANNAH’S VOW (an Amazon Best-Seller!)
Hannah grew up on the wrong side of the law, daughter of a master thief and student to his trade. But when he dies at the hands of an angry mob, she flees to a monastery to escape the world and her sins.
Quinn is betrayed by his brother and sentenced to a life in prison. Only the thirst for revenge keeps him alive. He will do anything to escape.
Together they must run for their lives to survive their pasts. And in the journey, they find truth . . . and an unlikely love in their hearts.
WYOMING WILDFLOWER
All Sonnie Mancuso wants is to be needed by her father. Unfortunately, he already has a daughter--six, to be exact--and all he needs is a son.
Orphaned in the slums of New York, fifteen-year-old Lance Harmon needs a home. Sonnie’s father gives him one, on the cattle-rich Rocking M ranch. Through the years, Lance learns to love the land, the work . . . and Sonnie.
But Vince Mancuso’s health is failing, and there’s trouble on the Wyoming range. Sonnie returns home to claim the legacy that’s rightfully hers . . . but learns Lance has already claimed it.
LADY GYPSY
Liza was born to roam the land with her mother’s people, but she's shamed by the sin that made her forever different.
Reese has set down roots deep in the Nebraska prairie. His dreams are sure to come true with a new railroad and a proper wife and child.
But Liza is accused unfairly by Reese’s people, and she is forced to flee the security of her world to seek safety in his. When Reese’s careful plans for success are threatened, he must fight to save all he’s worked for.
Will it cost him the love he’s found with the beautiful, black-eyed woman with red-gold hair? His Lady Gypsy?
BROKEN BLOSSOMS
Carleigh wants only to escape her father’s lies and find the mother she never knew. When she flees into the California wilderness, Trig is blackmailed by her unscrupulous father to chase after her.
But as a special agent for the United States government, he is drawn into an opium smuggling ring only Carleigh and her mother can help expose, and he is forced to choose between two loves–Carleigh or his country.
Will it cost him the only family he has left in the world? Or will he find new life with the beautiful woman whose very blood marked her his enemy?
The Spyglass Project (Secret Six Series, Book 1)
In this 1920s historical romantic suspense, Major Michael Malone is haunted by his brother’s murder and shocking allegiance with the German enemy during the World War. He is driven to find answers and satisfy the revenge burning inside him. Eight years later, on the night his best friend is killed, evidence suggests the two murders are connected.
Gianna Mangiameli’s comfortable world is shattered when she witnesses a double murder during a cosmetic store robbery. The Mafia hitman responsible blackmails her to keep her mouth shut. Desperate to protect her family against the gangster’s threats, she must keep her secret--and find answers of her own.
Michael and Gianna are thrown into Chicago’s criminal underworld and fight a dangerous new war on America’s soil. In their need to keep each other safe, they discover romance and learn they must be prepared to pay the ultimate price--with their lives and their love.
Coming soon! The Brewer’s Daughter (Secret Six Series, Book 2)
Her Mother's Killer
Adrienne’s Bodyguard
With only hours to go before she signs a crucial deal to secure prime wilderness for the state of Tennessee, Adrienne Morelli must return to the mountain where her mother was murdered. But powerful men oppose the deal, and the killer has never been found. Worse, ominous messages threaten her life, and she’s forced under 24-hour protection, thanks to her father who hires the best bodyguard Silverhawk Investigative Services has on the payroll.
Protector, Lover
The last woman Mick Corrigan wants to protect is Adrienne Morelli. She’s made it clear she can take care of herself--and doesn’t want him in her life. Not after the night he’d broken his Number One Rule: Never get involved with a client. Now his job is to keep her safe and out of his heart. Soon, both seem impossible as together they flee into the wilderness to escape an unseen enemy, her mother’s killer....
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MICHELE SINCLAIR
Michele Sinclair is a popular, multi-award winning author of numerous historical romances. She is best known for her sexy Scottish heroes! Recently, she has started writing a new Regency romance series called the Promises Trilogy. It features three daring, independent women that fans are sure to fall in love with. The second in her series, A Woman Made for Sin, is coming out this August.
I couldn’t wait to ask her about her new series and what else she has in store for her readers
Here is what she said.
1) How did you get started writing romance?
Michele Sinclair: On a dare, actually. I used to read ~2 books a week since I was 9. Someone asked me if I enjoyed one that I had just finished and I said that I could probably write one in my sleep. They said I should and I looked at them and replied, “You know… I bet I could…” But what about? I read mostly science fiction believe it or not, but despite my boast, I found it very difficult to write that genre with my lack of science background, but by then the writing bug had bitten me. During an historical movie, I quipped about how they got the ending wrong and then verbally rewrote it. It was then it hit me. I love history almost as much as science fiction. I guess it is that longing for a different time and place. Soon afterwards, the McTiernay brothers came to me along with their stories they wanted me to tell. Not just about them finding love, but what happens to them after they get married, their families and all the people in their lives.
2) What makes historical romance so special to you? Who are your favorite authors in the historical romance field?
Michele Sinclair: Gulp – I rarely read historical fiction anymore. Probably a little paranoid about repeating someone else’s idea, but I’m mostly reluctant because there are so many good writers that I inevitably compare myself to them and get a little bit nervous about the quality of my own work. My style is somewhat different than many out there who are successful in this genre, so I start to have self-doubt. Also, the reading genre I gravitate to is hard core science fiction or histories. That being said, at times I would go through historical romance phases and it would usually be one of the well-known authors. Lavryle Spencer (loved “Years”), Amanda Quick, Diana Galbadon, and so many others. I remember loving Patricia Pellicane, Catherine Hart and Lauren Wilde from the early 90s. But probably the one that influenced my love to actually write Highland books is Julie Garwood. I could read her books over and over and it is that kind of story—the ones I want to reread—I hope to create for my readers.
3) Is there a big difference between writing Regency characters versus Scottish characters? Is it difficult to switch between genres?
Michele Sinclair: Not so much a difference in writing the characters, but definitely in the genres. Characters tell me their story and I write it down. It’s like a movie in my head that I am trying to capture. It can be challenging switching genres due to the research/history. In an effort to accurately capture surroundings, smells, customs, songs, clothing, habits, mannerisms, etc., I need to mentally be engrossed in the time period and medieval Scotland and Regency are very different. Also, to write Regency these days you almost need a PhD in the period. Regency readers usually have a deep knowledge of the time period. Regardless, a LOT of research has to take place for each book! I think for me the most difficult is not switching characters or genres…but switching series. I remember the overall storyline clearly as well as the characters, but it’s the little things, like biting lip habits, phrases a character uses, etc. that can get lost—especially now that there are multiple books in the series and many of the characters are in more than one book. Each time I switch series, I have to brush up on everyone…because as many of my readers know, even the most innocuous character has their own story, background and personality. JR Rowling mentioned in an interview a while back that she mapped out the background of all her characters, though most of the information never reached her books. I have mimicked this approach. For example, readers learn tidbits of the interesting, but elusive Madame Sasha in my Regency series, but her full story is still unknown to the reader. But I have mapped out her life, how she grew up in Russian nobility, why she was forced to leave, how she found and lost love, etc. Maybe someday Millie will find her diary…
4) Why did you decide to write your new Promises series? How do all the books connect?
Michele Sinclair: This story actually came to me as I wrote my first Highlander book “The Highlander’s Bride.” I was watching Pride and Prejudice (one of my favorites—yes the one with Colin Firth J) and some of my close girlfriends and I were chatting about the ongoings of our lives. I thought women, their friendship, and how we interact with each other is probably one of life’s constants. So the series focuses on the friendship of three women—the kind that cannot be weakened or destroyed by distance, time, marriages, children, etc. I wanted to explore the bonds we share with our very close girlfriends and how that plays into our love lives.
The second thing I really wanted to do from the very beginning was write THIS book, A Woman Made for Sin. I wanted to write a sequel about what happens after two people who are madly in love and complete opposites actually make it work. Too often in romance books (and movies!!) the couples are married in the end and we don’t get to see how it all turns out. I love movies where during the credits pictures of a happy future are shown. It completes the story in a way for me. So A Woman Made for Sin is just as much about Millie and Charles’s continued love story as it is about Aimee’s. It is because of this idea that most of my books are comprised of two parts—getting the couple together and then exploring what happens afterwards. I also bring in past couples as part of the story so that you get an idea of their continued love story. Plus, I love epilogues. I consider them the equivalent of pictures during the movie credits.
5) This year you have A Woman Made for Sin coming out. What makes your characters so special? Can you tell us a little about them...please!
Michele Sinclair: I don’t know if I’m really qualified to answer! And it probably differs for each person. But I can tell you the characters I am hoping to give my readers. I want them to be multi-dimensional in that there are so many aspects of what drives us humans to think, act and react like we do. It is our past, our present, our friends, our highs and our lows. So I include a significant number of rich secondary characters, helping to create a world for the reader to immerse themselves. As such, these secondary characters show up in several books, enriching the story as their own background is revealed more and more. In Sin, readers will want to know even more about a couple of significant secondary characters and I will tell you now that YES…Devlin has a story I plan to write.
For my main characters, I want them to be likable and relatable. I like my men loyal and strong, not just physically, but also reliable and dependable—someone you can reach out to and count on to be there. I want my women to be strong in spirit, intelligent, little feisty and independent. By independent, I mean that they don’t need a man in their life, they want one. I hope my characters are relatable, even though they are in an historical setting. The mistakes they make are things that we can see ourselves doing (or our spouses). The situations they overcome are things we are challenged with today, whether it be PTSD, miscarriage, physical abuse, figuring out who we want to be, the effects of pride, the power of faith, how to let go of the life planned in order to embrace the future, or as in this latest book—the necessity of acceptance and compromise.
Last, I think what makes the characters special in my latest book in particular is that they grow. On the surface, they are like so many romance figures. Stubborn man, bold somewhat rebellious women, determination, witty, etc. They also have flaws that are not so unusual, but it’s how they recognize those flaws and then stumble their way to addressing them that perhaps (at least I hope) is a little special. No quick fixes because in life when we truly believe we are right…it takes us a little while to figure out how to give without feeling like we just capitulated to appease another at the expense of our own happiness. Compromise in itself is not a hard, but sometimes the willingness to compromise is. How does one decide to change themselves to make things work? To what degree? And when is it too much? Millie explores the idea of learning to compromise while Aimee, who has desired Reese since she was a young girl, discovers that despite her willingness to change, give up and make sacrifices to capture her man…that there are just some things not worth compromising. To me, it is the journey that makes these characters so likeable and relatable.
6) Your McTiernay series is such a fan favorite. Can you tell us what inspired you to write your McTiernay series? Do you have a favorite brother?! Will the series end when the last brother gets hitched? Or do you have something else planned for readers?!
Michele Sinclair: Oh boy…do you have like pages and pages for me to answer? Inspiration was probably that I just love the time period and I wanted to write about a family. I chose a large number because as an unestablished writer I did not know how many books it would take to get any kind of fan base. I thought “shoot for a big number!” Then when I sat to write them out, they just came to me and when I was done sketching the family tree, it turned out there were seven brothers.
Favorite brother…Hmmm. I really like them all. I love Conor as the patriarch. He is kind, decisive and passionate. I love that Laurel is both frustrating and a mystery to him even after being married for years. I can relate to Crevan in that it was a long time before I sat back and went, “Wait—what is it that I want to do with my life?” Conan makes me chuckle and I know a few people like him, in that it takes effort to crack that arrogant shell, but deep down, they are fantastic people who would do absolutely anything for friends and those they love. Craig is interesting and the back cover of Book 5 is misleading as it is really about two best friends who don’t know whether it is worth the risk to their friendship to become lovers. I like Craig because he treasures his friendship with Meriel so much that he doesn’t want to put it in jeopardy. Ah the things Meriel must do to convince him otherwise…I’m writing Hamish’s story now and it might just be my favorite to date as overall stories go, but my favorite character is probably Cole from book 3. Such a mixture of strength and vulnerability. He does not show it, but it hovers underneath the surface. He never really says it aloud, but Ellenor’s faith in him is his true strength.
7) Why do you think so many romance readers are captured by books set in the Highland? Do you think the kilts play a big part?!
Michele Sinclair: Hmmm. The setting cannot be beat. Having visited the Highlands with plans to return, it is just unbelievably gorgeous. Also when we think of Highlanders, we think of big strong men. Men who know who they are and can/willing to tackle all that life dishes at them. Highlanders in many ways are the epitome of a "man’s man”—now mix in a dash vulnerability and a woman that can shake their well-ordered world…well, now you got a beginnings of a whisk-me-away Scottish romance story.
As far as kilts? They MUST play a part because it is SO historically inaccurate and so many of us Highland romance authors use them anyway! The tartan and kilts we think of today really did not exist until the 16th century. What men really wore in this time period was a voluminous shirt worn with a leather belt. When it got cold, they wore a brat or a plaid—a long piece of cloth (usually grey or brown), pinned as a cloak. Most went barelegged and barefoot, for shoes were a lot like sandals with leather (e.g., deerskin) laced on. I could go on, but as a writer you make decisions. For example, do I write with a brogue accent? I decided no because of the style of my dialogue, which I happily admit to having a more modern flair than other historical writers. For me, it makes the ideas I’m writing about in my novels easier to read. Another decision was that of kilts and the level of historical accuracy. I really do not like anachronisms in general, but I admit the dress code is one of a handful of items where I intentionally crossed the line. A man running around in a loose, mustard-color shirt, with a rough beard and scraggly, unkempt hair is just not sexy to me. And since I cannot imagine going barefoot in the mountains, let alone winter…most of my women tend to wear shoes and prefer the Lowland style of dress, wearing bliauts, chemises, etc. It is somewhat plausible they adopt this style as they are more wealthy and live in castles. But in truth, mostly I dress my characters the way I do because it makes for a better visual.
8) What do you enjoy most about writing those sexy Scottish heroes?
Michele Sinclair: Simply put? That they are really strong, capable men who are secretly vulnerable. In many cases, they don’t realize it. It amazes every last one of them just how a woman could burrow so deeply into their hearts, making them whole when they had no idea until they found their true love, just how incomplete they were. That they can provide strength to the women they love not through physical power and might (though that IS nice), but through faith, belief and sincere friendship. Isn’t that what we all want? Someone who loves us without doubt, believes in us and is our best friend?
9) I really enjoyed your paranormal novella in Highland Hunger. Do you plan to write more vampire romances or even a shifter romance set in Scotland?!
Michele Sinclair: Dorian is sooo sexy. For those that do not know the story, it really focuses less on the vampire aspect and more on the idea of can immortals and mortals share a true, love when almost everything they see and do is done from radically different perspectives. But in answer to your question, I do have the two other full-length books in that series outlined. The next is a prequel of the love story that lays the foundation of Moirae’s roots and just why she is so uniquely special. This book, I have pretty much outlined out. Aeolus’s journey, who thinks he knows what love is, but doesn’t have a clue, is the third story. All three novels are all linked as a part of a higher arc that I’m not willing divulge as there are some twists that I want to leave for the reader to discover.
10) Speaking of different genres, do you think you will ever write a contemporary romance or a time travel romance?
Michele Sinclair: Contemporary. Hmm. Never say never, but I probably have the plots for 50+ books at various stages from sketched out to fully outlined. Not one of them is a contemporary. Neither a character or story has come to me in today’s setting. Time travel on the other hand? Absolutely! But they are SOOO tricky. One of the things that really irks me is unresolved plot threads and timeline stories tend to have these in abundance. I can accept even the most outrageous of premises but then the writer has to be true to that premise. Anyway – I do have a really cool two-book story that I have actually started writing. It’s about the concept of in order to manipulate the makeup of the future, one sometimes needs to tweak the past. But what happens when someone makes a mistake? In this case, the only way to resolve it is to pull someone into the past and convince them to live a lie. It’s set in the Regency period. Someday I’ll finish it, but loving science fiction as much as I do I have read a LOT of time travel books. There’s OK, there’s bad, there’s those that just really gloss over the time travel thing, and then there are those that actually do it right. I want to write one that truly makes a reader think and not just give them a fun story about a hero and heroine from different times. But to do that takes time and a lot of research.
Thank you so much! I loved learning more about your books and getting the inside scoop. This has been a real treat!
Michele Sinclair: Thank YOU! I always enjoyed hearing from other authors about inspirations, processes, etc. and it is my pleasure to do so for others. Please reach out to my website www.michelesinclair.com. From there, you can email me, read more about my other books and get links to my Facebook page. Take care and thanks again for this opportunity to talk to your members!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Michele Sinclair check her out at:
http://www.michelesinclair.com/index.shtml
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Michele Sinclair:
A Woman Made for Sin -Aug. 5, 2014
Lady Aimee Wentworth is desperate and willing to do anything to recapture the stormy and passionate moment she and Reece Hamilton shared. For years, she has loved her brother’s best friend, but now that Reece has noticed her, she has a knew hurdle to overcome—her dreaded status as a lady. Aimee refuses to accept Reece’s decree for her to find a nobleman fitting her rank and is willing to do anything—including accepting the consequences of tricking her best friends, stowing away on Reece’s ship, and facing his rage—to make him her very own.
Seducing the Highlander (The McTiernays) -June 4, 2013
McTiernay Series Book Five
Of the seven McTiernay brothers to protect their Scottish Highlands, Craig is most willing to place duty before love--until he's enchanted by the last woman he expects...
BOUND BY HONOR
Meriel Schellden knows that marrying Craig McTiernay will strengthen the ties between their clans. She insists she is motivated by duty and responsibility, nothing more. But when a mere formality becomes a kiss far from platonic, Meriel must question where her true intentions lie...
TEMPTED BY DESIRE
Though Meriel entices him far more than she realizes, Craig's commitments have always kept his passions restrained. But no sense of duty to his clan can make Craig forget the way Meriel's touch left him teased, tantalized, and desperate for more. Now as a surprising rival contends for Meriel's affections, there has never been a better time to listen to what his heart has desired all along...
Highland Hunger -Sept. 4, 2012
"Dark Embrace" by Hannah Howell. While searching for his clan's demon Lost Ones, Raibeart MacNachton encounters anethereal beauty running for her life - and discovers they share a powerful connection...
"The Guardian" by Michele Sinclair. The immortal Dorian vows never to fall in love with a mere human - until he meets the Beguiling, arousing Moirae Deincourt. And when her true nature is revealed, the lust tha trages between them can no longer be controlled...
"A Knight Beyond Black" by Jackie Ivie. Vampire Iain Duncan MacAvee has stepped forward to claim the woman he betrothed years ago - only to learn that Lady Tira knows nothing of the engagement. But the Duke's animal-like charisma unleashes a hunger within her...
A Woman Made for Pleasure -Aug. 7th, 2012
A Woman Made for Pleasure, a Regency Book & a New Series
Known as the Daring Three, a trio of exquisite young women are taking London by storm. But if Lady Millie Aldon has her way, no man will win her hand in marriage--not even the one she loves...
A Passion for Adventure
Drawn to a life of excitement and risk, Lady Mille Aldon made a pact to forsake marriage. But her plans are thrown into chaos when Chase Wentworth returns to town. The lanky lad she remembers from childhood is now the Marquess of Chaselton, possessing an air of mystery Millie can't resist. As Chase moves through Lon's elite circles, his stealth manner has Millie convinced he harbors a secret--one she is determined to reveal...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KIMBERLY KINCAID
Hot, up and coming romance author, Kimberly Kincaid, is a RWA Golden Heart finalist. She is known for her steamy contemporary novels that combine her love of romance and food. Yum! This year, her first full length novel, Turn Up the Heat, came out and she has more delightful books to follow.
I couldn't wait to ask her about her new books and what she has planned for the future!
1) Wow, is seems like you came on the publishing scene like a whirlwind! Did you find it difficult to get published? Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Kimberly Kincaid: It’s definitely a marathon for most writers to become published! But just like you have to train for a marathon, you have to “train” for publishing. I definitely recommend becoming part of a writers organization (for romance writers, the Romance Writers of America—or RWA—is the most amazing support and education network!), taking classes on craft, and doing your research by reading blogs and asking questions in forums really pays off.
2) How long have you wanted to write? Did you always want to write romance?
Kimberly Kincaid: I started writing with the intent to be published in late 2009, but I’ve always loved writing. Yes, I have always been a romance writer at heart! I love everything about it, right down to the Dark Moment (because I know it will all get happier in the end!)
3) Mmmm... Food and romance -most women's two favorite things! Are you a culinary wizard in addition to a great writer? Would you ever write your own cook book or open your own restaurant?
Kimberly Kincaid: I come from a big Italian gamily, and married into a big Italian family. We cook a ton, and I love being in the kitchen. I do have plans for a cookbook (but they’re on my Five Year Plan). I’ll leave running a restaurant to the pros, though—I’d be too busy eating, heh.
4) What inspired you to write your Pine Mountain Series? How many books do have you planned?
Kimberly Kincaid: There are four books (plus The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, released in September 2013) total in the Pine Mountain series. My family vacations at Deep Creek Lake, in the Blue Ridge every year, and I have always wanted to write a series based on a town like that. The characters all sprouted from my imagination, and they’re quite insistent on who they are. I have very little control over them once they appear in my head!
5) What makes the main characters in Gimme Some Sugar so dear to your heart?
Kimberly Kincaid: Oh, Carly and Jackson. On the surface, they seem like opposites, yet beneath it all, they have so much in common. They’re both so fabulously hard-headed, but in endearing ways. I love Carly’s fiery spirit, and I really love Jackson’s smart-aleck tendencies. They were such fun to write.
6) You also wrote another series called the Line in 2013. Can you tell us more about them?
Kimberly Kincaid: The Line books are separate from the Pine Mountain series, but they still showcase food as a thematic element. They feature hot cops, sexy chefs, an ER doctor and a very busy town diner as the central hub.
7) In your first book, Love On The Line, I noticed that your heroine is also a chef. I see a recurring theme. Will all of your books have a little 'taste' of good food in them? Do you feel that food is an aphrodisiac?!
Kimberly Kincaid: Food is definitely one of my over-arcing themes. It plays a role in everything I write. There’s just something so evocative and wonderful about the idea of food creating intimacy. Absolutely an aphrodisiac!
8) What do you feel most satisfying about writing?
Kimberly Kincaid: For me, I love to write no matter what, but I feel most proud when my three daughters see me living my dream. It shows them that all the hard work and dedication pay off.
9) Can you give us a preview of your future books?!
Kimberly Kincaid: I can! There’s a third Pine Mountain book coming out in October, called Stirring Up Trouble. It’s the story of sassy, smart Sloane Russo, and her unlikeliest of matches, restaurant manager Gavin Carmichael. Then the series finale is the book I think a lot of people are waiting for. Yes, rough, gruff sous chef Adrian Holt meets his match in Fire Me Up, which will be out in February 2015.
10) Meeting you has been a fantastic experience! Thank you so much for honoring us with your time. :)
Kimberly Kincaid: It’s my pleasure! Thanks so much for having me. And just remember—don’t read hungry!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Kimberly Kincaid check her out at:
www.kimberlykincaid.com
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Kimberly Kincaid:
Gimme Some Sugar (A Pine Mountain Novel) by Kimberly Kincaid (June 3, 2014)
Turn Up the Heat (A Pine Mountain Novel) by Kincaid, Kimberly (March 4, 2014)
"It's not you."
There are only so many times a girl can hear those words before she believes that it is, in fact, very much her. Unexpectedly jilted by her locally famous boyfriend and haunted by a boss who makes Attila the Hun look like a lap dog, Bellamy Blake does what any self-respecting girl in her shoes would do. She rounds up her two best girlfriends and makes plans to get the hell out of Dodge. . .
But Bellamy's escape plan takes a nose dive on the side of rural route 164 when her transmission self-destructs, leaving her in the middle of a cell phone dead zone with nothing but her wits. Oh, and Shane Griffin, the hottest mechanic who's ever checked under her hood.
Yet this small-town man isn't all he seems. Can Shane and Bellamy prove that sometimes the most unlikely ingredients make the most deliciously sexy mix?
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap by Kauffman, Donna, Angell, Kate and Kincaid, Kimberly (Sep 24, 2013)
For friends Clara, Abby and Lily, only one thing is more delicious than the Pine Mountain holiday cookie exchange – finding the right man before they ring in the New Year!
Where There's Smoke. . .
USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman
When flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky firefighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist. . ..
"Donna Kauffman writes smart and sexy, with sizzle to spare!" --Janet Evanovich
The Gingerbread Man
National bestselling author Kate Angell
Folks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are. . .impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for?
"No fan of the genre should miss Angell's surefire romances." –Booklist
Sugar And Spice
Kimberly Kincaid
When caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high--and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart--and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
Outside The Lines (Line Series) by Kimberly Kincaid (July 28, 2013)
As an Ivy League ER doctor who eats double shifts for breakfast (and lunch…and dinner), Blake Fisher has little appetite for anything other than work. Being on the staff at Brenstville Hospital means taking care of people, a need Blake understands all too well from losing his brother to cystic fibrosis eight years ago. When he’s asked to coordinate a carnival fundraiser for the cause, he jumps at the chance to help others with the disease…until it lands him side by side with the one woman he never thought he’d see again: his ex-fiancée.
Streetwise and rough around the edges, Jules Shaw is no stranger to earning a living through hard work. But when her job as the restaurant manager of Mac’s Diner puts her shoulder to really broad shoulder with Blake Fisher, she nearly balks. She’d rather dodge and deflect than admit the real reason she broke things off, but the catering contract for the carnival means big business for Mac’s, and feeding people is Jules’s lifeblood.
As Blake and Jules join reluctant forces, they quickly rediscover the spark between them. But the possibility of a future together hinges on coming clean about the past, with potentially devastating consequences. Can Blake and Jules overcome their drastically different backgrounds and learn to love again, or will they always be outside the lines?
Drawing The Line by Kimberly Kincaid (April 24, 2013)
When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious...or so tough to protect.
Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.
As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?
Love On The Line by Kimberly Kincaid (Feb. 24, 2013)
Violet Morgan puts the personal in personal chef, catering to clients who want the full cooking experience rather than a culinary drop-and-dash. But when her brother’s police detective partner is injured in the line of duty and needs help during recovery, she makes an exception. Violet lost her father to the job seven years ago, and worries for her brother’s safety every day. The last thing she wants is to get up-close with her brother’s career-cop partner…again.
For Noah Blackwell, being a detective isn’t just a lifestyle, it’s a legacy. So when he’s forced to take mandatory leave and deal with the trauma amnesia keeping him from identifying his shooter, it’s as if insult and injury have joined forces— and now he’s got to deal with an unwanted caregiver on top of it. Never mind that he and Violet shared a steamy, secret kiss last New Year’s Eve. She rejects everything related to the job, and Noah’s not about to be distracted from recovering his memory and getting back to what he does best. No matter how pretty Violet is.
Despite their differences, Violet and Noah share a surprising bond in the kitchen that grows into something neither of them expect. But as Noah heals and their feelings for each other extend from the kitchen to the bedroom, Violet knows she must make an impossible choice. She may wear her heart on her sleeve in the kitchen, but can she put love on the line?
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH LUCY MONROE
USA Today best-selling author, Lucy Monroe has a loyal following for a reason. She is known for her scorching scenes and ultra hot alpha heroes. I am certainly one of her big fans! Thankfully this prolific author doesn't know the words 'writer's block.' In 2013 alone, she published six new releases along with many re-prints!
But what keeps her stories so enduring? And what can she tell us about her new series set in the fictitious small Alaskan town called Cailkirn?
This sexy author won't stop. And I say keep them coming!
I couldn't wait to ask her about her new books.
1) I am always amazed at how many books you publish each year. Where do you get your ideas? Do you have a strict writing schedule or routine?
Lucy Monroe: My idea come from everywhere. I'm an avid people watcher and you can't imagine the stories that percolate in my head from seeing the people around me. I also get ideas from the news, from books I've wanted to toss across the room – I need to retell the story and a couple of times that has meant creating my own characters and doing it right. LOL
However, I tried something new for my latest release, Sheikh's Scandal. I participated in a publisher driven mini-series centered round the grand hotel chain The Chatsfield. A continuity series like this is editorially driven, which means we authors are given an outline of the series, a list of characters that are constant (while we are allowed to create some of our own as well) and a basic premise for our own stories (including continuity points we have to include). I never thought I'd write one, but something about this series just felt right and honestly? The story couldn't be more up my alley, if I'd taken the Metro to get there. ;)
As for keeping a strict writing schedule. I try. It's not easy with family and a crazy life like mine, but if I don't write full time, the books don't get done. So I put in the hours, even if it means I'm still putting in all nighters though my college days are long past.
2) I love the intensity of your books, are those the most difficult sections to write? What are the most difficult sections of a book for you to write?
Lucy Monroe: The ending is always the hardest thing to write because letting go isn't easy, but the part of the book that wrings my heart (and makes me cranky enough the family keep their distance) is the dark moment. I'm so emotionally invested with my characters, that moment when I don't know if they are going to make it is painful for me.
3) One of the best things about your books is the emotional highs and lows (raw) I feel with your characters. Are you characters ever based on real people/events?
Lucy Monroe: Not intentionally (re the people), but I often see similarities after the book is done. Because my characters are so close to my heart, they do tend to be like people I know, not people I see in the media. I liken it to real life. The longer we know people, the more they rub off on us and vice versa. This is why people say they see my sisters in me, or that I'm so like my mom, or that my husband is sounding like me now. Right? So, it's only natural that the characters born of my heart would have their bits of the people around me too.
However, there are always exceptions. The hero in Sheikh's Scandal has the usual dose of my husband (who is my superhero), but he is also one of the characters I felt had some things in common with real life royalty. I'll let my fellow romance addicts draw their own conclusions about who that might be after reading it.
As for situations, definitely. I'll read about something on the news, or see a story about an event and it will spark the idea for how two people meant to be together would cope in that situation.
4) I loved your Goddard Project books. Will you write another military series? Or at least a military hero soon? Please?!
Lucy Monroe: There will definitely be former military heroes in my Cailkirn Chronicles (debut 1st 3 books Apr-May-Jun 2015). Alaska is known for the number of Vets that make their lives there after they've served. It's only natural my little town of Cailkirn is going to be home to some of them. You know I appreciate military men and women so much and will always honor them in my writing. Besides, they make really sexy heroes. ;)
5) You have also written historical and paranormal books. But mostly write contemporary romances now. Do you have a favorite genre to write and to read?
Lucy Monroe: It goes in cycles for me. Right now, I love reading paranormal, though I won't be writing it again for a long while. I'm also a huge fan of the contemporary romance and read it indiscriminately. My favorite genre to write is contemporary right now. There are stories I can tell here that don't fit anywhere else – at least not with the same impact.
6) Will you return to paranormal books or historical books?! Can you tell us about any ideas you might have for future books in these genres or are you taking a break from them?
Lucy Monroe: Someday, maybe. I've got a file of story ideas for both, but it really is a matter of time. Time to write. Time to publish. Readers deserve more timely stories in a series and I can't give them that when I'm too scattered in my writing. So, I'm focusing on the two areas I love most right now – my Presents and the upcoming Cailkirn Chronicles.
7) I was excited to read that you have a new series planned for 2015! Can you tell us more about your Cailkirn series? Why did you choose Alaska as a setting for this series?
Lucy Monroe: I would love to. I mean really, really. LOL I'm so jazzed about this series, I've got little "inspirations" for it all over my office. It's a single title contemporary romance series centered around a fictitious small town on the cruise ship route in Alaska. The neatest thing about the series is how we'll be able to see recurring characters and revisit previous main characters in later books. The books are more interconnected than anything I've written before and yet each will stand alone as their own story.
Alaska caught my imagination and heart when my husband and I took his parents on a cruise there a couple of years ago. Each kitchy little town we stopped in brought on fresh story ideas until I realized a series set there would be amazing. Only...I didn't have time. Or so I thought. Berkley decided they didn't want any more Children of the Moon (the publishing industry is in such flux right now) and I decided I didn't want to keep writing paranormal if that was the case. (Letting a series go is hard and as crazy as it might sound, I needed time to grieve CotM before I could consider writing another paranormal series.)
So, I took a huge chance (contemporary single title is an iffy market right now) and developed the series idea which my agent shopped around New York. Grand Central offered a really decent contract, but more importantly – the editor offered the kind of enthusiasm I'd hoped to engender for the series. Waiting for 2015 for the first three books to come out isn't going to be easy, but I seriously cannot wait to hear what readers think of Cailkirn.
8) Have you ever wanted to do a holiday series that features your characters reunited? If you could, which ones would you like to write about?
Lucy Monroe: Wouldn't that be fun? I'd LOVE to do that for my characters in The Goddard Project/Atrati – with visits from my original mercenaries. Can you imagine how Josie decorates her Christmas tree? Do you think she has a cammo dressed angel for the top?
Another holiday scene that would be over the top fun-wise would be to get together with the other authors of The Chatsfield mini-series and do a Christmas story with all of our characters, now they've all fallen in love.
I told you I had a hard time letting go at the end of a book, didn't I? LOL
9) You have so many books in the works, but are there any books you are particularly proud of or feel left unfinished and would like to like more about?
Lucy Monroe: I've written a lot of books that deal with issues too many readers face (like domestic violence, women's health, men's health, the fractured family, parental neglect, prejudices, etc.) and been so touched by reader response. I think though, that the book I'd like most to expand on is Heat Seeker. There was so much more story to tell with both the primary and secondary storyline.
As for the book I'm most proud of, I'd have to say honestly – it's Sheikh's Scandal right now. The entire The Chatsfield mini-series is amazing and being able to participate with other authors I admire in creating this world of characters was incredible. But the book itself deals with loss and building new family ties in a way I'm really happy about. It's very sexy, but the sex is so emotional and that's what I like to read, so offering it to my readers is something that makes me proud. I hope that makes sense.
10) It has been a wonderful experience interviewing you. Thank you for giving us a rare peek into your world!
Lucy Monroe: Thank you, Steph! Connecting with other romance readers always makes me feel like I live in a better world. A world where people believe in happy beginnings and sacrificing for the people they love.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Lucy Monroe check her out at:
http://lucymonroe.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Lucy Monroe:
Sheikh's Scandal Chatsfield Continuity -May 2014
When the Sheikh comes to town...
Sheikh Sayed of Zeena Sarha and his harem of beautiful women are staying at the exclusive, opulent Chatsfield Hotel, London, for the last stop on his worldwide tour before his wedding. But when his engagement is unceremoniously broken, Sayed sets his sights on his sexy chambermaid!
Liyah Amari only took the position as chambermaid to find the truth about her birth father. But her search ends in heartache, leaving Liyah vulnerable to this powerful sheikh’s desires. Now their one night of passion could result in a scandalous consequence for the proud Sheikh!
Welcome to The Chatsfield, London!
Delicious -Re-print Anthology with Moon Magnetism by Lucy Monroe -December 2013
Small town life can be quirky, magical ...
With a full moon hanging over the apple orchards of Delicious, Ohio,
romance is in the air, and three couples are about to experience the
magic of falling in love.
Down on Jonathan Avenue, the shy proprietor of the quaint bookstore can’t seem to keep her fantasies about a famous writer to herself. While at The Old Orchard Inn the tempting smell of spiced hot cider lures an out-of-town investor to investigate the magnetic attraction of his sultry but strangely old-fashioned manager. And over at Apple of My Pie a play-by-the-rules accountant wants much more than tasty treats from the pop up food truck’s on-again-off-again baker.
Satisfaction is just a bite away.
Million Dollar Christmas Proposal -November 2013
Two people need the most amazing holiday miracle of all: love.
Enzu is determined to offer his orphaned niece and nephew the family he’d craved but never known, even if he has to pay a few million for a “loving mother.”
Audrey learns of her CEO’s crazy scheme and sees it as an opportunity to provide the high end education her brilliant brother deserves. Besides, she knows you can’t buy love and those orphaned children deserve better than the women Vincenzo Tomasi is going to draw with his multi-million dollar offer.
Prince of Secrets -By His Royal Decree Duo Book 2 -August 2013
Prince Demyan Zaretsky does whatever it takes to protect his country. So seducing Chanel Tanner will be easy. And marriage? An unfortunate side effect of duty. She unwittingly holds the economic stability of Volyarus in her hands...and he must secure it.
With his royal identity and intent disguised, Demyan sets about a ruthless seduction designed to make Chanle lose her mind with ecstasy. But when he discovers she is a virgin, he uncovers something in himself—a conscience. Now his plan takes a shocking turn—one this dark-hearted prince had never anticipated
One Night Heir -By His Royal Decree Duo Book 1 -July 2013
Only a royal wedding...
Bitter life lessons have taught Crown Prince Maksim Yurkovich that duty must come before desire. His country needs an heir, so when he discovers his lover can’t have children, he must sever their ties. Only Maks can’t resist spending one last night in her bed.
...can avert this royal scandal!
Now he faces the biggest diplomatic crisis of his life. Against all odds, Gillian Harris has become pregnant. Maks’s royal reserve masks the heart of a fierce Cossack warrior—one who is not above using their mutual passion to convince a hurt, wary Gillian that she must be his queen!
Warrior's Moon -Children of the Moon Novel #5 -July 2013
Chrechte wolf shifter Caelis turned his back on his human lover Shona so that he could remain loyal to his pack. Six years later, he thinks she’s dead. He’s wrong...
After being rejected by Caelis, Shona was forced to marry an English baron. Now she’s on the run from the deceased baron’s heir. Determined to protect her children, she heads north to Balmoral Island, to the only family she has left. And runs into the one man she never wants to see again—and the only one who might be able to save her.
As powerful and charismatic as ever, Caelis has been charged with saving his pack from the corrupt laird ruling them. This time, however, he refuses to abandon his sacred mate. He lost Shona once and swears he will never be separated from her again. Passion and love urge Shona to join him. But she has to wonder if she truly comes before the pack, or if nothing has mutual passion to convince a hurt, wary Gillian that she must be his queen!
Entralled with Ecstasy Under the Moon by Lucy Monroe
A Children of the Moon Novella -July 2013
They have the power to hold you spellbound, to captivate your senses, and to keep you forever in their control. Forever enthralled...
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breeds...as one stubborn Breed meets her match, and can no longer deny her mate—or the fierce desires of her own heart.
New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swan...and the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves.
New York Times bestselling author Meljean Brook delivers a new story in her steampunk world of the Iron Seas...as a man who’s lost everything returns home to find that not only is his marriage in jeopardy, but he must now fight air pirates who intend to steal his one remaining treasure—his wife.
And Lucy Monroe, national bestselling author of the Children of the Moon novels...unleashes the feral passions of a werewolf on the body, mind, and soul of his prey, his lover, his lifemate.
He's The One -Anthology Re-print -July 2013
LINDA LAEL MILLER
Batteries Not Required
The only boyfriend Gayle Hayes has is the battery-operated kind. But when she returns to her small Montana hometown, rodeo bad boy Tristan McCullough gives her a whole new lesson in power surge...
JILL SHALVIS
Captivated
James Scott warned his investigator ex-wife Ella to be more careful. Now he finds the irate woman nearly naked and handcuffed to the towel rack in his Mexican vacation condo. He should release her. Then again...
LUCY MONROE
Seducing Tabby
Everybody always wants Tabby Payton’s beautiful sister. But not sexy English spy Calder Maxwell. He wants Tabby, body and soul, and he’s willing to take the seduction to new levels to prove it...
KATE ANGELL
No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service
Violet Cates is done surfing beach bums. She’s ready for a new wave, someone with more ambition than a grain of sand. Like Brad Davis. He looks like a beach bum, but looks can be so deceiving...
CAT JOHNSON
Fish Out of Water
Carla Henricks is a cowgirl through and through, but her lasso has never met an English professor like Mark Ross. It’s true opposites attract. Staying together is the juicy part..
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH NANCY HERKNESS
Nancy Herkness has been writing contemporary romance for nearly a decade and has numerous awards to show for it! She tackles difficult situations that her heroines must conquer as well as heart-felt romance in her latest series called the Horse Whisper books.
Her Horse Whisper books are set in the small country town of Sanctuary, West Virginia. Their home town feel and genuine characters have made her books favorites to be cherished!
But where does a girl from the suburbs of New Jersey get her ideas for charming stories in the country? I could not wait to ask!
New Flash: Country Roads, Book 2 of the Whisper Horse novels, is nominated for a 2014 Romance Writers of America RITA™ award!
1) I know a lot authors feel driven to write, is this how you got started?
Nancy Herkness: Writing just comes naturally to me; it’s like sleeping, eating, and breathing. I love words and I love visualizing people and scenes that don’t exist in reality. Bringing those scenes to life in a reader’s mind, using my beloved words, is my idea of a great time.
2) Many authors say their characters take over and sometimes change the intended storyline, has this happened to you?
Nancy Herkness: In fact, I love it when this happens. It means my characters have taken on a life of their own and are jumping off the page to control their fates. Sometimes it’s inconvenient because I have to reroute the plot arc, but it makes the story so much stronger and better.
For instance, in Take Me Home, I had no idea Paul, the lawyer Claire calls to take on her sister’s divorce, was secretly in love with Claire. He just took over the scene and made it clear to me. It added all kinds of wonderful dimensions to the story, and made Paul an even more complex character for his starring role in Country Roads.
3) What do you feel is most important to a successful romance?
Nancy Herkness: Intensity of emotion! We all want to experience the glorious pleasure-pain of falling in love over and over again. Of course, the hard part is creating that. I start with characters who I believe have the depths to generate that kind of genuine feeling. Then I have to think of ways to make the reader feel what the hero and heroine are going through to earn their happy ending.
4) What are the most difficult sections of a book for you to write?
Nancy Herkness: The really emotional scenes are the ones I labor over the longest and hardest. I want the reader to feel what my characters are feeling. For that I need to write dialogue with powerful subtext, add recognizable but unique body language cues, and then give the reader vivid visceral reactions from the characters. Phew, that’s a tough job!
5) Your Horse Whisper series is set in Sanctuary, West Virginia. Is Santauary based on a real town that you have visited? Or is it an imaginary place to protect the innocent?!
Nancy Herkness: Sanctuary is an idealized version of the town I grew up in: Lewisburg, West Virginia. It’s a very small pre-Civil War community cradled in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. I rode my pony Papoose around town the way other kids rode their bicycles. Some of my friends had ponies too, so we’d saddle up to visit each other’s houses or follow a trail down to the river to swim with our mounts. It was a pretty neat place to grow up.
I even use the last names of the folks I knew in my youth—although my characters don’t resemble the real people in any way. I think the names, like Sydenstricker, Arbuckle, and Loudermilk, give an authentic local flavor to the books.
6) Can you tell us more about your Horse Whisper series and why it is dear to your heart?
Nancy Herkness: The Whisper Horse series is all about returning to my roots, both in location and with horses. It’s taken me a while to feel comfortable about going back to my childhood memories and mining them for material, but I’m so glad I took the plunge.
As a result of setting my Whisper Horse novels in West Virginia, I’ve reconnected with a surprising number of childhood friends. One former classmate has even scanned pages from our elementary school yearbooks and sent them to me. Boy, do those bring back people and events I had no idea were still stored in my memory banks!
My pony Papoose gave me the idea for a Whisper Horse. You know how horses have those graceful pointed ears that they move around constantly? It makes them very good listeners, so I started telling Papoose all my troubles, and I always felt better after I did. As an added bonus, I knew he wouldn’t spill my secrets to anyone else. LOL!
Papoose was an important part of my growing-up: not just riding him, but having responsibility for his well-being. I had to make sure he had food and water and was exercised regularly. It was my job to call the blacksmith to trim his hooves, and the vet to give him his shots. It was a labor of love, since I adored him (and I like to think he was fond of me too), but it taught me a lot about the obligations of having another creature depend on me.
7) Are you secretly a cowgirl at heart? Is that why you love the country?
Nancy Herkness: Well, I grew up listening to country music and riding a horse all over town. And I love cowboy boots! Does that make me a cowgirl at heart?
8) Can you tell us about your earlier books? Especially your award winning book, A Bridge to Love, about a woman bent on revenge?
Nancy Herkness: My first two books, A Bridge to Love and Shower of Stars, were contemporary romances set in the New York metropolitan area, where I now live. They were originally published by Berkley Books. My third book, Music of the Night, was my debut in romantic suspense which was a fascinating challenge. Braiding together the mystery and the romance really gave my brain a workout!
You asked about A Bridge to Love. Since it was my first published novel (2003!), it holds a special place in my heart, as does its hero, Randall Johnson. I created him especially for me, and I still think he’s incredibly hot. There’s a love scene in the book that takes place on the hood of his Jaguar, and I have readers who reminisce about that from reading the book back when it was released.
A Bridge to Love came out of my experience as a suburban mom of two children. I wondered what would happen if one of the fundamental beliefs I’d built my adult life around turned out to be a lie. And what if the person who told me that lie was no longer within my reach? How would I react? How could I go forward? My answer was: revenge, of a sort.
9) Do you have any other books planned for the future besides your Whisper Horse series? Can you please tell us about them?
Nancy Herkness: Actually I have written a Christmas novella for the Whisper Horse series, which will be available October 1st, 2014. My wonderful readers asked me to write Holly and Robbie’s story (secondary characters in Take Me Home). Since Holly has two young daughters, I thought a holiday setting would be perfect. And instead of a Whisper Horse, Holly ends up with a Whisper Donkey. I have had the best time writing it!
As for my next series, it’s a change of gears from small town, horsey West Virginia, titled “The Horatio Club”. Three wealthy men, strangers to each other, find themselves in the bar of the exclusive Horatio Club in New York City, drowning their sorrows in drink. They start talking and discover they all have the same problem: finding a woman who loves them for themselves and not their money or power. So they make a pact to go in search of that woman. Each book begins with the same scene in the club, but told from the point-of-view of the hero of the book. My heroes are a CEO, a quarterback, and a writer, so something for everyone! I’m working on the first book now and loving it.
10) This has been so much fun! Thank you so much for this opportunity to interview you!
Nancy Herkness: Steph, I’ve had a blast chatting with you! You ask the best questions! If any of your readers wants to know more, just shoot the question over to me and I’ll be happy to answer it. I love hearing from readers!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Nancy Herkness check her out at:
http://nancyherkness.com/ or find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nancyherkness and Twitter @NancyHerkness.
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Nancy Herkness
The Place I Belong – June 3, 2014
Book 3 of the Whisper Horse novels
Fleeing professional scandal and a broken engagement, veterinarian Hannah Linden abandons Chicago for the mountain town of Sanctuary, West Virginia, hoping to put her troubles with men and the media behind her.
But when she encounters world-famous chef Adam Bosch, she finds herself increasingly drawn to the charming but darkly complex man and his troubled teenage son, Matt. Adam, a recovering alcoholic, fears he can never be a worthy father to the surly, distant boy he has just come to know, and enlists Hannah’s help in his struggle to connect with his son.
Hoping to coax Matt out of his shell, Hannah introduces the boy to an ailing brown pony who has the power to change his view of the world. But can the determined little whisper horse prove to Hannah, Adam, and Matt that they were meant to be a family?
Country Roads -Sept., 17th, 2013
Book 2 of the Whisper Horse novels
A 2014 Romance Writers of America RITA™ nominee!
When sheltered artist Julia Castillo flees her hometown, she has one goal: to prove to her overbearing family she can make it on her own. She knows they only want the best for her, but when they question her artistic vision, it’s time to break free. Julia’s search for independence carries her to the small town of Sanctuary, West Virginia. There, her courage is tested as never before—by her love for a handsome country lawyer, her bond with a dangerous black stallion, and a secret she is desperate to keep…
Paul Taggart abandoned his high-powered legal career to return to Sanctuary, giving up his own dreams to care for his troubled brother. Then Julia Castillo blows into town like a fresh mountain breeze, changing his staid, predictable life forever. Has Paul earned his second chance at happiness? Or does loving Julia mean having the strength to let her go?
Take Me Home -Nov. 6th, 2012
Book 1 of the Whisper Horse novels
When Claire Parker left Sanctuary, West Virginia, she thought it was for good. But now she’s back, reeling from an ugly divorce.
Readjusting to small-town life is harder than Claire expected, so she’s surprised, and grateful, to find companionship in Willow, an abused Thoroughbred mare. Willow is Claire’s “whisper horse,” and they share a special, rare bond. Except Willow isn’t the only one helping Claire heal; Willow’s ruggedly handsome veterinarian, Dr. Tim Arbuckle, is sympathetic…and secretive.
Devastated by his wife’s death, Tim thought he’d never find love again. The stoic, sexy doctor was sure he’d left his heart behind when he came to Sanctuary. But Claire stirs up emotions he thought he’d buried long ago. For the first time, the doctor tries to see past his grief.
When Willow falls gravely ill, Tim and Claire must work together to save the horse’s life and to find a love so encompassing, so intense, their lives will never be the same again.
Music of the Night -Oct. 18, 2011
Legend has it that Beethoven wrote a tenth symphony…and made it music to die for.
When world-famous conductor Nicholas Vranos finds his best friend murdered backstage at Carnegie Hall, he’s plunged into a maelstrom of intrigue swirling around the mythical masterpiece. Although Vranos is her main suspect, New York City police detective Anna Salazar finds herself turning to the dark, charismatic maestro for help as she navigates the Byzantine world of classical music. Yet she must fight the powerful seduction of the musician and his Music of the Night.
Shower of Stars -Oct. 18, 2011
Charlotte “Charlie” Berglund wants a child…desperately. When her adoption caseworker concludes that being a traveling journalist is not compatible with single parenthood, Charlie realizes she must change her profession. She decides to write a book about New York’s hottest new celebrity: Jack Lanett, meteorite hunter extraordinaire.
Unfortunately, her subject is uncooperative. Jack hates being front-page news but he’s found what may be the most valuable space rock in the world: a potentially life-bearing meteorite from Mars. Publicity will drive up the price so he agrees to one disastrous interview.
Charlie offers Jack a business proposition; he counters with a most unusual proposal.
A Bridge to Love -Oct. 18, 2011
Kate Chilton, widowed a year ago, struggles to raise two young sons alone, drawing on memories of her happy marriage to help her through the toughest times. When she discovers that her marriage was not what it seemed, the foundation of her world is shattered.
Randall Johnson has clawed his way up the ladder of success from a dirt-poor childhood in rural Texas. He has no time for the complications of love and prefers women who understand his rules. Kate Chilton is definitely not his type, despite the electricity crackling between them.
When Kate is driven by anger and betrayal to seek her own unique brand of revenge, she decides that Randall will make the perfect shockproof partner. However, as soon as she tells him he’s a one-night stand, he refuses to take “no” for an answer.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SALLY MACKENZIE
USA Today bestselling author, Sally MacKenzie, is well-known for her charming Regency romances. Her 'Naked' series totals nine books and her newest books, the Duchess in Love series deals with a devious, matchmaking mama.
This year, her latest book, Loving Lord Ash, is scheduled to come out in March. Will this be the last book in her series?! I sincerely hope not! This clever author must have more romances up her sleeve.
But will she let us know more? I had to ask her and find out!
1) Wow! Thanks for letting us interview you! :) Your books are so fun and engaging! Can you tell us what inspires you to write your books?
Sally MacKenzie:
Thanks so much for inviting me to be here. And thank you for the compliment—I’m blushing.
I think inspiration is a bit of a stew—you throw a little of this and a little of that into the creative pot and then see how it all bubbles together. The recipe is different for each book.
The Duchess of Love series began with the not uncommon idea of a matchmaker, but this matchmaker is a duchess, the mother of three sons, who writes an advice “column” for the English aristocracy. That’s where a bit of my own life comes in. I’m not a matchmaker by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have sons—four—who are...well, mortified might be too strong a word, but they turn a bit green at the thought that their mother writes books that include s-e-x. Once at a New Year’s Eve party, the oldest had to leave the room—with his wife—when someone thought it would be fun to download one of my books and read aloud a “good” part. So I was certainly thinking of my boys when I wrote the duchess’s sons’ reactions to Venus’s Love Notes.
Once in a while, inspiration is born of desperation. I’m what’s known as a “pantser,” which means I tend to make things up as I go along rather than outlining or plotting in detail. Or, as I prefer to think of it, I let my characters lead me through the tale. Ash (or Kit as his wife calls him) first appears in Bedding Lord Ned. He’s the duchess’s oldest son and the heir—and he’s separated from his wife. I thought the reason for their separation would come to me as I wrote Ned’s book. When that didn’t happen, I thought surely I would figure it out by the time I finished Jack’s book. Oops. I had to spend some time ruminating before starting Loving Lord Ash to determine exactly what had happened all those years ago.
If we’re talking about inspiration to write at all, then I have to point to my readers. Writing a book can be a hard, solitary task. When I start to tear my hair out and contemplate throwing my computer through the window, I think of all the readers who have written to me or stopped by to chat at book signings to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my books. It is really, really inspiring to think that I’ve been able to bring a little laughter and fun into other people’s lives.
2) Regency times are my favorite settings for historical romance. What fascinates you in particular about the Regency era? Do you need to do a lot of research for your novels, such excuses to travel?!
Sally MacKenzie:
I have a simple, non-historical reason for loving the Regency, and her name is Georgette Heyer. A friendly librarian introduced me to Ms. Heyer’s books when I was about middle school age, young enough to find her thirty-something heroes very old, lol. But even with her “elderly” heroes, I still loved the romance and the humor in her books. I’m sure it was very un-American of me, but I longed to be one of her heroines and marry a titled, wealthy gentleman. Now, of course, I realize if I were transported to the Regency, I’d more likely be the Irish maid, and I’d sadly miss my 21st century conveniences like indoor plumbing.
As I writer, I love the opportunity to have lots of quirky secondary characters, some of whom I can use in more than one books. And I love playing with language. Where else but in a Regency novel could I have a character call another an “encroaching mushroom” or a “shagbag” or a “ninnyhammer?”
I do have lots of research books, but because they aren’t written with novelists in mind, they sometimes gloss over the nitty gritty details I need. Being on site doesn’t always help, either. For example, when I was visiting an historical property in Bath, I asked the docents exactly how the bootjack they had on display was used. Even the curator couldn’t tell me.
I do love to poke around London and the English countryside and soak up the atmosphere. And of course I’m eager to visit historic homes. Mr. MacKenzie calls my research “looking at spoons.” On our jaunts across the pond, I decide where we’ll go and what we’ll see, and he figures out how we’ll get there. We both like to hike, so as long as I include some of that, he’ll put up with my spoon gazing.
3) Have you ever thought of trying your hand at a different historical time period or even a pirate romance?!
Sally MacKenzie:
The book I started writing after I finished The Naked Duke was a futuristic/science fiction romance. I’d reached chapter five or so when I got “the Call” that Kensington wanted to buy the Duke, so I put the futuristic aside and moved fulltime to the Regency. I also wrote picture books when my children were very young. I got some “good” rejections on those, but never made a sale. However, now that I have twin grandchildren on the way (!), I expect I’ll be reading picture books again, which might lead to trying my hand at writing them again. But a pirate romance? Hmm. That’s not on the radar yet, but you never know.
4) What do you find the most challenging and enjoyable about writing romance?
Sally MacKenzie:
Most enjoyable? The happy ending! Most challenging? The happy ending!
Romance readers know how a romance is going to end—happily ever after—so the trick is to make the journey so much fun they keep eagerly turning the pages. And after you’ve written more than one book, the added challenge is to give your readers the kind of story they expect while still making it fresh and as good as or, hopefully, better than the last book.
I also love the challenge of creating story people—or animals—that feel real to me. I love it when my characters start talking to each other. And I love it when things fall into place, when the bits I wrote somewhat blindly at the beginning of the book suddenly come together at the end.
5) Can you tell us more about your Duchess in Love series? What makes your latest hero, Kit so special?
Sally MacKenzie:
The series has four parts: a prequel novella called “The Duchess of Love,” which happens thirty years before the books and tells the story of how the duchess met her duke, and then the three books, one for each of the duchess’s sons.
Kit—by title Lord Ashton or “Ash”—is the heir to the duchy, so he has to have a legitimate son to ensure the succession, but the only woman who can give him his heir is Jess, the wife from whom he’s been estranged from the moment they said their vows. So he’s trapped. It’s not that he doesn’t love Jess—the damnable thing is, he does. He just can’t bring himself to trust her, and for good reason. But time is passing. He’s been in limbo for eight years. So at last he forces himself to seek her out—and finds her in the arms of a naked footman. He’s so angry and hurt. Add to this the fact that he’s kept his wedding vows all these years—he’s nothing if not honorable—so he’s sexually frustrated as well. It’s a wonder the poor boy doesn’t explode!
Nothing is quite as it seems, of course. Jess does love Kit. She just has terribly bad luck. He keeps finding her in innocent, though extremely damning, situations. But she realizes she has to go after him and persuade him to spend time with her if she has any hope of saving her marriage. And, because he loves her, he agrees to try again. And so he adds Jess’s nearness to his torture. He wants her, but he can’t have her until he’s certain she hasn’t played him false with the naked footman. But he wants his marriage to succeed so much, he brings himself to read his mother’s new advice pamphlet, How to Woo Your Wife. Now there’s desperation!
6) After the third book, all the Duchess's sons will be married. Does mean the series will be over?! Do you have plans for spin-off books or another new Regency series?
Sally MacKenzie:
I don’t have any plans at the moment for more Duchess of Love books, but I’m excited to say I’ve just agreed to write a new series! It’s in its very early stages, so I’m still feeling my way, but it’s set in a village that was inspired by the villages we saw when we visited England in September. And I think there may be a village cat, named for and modeled after Poppy, a calico cat we met on our travels.
7) Your Naked series has been so popular. How did you get the idea for the 'Naked' part of the title? It is sooo risqué!
Sally MacKenzie:
I’d like to say I knew exactly what I was doing with that, but it was pretty much crazy luck.
When I was writing The Naked Duke, I hadn’t yet joined any writers’ organizations, so I didn’t know much about the business side of writing. But I did have a friend—a mom with daughters on the local swim team—who’d once worked as a New York editor. She read my manuscript, and one of her many suggestions was that my working title was pretty awful.
I thought about that. Somewhere I’d heard that sex and power sell. So... My hero is a duke—that’s the power part. And it just so happens that, through a bit of misdirection, he’s naked when he first meets the heroine. It’s all completely innocent, of course. Just a misunderstanding. But that was the “sex” piece, even though, I assure you, there was no sex involved. At least not then.
Then I wrote the second book, this one about one of the duke’s two friends. I came up with another title. This time my editor—by this time I had an editor—told me the title was pretty awful. And here perhaps desperation gave birth to inspiration again. I had zero ideas. I was banging my head against my keyboard when suddenly I thought, well The Naked Duke worked, so why not keep to the pattern? The stories are connected, after all. I had to revise Duke to make my new hero a marquis, since the third friend was already an earl. Thus, The Naked Marquis was born—and a Naked series.
8) Of all the books you have written, do you have a favorite book or character? Is there one character you feel you relate most to?
Sally MacKenzie: Oh, I can’t choose a favorite! They are all a bit like my children. I love them all—and they all have their special ways of driving me crazy. But I suppose I most relate to the duchess in Duchess of Love series. As I say, I’m not a matchmaker, but I do have four sons. I can empathize with her. You love your boys so much, but once they become men, you have to step back and hope for the best. However, the duchess is much braver than I am—she’s not afraid to nudge things in the direction she wants them to go.
Throughout the series, the duchess talks about being a grandma. Two of my sons are married now, so I’ll admit the thought of grandchildren has crossed my mind once or twice. I explored my feelings about that a bit through the duchess. And then once Loving Lord Ash was written and handed in, my oldest informed me I am going to be a grandma! And a few months later, we discovered the “baby” is twins!!
9) Okay, I have to ask. Why does it take sooo long for your books to come out?!
Sally MacKenzie: When I sold The Naked Duke, the contract was for two books. The Duke was the first manuscript I’d written in years, and it had taken me a long time and many drafts to write it. So I was a little, er, anxious about writing a second book—and, to make matters more frightening, on deadline! So when I negotiated the contract, I pushed the due date for the second book back as far as I could—a year. And that set the pattern.
However, I do seem to be a slow writer. I need to see the story details, hear my characters speak, feel what they feel. It doesn’t help that I agonize over every, single word. And I think humor can’t be rushed; it depends too much on word choice and timing and visual details. Plus I’ve also found that I need time between books to recharge.
I really wish I wrote faster, so I’m sorry about that. I’ll try to improve—but don’t hold your breath.
10) Thank you so much for your gracious time. It has been such an honor having you on our website!
Sally MacKenzie: Thank you so much for having me here, Steph! It’s been fun.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Sally MacKenzie check her out at:
http://www.sallymackenzie.net/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Sally MacKenzie
Loving Lord Ash, The Duchess of Love Series, Book #3 -March 4th, 2014
A Little Misunderstanding...
Kit, the Marquis of Ashton, is in a sticky wicket. He married young and for love--how naive. He discovered his mistake the very day of his wedding, but he is saddled now with a wife he's reluctant to trust. And however much evidence he gathers against faithless Jess, he can't seem to prove her guilt to the final judge--his foolish heart.
Jessica knows she's bobbled her marriage, however innocently. A fairytale wedding makes no difference if she hasn't got the marquis charmed to show for it. Well, she's had enough of accidental encounters with naked gentlemen and near misses explaining things to her husband. It's time to buck up and go win her man back--even if she has to fight very dirty indeed.
The Naked Laird re-release e-book - Nov. 5th, 2013
Naked Nobility e-novella, originally published in the "Lords of Desire" anthology
The viscount's house party promises to be one of the Season's highlights, and Lord and Lady Kilgorn are delighted to attend. If only the long-estranged couple had realized that they were both invited--and assigned to the same bedchamber...
Josephine Atworthy is shocked by the goings-on at her rich neighbor's house party. Quite shocked. But her demure charm beguiles a mysterious nobleman, who begs a kiss--then another. And in a twinkling they fall head over heels in love...
Surprising Lord Jack, The Duchess of Love Series, Book #2 -March 2013
Unladylike behavior...
Frances Hadley has managed her family's estate for years. So why can't she request her own dowry? She'll have to go to London herself and knock some sense into the men interfering in her life. With the nonsense she's dealt with lately, though, there's no way she's going as a woman. A pair of breeches and a quick chop of her red curls, and she'll have much less to worry about...
Jack Valentine, third son of the famous Duchess of Love, is through being pursued by pushy young ladies. One particularly determined miss has run him out of his own house party. Luckily the inn has one bed left. Jack just has to share with a rather entertaining red-headed youth. Perhaps the two of them should ride to London together. It will make a pleasant escape from his mother's matchmaking melodrama!
Bedding Lord Ned, The Duchess of Love Series, Book #1 -June 2012
Pleasure is in her future...
Ellie Bowman is determined: during this year’s Valentine house party, she will choose one of the men the matchmaking Duchess of Greycliffe--aka the Duchess of Love--has invited for her. Unfortunately, that man will not be Lord Ned, the duchess’s second son. Ned is still mourning his wife and will never see “trusty” Ellie as anything other than a childhood friend. Now if only she could convince her heart of what her head already knows--and persuade the duchess’s thieving cat to stop stealing her red silk drawers and depositing them in Ned’s bed.
Lord Ned arrives at Greycliffe Castle vowing to finally cooperate with his mother’s matchmaking efforts. He’s been a widower for four years; it’s time to put his past behind him. He wants a family; he needs an heir. Ergo, he must get a wife--and this year’s candidate even looks like his lost love. But his old friend Ellie is behaving strangely, and Reggie, Mama’s cat, keeps bringing him a pair of shocking red underwear. This outrageous, alluring scrap of silk couldn’t be Ellie’s, could it? Suddenly his respectable old friend is invading his dreams in an utterly scandalous manner.
The Duchess of Love, The Duchess of Love Series Prequel, E-novella -April 2012
A DUKE IN DISGUISE…
The day was as hot as the pond was inviting. It's not as if anyone in Little Huffington was going to happen upon a secluded vale on the Duke of Greycliffe's lands. And Venus Collingswood didn't want to get her shift all wet. It was the perfect setting in which to plan her lovely bookworm of a sister's betrothal to the mysterious new duke arriving seven days hence. If only she had a suitable accomplice…
Andrew Valentine, Duke of Greycliffe, never thought arriving at his own household a week early would cause so much trouble. The housekeeper thinks he's his own cousin. Actually, the chance to not be the duke for a while is a pleasant opportunity indeed. It might even help him interrogate the delectable little nymph he's discovered swimming in his pond-if he can manage to get a word in edgewise…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH RUTH CASIE
Ruth Casie is a NJRW Golden Leaf Award Finalist. She has been described as a "fresh, exciting new voice," and I agree! She writes historical and paranormal romance -my favorites! I especially enjoy how she explores historical eras that other authors fear to tread. But what gives Ruth Casie inspiration for her imaginative stories? And what new books does she have in store for romance fans?
I was pleased to have the opportunity to interview the author and find out!
1) Can you tell us how you got the writing bug? What makes being a romance author so appealing to you?
Ruth Casie:
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Steph.
Before I retired I was an international product manager for a large US bank. One of my responsibilities was giving product seminars for clients. I know I will be dating myself here but this was in the days before webinars. I traveled overseas conducted the seminar and afterwards met with clients to close deals. To optimize on my airfare, my trips were a minimum of two weeks. I usually traveled alone and met with my bank’s in-country officer at their location.
I read on the long plane rides and found it much more tolerable to read a book when I dined alone. I would stuff my suitcase with 6-8 romance novels. They were quick reads and I would give them away when I finished them. That’s how I got hooked on romance stories.
Fast forward to 2009. A good friend told me she was going to write a romance novel and I volunteered to brainstorm, beta read, do anything to help her. Once we started I realized I had my own story to write. So we decided we would each write our books and try to sell them together. She had several other priorities. She was busy with training for the NY marathon and looking at colleges with her daughter. So while she put her writing on hold I continued to write and in four months I had 104 thousand words and my first book completed.
2) What is your favorite romance genre to read and why?
Ruth Casie:
I love historicals—medieval and renaissance. Some women are turned on by a uniform. I love knights in kilts and armor. I enjoy the conflict between strong men and empowered women and how they must work together to reach their goal and their happily ever after.
3) Why do you feel romance books are important? Do you have any tips for aspiring authors? What do you think of e-books for new and established authors?
Ruth Casie:
After food, shelter and safety, love and belonging are a basic human need. I think the curiosity of how others fulfill that need resonate with us. I enjoy the emotional ride. I root for the hero and heroine and boo the villain. For me, romance books with a happily ever after make me feel good and I am not alone. Many readers feel the same way.
As for tips for aspiring writers, write a love story that moves you and it will resonate with your readers.
My traditionally published books were published by Carina Press and are ebooks. I have to admit that I thought long and hard before signing with Carina Press because it would be an ebook. I’ve never regretted my decision. eBook royalties are larger and the time to market is much shorter. I think ebooks work for both new and established authors. For the established author, ebooks coming to market quicker keep their inventory churning which is what an author needs to do.
4) How do you find time to write? Do you have a writing ritual? How much do you usually write a day?
Ruth Casie:
It is just my husband and I. Our three children are all grown and on their own. I wrote my first book while I was working full time and president of a moderate size not-for-profit. I found time at night and on weekends.
I retired last June and now I have made writing my job. I sit down at my desk after my morning routine, breakfast and the gym. I take a break around lunchtime and run errands or visit with friends. I write some more before my husband comes home from work.
I’ve gotten in the habit of writing after dinner but now that I am retired I am making an effort to not write at night but spend more time with my live in knight in shining armor. Weekends depend on our plans and on my deadlines. My knight is very understanding.
I usually write about 1,500-3,000 words a day. It really depends on how diligent I’ve been with my character study. For me that’s the secret. The better I know my characters the better (and faster) I can write. I can put them into situations and know how they will react.
5) Time travel books always fascinate me. I always wonder what it would be travel back in time and find a 'hunky' man from the past. I especially like that you have a time travel book about the druids. What inspired you to write about that time? What makes your druid men especially sexy?!
Ruth Casie:
Strong. Silent. Command and control. Dedicated. Protective. Loving. Magnificent eyes. Wide shoulders. Trim waist. Six pack abs. Soft touch. Adventurous. The usual stuff heroes are made of. But my hero must partner with the heroine to succeed. That takes a different kind of man, one with all of the above and who has an inner strength and is willing share with an equal partner. That’s what makes him sexy to me. For me there is magic in that relationship.
6) I realize you have another book coming out called Knight of Rapture. Will this be a trilogy? Can you tell us more about the heroine and the druid hero? Did you base the modern day heroine, Rebeka at bit on yourself?
Ruth Casie:
Knight of Rapture is the sequel to Knight of Runes. It’s currently with my publisher for consideration. I’m not certain the story will evolve into a trilogy although if readers are interested I could easily be convinced.
Rebeka Tyler never thought herself a warrior, renowned authority on medieval and renaissance studies, yes, a martial arts amateur, absolutely, a warrior, definitely not, but one miss-step at the standing stones sends her on an adventure of a lifetime. Faced with the loss of her parents and family connectedness, she matures into a competitive, ‘take control’ woman. Not wanting to face the pain of additional losses, she trust no one with her heart that is until she meets Lord Arik. She learns that only through trust and love will she find her way.
Did I base Rebeka on me? That’s an interesting question. In some ways yes, but only the good parts. I left my foibles out of the story. I will tell you that she has taught me a lot about myself. Sometimes I hear her words coming out of my mouth.
Lord Arik, the true druid knight, has the total trust of his King and people as he fights to protect them against Bran, the dark druid knight. Many have demanded much from Arik. He is steadfast and trustworthy and will never give up. He willingly puts his own wants and desires on hold believing his duty to his people comes first and only he can protect them. He has never met a woman as strong as he is until he met Rebeka. Once he gives his heart to her… well, it’s a forever love.
7) I’ve heard that some publishers won’t print books of certain genre/time period, have you had this difficulty writing your books?
Ruth Casie:
My publisher, Carina Press – the digital press for Harlequin, is a digital first press. When I contracted with them I knew it was unlikely that my books would go to print. That said, my first book, Knight of Runes, was selected by Harlequin for their Direct to Consumer program and was printed. It is available only through the Harlequin store.
When I was looking for a publisher I was told that no one was buying time travel or historicals. It’s strange that the very editors that told me that two years ago are the same that have put out a call for them. Go figure!
8) Was it especially fun writing a Christmas anthology in your upcoming release, Timeless Keepsakes - A Collection of Christmas Stories? What makes holiday romances special for you?
Ruth Casie:
This was a project of my heart. There are four of us in my critique group. I was the only one published. I wanted them to work with an editor, feel the excitement of seeing their name on a book cover, and of course the excitement of a book launch. In May I spoke to them about each of us writing a short story and self-publishing an anthology at the end of the year. They loved the idea.
Short story writing is different than writing a novel. A good friend and multi-published author, Julie Rowe, teaches short story writing at her local community college. She taught us how to write a short story and joined our critique group.
We had a great time working on the project with each other, our editor (we hired a professional), picking out our cover and creating both an ebook and print copy. We loved it so much we decided to publish two anthologies a year, a summer escape and a winter keepsake. We formed our own publishing company, Timeless Scribes, and we’re having a blast.
As far as what makes holiday romances special, holidays are special in themselves. For me, our children, spouses and grandchildren all move in for a long weekend. It is noisy and wonderful. So holidays are happy times for me. Romance stories just fit right in.
9) What new and exciting books do you have planned for the horizon?
Ruth Casie:
I’m working on a new time travel series that combines my love of art with other time periods. It’s still in the development stage but I’ll keep you posted.
10) Thank you fitting us in your busy schedule, it has been such a pleasure having you on our website! :)
Ruth Casie:
Steph, Thank you so much for inviting me. It was wonderful to chat with you and your readers.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Ruth Casie check her out at:
www.RuthACasie.com
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Ruth Casie
Coming Soon
Knight of Rapture
Arik will move heaven and hell, and break every druidic rule to rescue his sorceress wife who has been sent 400 years into the future, to a time she once knew well. But this druid master will discover that finding her was the easy part of his quest. Rebeka, his heart, has no recollection of him.
Bran, the dark druid, is tired of being on the losing side. He has Arik now. Bran knows Arik needs the witch in order to succeed. He’s tricked both of them into the 21st century. Without them in the 17th century he can destroy the manor and set off the magic that will erase Rebeka as if she never existed. Then he will annihilate Arik.
Arik must rekindle Rebeka’s love and help her remember their past. Only their combined magic can save them and all they hold dear. But he will be tested again. If he brings her back through the portal she will die. If he stays with her in the 21st century the manor will fall and it will be as if she never existed. The only way to save her is to leave her and go back. Or does our sorceress see things from a different perspective?
Timeless Keepsakes - A Collection of Christmas Stories - Timeless Scribes -Nov. 11th, 2013
The magic of Christmas is in the memories we hold dear and those precious treasures that remind us of the past. Join us as our Timeless Keepsakes take us on five remarkable journeys that heal old wounds, remind us of days gone by, play matchmaker, sweep us back in time and prove that love can conquer all.
Introduction ~ Sharon Sala
Mistletoe and Magick ~ Ruth A. Casie
She would give her last breath for him. He would give up everything to guard her well and love her more.
Christmas Spirits ~ Lita Harris
A widow's everlasting love is renewed by the memories of the holiday season.
Granting Her Wish ~ Emma Kaye
She doesn't belong in his time and he doesn't belong back home. Could they belong to each other?
Letter from St. Nick ~ Nicole S. Patrick
She’s trying to save her home and he’s never had one until now. Can an unexpected gift lead their hearts to the same place?
Secret Santa ~ Julie Rowe
A nurse grieving the death of her twin brother receives an unusual gift at the staff Secret Santa party: the bullet that killed him along with a message of hope and love.
The Guardian's Witch -Carina Press -July 1st, 2013
England, 1290
Lord Alex Stelton can’t resist a challenge, especially one with a prize like this: protect a castle on the Scottish border for a year, and it’s his. Desperate for land of his own, he’ll do anything to win the estate—even enter a proxy marriage to Lady Lisbeth Reynolds, the rumored witch who lives there.
Feared and scorned for her second sight, Lisbeth swore she’d never marry, but she is drawn to the handsome, confident Alex. She sees great love with him but fears what he would think of her gift and her visions of a traitor in their midst.
Despite his own vow never to fall in love, Alex can’t get the alluring Lisbeth out of his mind and is driven to protect her when attacks begin on the border. But as her visions of danger intensify, Lisbeth knows it is she who must protect him. Realizing they’ll secure their future only by facing the threat together, she must choose between keeping her magic a secret and losing the man she loves.
Knight of Runes -Nov. 14th, 2011
England, 1605
When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka Tyler wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style, he’s intrigued.
Rebeka is no ordinary seventeenth-century woman—she’s travelled back from the year 2011, and she desperately wants to return home. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to find out what’s killing Arik’s land. But as she works to decode the ancient runes that are the key to solving this mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.
As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik’s household schemes to keep them apart and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. To defeat him, Arik and Rebeka must combine their skills. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KATE PEARCE
Kate Pearce is the best-selling author of scorching, erotic romances. Her prolific writing includes: Historical, Paranormal, Western and Sci- Fiction novels. Perhaps her most popular books are her wildly sexy and edgy House of Pleasure series set in the passionately decadent, Regency world. Her fans will be thrilled to know that she is starting an exciting new set of romances based on the House of Pleasures series called the Sinner's Club.
In addition, Kate Pearce has also begun writing another series under the pen name Catherine Lloyd about a female detective also set in the Regency era. The heroine will be like a young Miss Marple that features a valiant war hero. Sounds deliciously fun!
I can't wait to ask her about her two new series and how romance will play in her stories.
1) Whew! I am such a fan! It is such a pleasure to have you on our site. I amazed that you keep coming up with new stories. What do you think is most rewarding about writing -what keeps you writing?
Kate Pearce:
Thanks so much for having me! For me writing gets all those people out of my head. There’s a big long line of them talking to me and writing them down and giving them substance and meaning is a totally normal concept to me and one I’ll never change. That’s also why I keep writing. J
2) Your books are hot, Hot, HOT!! Where do you get your inspiration? Do you do, your 'own' research?!
Kate Pearce:
I just write like that. I have no idea why. Everyone who knows me in real life can’t quite believe what I write because I’m a quiet introverted ‘don’t touch me’ kind of girl. Even my husband looks at me funny sometimes. I started off just writing what I couldn’t find to read. I love my romances to be edgy, gritty and, quite frankly, filthy. When I started there weren’t many of those around. Then I found Elloras Cave in 2004 and that was the start of my career.
3) As books get steamier, do you think there is a line that author's shouldn't cross? Or do you think a warning on the cover of the book is sufficient for potential readers?
Kate Pearce:
I’m not into certain things, and wouldn’t write them but I don’t like anyone telling anyone that they can’t read the particular kink they want to as long as it’s legal. It’s taken women far too long to be allowed to be sexual beings for us to shame others for their reading choices. But I do believe a good warning upfront is important so that I, as a reader can make an educated choice.
4) Speaking of steamy books, Your popular House of Pleasures books keep fans coming back for more. What is the difference between this series and your new Sinner's Club series? How many books do you have planned for this new series?
Kate Pearce:
The House of Pleasure series just evolved into this great big erotic family soap opera with all these tentacles (not literally). I’ve been amazed at its longevity and that readers are still seeking out the original books that came out in 2008. I’m really thrilled that it’s stood the test of time. Actually, books one and two, Simply Sexual and Sinful, are being re-released in paperback in May and June next year.
The Sinners Club is set in a similar world to the pleasure house, and there are many characters that flit between the two worlds. I’d probably say the Sinners is slightly less dark than the other series, but it is still kinky, sexy and good fun.
So far, I’ve written a novella, The First Sinners, out this month, to introduce the founders of the Sinners Club, which is a little bit of a gothic romance. Book one is The Sinners Club (Dec 2013) and gives us the charming and sexually amoral Jack Lennox who was in Simply Scandalous. Book two, which I’ve already finished, is going to be called Tempting the Sinner and has another character from Scandalous, Lord Benedict Keyes as the hero. Book three I haven’t quite decided what’s going to happen with that one yet. J Any more depends on how the first set sell!
5) Jack Lennox is the hero in the first full length Sinner's Club Book. Can you tell us more about Jack, what secrets does he have?
Kate Pearce:
Oh Jack. He’s charming, funny, totally unscrupulous and willing to bed almost anyone with a pulse. Of course, when he encounters the Picoult brother and sister he is convinced they are tricksters and quite willing to be entertained. Its only when they turn the tables that we begin to see Jack as he really is, and watch him realize that he has to change and more importantly, fall in love.
6) I have to ask, you have written several genres but always seem to return to Regency times. Is it your favorite genre? What keeps you coming back to your historicals? Does it have to do with your 'English' roots?!
Kate Pearce:
I studied history at college and did my dissertation about colonial Pennsylvania, so historical research is something I enjoy very much. I love getting to recreate the past. I think it makes it easier if you’ve grown up with it. For example I’ve been to Bath, to the Brighton Pavilion and I worked in London so those things are familiar to me and maybe easier to write about.
7) I have always had a weakness for time travel books do you think you might write one where the heroine or hero travels from modern times to historical England? Have you ever wanted to time travel to those times?!
Kate Pearce:
I have one idea for something like that in my ideas folder. When I get the chance to write it, I’ll let you know. J And time travel would be my ultimate super power if I was offered the choice!
8) I understand you have a new historical series also set in England but written under the alias Catherine Lloyd. It sounds like a spirited and amusing detective series. Will it also have a little romance? (Please!) What can you tell us about it?!
Kate Pearce:
The Catherine Lloyd books are cozy historical mysteries in which my feisty heroine, Miss Lucy Harrington, daughter of the rector, and Major Robert Kurland a wounded bedridden hero from the battle of Waterloo are flung together to solve a crime in their small village. It’s sort of like Miss Marple meets Rear Window. There is a tiny romance subplot, but it will take a few books to develop. In the meantime Robert and Lucy are rather entertaining in their own right.
9) Okay, Paranormal Romance, particularly Futuristic are my favorite genres. I loved your Tudor Vampire Chronicles. I couldn't help noticing that you have two new paranormal books! Can you tell us about the Soul Justice series and your latest e-book Sci Fic book?
Kate Pearce:
I love writing paranormal romance, but it never sells as well for me. L No idea why. The Soul Justice books from Carina, Press, Soul Sucker and Death Bringer are set in a contemporary world where the idea that there is another world full of Fae and trolls and things that go bump in the night is known and managed by the government. Ella Walsh is not your regular kick ass leather clad paranormal heroine. She’s a bit of a sarcastic slob. The hero, Vadim has so many secrets that it takes two books to uncover half of them. The books are lighter, funny, steamy but not erotic, and I really had a blast writing them.
I also adore science fiction romance, especially the erotic kind and write it and self-publish it purely for myself. LOL The Power of Three is a telepathic mates/menage book and there will be more. I love to write that m/m/f combo.
10) This has been such a pleasure, thank you so much for taking the time to be on our site :)
Kate Pearce:
It was a pleasure to be here! Thank you for having me. J
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Kate Pearce check her out at:
http://www.katepearce.com/
also writing as mystery writer
http://www.catherine-lloyd.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Kate Pearce
The Sinners Club Book 1 -Dec. 31st 2013
It’s known as the Sinners Club…a private gentlemen’s club whose members have mysterious pasts and secret fantasies too hot to reveal…
Total Pleasure
Unsure of his reception, Jack Lennox adopts the guise of his own secretary upon returning to his ancestral home to claim his father’s earldom. When he arrives, he’s stunned to discover the previous earl’s lovely young widow, a woman of beguiling curves and sensual smiles, warming the bed…
Absolute Surrender
Mary Lennox is determined to remain in Pinchbeck Hall and a mere secretary isn’t going to tell her otherwise. But Jack Smith is a man of many talents and soon she’s succumbing to his erotic games of pleasure. Only Mary may have underestimated the intensity of her wanton longings and the depths of Jack’s dark desires…
Note: This book is about Jack Lennox who you met first in Simply Scandalous.
The First Sinners The Sinners Club Prequel -Nov. 26th, 2013
Historical Erotic Romance Their identities a secret, they are men of mystery with hidden pasts and dark passions. Welcome to the Sinners Club…
Secret Desires
Faith Pelly is tired of being the responsible daughter. She longs for adventure with a man who will introduce her to the secrets of carnal desire. But she never dreams she will meet the Savage Rake who flirts with her, seduces her and takes her as his own…
Dark Secrets
Asked to investigate charges of treason, the Earl of Westbrook attends a house party determined to discover the truth. That includes using all his sensual wiles on the lovely Miss Pelly, a beguiling young woman eager for erotic excitement with a man who will fulfill all her secret fantasies. And he plans on being that man…
The Power of Three e-book -Sept. 23rd, 2013
Soreya Lang has never met a male telepath before, let alone one who is willing to die for her on an interplanetary mission gone wrong. Risking everything, she acts on her instant telepathic and physical connection with Esca and encounters a level of psychic power she never knew existed.
Esca can’t believe he’s finally met the female who will complete his sexual and telepathic triad. He promises himself that if they survive, he’ll take her back home, introduce her to his enigmatic First Male, Ash and pray that biology will do the rest.
But nothing is ever that simple, and Soreya, Esca and Ash will have to find their own way through the ties of family and traditions to experience the full telepathic wonder of the power of three…
Warning: contains m/m/f sexual situations
Death Bringer Book two of the Soul Justice series -Oct. 21st, 2013
A powerful magic user is stealing people’s faces in San Francisco, and empath Ella Walsh and shifter Vadim Morosov have been called in to investigate. Still adjusting to the closeness and permanence of their new relationship, the government-paired mates are soon hot on the trail of an Otherworld cultist from Vadim’s past.
But their target turns the tables, and after he gives Ella someone else’s face, the couple will have to follow him to Otherworld to get hers back. There, in an ancient world of family ties, old grudges and monsters, where living memory stretches centuries, Ella will have to confront the dangerous truth of Vadim’s bygone life.
Because there’s a reason the Fae call him Death Bringer, and if Ella can’t unravel it, she may never see her mate—or her face—again.
See how Ella met Vadim in Soul Sucker!
Soul Sucker Book one of the Soul Justice series -April 8th, 2013
Supernatural Branch of Law Enforcement empath Ella Walsh sucks memories from people’s heads. The job fills her mind with others’ nightmares and leaves her with little time for love, but if she doesn’t pair off with a mate of the government’s choosing soon, the psychic blowback will destroy her powers and her sanity.
The last time shapeshifting SBLE superstar Vadim Morosov worked with an empath, he got her killed and himself assigned to a desk. He worries about taking on another partner, but helping Ella track down an empath killer might be his only chance to save his career.
Naturally, the government decides to throw them together…
They resist at first, but they can’t deny the simmering heat between them. As the killer’s strikes grow closer to home, their bond gets tighter. And when the murderer finally traps Ella, her developing link with Vadim might be the only thing that can save her.
Simply Scandalous -Dec 24th, 2012
After years of fighting on the continent, Richard Ross has finally returned to London to make peace with his father, and the erotic delights of his stepmother’s Pleasure House provide a welcome distraction for his war-weary heart. But he is shocked to encounter someone there whose resemblance to his lost love leaves him both tempted and tormented…
As a former spy, Violet LeNy has mastered the art of deception. But there is no disguising the heated passion that still burns between her and Richard, the man she once betrayed but who now is her only hope of survival. Soon she plans a scandalous game of seduction where sensual surrender is the ultimate pleasure…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH PATRICIA RICE
Patricia Rice is a New York Times bestselling author known for her wildly popular historical romances. I grew up on her beloved Regency romances and fell in love with her magical paranormal series! Inspiring, heart-felt and sweet her books tug at the heart string and keep readers coming back for more.
But the a has hidden surprises! She has embarked on a new series, called Saturn’s Daughters. A fresh, urban fantasy series written under the pseudonym, Jamie Quaid.
I was excited to ask her about her new books and find out what other gems she has awaiting the publishing world!
1) Thanks you so much for letting me interview you! This is such a pleasure. I have to ask, you have been writing romance for a while, what about romance keeps bringing you back? Do you ever feel ‘tapped out’ when it comes to writing them?
Patricia Rice:
I never really considered myself a “romantic,” but I believe in the power of love. Love is the reason we get up every day, the reason we stand up to bullies, the reason we want more for our families and our communities. I don’t see how it’s possible to write without love being part of the story, so no, I never feel “tapped out” when it comes to romance. I do, however, find other means of expressing this theme than in romantic love when I write the urban fantasies.
2) What is it about the Regency period that specifically attracts you? Do you secretly wish you could go back in time and live in that time period? Or do you enjoy the comforts of today, too much?!
Patricia Rice:
I think of the Regency as a simpler era, one without the complications of industry and technology, where personal relationships overpower all else. The Regency is as close to “pure” romance as it gets, and I love writing it. It’s an elegant, mannered era, one that’s emerging from the crude, often brutal Georgian period. I want my characters to have regular access to baths. <G> But no, I don’t think I want to go back in time. London in that period was noisy and dirty, but the countryside was isolated and lacked libraries, transportation, and good stores. No happy medium!
3) Speaking of which, if you could write yourself as the heroine, what type of heroine do you see yourself as and why? (The hoyden/tomboy, the bluestocking, the ‘old maid,’ the Belle of the Ball or the shy wallflower.) Is there a favorite ‘type’ of heroine you have a fondness writing about?
Patricia Rice:
I’d probably be the bluestocking who would be lucky to find a match at all! I suppose I have a fondness for heroines who think for themselves, which automatically makes their lives very difficult.
4) I discovered that you also wrote a Western series and it has been made available again. Can you tell us more about it?
Patricia Rice:
I started out writing westerns and then began interspersing them with Regencies since my editor headed the Signet Regency line. The Western series that’s currently available is the Texas “Too Hard to Handle” books. I’d done a great deal of research in writing Texas Lily, about a gentle Southern lady left to manage a ranch all on her own in an era when women were meant to be seen and not heard. That book was extremely popular, but it was written in an era before the advent of serial romance. Since I didn’t want to give up on Texas after writing Lily, I finally convinced my editor to let me do a trilogy about a family of orphans who end up in Texas. So the first book is unrelated to the last three books other than by setting. It’s fun what we can do with e-books!
5) When you write a book, how much of the storyline do you have to set up before you start writing? Is it true that characters can take over and almost write themselves?
Patricia Rice:
I am basically what is called a “pantser,” flying by the seat of my pants into the mists. But I’ve run into too many mountains that way, and deadlines don’t allow for rebuilding broken books. So I finally learned to define my characters as closely as possible, setting up their goals and conflicts. After that, I develop plot turning points by brainstorming with some friends whose instincts match mine. And then, yes, the characters wing their way on their own. It’s amazing what those guys will do while I’m not looking!
6) I really enjoy your romances but I have to admit a specific weakness for your historical paranormal books. Do you plan to write more…please!
Patricia Rice:
I love historical paranormals, too, and the Magic series was quite popular—which is why it’s being reissued in trade paperback by Sourcebooks (Much Ado About Magic will be released 11/5). But the print book market has changed and historical paranormals are too small a niche for print publishers these days. I’m currently committed to finishing the Rebellious Sons series, which is straight Regency. And I’m releasing my need for paranormal with the contemporary California Malcolm trilogy. Once those are complete, I’ll see what happens. I’m rather fascinated with the idea of the Malcolm and Ives family in the Regency era. <G>
7) Speaking of which, I have to ask you about your newest venture. An urban fantasy series called Saturn’s Daughters. Your second book in the series, called Damn Him to Hell under a pseudonym, Jamie Quaid was such a departure from your prior books. I’ve really been blown away by how imaginative this series is. What inspired you to write them and how long have you had the idea for this series?
Patricia Rice:
I adore urban fantasy. I love the idea of ordinary heroines gaining extraordinary powers and learning to use them to rid the world of evil. I love taking commonplace settings and twisting them with creatures of fantasy that mock the real evil in the world. I started playing around with a fantasy idea that just wasn’t gelling. And then, one day, driving through the eternal cornfields of Indiana and Illinois, I had this vision of a woman having a really bad day at work and her cheating boyfriend standing her up. The scene in the first book where Tina damns her boyfriend to hell— and he descends to hell in a fiery explosion— just materialized in my head. After that, the first book practically wrote itself.
8) Can you tell us more about the main character, Tina Clancy, and Saturn’s Daughters in general –or is that too much of a spoiler?!
Patricia Rice:
Tina is a true melting pot character. She was born in the United States. Her mother is a tree-hugging hippie environmental scientist. She doesn’t know her father or her grandparents, although she’s been told her maternal grandparents are Iranian. Turns out she not only has international origins, but possibly interplanetary ones. Or maybe godly. She’s not quite clear on that yet. And if her father is some kind of god, he’s been a busy one, and she has sisters out there she hasn’t met yet. But as I write the third book, I’m thinking Saturn isn’t a god or a being so much as a force, because Saturn’s daughters are born only to other Saturn’s daughters. These girls need a rule book, but they’re too busy staying alive to write it! Tina, being of a lawyerly persuasion, may be the one to do it.
9) How many books do you have planned for the series? Will you write more urban fantasies under your new alias?
See above—I’m a pantser. Even as I write one book, I’m envisioning the next. At the moment, I have a trilogy that will resolve certain things in the third book, but there are so many more fun areas to explore! I really don’t have the time to write any more series under the Jamie Quaid name while I’m still writing historicals and contemporaries. I write reasonably fast, but editing and revising and promotion takes way too much out of my day. So I’ll take my time and see what develops. I really do hope I can continue Tina’s story beyond the third book!
10) This has been such an honor! I only hope you never stop writing! Thank you so much for your generous time J
Patricia Rice:
I’m thrilled to be invited here, and bless you for your kind words!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Patricia Rice check her out at:
http://www.patriciarice.com/
and also writing as:
http://jamiequaid.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Patricia Rice
Notorious Atherton (Rebellious Sons) -July 23rd, 2013
The Pirate meets the Princess
Nora Adams is a schoolteacher and a poor seaman’s widow--until the day she inherits a fortune and is sent to London to deliver a mysterious message to a foreign princess—who looks surprisingly like Nora. Once Princess Elena receives Nora’s missive, she steals Nora’s identity and vanishes. Left to fend for herself in ill-fitting royal shoes, Nora determinedly sets out in search of the royal escapee.
Nick Atherton long ago retired from his villainous life of piracy, but he’s dragged out of his role as fashionable fribble to protect the princess—rather, the impostor. Nick would far rather seduce the comely widow, but first he will have to dodge French spies and pursue misbehaving royalty.
For the fate of a nation and a princess, Devil Nick takes to the high seas again, but will his illegal exploits cost him the respectable woman he loves?
Damn Him to Hell (Saturn's Daughter) as Jamie Quaid -June 25, 2013
YOU DON’T NEED A LAW DEGREE TO DISPENSE STREET JUSTICE.
Tina Clancy hardly has a chance to celebrate passing the bar exam when an explosion at Acme Chemical sends a noxious pink and green cloud billowing over Baltimore’s radioactive Zone. It is not as if the place was normal to begin with, but as the poisonous fumes overtake the sky, her neighbors start falling comatose—and Acme is plucking them off the streets faster than Tina and her friends can save them.
Just because Tina’s a lawyer now doesn’t mean she’s going to miraculously morph into a respectable, law-abiding citizen. She once accidentally damned her own boyfriend to hell, for heaven’s sake. Now that Max is back—in the body of his evil cousin, a U.S. senator with family ties to Acme—she needs him more than ever.
And what does it mean to be one of Saturn’s daughters? Tina knows she’s obligated to use her powers to save the Zone, no matter the cost, but there’s a real possibility that victory will happen over her dead body.
The English Heiress: Regency Nobles (Volume 3) -Oct. 27th, 2012
An Irish rogue and a duke’s daughter should have nothing in common except trouble...
Though enchanted by the selfless beauty of a duke’s granddaughter, Michael—a man of many names but none his own—has wisely kept his distance. But two years after the disastrous fire that brought Lady Blanche Perceval into his life, he is saddled with a lost, lying Irish waif and needs a woman’s understanding aid. To his dismay, the generous lady he remembers now despises him for deserting her when she needed him most.
Blanche has inherited all the wealth and responsibility of a dukedom, even if it is her cousin who wears the title. Forced to rely on her men of business to help her make decisions since she has no experience or knowledge of her own, she is at constant odds with the new duke who wishes to marry her for the sake of the estate.
When the irresistible and unreliable Michael O’Toole materializes in her life to enlist her care for another of the abandoned orphans he’s rescued—as he once did for her—Blanche doesn’t know whether to kill him or kiss him. After terrorists blow up her carriage, it becomes apparent that running away might be the best choice of all—but can they survive the pitfalls of their impossible attraction?
Boyfriend from Hell (The Saturn's Daughters) as Jamie Quaid -Sept. 25th, 2012
They say justice is blind. But Justine isn’t.
Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioactive Zone, and a family secret so bizarre even she doesn’t believe it. That is, until in a fit of fury she damns her boyfriend to hell—and it’s exactly where he ends up.
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her newfound friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
The Marquess (Regency Nobles) -June 2nd, 2012
Scarred in a duel over a feckless woman, Gavin Lawrence leaves America to take up his new duty as Marquess of Effingham, vowing never to care about others again. But lurking in the secret passages of his crumbling manor house is a courageous and exceedingly annoying young woman in terrible danger.
The self-sufficient daughter of a soldier, Dillian Whitnell guards her injured cousin in isolated Arinmede manor after an attempt on both their lives. Dillian hadn’t expected the new marquess to notice her, but his stubborn refusal to believe she’s a ghost turns into a hide-and-seek game that leads to increasingly close encounters. A game where irritation turns to intrigue, and intrigue to a forbidden passion as the real villain emerges from the past.
The Lure of Song and Magic -Jan. 1st, 2012
Her voice was a curse...
When Dylan "Oz" Oswin's son is kidnapped, the high-powered producer will do anything to get him back. Desperately following an anonymous tip, he seeks help from a former child singing sensation called Syrene, only to find she's vowed never to sing again. Immune to her voice but not her charm, Oz is convinced she holds the key to his son's disappearance—and he'll stop at nothing to make her break her vow.
Only he can make her sing ...
She knows the devastation her talent can bring. There's more than a child's life at stake, but Syrene cannot unleash her dangerous siren's voice upon the world, even for a man who is impossible to deny...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MARY BURTON
Mary Burton is the New York Times bestselling author of spellbinding thrillers with a ‘touch’ of romance. One the reasons why her books are so popular are that they make the reader feel like they are part of the mystery. But where does she get her spine tingling ideas and how does she make her writing so eerily real?
I was couldn’t wait to ask her about her secrets and her upcoming books!
Here is what she said.
1) How did you get started in writing? What writers inspired you -more mystery or romance?
Mary Burton: I started writing when my kids were babies. I'd just left a full time marketing job and figured now was the time to try my hand at writing. So in the early days I'd put the kids down for a nap, knowing I had 2 to 3 hours a day to work. Honestly, I look back and wonder how I got it all done.
I got my start writing historical romances because I love history so much and with small children historical research was more accessible. I've always enjoyed reading historical journals and studying how people lived back in the day.
2) Is there a big difference between writing a Silhouette romance versus your thrillers? Did writing for Harlequin help you ‘develop’ your writing style? What do you like best about writing your mysteries?
Mary Burton: The basic character emotions are the same but the level of suspense versus romance is different. There is definitely more romance in the Silhouettes and more grittier suspense in the thrillers. I wrote 14 novels and 2 novellas for Harlequin and I know writing those books not only helped me hone my writing style but really helped define my writer's voice.
As much as I enjoyed the romances I realized that I loved having a mystery element in the story and the more I wrote the more I wanted to add mystery. I enjoy creating puzzles and I love hearing from readers that I kept them turning the pages until the end. I also enjoy, and I think readers do as well, a sense of justice in the end when the bad guy is captured.
3) Where do you get your ideas for your books? Are they based on real life stories or people? Can you tell us about your latest book, No Escape and how you got the idea for it?
Mary Burton: The ideas are always just here. It can be a news report, a person I meet or a passing comment someone makes. I've attended the Writer's Police Academy for several years now and a couple of years ago they had a shallow grave seminar. I know, sounds grisly. As I walked in the woods with the WPA class and teacher my mind really started spinning with ideas. I knew I had the makings of what would become NO ESCAPE.
4) What makes these characters so special?
Mary Burton: I really enjoyed writing Jo and Brody. They were married years ago and the marriage did not work out. Now it's 14 years later and circumstance has brought them together. No one is angry and no one is blaming anyone. They are just trying to do the best they can with complicated emotions. I love the idea of writing about second chances and these are two characters that sure deserve one.
5) Some murders are pretty gruesome. Can it be difficult to research or write some of your novels? How much do you decide to write? Do you ever think there is a line that you will not cross?
Mary Burton: Reading some of the research can be tough. Fiction doesn't seem to hold a candle to the bad things that happen in this world. As a writer my job is to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and sometimes I write some pretty scary scenes to do that.
6) Do you ever think you could write a novel without some sort of romance?
Mary Burton: That's a tough question. I really like having a Happily Ever After at the end of my books. I know I focused on the HEA more in the romances and less so in the thrillers but its important to me that there is at least the hope of a HEA at the end.
7) Do you ever think you might write a gothic book?!
Mary Burton: I love gothic books and I never say never.
8) If you could be a star in one of your books would you prefer to be the sheriff, the lawyer, the federal agent, the forensics, the cool, mysterious stranger or just an ordinary citizen? And why?
Mary Burton: I'm thinking forensics. It's a fascinating field and has made so many advances in the last few years.
9) Of all your character ‘types’ which is the most difficult for you to write and why? Your writing is so detailed; if you could ‘go back’ would you train to be one of them instead of writing?!
Mary Burton: In THE SEVENTH VICTIM Lara is a wet plate photographer. The images these large bellows cameras create are wonderfully detailed. It's a wonderful blend of art and science. If I wasn't writing I'd defiantly be a photographer.
10) Can you tell us about any upcoming novels you have planned?
Mary Burton: NO ESCAPE is out in October 2013 and in April 2014 it's YOU'RE NOT SAFE.
Wow! This has been a pleasure. Thanks for sharing so much about your books and giving us insight into writing.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Mary Burton check her out at:
http://www.maryburton.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Mary Burton
No Escape by Mary Burton (Oct 29, 2013)
He Was Taught How To Kill Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work. . .
And Now He’ll Teach Them He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.
How To Die Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all. . .
The Seventh Victim by Mary Burton (Jan 29, 2013)
It's been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young, pretty, their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a home-sewn white dress. But there was one who miraculously escaped death, just before the Strangler disappeared.
Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life at last. Then Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he's in Austin.
He's always craved her, even as he killed the others. For so long he's been waiting to unleash the beast within. And this time, he'll prove he holds her life in his hands-right before he ends it forever...
Before She Dies by Mary Burton (Jan 31, 2012)
He Is Their Judge. . . In death, they are purified. Holding his victims under water, he washes away their sins as they struggle for their last breath. Then he stakes their bodies to the ground, exposing them for what they really are. Witches, sent to tempt and to corrupt. . ..
Jury. . . No one knows about defense attorney Charlotte Wellington's murdered sister, or about her childhood spent with the carnival that's just arrived in town. For Charlotte, what's past is past. But others don't agree. And as a madman's body count rises, she and Detective Daniel Rokov are drawn into a mission that's become terrifyingly personal. . .
And Executioner At last, she is within his reach. All his victims deserve their fate, but her guilt is greatest. And with every scream, he will make her see what it means to suffer and repent—before she dies. . .
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SHANNON MCKENNA
Bestselling author Shannon McKenna is known for her scorching contemporary romances. Her unique blend of danger, nefarious villains and hot-blooded alpha heroes have certainly made readers take notice. Plus her steamy scenes keep loyal fans buying more!
But how does she makes her books sizzle every time? I couldn’t wait to ask!
Shannon McKenna:
And I’m thrilled to answer! Thank you so very much for having me! I love nothing better than to hold forth about my books and my characters, and hang out with people who will not consider me bonkers for doing so! Everyone on this blog is sure to get it.
1) Can you tell us how you began writing? Did you ever dream you would become such a successful writer?
Shannon McKenna:
I’d dreamed of it forever, but it wasn’t until I came to Italy that I started actually getting some traction. I read a bunch of books back then about unblocking creativity, most notably Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones” and “Wild Mind” and Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way.” Those books really helped me cut through my own fears of writing total crap—which you have to be able to do, to be able to write at all! Then, slowly, you learn to pick the interesting bits out of the trash heap with a pair of tweezers, and start making stories out of those fragments. I’m so grateful that it worked out. What an awesome job—offering my daydreams to other people!
2) Sometimes I blush when I read your books –they are that intense! How do you keep your heroes so sexy? Where do you get your inspiration?
Shannon McKenna:
Oh, boy, there’s inspiration everywhere you look! (lots of handsome guys in Italy, cough cough.) I just try and fall in love with the character that I’m writing about, and if the magic works, the reader will fall in love with him, too. I am in love with so many fictional characters, I can’t even keep track of them all. If you’re intimate with someone, you’ve been invited inside his mind, his thoughts, and you see his struggles and his growth and all his secret fears and doubts, and how he overcomes them. How can you not fall in love? And in terms of the sexiness, it’s intimacy, realness, the sense of emotional intensity that makes it pop. I never even think about the sex—I try to figure out how the characters are feeling. The sexiness comes naturally.
3) Speaking of sexy, I feel the best sections of your books are reading the sexual tension between your characters. Do you ever feel embarrassed/shy especially when you started writing? Is it difficult to keep this intensity?
Shannon McKenna:
Not anymore! I have no shame! It was harder in the beginning. I had a very difficult time with the, er, um, ahhhh . . . words for certain intimate parts of the human anatomy. The clinical, anatomy book ones were totally not right for a sex scene, but the slang ones and the naughty ones made me flinch. They seemed too harsh, too porn. But I got over it, and learned to compromise. When I’m in the male POV, of a super tough guy with a really rough, hardscrabble background, I can use those words without flinching. But I very rarely use them from the female protagonist’s POV. It’s odd. It’s a delicate struggle and a difficult choice every time, and I know that I alienate some readers by choosing to write those words. I know. Because they write to me, and scold. It’s a shame, but hey. I can’t fall into the trap of second guessing myself, or the words will dry up altogether. It’s sometimes a challenge not to repeat myself, because there are only so many ways that you can describe the act of making love—but fortunately, there are a million different ways that you can feel about it, and that’s the aspect you have to focus on to make it seem bright and alive. In my opinion.
4) Thanks for explaining, That makes total sense! Actually, I have noticed many author seem to be trying to ‘out-do’ each other in the sex scenes. As books get racier, do you think there is a line authors shouldn’t cross or ‘warn' readers before they buy the book? What do you think of the influx of erotic books and e-books? Would you publish an e-book yourself?
Shannon McKenna:
In answer to the last question, all my books are currently in e-format—do you mean indie published? I am not sure what my future holds, but I rule nothing out. And I love writing erotic. It’s true, there is the tendency to try to “out-do” but I don’t think about what other people are writing all that much when I do love scenes. I just think about the characters themselves.
And I think that most writers and publishers make it clear, on the book jacket, the blurb, the cover, what you as a reader are getting yourself into. And if they don’t, they should. It’s only professional to clearly label the product so that it gets into the hands of the customer who will most fully enjoy it.
I have to admit, I’ve gotten more erotic now than I ever dreamed I’d be at the beginning of my career! I was gearing my love scenes to about the length, frequency and hotness of a Silhouette Desire or a Harlequin Temptation when I started writing, because those were the lines I was trying to sell manuscripts to. But I did a little of that trying to out-do myself business with the first couple of novellas, and then developed a taste for super-hot books. I read Fifty Shades, for instance, and then, just for giggles, compared it to some of my books, and proportionally speaking, my stuff was considerably more erotic. Page for page, there was just a lot more of it. Of course, I don’t do BDSM, so maybe it’s not as “out there,” but I think when I started years ago, my stuff was about as hot as anything out in the romance market. It just is no longer marketed as such. It’s marketed as romantic suspense.
I’m delighted that everybody is reading more erotic books and more indie published books! The more readers read, the happier writers are! It’s not a zero sum game--there’s room for everyone. Judging by my own humble self, and my own appetite for books, readers are voracious creatures who can never, ever be satisfied. I want to create more goodies, always more, more, more, and fling them out there to be devoured.
5) I love that many of your books are interrelated! The McCloud brothers are so fascinating and reading about them and their friends feels like ‘coming home.’ Will there ever be a holiday book concerning all of them? Could you write more?!
Shannon McKenna:
I hope I’m not going to upset you by saying this, but the McCloud Brothers series is being wrapped up! There’s Miles’s story, FATAL STRIKE, that comes out this September 24th, and then there’s Sveti’s story that I’m writing now, and that will be it. Eleven books, wow—you develop so much backstory, you start to stagger under its weight! This series developed organically, with characters that would come out of the woodwork and then become so interesting, I had no choice but to write a book about them. Knowing as I do how much I enjoy writing series, I think I would try to plan for shorter ones, quartets, quintets, six at the most. But we’ll see. The best laid plans. I have a bad habit of getting completely jerked around by my own books.
I love the McCloud brothers and all their friends and respective lovers with all my heart. Something about those characters really made me reach in deep, and give my best, so I’m proud of those books.
I have never even considered a holiday book—the McClouds to me are always associated with mortal struggle with demonic bad guys and desperate races against time. Holidays are a whole different kind of stress! (Although I do tend to have a lot of weddings in my books.) But you’re right about the “coming home” feeling. I love that in a series, both in reading them and writing them.
6) So sad. But I understand. My absolute favorite is Standing in the Shadows. Do you have a favorite and why?
Shannon McKenna:
I tried to pick one out for you—and then another would pop up, and another! I guess, put to it, I would have to say the first, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, because it was particularly fresh. I wasn’t following my own template, but discovering it. And then another that took me by surprise was EXTREME DANGER, which I thought would be a quick, easy book, the perfect one to write while gestating my second child. I had this sexy idea I was going to use for a novella, a girl who sneaks into a lavish pool at night to skinnydip, and encounters the sexy hero—and discovered as I wrote that the hero was undercover trying to take down the Russian mob, and that vicious organ traffickers were involved, and everything exploded, and I was, like, what? What’s this all about? I did not see it coming. It doesn’t always pop out of nowhere like that, and it’s such a gift when it does.
7) I loved that you have written a book about sisters! Can you tell us more about Tasting Fear and what makes it so special?
Shannon McKenna:
TASTING FEAR was an experiment in story structure, and it turned out to be more complicated than I’d ever dreamed. It was fractured into three narratives; three sisters beset with a mysterious and dangerous enemy and knocked head over heels by their hot heroes at the same time. Stringing the stories one after the other created problems I never imagined. When you start out, you never know how it’ll be. Books I thought would be easy turned out to be incredibly hard. Ones I thought would be hard were . . . . well, gee. They were also hard.
But since TASTING FEAR had an overarching story line, I had to resolve the love stories without draining the tension from the suspense story. Each story had to resolve its part of the mystery and build on the ones that came before, which forced me to violate one of my most cherished rules of romance writing—to resolve the most important plot elements last, and wrap up less important ones first. For me, the love story trumps all, but I couldn’t resolve the suspense plot for the first two novellas before I resolved the love stories! I could only get the first two heroines out of immediate mortal danger and safely into their lovers’ arms! Though there are worse fates, I suppose. I have since gotten more bold about breaking rules. There goes the neighborhood.
TASTING FEAR also has a tender place in my heart because the emotional arcs of the love stories are based on some of the first love stories I ever wrote. Not a single word of the original stories made it into TASTING FEAR when I rewrote them and braided them together with the new suspense plot, just the arcs of the romances. But they actually have far more autobiographical material in them than the stuff I write now. The flower farm Jack owns? I grew up on it. Jack’s hippy childhood? I lived in free and easy communes in the Oregon mountains when I was a kid in the 70’s. Vivi’s jewelry business? One of my best friends designed jewelry on the crafts fair circuit. Nell’s scholarly bent? I was an English Lit nerd at Yale, my head stuck in a volume of Chaucer or Donne. That studio apartment where Nell lived in the Village? I lived there in the ’90’s. Nancy’s Irish musicians? I sang in an Irish band in New York City in the ‘90’s, and we were damn good, if I do say so myself. I totally bought into the “write what you know” rule. So there’s a lot of me, and my past as a writer and as a person in that book. These days, I tend to make more stuff up. Explosions and brutal mind control and icy-hearted villains bent on world domination and all that, well . . . I don’t have any of that in my daily life. In case you were wondering. I’m quite tame.
8) Sound sooo good! I also have to ask about your latest book, Fatal Strike coming out this September. Can you tell more about it?
Shannon McKenna:
Miles needs no introduction! His story has been so long in coming—I first met him as a basement dwelling computer nerd back in STANDING IN THE SHADOWS, madly in love with the SHADOWS heroine Erin’s sister, the feckless Cindy. Let’s just say, he has grown and changed a whole lot in the seven books that followed his entrance into the story. The McCloud guys have whipped him into shape, bigtime.
At first, I thought he would just end up with Cindy, since they finally got together at the end of EDGE OF MIDNIGHT, Sean’s story. But Miles kept intriguing me—and Cindy never grew up enough for me to consider spending a whole book with her. I just didn’t like her well enough. There just wasn’t enough there for me to work with. Not enough for Miles, either, though he’s such a good guy, it was hard for him to see that sad painful fact. So it was lucky that the Cindy romance did not work out. He suffered . . . but there was something more important in store for him.
The psychic elements in ONE WRONG MOVE end up getting developed still further in Miles’s book—and if you read ONE WRONG MOVE, you will probably be able to guess who his heroine will be. And I don’t want to say any more, for fear of spoilers!
9) And what about your book Secrets Never Die? What do you have planned for the two upcoming books?!
Shannon McKenna:
Oops, there is no book entitled “SECRETS NEVER DIE” although now that I think of it, it does have a nice, title-ish sort of ring to it! Maybe I will end up using that someday! That phrase was on the back cover copy of ONE WRONG MOVE. And there are not two, but only one upcoming book, and that will be Sveti and Sam’s still untitled story. I had to wait for Sveti to grow up to write it! I’m having a great time with it, but that will be it for the McCloud series. Then it will be time to dream up something entirely new.
10) Your books really speak to so many women and I think your heroes are any woman’s fantasy! Thank you so much for bringing me and all your fans so much reading pleasure.
Shannon McKenna:
Thanks so much for your kind comments, Steph, and thanks to all of you who are reading this, for making it possible for me to create my stories! I wouldn’t be able to do it without you all.
I was delighted to stop by. Happy reading to all!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Shannon McKenna check her out at:
http://www.shannonmckenna.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Shannon McKenna:
FATAL STRIKE -September 2013 When Lara Kirk was abducted months ago, Miles Davenport vowed he’d bring her home. But the mission failed. Miles has become obsessed; he can practically hear Lara pleading for him to save her.
Lara Kirk’s captors have poisoned her body with concoctions that enhance psychic abilities—and they seem to be working. To escape, Lara has formed a deep attachment with a man whose virile, sensual presence in her mind is her only comfort. She’s not even sure if he’s real—until the six-foot-five-inch powerhouse bursts in to rescue her…
Once freed, Lara has no choice but to trust Miles with her life. But they’re also fighting a dangerous attraction that could kill—or save—them both. Either way, it’s going to be a hell of a ride…
ONE WRONG MOVE -September 2012
SECRETS NEVER DIE
Alex Aaro has spent most of his life on the run from his Ukrainian mafia family. But when he learns that crazy Aunt Tonya, the only relative who ever gave a damn about him, is dying, he risks returning home to say goodbye. He’s prepared for anything except the call from his friend, Bruno Ranieri, that sends him on a wild and dangerous ride with a mysterious woman who holds a deadly secret and a white hot passion that binds them together.
Social worker Nina Christie has no idea how much trouble she’s in when her Aunt Helga shows up unexpectedly, emaciated and bleeding, and injects Nina with an unknown drug. Now a ruthless crime syndicate will stop at nothing to make Nina disappear, and only Alex Aaro, that inscrutable six-foot-four rock hard slab of lean muscle, stands between her and certain death. Now Nina and Alex are in a race against time, death, and their desire for one another…
TASTING FEAR -March 2012
BLOOD WILL TELL
Nancy... Nell... Vivi... Three sisters who know there is no force on earth greater than love . . . unless it is the desire for vengeance. When their adored foster mother is murdered, the D’Onofrio women come together to hunt for her murderer—and track down a family legacy gone missing; rare, priceless art from the Renaissance, a treasure worth killing for. The law can only do so much and the three sisters are on their own—until three mysterious men get involved...
Startled to find a brawny stranger at her mother’s house, Nancy is even more surprised at the heat of passion that flares between them. Liam is intense and instantly protective. But is it wise to trust him with every secret? Her sister Nell has turned to Duncan, her new boss, for help. He’s an expert on the dark underworld of cyberspace, where other clues may lurk. And Duncan is so sexy its scary. All Nell ahs to do is say the hardest word of all: yes. But what about the youngest of the D’Onofrios, the wild and wilful Vivi? She’s on the verge of falling in love with Jack, who’s all about fierce vigilance...
The sisters embrace the ultimate in passion as danger stalks them all. Unknown and unseen, the killer is very, very near...
BLOOD AND FIRE -October 2011
Restless and impulsive, Bruno Ranieri has the temperament to fit right in with the McClouds. And just like the McCloud brothers, Bruno has a dangerous past to contend with—one that’s about to come crashing back into his life…
Bruno Ranieri has always lived at a chaotic pace, and that goes double lately. Since his uncle’s untimely demise, Bruno is working himself to the bone, trying to keep his nose clean and save the family business. Not easy when the nightmares that plagued his childhood are hi-jacking what little rest he gets.
So when exotically beautiful Lily Parr sashays into his all-night restaurant, claiming to be on the run from mysterious assassins, Bruno starts to wonder if sleep deprivation is finally getting to him. Especially when Lily implies that Bruno is involved. But the violence that accompanies her arrival is no illusion. Nor is the blisteringly hot, completely inconvenient desire that explodes between them.
Lily Parr has been a fugitive ever since her father’s death a month ago in a mental hospital. Officials claimed it was suicide, but Lily’s gut—and the savage murder attempt she barely escaped afterwards—say different. Snippets of information led Lily to Bruno’s door...and his magnetic charisma compelled her right into his bed. But there are cold-blooded killers on her heels, with resources as limitless as their cruelty.
Running won’t help, not when the biggest threat is the terrifying secret lurking in Bruno and Lily’s pasts. A secret their mysterious enemy will gladly destroy them to protect—unless they can uncover it first...
FADE TO MIDNIGHT -May 2010
Gone But Not Forgotten
Davy…Connor…Sean… Three brothers who have conquered their demons, but they’ve never forgotten their long lost brother, Kev, whom they believed to be dead. When the McCloud brothers discover Kev is alive, they won’t rest until they find him...
Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were completely erased. When he nearly dies from trying to save someone from drowning, the brain surgery he has to save his life triggers fragmented, terrifying memories. With only these memories and the name of his torturer to guide him, Kev is determined to unlock the secrets to his past.
Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get too close to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized. But when Kev Larsen discovers who she really is, Edie has only one choice: to trust him. And soon, Edie can’t resist her consuming desire for him—even though she knows she’ll have to pay a price for it.
Now Kev and Edie must race against time and place their faith in each other to stop a deadly legacy...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MARY JO PUTNEY
Mary Jo Putney is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous historical, contemporary and paranormal romances. Her charismatic and romantic characters have captured readers’ attention. Largely because they tackle real life issues that connect to fans. As one of my all time favorites, she had definitely captivated this reader’s heart!
Recently she has begun a new YA series called the Dark Mirror. She also has a new historical romance called Sometimes a Rogue coming out this August.
But how does she keep her inspiration and love for writing? I excited to have the opportunity to ask her!
1) You have written so many wonderful books! Is it hard to find new ideas? What inspires you about romance?
Mary Jo Putney:
here do ideas come from? It’s a mystery! I think that novelists have a storyteller imagination that is always inventing new endings for movies or stories for people seen on the street, or whatever.
In terms of my writing, about half the time I start with a plot idea and have to figure what characters will work best with that plot. The other half of the time I have a character who appeared in an earlier book, and have to decide what plot will best play into his or her individual nature. Ultimately, though, characters matter most because they are infinitely variable, so no danger of running out of ideas.
I like romance because it concentrates on the developing relationship. The characters grow and change until they’re a perfect match. And of course I love the happy ending! I don’t do unhappy endings.
2) You are such a successful author! What do you think is the ‘secret’ to having such a long and well-lived career in writing? Can you give aspiring authors any tips?!
Mary Jo Putney:
A lot of success is just about showing up. Every author has times when things are going badly, and there’s no shame in deciding it’s time for another path. But I can’t imagine being anything other than a writer—and at this point, I have no other marketable skills. <G> So a writer needs to keep reading, and keeping writing, and telling stories she cares about deeply, because trying to follow trends without the passion will not result in compelling stories.
3) Is there anything you would like to write about that you haven't? Actually, all the books you have written, is there a sentimental favorite and why?
Mary Jo Putney:
I’m lucky in that all the books I’ve wanted to write have been published. Though I’ve sometimes followed my interests into contemporaries, fantasy, and young adult, I’ve always been rooted in romance and history, and I keep coming back to them. If I had to choose a sentimental favorite, it would be The Rake, my Regency historical with an alcoholic hero struggling to rebuild his life and his sobriety, and finding the right woman to love along the way. I observed that struggle in someone close to me, so the story was very visceral. I’m very glad that it has also spoken to so many readers.
4) I have to admit I am a sucker for your historical romances! What draws you to historical romance and the Regency period in particular?
Mary Jo Putney:
Setting stories in the past heightens the escapist fantasy, and allows larger than life characters. Plus, there are all kinds of social strictures that provide useful plot conflicts. <G>
The Regency is as fascinating period because it’s the transition between the old days and what is recognizably modern. With industrialization and more wide spread education, people were gaining more rights and freedoms, and there was a romantic revolution in all forms of creativity. Plus, there was a good war against a tyrant, which allows for lots of heroism and drama.
5) Have you been able to visit the areas you write about? How much of your story to you try to base on facts? Do you ever build a story around a real event in history?
Mary Jo Putney:
I haven’t been to all the places I write about, but I lived in England for over two years. Since I’ve visited most parts of the British Isles, I have mental images of what the country and the architecture look like. I’ve set other books in far flung parts of the globe, and I’ve done some traveling there, also. But traveling needs to be fleshed out with research, always.
While my characters may sometimes act in unconventional ways, I try to keep their behavior within the realm of plausibility. A lot of my stories use real history, often as a framework for the action, and sometimes as a centerpiece of the plot. Some books are very high research. A large part of Shattered Rainbows is centered around the Battle of Waterloo. The China Bride required a lot of research about the tea and opium trades between China and the West. Nowhere Near Respectable involved researching the Houses of Parliament and the State Opening of Parliament. Every book I do requires some new research—that’s part of the fun.
6) Speaking of historical romances, your latest book Sometimes a Rogue is part of your Lost Lords series. Can you tell us more about it and what makes this book and the characters so special?! )
MJP:
With Sometimes a Rogue, the hero, Rob, had his heart broken in my last book, No Longer a Gentleman, and I couldn’t leave him to suffer for long. <G> Rob is a Bow Street Runner who had appeared in the first four Lost Lords book, so he has an adventurous streak along with a passion for justice and honor.
In SAR, the heroine, Sarah, takes the place of her very pregnant twin and gets carried off by kidnappers. She’s sunny natured and a very well brought up young lady, but she has a secret yearning for adventure. (Which is cured by the end of the book, I might add. <G>) When Rob first sees her, he thinks she looks like a helpless, fluffy golden chick, but she’s intrepid and never complains, and she turns out to have some skills that Rob could never have predicted! Sarah was such fun to write.
But the rescue and the harrowing escape are just the beginning…
7) How did you come up with the premise for this series? How many book do you have planned fore the Lost Lords series?
Mary Jo Putney:
I like building series around strong male friendships. My Fallen Angels series started with four aristocratic young men who had bonded as schoolboys at Eton. When I was looking for something similar but different, I came up with the idea of a school for boys of “good birth and bad behavior.” The Westerfield Academy was founded by a duke’s daughter with tolerance and wide experience, and she wants to create an environment when aristocratic misfits can find themselves. Her students aren’t delinquents (usually <G>) but for one reason or another, they don’t fit with people’s expectations. With Lady Agnes, they find the balance between their natures and what society demands—and they build deep friendships.
The Lost Lords series is open-ended—I’ve already written two books about men who were in the second class Lady Agnes admitted, and I’m planning a third. I’m writing the sixth book now. It features the spymaster, Kirkland, and the working title is Not Quite a Wife. It will probably be released in September 2014. There will be at least two books more. Beyond that—we’ll see!
8) I am very excited about your YA, Dark Mirror series. What inspired you to write this series? Can you tell us more about it?
Mary Jo Putney:
I’d always been intrigued by the parallels between Britain during the Napoleonic wars and World War II. In both cases, the British stood alone on their little island as they fought a continental tyrant. Being an island nation has shaped so much of British history and character.
Plus, I love science fiction and fantasy. The Dark Mirror series enabled me to pull these improbable elements together as my time traveling teen mages go from the Regency World War II to help defend their country. In particular I’ve always been fascinated by Dunkirk, which was truly an extraordinary rescue under impossible circumstances. It was amazing to research, and it became the grand finale of the first book in the trilogy, Dark Mirror. YA books allow for some wonderful writing freedom.
9) I noticed you also have e-books available, can you tell more about them? Do you have other any new e-books or series planned?
Mary Jo Putney:
I love that readers can now easily buy my backlist books, many of which have been out of print for years. No one should have to pay a ton of money for older books. Since I’d requested reversions of rights on my books when they went out of print, I control about half of my backlist, and I’ve been e-publishing them one by one for the last two years. It takes time, but it’s satisfying. I’ve e-published 14 or 15 full length novels and a number of novellas. I have two more novels to go: Uncommon Vows, my one medieval, and Lady of Fortune, a long Regency which came out in 1988 and has never been reissued, so it’s very hard to find.
I’m certainly not averse to writing original books for indie publishing, but I don’t have the time since I’m still writing front list books for a New York publishers. (Kensington.)
10) This has been a dream realized. Your books have been some of my best companions. It was such an honor and privileged to interview you! Thank you.
Mary Jo Putney: Thank you so very much for having me! It’s been a pleasure.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Mary Jo Putney check her out at:
http://www.maryjoputney.com/bookshelf.htm
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Mary Jo Putney
Sometimes a Rogue (Lost Lords) -Aug. 27, 2013
Sometimes. . .
Even the most proper young lady yearns for adventure. But when the very well bred Miss Sarah Clarke-Townsend impulsively takes the place of her pregnant twin, it puts her own life at risk. If the kidnappers after her sister discover they've abducted Sarah instead, she will surely pay with her life. . .
A Rogue. . .
Rob Carmichael survived his disastrous family by turning his back on his heritage and becoming a formidable Bow Street Runner with a talent for rescuing damsels in distress. But Sarah is one damsel who is equal to whatever comes. Whether racing across Ireland with her roguish rescuer or throwing herself into his arms, she challenges Rob at every turn.
Stirring the Embers -Jan. 11, 2013
Previously titled: The Burning Point
Kate Corsi always dreamed of working in her family's world-famous demolition business—a wish her old-fashioned father denied until his untimely death. He leaves a fortune to Kate and the business to her ex-husband, Donovan—but only if they agree to live under the same roof for a year.
Kate and Donovan married too young and stayed too long in a dangerously destructive marriage. Ten years later, surely they're mature enough to co-exist peacefully. But the embers of attraction swiftly flare into flame again.
Now, they must confront the pain of the past if they are to have a chance for a future and save their business from a saboteur they're beginning to suspect of murder.
No Longer a Gentleman -April 24, 2012
Grey Sommers, Lord Wyndham, never met a predicament he couldn’t charm his way out of. Then a tryst with a government official’s wife during a bit of casual espionage in France condemns him a decade in a dungeon, leaving him a shadow of his former self. Yet his greatest challenge may be the enigmatic spy sent to free his body—the only woman who might heal his soul.
Half English and half French, Cassie Fox lost everything in the chaos of revolution, leaving only a determination to help destroy Napoleon’s empire through her perilous calling. Rescuing Grey is merely one more mission. She hadn’t counted on a man with the stark beauty of a ravaged angel, whose desperate courage and vulnerability touch her frozen heart as no one ever has. With Grey, she can become the passionate woman she has long denied. But a spy and a lord are divided by an impassable gulf even if they manage to survive one last, terrifying mission….
The Rake -March 27, 2012 Reprint
The Rake
Known as “the despair of the Davenports,” Reginald Davenport lived a reckless, rakish life while waiting for his hated uncle to die and leave Reggie an earldom. Then the rightful heir claims the title and property and offers Reggie one last chance: Strickland, the estate where he was born and the site of his greatest joys and sorrows. Reggie returns to Strickland, resolving to build a healthier, more honorable life—if he can.
The Reformer
Young Alys Weston fled her home in despair, vowing never to trust another man. Over the years, she’s built a good life with a foster family and a position as steward of Strickland. She uses her skills to help her people, and her initials to convince the elderly earl who owned the state that she’s male.
Then the new owner appears in all his dangerous masculinity and threatens everything Alys holds dear. Good resolutions crumble when two passionate, complicated people are drawn together despite their best judgment. Can love lead to redemption and trust? Or is it too late?
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KATHARINE ASHE
Katharine Ashe is the best selling historical author of two trilogies. Her vivid writing and remarkable characters sweep the reader away into the past. How does she bring them to life and keep us enthralled?
As a fan of historical romances I couldn’t wait to find out what new books she has in store for her readers!
1) How did you get started writing romance? What do you think makes two characters meant for each other?
Katharine Ashe: I’ve written stories since I was a little bitty thing, at first about dogs and horses, then about girls. While I was researching my dissertation in graduate school I wrote my first full-length historical romance. As breaks from working in the archives I’d been gobbling up traditional Regencies, and my head was full of ideas for my own stories. So I wrote one. Then I wrote another. Then another. It was… addictive. History offers so few real Happily Ever Afters. While the intellectual endeavor of researching and writing non-fiction history was exciting — indeed invigorating — I longed for deep, emotional satisfaction. Writing historical romance gave me that.
What makes two characters meant for each other? A unique meeting of hearts, minds and souls as well as bodies. The ability of each character to grow and change, with complimentary strengths that help each other in this, gives that meeting longevity. My heroes and heroines also often share similar life challenges. In How to Be a Proper Lady, for example, Viola and Jin both suffered separation from their families at a young age, and this colors their lives and their love for each other. In my next novel, I Married the Duke, the hero and heroine are each scarred by their pasts and fiercely protective of their siblings.
In truth, though, there’s a powerful element of magic in real, true love that’s undefinable—a spark of miracle that goes far beyond physical attraction and can’t be explained through any social or scientific means. This spark always animates the love stories I write.
2) I love that spark! As a professor of European history, how authentic to you try to portray your characters? Do you do a lot or research?
Katharine Ashe: History in all its decadently rich complexity enthralls me. My plot ideas come directly from history books; I’ve never devised a plot or even a detail of a plot without first discovering it in a history book. That said, storytelling is not history-telling. I strive for historical authenticity in my plots and characters, yet I write for a modern audience, and the heartbeat and spirit of the story must come before all other considerations. The greatest and most popular storytellers of the western world — Virgil, Shakespeare, Dumas, and others — were not slaves to historical “facts” (which any professional historian knows are merely interpretations anyway). Instead, they made history serve them. For me, the history is not the romance. History is, rather, the sumptuous bed upon which I lay my characters down and allow their love to unfold.
3) I like how you word that! When you started out or even before you began writing did any authors make you feel you had to write, too? Do you have a couple favorites?!
Katharine Ashe: Right before I starting writing romance I was reading Umberto Eco and Dorothy Dunnett’s historical fiction. Their stories are intensely complex and vibrant with emotion, drama and adventure. Dunnett’s also include breathtaking, profound love stories. They’re also wicked smart authors—brilliant, really. When I’m reading a book I love to have my brain on fire at the same time my heart pounds and skin tingles. Eco and Dunnett remain favorites, but now I have favorite romance authors too, among them Liz Carlyle, Laura Kinsale and Rachel Gibson. Each time I read a novel by one of my favorites I’m filled with extra energy and excitement to write my books.
4) I love the idea of the Falcon Club- the heroes are sooo dashing! In addition to the three full length novels you have written two short novellas. How many books do you have planned for this series? Can you tell us how you were inspired to write this series?!
Katharine Ashe: The idea for my Falcon Club series sprang from my Captured by a Rogue Lord. At the beginning of that book, the hero speaks with the first lieutenant on his ship, Jin Seton. Within one line of Jin speaking I knew he had to have his own story. Then Kitty Savege, the hero’s heartbroken sister, demanded her own story too. Then Diantha Lucas, peeking irrepressibly out from behind a door, said “Me too!” And the Falcon Club was born, bringing together five unlikely friends secretly dedicated to a noble cause, no matter what the price they must personally pay.
I’ve two more Falcon Club novels in the works that will reveal the mysteries of the Club’s anonymous director and Lady Justice’s identity. I’m having so much fun working on these! “Ask Me to Dance” is a short story featuring characters in When a Scot Loves a Lady, book #1 of the Falcon Club. (“Ask Me to Dance” isn’t now available, but it will soon be a FREE READ on my website.) How to Marry a Highlander is my only novella in this series so far. But when characters pop up and demand their own stories, I always oblige, so who’s to say who’ll be next?
5) I notice you have written a book about a heroine who loves Gothic romance. I admit to having a weakness for them myself. What did you enjoy about writing Captive Bride? Will you write more books with a paranormal twist?!
Katharine Ashe: I adored writing Captive Bride. Peter and Bea had been asking me for their book for years, and it was wonderfully satisfying to write their friendship-turned-romance. My straight historical romances tend to be sweeping stories set in multiple (and occasionally exotic) locations, with complex plots and lavish casts of characters. Captive Bride is a simpler story, set in a single location and with a small cast. So writing it was a very different experience for me, and loads of fun, especially the paranormal twist. Lord Iversly, the medieval ghost with his mysteriously tragic past and tendency to do the noble thing at his own expense, absolutely deserves his own love story. I’ll definitely write it as soon as I find the time.
6) Oh, yes! I particularly enjoy the action and adventure in your books. Do you feel that you have to top them in your next book?
Katharine Ashe: Thank you! Each book is unique in the writing for me, the journey of each couple toward love dictating its own special dynamic. Adventure, intrigue, sensuality, emotion, drama, humor—all of these elements come according to what the characters need in order to reach their Happily Ever Afters. Above all, my greatest wish each time I write a book is to write a story I would love to read.
7) I have to ask, I noticed you have written a couple of Highlanders in your books, the last, in your novella, How to Marry a Highlander. What do you feel is the appeal of the Scotsman?
Katharine Ashe: Big, hunky, noble, tough, intensely loyal to his clan yet still slightly untamed… And that delectable accent… Oo la! We romance readers love the fantasy of the Scotsman, it’s true. I played with that in When a Scot Loves a Lady, in fact. The hero of that book is an exceedingly well-educated and cultured lord pretending to be a charming Scottish oaf. Naturally the Londonite spinster trapped by a snowstorm with him in a tiny country inn wants nothing to do with him… until she looks beneath — no! I’m not going to say his kilt! — until she looks beneath the surface — rather, until he allows her to see beneath the surface to the real man. It’s a story of how appearances can dangerously deceive, which is really what many of my books are about.
In How to Marry a Highlander, to the heroine, Teresa, the Earl of Eads is a larger-than-life fantasy. So of course she wants him. When she comes to know him, however, she learns a little something about true desire… and it doesn’t have anything to do with fantasy, rather with love.
8) Okay I know this is silly but if you could be a heroine in one of you books would you prefer a pirate, rake, or spy to sweep you off you feet! And why?
Katharine Ashe: A pirate. They’re honest about being bad, and honesty is crucial in any relationship. But the pirates in my books are all pretty unusual as pirates go: a vigilante anti-slaver disguised as a priest, a Robin Hood-style seafaring thief, and an ex-pirate atoning for the brutalities of his past. I’d want one of those sorts of noble pirates.
9) You must have new books planned! Can you please tell us about them? Any new series in the works?!
Katharine Ashe: Yes, and I’m so excited. My Prince Catchers series debuts on August 27 with I Married the Duke. Three orphaned sisters have nothing from their past but a priceless ruby ring and a fortuneteller’s promise that if one of them marries a prince they’ll learn the truth of who they are. When the beautiful middle sister, Arabella, sets off after a prince in a fairytale castle only to find herself in the power of an exasperatingly irresistible ship captain and up to her ears in danger, she’s realizes it’s either sink or swim. But, oh, what an adventure swimming turns out to be!
Readers can find excerpts from I Married the Duke and all my books on my website www.KatharineAshe.com . I hope they’ll visit me on facebook www.facebook.com/KatharineAsheAuthor and twitter www.twitter.com/KatharineAshe too.
10) Thank you! It has been such a pleasure. :) I am so honored to have the opportunity to interview you!
Katharine Ashe: Many thanks, Steph! The honor has been all mine.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Katharine Ashe check her out at:
At her website at:
http://www.katharineashe.com/index.php
And check out her FREE short story:
http://www.katharineashe.com/books_ballroom
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Katharine Ashe
How to Marry A Higlander- novella -July 30th, 2013
I Married the Duke – August 27th, 2013
How a Lady Weds a Rogue -Sept. 25th, 2012
Beautiful Diantha Lucas understands society’s rules: a young lady must find a man to marry. But Diantha has a bigger goal and she’s not afraid of plunging into adventure to achieve it. When daring, dashing Wyn Yale rescues her, she’s certain he’s just the man she needs.
As an agent for the secret Falcon Club, Wyn knows his duty, but he’s not about to admit he’s a hero of any sort. He has a plan too: steal a prized horse, murder an evil duke, avenge an innocent girl, and probably get hung for it—in that order. Wyn can’t afford to be distracted by a pretty face, even one with delectable dimples and kissable lips. But how can a country miss and hardened spy solve their problems when they can’t keep their hands off each other?
How to Be a Proper Lady -June 26th, 2012
The rules of being a proper lady
1) Never take steps greater than six inches apart
2) Never look boldly at a gentleman
3) And never, ever kiss a man who is not your fiancee…
But beautiful, bold Viola Carlyle doesn’t care about the rules. And she desperately wants to kiss the notoriously tempting Captain Jin Seton, the man who brought her kicking and fighting back to English society. Kidnapped as a child, now she longs to return to that life of freedom where she was able to live—and love—as she wished.
Having hunted Viola for two years, Jin Seton has finally found his good luck—for by finding Viola his oldest, deepest debt will at last be paid. And although he has vowed not to let her win his heart, this very improper lady might finally be the one who tames him.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH LUCY MONROE
Lucy Monroe writes the hottest and most thrilling contemporary romances ever. But some may not know she also writes a compelling new paranormal series based on shifters that war against each other. As a fan of any of her books I was simply thrilled at the opportunity to find out where she gets her incredible ideas. And try to pry from her what she has planned for the future!!
1) Do I love your sexy military heroes!! The Goddard series is one of my all-time favorites. So I have to ask, is Heat Seeker the very last in the series? Will you write more military romances? Please!!
Lucy Monroe: You've no idea how nice it is to hear the series struck such a chord with you. Really. Really. I love those books and characters too. So much, but I'm on an exciting new venture with a new publisher (Grand Central) and a brand new series. The Cailkirn Chronicles is contemporary romance set in a small town in Alaska. I'm immersed right now. And yes, some of the residents of the town are former military. That's kind of a thing in Alaska and one of the reasons I wanted to set my new series in the small town established by two Scottish Clans and Russian fur traders. There won't be suspense dominated storylines, but the heroes will be those tough alpha males I love to write...and read. J
2) The very first book I read by you was the Real Deal (I have two copies!). Since then I have fallen in love with your books. What I like the most is the real depth in your characters and the deep emotions I feel!! Is it hard to keep the intensity between your characters fresh each time you write a new book?
Lucy Monroe: Oh, The Real Deal is one of my personal favorites as there is so much of my husband in the hero. He's in all my heroes, but Simon most of all. Writing emotionally intense stories is draining and exhilarating and challenging and very, very necessary for me to be proud of story when it's finished. You've got great insight. Truly, the hardest part of a new book for me is drilling down to the core of my characters to find that visceral place where their emotions bleed together while pushing them apart...at first.
3) Is there any heroine that you feel the closest to -or a particular fondness for and why?
Lucy Monroe: All of them, for different reasons, but I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Calantha from Take Me. She was so broken emotionally and yet so strong under it all. I re-read that book occasionally just to visit her again.
4) What inspired you to write the Children of the Moon series? Will you write another paranormal series or do have ideas for any another in the works?!
Lucy Monroe: I fell in love with shape changers and wanted to write my own. Seriously. I don't have any plans to start a new paranormal series, but I'm over the moon excited about the Cailkirn Chronicles.
5) I also absolutely adored your historical series, too. Will you (please) ever return to them?!
Lucy Monroe: I have several historical story ideas developed to the point of having their own binders, but it just hasn't worked out for me to write them. Will I some day? Maybe. I'd like to. Time is a hugely deciding factor.
6) Since you have written so many ‘styles’ or genres in romance. Do you find it difficult to switch from say contemporary to your paranormal novels. Or do they help keep your creative juices going?
Lucy Monroe: It definitely helps keep my creativity flowing, but going forward I'm sticking with contemporary romance for a while. I've realized that it's too hard to build a supportable reader base writing so divergently. One thing my publishers and I have come to appreciate is that few of my readers are like you (and me) in that the majority don't cross subgenre lines to read. It's also exhausting (which can affect the writing negatively) to promote in so many subgenres effectively. And in today's book market, an author has no choice but to dedicate a significant chunk of time and money to promotion. If it were only about writing, I could produce more books. LOL
7) If you could be one of the shifters would you prefer to be the: dragon, bird, wolf, or Griffin shifter? Speaking of which in Dragon’s Moon you eluded to the mysterious Griffin shifters. When will be learn more about them? Can you please tell us it will be soon?!
Lucy Monroe: I would be one of the cats of prey, which I never got to write about. Unfortunately, Berkley lost enthusiasm for the series. Would I like to write a final book, introducing them and giving closure to the series? Absolutely. Will I? I will try VERY hard even if it has to be released by a small press, but again I'll have to find the time to write it.
8) So...I guess you know, I have to ask you about you upcoming book Warrior Moon! What makes this book so special?
Lucy Monroe: Oh, gosh...everything! LOL Seriously? I love that book and can't tell you how sad I am that the publisher pulled the plug on the series, but am really glad I got a chance to write Caelis and Shona's story. This couple has both lost so much and deserves their happy ending. I was so pleased to give it to them. I love writing children and there are children in the book. I enjoy a strong secondary romance and there's one of those too. And the book reveals even more of the Chrechte world.
9) What new books do you have planned on the horizon?
Lucy Monroe: I've got a bunch of Harlequin Presents coming out this year and next. I'll be the lead author in a continuity next year, which is something I've never done and I'm excited to try. You can also expect a novella, or two and then of course the Cailkirn Chronicles, but they won't be out until spring of 2015. However, the first three books will be released back-to-back-to-back.
10) Whew! This has been such a pleasure. Thank you so much for letting me interview you!!
Lucy Monroe: Thank you, Steph! I love an insightful interview and your questions were great. It is always a pleasure to share with readers. You all are the reason I write, a chance to share my heart with others like me, who love romance.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Lucy Monroe check her out at:
http://www.lucymonroe.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Lucy Monroe
The Ruthless Prince -Aug. 2013
2nd Book in the By His Royal Decree Duo
The country of Volyarus would be in serious economic trouble if the terms of one of its forefather's wills were discovered before they were fulfilled. Demyan has been raised to put duty to country above all things including his own heart. He's determined to protect his country's well being at any cost, even if it means marrying the American great-granddaughter of Baron Tanner.
Entralled -Anthology with Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day and Meljean Brook. -July 2013
Lucy's story is Ecstasy Under the Moon, a primal sensual story that gives readers a chance to see the Éan living in their forest home and what happens when an Eagle and a Wolf are mates.
Warrior Moon- July 2013
He rejected her and their love for the sake of his pack, but now Shona is on the run and trying to save her son from a despot. Can her Faol mate convince her that they are meant to have a family and when the time comes to choose, she and their son will come before the pack?
One Night Heir
1st Book in the By His Royal Decree Duo -July 2013
Crown Prince Maksim of the House of Yurkovich knows he needs a wife capable of providing heirs to the throne for the country he loves more than his own happiness. He thinks he's found the right woman for the job in Gillian until he reads her medical reports. They say she's a bad prospect and he breaks up with her. Neither are prepared for the consequences of their final night of passion.
Heat Seeker- Feb. 2013
Always ready, always deadly. That’s the motto of the Atrati—a mercenary organization of black operatives who specialize in doing what no one else can.
A former sergeant in the Marine special forces, Kaden Marks dreams of one day having a family. But he’s haunted by the deeds of his past and won’t let anyone get close. Then a new mission comes his way. A fellow operative has had her cover blown—and it’s up to Kaden’s team to bring her out safely. What he doesn’t realize is that the beautiful but stubborn Rachel Gannon has no intention of letting herself be rescued...
Rachel will come out only when she can promise adequate protection for her unwitting informant. As a former DEA agent, Rachel still blames herself for her sister’s death—and is unwilling to let someone else get hurt because of her. But she hadn’t counted on falling for Kaden Marks, and falling hard. Now she must convince him to help her bring down the enemy’s entire organization—without risking the life of the man she’s come to love...
The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress -reprint Dec. 17th, 2012
When Greek billionaire Dimitri Petronides is forced to give up Xandra Fortune, his beautiful mistress, he's certain she won't be too distraught. For all the intense passion they've shared she's never let him into her heart, and such a commitment-shy woman could never be his wife... But after their split, Dimitri discovers that Xandra Fortune is not who he thought she was - and she is also pregnant with his child. Now he has to track her down and claim his mistress as his wife!
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH CYNTHIA EDEN
USA Today bestselling Cynthia Eden’s spectacularly fun and steamy books make her an instant favorite. In the past couple years she has started writing intense and spine tingling romantic thrillers in addition to her highly imaginative paranormal books. I am a big favorite of her paranormal series and her latest, The Fallen, will be coming out its fourth installment called Avenging Angel this May!
So where does she get all her ideas?!
1) You know I love your storytelling, especially your paranormal romances. But recently you have really spread your wings and written a new YA novel and several suspense romances. Was that a conscious decision on your part or have you always wanted to ‘branch’ out?
Cynthia Eden: Thank you so much for interviewing me!! ;) And, yes, I always knew that I wanted to branch out. I like to try new areas with my writing because I think that experimentation keeps my stories fresh. What can I say? I like challenges! Branching out helps me to keep my story ideas flowing.
2) I am particularly interested in your Bound series about vampire and werewolves. Why did you decide to sell them as ebooks instead of print?
Cynthia Eden: Right now, I think it is truly a wonderful time to be a writer. With the rise of indie publishing, writers have a lot more flexibility. I wanted to release the Bound stories on my own so that I could control the price points and the release dates for those books.
3) That makes sense! Speaking of ebooks can you tell us about your Loved by Gods e-book Bleed for Me? Will this also be a series?!
Cynthia Eden: I am such a fan of Greek gods!! I wrote Bleed For Me because I was very curious to see what would happen if a vampire happened to fall in love with the infamous sun god. I do plan to release two more Loved By Gods stories—one for Ares and one for Poseidon.
4) That sounds sooo good! Will your YA book also be part of a series? Did you find writing YA books a different style? Did you feel you had to tone things down with The Better To Bite?
Cynthia Eden: LOL, yes, I definitely had to tone things down! I found myself deleting a few scenes as I wrote. The Better To Bite was in a very different style for me since it was written in first person, and I found that I really enjoyed being able to get that deeply into the heroine’s head. I do hope to release a follow-up book to THE BETTER TO BITE, but I don’t have a release date for that one yet (sorry!!).
5) Okay, I am captivated by your Fallen series! I am excited about a female angel in Avenging Angel!!
Can you tell us a little about the romance between Marna and Tanner? Will there be more female angels?!
Cynthia Eden: I had so much fun writing this story!! Tanner is a fierce, tough alpha—and he is completely obsessed with Marna. Everything that he does in the book is for her. I loved that about him. ;) He might be dangerous when it comes to the rest of the world, but when it comes to his angel, he is very weak.
So far, Marna is the only female angel who has received her own story.
6) Is Avenging Angel going to be the last in the series or will there be more?
Cynthia Eden: It is slated to be the last book (unless something changes!). Sometimes, there are characters that I just can’t part with—and I do wind up writing extra stories.
7) Since your paranormal books have been so popular, why did you decide to write suspense novels recently? Was it more difficult to write the darker tone?
Cynthia Eden: Even when I write paranormal romances, I’ve found that suspense elements tend to slip into the stories. Sneaky suspense. It’s because of those suspense elements that I decided to try writing romantic suspense stories (minus the paranormal elements). To my surprise, I discovered that I enjoyed writing the romantic suspenses just as much as I enjoyed my beloved paranormals. It’s not necessarily more difficult to write the darker stories, but they do often require a little more research.
8) Your talents are so diverse, is there anything else you would like to write about? Do you think your books will always include some romance?
Cynthia Eden: I want to write a horror novel. ;) One day, far in the future. I’d also love to write a SyFy screen play. But, of course, there would have to be *some* romance. I can’t ever let that go!! I need the romance too much!
9) Of all your books which has been the most pleasurable to write and why? Can you tell us what new books you have planned?!
Cynthia Eden: Oh, jeez, that is a tough question!!! When I am writing a book, *that* particular one is my favorite, and I am totally in love with that tale. But then I start a new book, and that one becomes my favorite. It’s a vicious cycle that just goes on and on and on!
As far as new books…I will have a phoenix shifter series that launches with Kensington Brava in 2014. Very dark and sexy!!
I will also be releasing a romantic suspense novella, MINE TO TAKE, in June. I am trying to keep a balance of romantic suspense and paranormal releases for my readers.
10) Thank you for all your time I am so awed by your writing and can’t wait to read more!
Cynthia Eden: Thank YOU! I really appreciate you taking the time to interview me. It has been a pleasure!!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Cynthia Eden check her out at:
At her website at:
http://www.cynthiaeden.com/books/
And check out her special contests, too!
http://www.cynthiaeden.com/category/contests/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Cynthia Eden
Avenging Angel (The Fallen) by Cynthia Eden (May 28, 2013) EARTHLY DELIGHTS With a messed up family background and a tendency to grow claws and fangs, Tanner Chance isn’t exactly the boy next door. But he’s a decent cop, and he keeps himself on the side of the good guys. Convenient, because when he rescues a survivor of a horrific shifter attack he finds himself instantly smitten—with an honest-to-goodness angel, as innocent as she is irresistible. Marna may be angelic, but she’s not stupid or weak. She can take care of herself. Tanner is more temptation than protection anyway. Or so she thinks, until someone wearing her face starts taking out some of New Orleans’ more unsavory paranormals. With police and predators both gunning for her blood, Marna has no choice but to trust Tanner…even though what’s sparking between them is hotter than anything holy.
Die for Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer by Cynthia Eden (Feb 12, 2013) She thought her fiancé was the perfect man—until he turned out to be the perfect killer… Katherine Cole is running for her life, desperate to escape the Valentine Killer—so-called because he stabs his victims through the heart and leaves them holding a telltale single red rose. Still he tracks her to New Orleans and begins carving a bloody path to her door. But this time, Katherine refuses to run any farther. This time, she’ll do anything to stop the madman she once loved, even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe… Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with his job, even as the Valentine Killer surfaces in New Orleans to stalk his prey. But when Dane agrees to protect the killer’s ex-fiancée, Katherine Cole, he can’t ignore the passion kindling between them. After a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane knows he won’t rest until Katherine is safe in his arms—and the Valentine Killer is dead.
Guardian Ranger (Harlequin Intrigue Series) by Cynthia Eden (Feb 5, 2013) The Last Chance bar was Veronica Lane's last hope. Desperate to find her missing brother, the sheltered computer programmer turned to Jasper Adams--the man she'd been warned to stay far away from. Veronica knew she was putting her life into the hands of the former Army Ranger, who aroused desire she had to resist at all costs. Posing as a ruthless mercenary was a cover for what Jasper was really doing: hunting a killer. And Veronica was in the line of fire. The soldier-turned-elite-ops-agent knew he was playing a dangerous game--trying to win her trust while deceiving her about his true mission. What would happen once Veronica discovered that everything about him was a lie...everything except his passion for her?
Alpha One (Harlequin Intrigue Series) by Cynthia Eden (Jan 2, 2013) "JULIE'S MISSING. YOU HAVE TO GET HER BACK." The minute he got the message, undercover agent Logan Quinn sprang into action. Getting Juliana James out of Mexico alive was the Elite Ops covert agent's only priority. But once the senator's daughter was safely back in their Mississippi hometown, Logan had a new mission: to get another chance with the woman he couldn't lose again. Juliana had never forgotten the day, ten years ago, when Logan left her heart in pieces. Now he was back in her life, sworn to protect her from the ruthless weapons dealer who wanted her dead. As passion blindsided her--and she was once again thrust into danger--Julie realized how much she'd risk for one more day in Logan's arms.
Angel In Chains (The Fallen) by Cynthia Eden (Nov 27, 2012) As a fallen Angel of Death, Azrael is cursed to walk the earth alone in search of redemption. One night, as he wanders the streets of New Orleans, he discovers a woman surrounded by panther shifters. No longer able to contain the anger simmering within, Az summons his dark powers and attacks, determined to protect this innocent human from certain death. Only Jade Pierce is no delicate flower. She's spent years learning to survive and fight the evil forces sent by her ex-lover who refuses to let her go. But after seeing Az in action, she figures she could use a little supernatural help. And so she plans a course of seduction guaranteed to arouse his interest and his angelic passions...
Angel Betrayed (Fallen) by Cynthia Eden (Jun 26, 2012) When Angel of Death Sammael (Sam) killed a dozen men - men not marked for death - he was tossed from heaven. In the mortal world, he plots his revenge, invincible and lethal. And then he meets her. Seline O'Shaw has taken a job at Sunrise, Sam's club, in order to attract his attention. Seline is an assassin, but she doesn't use physical weapons to attack her prey. As the daughter of an angel and an incubus, she uses seduction as her weapon of choice. Seline can kill with a kiss - and she has. But Sam isn't an easy mark. And when it comes to seduction, he's ready and waiting to turn the tables - with mind-blowing results...
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH VIRGINIA KANTRA
In this month's featured interview we have the pleasure of inviting Virginia Kantra to our site! She is the well regarded New York Times bestselling author of numerous romances. Her heart felt characters set in realistic home town romances tug at the heart string and celebrate the meaning of family.
In addition, the author also writes compelling and imaginative paranormal romances which sweep readers away into a supernatural race that is both magical and romantic.
How does she do it all?!
1) I have to say the best sections of your stories are certainly the romance but right after I enjoy reading the deep connection to family. How important is it to make your books realistic and portray family?
Virginia Kantra: I’ve loved family stories since I read Little Women. I’m married to the same guy since college, and the Fletcher siblings’ motto, “Back to back to back,” is actually taken from our three children. So family is my go-to place, both emotionally and in my writing.
I think it’s hard for love to exist in a vacuum. Who you choose to spend the rest of your life with is deeply influenced by where you come from...and sometimes by what you’re running away from. The families in my stories aren’t perfect, but their love is really strong. And, yeah, I love writing family dynamics – particularly between the guys.
2) I notice that you have two contemporary series. The Fletchers of Dare Island based in a small fishing community and your latest ebook series Sweet Home, Carolina. What inspired you to write each of these series and the beautiful area of the Carolinas?
Virginia Kantra: Once again, family was definitely a factor. My husband’s dad was stationed at Camp Lejeune. North Carolina was our vacation destination and many years ago became our home. I’m not from NC, in the sense that I wasn’t born here, but it is my “happy place.”
Those trips to the beach? Research. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself.)
3) Will the Sweet Home, Carolina series ever but published or set into an anthology? How many books do you have planned?
Virginia Kantra: Absolutely. In particular, I want to make the MacNeills available as a set. But these are self published titles. I have to fit the production around my writing, and I’m under deadline at the moment, so it won’t happen until later this year.
I’ve always wanted to write Jack MacNeill’s story (the little burn survivor from The Passion of Patrick MacNeill). So that’s coming eventually.
4) Going back to your Fletchers of Dare Island series. Your latest book Carolina Girl will be Meg’s story. Can you tell us what is special about this book?
Virginia Kantra: Well, Sam. I’d marry my hero Sam in a heartbeat.
Meg comes home in Carolina Girl. It’s a reunion story, about first times – first crush, first sex, first big, big mistake – and second chances.
It’s also about our fears about turning into our mothers – or not – and discovering that maybe your mother isn’t exactly the person you thought she was.
5) After Meg, the only family member left in the Fletcher family will be their brother Luke. Will that be coming out next year? Will it be the last book in the series or do you think you might do a spin-off?!
Virginia Kantra: Yes! Luke’s story, Carolina Man, will be out in March 2014. I’m in the middle of writing it now, and I adore it (I can say that, right?). Carolina Man wraps up the three-book arc about Taylor, Luke’s ten-year-old daughter. But it also introduces the police department “family” and the sexy new police chief who will anchor the next set of Dare Island novels.
6) I have to admit, what got me hooked on your books are your totally cool paranormal romances! Will you return to them? If so, when?!
Virginia Kantra: If I wrote faster, I would totally do both kinds of books at the same time. I love the fairy tale aspects of those stories – the magic and wonder and even the very dark places. But in some ways they are not typical paranormals, even though they’re marketed that way, and I think that made it hard for their natural readership to find them.
One day, I will write the corn maiden’s story (from Sea Lord). Probably as a novella. I’ve already got the first line.
7) I really want to know about the Children of the Air. Will this be a new series? Do you have ideas about a series called Children of the Earth, too?!
Virginia Kantra: I’d love to develop Amherst’s angels from my novella in Tied with a Bow. That whole “Scarlet Pimpernel with angels” concept is still very appealing to me. So we’ll see.
And my first story for Berkley was actually a Children of Earth tale. “Midsummer Night’s Magic,” which was nominated for a Romance Writers of America RITA Award, has been re-released by Penguin as a separate e-book
http://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Nights-Magic-Children-ebook/dp/B004XFYWHU/
It’s a modern retelling of the old Tamlane fairy tale.
8) After checking out your website, I realized the first book I read from you was the sizzling suspense, Close-Up. You have written in many genres. Do you find that is it more challenging or is fun to switch things up? How do you feel your writing style changed?
Virginia Kantra: For me, it’s always about the love story, the romance. Everything else is just a way to get the characters where they need to go to earn their happily-ever-after. The basic stuff I have to say about the strength of family, the importance of relationships, the power of love, that stuff doesn’t change.
But in tough times, I’m like most people. I want to go to my comfort place. Contemporary romance is my comfort place. It’s also a way for me to focus on the emotional conflict that’s at the heart of every story.
9) In addition to being an author I also noticed you have workshops on writing listed on your website. I read the two links on ‘guy speak’ and have to admit I found it very entertaining and realistic. Can you tell me how these workshops got started?
Virginia Kantra: Writing can be a very solitary profession. So I love to talk to other writers and readers groups. In fact, in May, I’ll be doing a day-long workshop for the Washington Romance Writers
http://wrwdc.com/member-benefits/meetings-2/meetings/
and in October I’ll be speaking at the New Jersey Romance Writers conference (they have a great book signing for readers, too, that’s open to the public).
http://njromancewriters.org/index.php?/conference/put_your_heart_in_a_book_conference/
I seem to talk a lot about gender in romance. I think this is because critics have argued that the romance genre portrays men not as they are but as women wish they would be. When it comes to physical hotness, this is often true. But I love real men. Guys. Of course, I’ve lived with my husband and two sons for a long time. And I think understanding how real men and women communicate is really important to romance...in real life and in fiction!
10) In all your books I am always impressed by your storytelling -the warmth between your characters and the real love and emotion between family. Thank you so much for this opportunity to interview you! :)
Virginia Kantra: Steph, that is the loveliest compliment you could pay me! Thank you so much for having me at Bookaholics!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Virginia Kantra check her out at:
At her website at:
http://virginiakantra.com/
And check out her special workshops, too!
http://virginiakantra.com/Workshops.html
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Virginia Kantra
Carolina Girl (A Dare Island Novel) Jun 4, 2013
Meet the Fletchers of Dare Island
Ambitious Meg, the daughter who never looked back
Steady Matt, the son who stayed
And rebel Luke, the Marine who thought he’d never return
Meg Fletcher spent her childhood dreaming of escaping Dare Island—her family’s home for generations. So after she landed a high-powered job in New York City, she left and never looked back. But when she loses both her job and the support of her long-term, live-in boyfriend, she returns home to lick her wounds and reevaluate her life.
Helping out her parents at the family inn, she can’t avoid the reminders of the past she’d rather forget—especially charming and successful Sam Grady, her brother's best friend. Their one disastrous night of teenage passion should have forever killed their childhood attraction, but Sam seems determined to reignite those long-buried embers. As Meg discovers the man he’s become, she’s tempted to open her vulnerable heart to him. But she has no intention of staying on Dare Island—no matter how seductive Sam’s embrace might be…
Mad Dog and Annie (Sweet Home Carolina 5) -Oct. 28th, 2012
Bad boy Maddox “Mad Dog” Palmer has loved Annie Barclay since they were kids. But when she married his high school teammate, golden boy Rob Cross, Maddox backed off and moved away. Now he’s back, and Ann is in trouble, threatened by both her abusive ex-husband and the law.
Tender-hearted Ann is fighting for a new life and custody of her son. She has enough on her plate without a burned out, big city cop reigniting an old flame or reminding her of the girl she used to be. Maddox tempts her beyond her safe boundaries. But can the first man who made Ann feel desire teach her to love again?
The Temptation of Sean MacNeill (Sweet Home Carolina 4) Aug 28, 2012
Easygoing, easy-loving Sean MacNeill travels light. The last thing he’s looking for is a widow with baggage, no matter how appealing.
Responsible Rachel is fleeing the aftermath of her husband’s suicide...and the men he owed money to. The last thing she wants complicating her new life is a sexy carpenter, no matter how tempting.
But sometimes the last person you want is the one person you need...
Carolina Home (A Dare Island Novel) -Jul 3, 2012
Home to the Fletcher family for generations, Dare Island is a fishing village rocked by changing times--its traditions slipping away like sands of the North Carolina coast. Single dad and fishing boat captain Matt Fletcher deferred his own dreams to support his innkeeper parents and build a future for his sixteen-year-old son. Matt has learned to weather life's storms by steering a steady emotional course...and keeping a commitment-free approach to love.
Newcomer Allison Carter came to Dare Island to escape the emotional demands of her wealthy family. The young teacher aims to build a life here, to make a lasting place for herself. She doesn't want to be another Woman Who Once Dated Matt Fletcher. It's both tempting and dangerous to believe she can be something more.
Then Matt's brother Luke makes a sudden return home, with a child of his own--and a request that will change all their lives. With a child's welfare at stake, Matt must turn to Allison to teach him to let go of the past, open his eyes...and follow his heart.
The Comeback of Conn MacNeill (Sweet Home Carolina 3) May 23, 2012
Val Cutler’s restaurant, Wild Thymes, is in trouble. As a condition of her father’s loan, she is forced to accept the advice of Yankee business consultant Conn MacNeill...but she doesn’t have to like it.
Conn is determined to prove himself after his recent firing from a high-stakes, high-profile venture capital company. Wild Thymes is small potatoes. But the recommendation of Val’s father could be just what Conn needs to get started on the comeback trail.
Neither Val or Conn is prepared for the attraction that flares between them, quick and fierce as a kitchen fire. But things get even hotter when they begin to uncover the secrets behind the restaurant’s troubles. Secrets that someone would kill to keep...
The Passion of Patrick MacNeill (Sweet Home, Carolina 2) -April 29, 2012
Dedicated burn surgeon Kate Sinclair shields her tender heart behind a white coat and a coolly professional manner. But something about the little patient the nurses dub “Iron Man” and his vital flyboy father challenges her as a doctor and a woman.
Since the car crash that killed his wife and almost took his son, pilot Patrick MacNeill’s life has revolved around his little boy. No one—no woman and certainly no interfering doctor—can intrude on their bond, forged in love and pain.
When little Jack’s care brings these two together, it ignites a passion they can’t ignore. But their growing involvement threatens Patrick’s emotional barriers and Kate’s professional future. With so much at stake, will she trust her judgment...or her heart?
The Reforming of Matthew Dunn (Sweet Home Carolina 1) April 5th, 2012
Clare Harmon believes in second chances for the kids and ex-cons she employs through her neighborhood garden project. But she won't risk her heart and future on any man again, especially one who gets shot at for a living.
Tough cop Matt Dunn doesn't want a dewy-eyed do-gooder like Clare complicating his recent assignment to the new community policing assignment. But when danger forces them together, these two wounded souls just may take a second chance...on love.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ALISON TYLER
Alison Tyler is the author and renowned editor of numerous steamy anthologies. She has always been on the forefront of edgy erotic quickies that busy women (and men) love to read. A guilty pleasure, indeed!
This February she just had her latest anthology, Sudden Sex released.
When I tried to find more information about this popular author I was surprised to find out she is really an enigma. Where does she come up with all of these saucy tales? And what do we really know about this mysterious writer?
Here is what she said.
1) Wow, what an honor! I imagine you as a sexy diva! How did you get started writing romance, specifically erotica?
Alison Tyler:
Sometimes I feel like David Byrne—looking around and thinking, “Well, how did I get here?” I’ve been writing professionally in the erotic industry for more than two decades, but I’ve been simply writing forever. I’m one of those people who always knew what I wanted to do. Words own me. If I don’t get them out on paper, I go a little mad.
Although I’m known for erotica, I began by penning romance stories for my friends. I’d create little scenarios featuring my girlfriends on dates with their favorite rock star or movie star. This was fanfic before the Internet. And if I tell you that the celebs they chose were from Bon Jovi, White Snake, and Duran Duran, then you’ll get the idea of what decade we’re talking about.
Throughout my career, I’ve had, oh, sixteen thousand jobs on the side, but I have never stopped writing. Why erotica? My words run dirty. Even when I try to write clean, I write dirty.
I’ve been lucky enough to be published by Cleis Press, Black Lace, Harlequin, Plume, Masquerade, and more. And I’ve had incredible mentors and supporters over the years, like Violet Blue, Judy Cole, Barbara Pizio, and Brenda Knight.
2) What do you think appeals to readers about erotic romance and its huge popularity in the past decade?
Alison Tyler:
We’re all animals who put on clothes, brush our hair, and act in certain ways. But at the end of the day, we like to think, talk about, and engage in sex. (Okay, some of us like to do it at the start of the day, too.) Erotica is a doorway. You can peek in and see what other people are fantasizing about. You can crack a spine or download an e-book and lose yourself in a whole new sultry universe. What’s not to love?
3) After being the editor and writer of so many short stories, how do you keep coming up with new ideas? Is there any topic you have yet to tackle or is there a subject too taboo?
Alison Tyler:
My personal fetish lies in understanding what turns other people on. Searching out hot-buttons never gets old to me. I am constantly trying to puzzle relationships together. What does he see in her? Why does she make his world spin? I write stories in my head all day long. Look over there. That man in the neat gray suit is going to see his dominant lover at lunchtime. Every Tuesday at noon, she ties him up and torments him until he begs for mercy. And then he slips back into his Brooks Brothers apparel and returns to the boardroom. Or that lady, the one with the silver in her hair and no make-up on, well, she’s on her way to a tryst with a younger man. He can’t get enough of her body. He says her skin smells like rose petals.
I can’t help myself. It’s a habit I don’t know how to break.
As far as taboos go—I won’t write stories in which people are punished for what they need. Being punished is fine. But I don’t write the dark type of stories in which characters end up institutionalized for being kinky.
4) In your latest anthology, Sudden Sex by Cleis Press, what is the basic premise of the sultry 69 stories? Do feel your shorts are a bit of a tease by themselves?
Alison Tyler:
Short fiction is my forte. I adore reading short works by other authors outside of erotica (Fitzgerald’s Bernice Bobs Her Hair is stellar). But obviously erotic shorts are my favorite. I think top-notch writers can capture a whole story in a sliver of space. Janine Ashbless wrote a piece for Frenzy called “Pirate Treasure” that delighted many readers. And Nikki Magennis has penned several gems that were only a page long yet rich with detail. Aisling Weaver, Andrea Dale, and Vida Bailey are three more of my go-to writers when I need something short and hot. In Sudden Sex, no story is longer than 1,500 words. A writer has to be something of a magician to make this work. My authors rose to the challenge.
5) What makes your latest book so special?
Alison Tyler:
You know how you feel at the start of a love affair. Everything about the person makes you swoon. I could lick the cover of Sudden Sex—the image is so fiercely sexy. And that’s before I even split the spine to see the unbelievable talent in the table of contents. This collection features 69 stories by more than 35 authors. The genres covered will light up any fetishist: ménage, spanking, bondage, cross-dressing, BDSM, anal, quickies… all of my favorite flavors.
6) When you edit books how do you choose what to keep and what may cross the line? What do you look for in a racy short story?
Alison Tyler:
Let’s talk about foreplay, baby. Win me with your opening. Then woo me with your parting phrase. Sure, the middle has to be sexy as hell, but I am all about love at first sight. And I want our last kiss to be special, as well.
7) Are there any new authors that you have felt break the mold in erotica?
Alison Tyler:
There was a sign in my gym recently that advised people not to leave fewer than five links on a pull-down weight, because some of the “older” members couldn’t reach. I revised the sign (no, really, I did) to read “shorter” members. I work out occasionally with a guy who is in his seventies, and he’s 6’8”—no problems reaching the heights. That said, I’m less concerned with new authors than with writers who are fearless, regardless of their history. I have a permanent heart-on for Thomas Roche, Sophia Valenti, Sommer Marsden, Kristina Lloyd, and Jax Baynard. I also look forward to reading work by Justine Elyot, Giselle Renarde, Cheyenne Blue, Charlotte Stein, Teresa Noelle Roberts, Veronica Wilde, Cora Zane… I think the violins are going to kick in at any second and play me off the stage.
8) Since Erotica is the hottest thing in romance today, what advice would you give aspiring authors?
Alison Tyler:
Read everything you can get your hands on, but be yourself. Don’t try to write someone else’s story or in someone else’s style. I love The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice, but I knew when I started I would never be able to write like she does. My sense of description is nothing like her rich style.
9) Do you have more books planned on the horizon. Can you give us a quick peek?
Alison Tyler:
My dance card is full. Basically, I’m like one of those little spinning tops. If I’m not in motion, I tip over. My next novel out is Dark, Secret Love (Cleis, July 2013), and The Big Book of Bondage also just came out (also from Cleis). Plus I’m super excited about Smart Ass, Bad Ass, Kiss My Ass: The Trilogy. Susie Bright recently brought this collection to Audible.com. How kick-ass is that?
Thanks so much for giving us your time. I really admire how you have brought this genre to the forefront.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For More Information About Alison Tyler:
http://www.cleispress.com/gosearch.php?textfield=TYLER++ALISON&search_
Recent and Upcoming Books by Alison Tyler
Sudden Sex: 69 Sultry Short Stories by Alison Tyler (Feb 19, 2013)
Maybe one of the hidden benefits of everyone being so darn busy is the rise of the quickie! No one writes fresh fiction on quick sex better than Alison Tyler who has probably inspired more time-efficient trysts that any other eroticist. Whether at the office with your boss, in a restaurant restroom or naughty nooners with your long-time love, Tyler's Sudden Sex will have you dialing up a booty call stat!
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH CAT JOHNSON
Cat Johnson’s super hot contemporary romances have thrilled readers for years. This fabulously ‘no holds barred’ writer started out in e-books and has gained a loyal following. Now a best selling writer for Kensington Publishing, she has a new and scorching cowboy romance called One Night with a Cowboy coming out this year. Yippee!
I was excited when she graciously agreed to tell us more about her writing and how she has become the well known author of extra steamy books today!
1) What makes writing romance so important to you? I mean, getting published is tough, did you get discouraged when you first started writing?
Cat Johnson: Actually, my path to publication was kind of twisted. It started easy, and then got hard. Long story short, I graduated with a degree in English and within a few weeks, I had contracts for 3 Young Adult series in my hand. Twelve books later, those series concluded, and breaking into a new series, and getting a book published in a different genre, proved too discouraging for me. I entered the corporate world for about 15 years and made use of my other degree in marketing. Then e-books opened up the publishing industry, and I decided to try getting published again, this time in adult romance, which is what I loved to read. In April 2006, I got a contract with Linden Bay Romance, a small press. 3 years later that publisher sold to Samhain, the second largest digital-first publishing house. They already had a large stable of best selling authors, and that’s when my sales really took off.
To answer why I write romance… I think every person, women especially, need an escape from reality sometimes, and I’m happy I can give that to them.
2) I have to ask where do you get the inspiration for your steamy scenes? Is the word ‘tame’ even in your vocabulary?!
Cat Johnson: I’m smiling at this question because it seems I had to grow into the ability to write hot. In 2006, I genuinely thought that first story I wrote and had published was hot. Looking back, it really wasn’t. It seems with each book, it’s a little easier to push the boundaries a bit farther, but I still have my limits. I tried my hand at erotica a few times. Those stories turned out to be just really hot erotic romance, but there was still a committed relationship and a happy ever after. I guess I’m just a romantic at heart.
As for the inspiration. I do have a very vivid imagination! And I’ll admit I’ve researched some of the more technical, physical aspects online. My Google search history is pretty crazy. I also only write heroes who I find sexy, which makes it a lot easier to create hot situations for them to star in.
3) I’m curious, when you write your books do you ever feel embarrassed when writing the sex scenes? Is it difficult to bring the emotion between the characters into them?
Cat Johnson: The emotion isn’t hard because well-written erotic romance depends on the sex being character-driven and necessary for the story. But yes, I have felt embarrassed a few times. When my mom first started reading my stuff, it nearly crippled me when writing thinking about that. And starting with a new publisher and picturing a new editor reading the sex scenes kind of freaks me out too. You just have to get over it and write through it.
4) Makes sense! You started out writing e-books, do you think they will ever take over print books? :( Do you prefer to read e-books or print?
Cat Johnson: I think there will always be physical, bound-paper books. However, I think these books will be limited to titles on a reader’s “Keeper Shelf”, and beautiful classics displayed in bookcases. In the old days, only the wealthy owned books, and they were treasured objects. I think “real” books will continued be collected. Where I think e-books will take over is in the paperback market, the mass market prints readers buy cheap, read once, and then pass along.
I do love reading on the iPad. It’s so nice to know that no matter where I am I have a pile of books with me. The TBR pile of dusty stacks of paperbacks I come home from conventions with can get overwhelming and stifling. But when I read for research, I buy the paper book and stick hundreds of sticky notes in spots I might need to reference later. And I usually take a paperback on airplanes because I live in fear of a dead iPad battery.
5) Can you tell us what your favorite book to write was and why?
Cat Johnson: I do love my newest release, One Night With a Cowboy, however, I can’t say I particularly liked writing that one because I was out of my comfort zone. If you’ve read me before, you know I have stories ranging from a few thousand words, to 50,000 or 60,000. So I found being contracted for an 80,000-word novel was a little scary! I’m a wimp that way.
So I have to say A Cowboy For Christmas was probably the most fun to write. It was just so crazy. I did a live reading at a club in NYC in October, and a publisher was there and asked if I’d write a cowboy Christmas story for them for release that December. I finally said okay. I figured they’d want a short story on that short notice. Turns out, by the time we ironed out the details, they wanted 50K…by December 1st. Luckily for me it was now November, which is also NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) so I had plenty of writing support. In addition, the Hallmark Channel was running their Countdown to Christmas movie marathon. I had a great story idea, as well as the mental image of a sexy as sin alpha cowboy hero. I hunkered down and though I never got a Christmas tree put up in my house, I finished that story with 10 days to spare before the deadline. I love that story! Now all I need is to get it to Hallmark to be made into a Christmas movie (with the smoking-hot sex scenes removed, of course).
6) I noticed you have written several hot cowboy romances. What makes them the ideal hero in your mind? Do you have a cowboy you particularly like?!
Cat Johnson: There is just something about a cowboy that makes a woman feel taken care of. They’re strong, polite, hardworking, rugged, and ready to take on anything…and the boots and jeans don’t hurt. There are plenty of real life bull riders and calf ropers who have inspired my fictional characters, but I don’t play favorites. I mean, who could choose just one? ;)
7) I have to ask, can you please tell us about your new book One Night with a Cowboy?! What makes your hero Tucker so special?
Cat Johnson: Tucker is very special. You’re right, I have written lots of cowboys, and I wanted Tucker to stand out. I wanted him to have another dimension to him. Tuck’s a bull rider, but he’s also an active duty soldier, and that career takes him away from the heroine and puts him in one of the most deadly regions of Afghanistan. I feel that the chapters set in the war zone that show Tuck as a soldier fighting for his own life and those of the men in his unit added an important element of depth to the novel. And how his girlfriend, Becca, deals with the separation and fear takes their love to another level.
I also love the old “fish out of water” and “opposites attract” classic romance tropes. You can’t get much different than a New York English professor, and a bull-riding soldier from Oklahoma.
8) You have another series by Samhain called Red Hot and Blue. Will you continue this series? What inspired you to write about sexy military men in particular? Do you feel cowboys and military men are more ‘alpha’ heroes and therefore more attractive to many readers?
Cat Johnson:
I loved reading military romances by Suzanne Brockmann and Alison Kent so I decided to try my hand at writing one back in 2006. I fell in love with the genre and the alpha heroes in it, as well as with the real men of the military who inspired my fictional stories.
I think readers do love an alpha man. I attribute the insane popularity of the 50 Shades trilogy to readers’ love of a take charge hero. I definitely have a thing for alpha men, and though I have written a few heroes who weren’t, I seem to keep going back to uber-alphas. And yes, cowboys and military men both seem to fit into that category nicely. The life and death nature of military romance adds instant tension and urgency to the relationships the characters form.
What will happen with the Red, Hot & Blue series? Sigh…that’s a very good question. I am still in the agonizing process of reworking the out-of-print stories from the original Linden Bay Romance series so they can be rereleased with Samhain. I’ll admit rewriting is much harder than writing new, so I’m probably not in the state of mind right now to answer if I’ll continue the series.
I don’t know if there will be more in the Red, Hot & Blue series, but I can guarantee I’m not done writing military romance. As I mentioned, Tuck is military, and so is the hero for Book 2 in the Oklahoma Nights series. I may start fresh with a new military series rather than continue Red, Hot & Blue. Something to think about. Either way, looking forward is exciting.
9) Okay, I am a sucker for the paranormal and really interested in your Loves Immortal Pantheon series, can you tell us about it? How did you come up with the idea for this series? Do you have plans to write more of them?
Cat Johnson: I’d only dabbled in paranormal before that series. I’d written one short story about a witch who turns a warrior into a cat. It’s one of my Free Reads—Black Cat and I love that story, but I’d never had any plans to write more. That is, until author Stella Price, who I’d been doing book signings with, told me she was planning a new reader/author convention and the first year was for paranormal authors only. She wanted me there so I had to write something paranormal, and she just happened to be coordinating a series of anthologies featuring the gods for Tease that year. So I broke out this old paperback I had about different gods from different cultures, and the myths surrounding them, and I wrote the first story, Erato, about the muse of erotic poetry. It was easy to spin off the other stories. With all those decadent gods and goddesses running around Mount Olympus making trouble, all I had to do was pick who I wanted to write about next. So there are two stories about Eros, and a story about Bacchus. I tried to put a new spin and twist on the old myths, so they’d feel new and different.
It was kind of freeing actually. After writing contemporary romance for so long, where I always had to make sure the characters’ motivations rang true for the reader, it was nice to be able to open Erato with a good old fashioned orgy and not have to worry about it!
10) And finally, what other ideas do you have planned… or is that top secret?!
Cat Johnson:
Not secret. I don’t even know myself sometimes! Just when I think I have no more ideas, or that I’m too busy to take on anything new, something comes up. Apparently all I need is a tiny nudge, such as Kensington emailing me to say there was a spot in a mass market beach read anthology with Linda Lael Miller and Jill Shalvis and if I wanted in it, I had to write a story centering around summer and water, so I wrote one.
So to kind of answer your question, I have plans for Book 3 in the Oklahoma Nights series with Kensington, and for another bull rider book for the Studs in Spurs series with Samhain, and from there I’m going to take it one day at a time. I can make plans, but they’ll just change, I’m sure. Best laid plans and all that… The best way to keep up with what’s happening is at my site at CatJohnson.net. I try to keep the most up to date information on the Coming Soon page.
Wow! Thanks so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I really feel I learned a lot about your writing and I can’t wait to get my hands on your next book!
Cat Johnson: Thanks so much for having me!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Cat Johnson you can check her out at:
http://catjohnson.net/
She also has FREE READs you can check at:
http://catjohnson.net/free-reads-2/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Cat Johnson
http://catjohnson.net/series-reading-order/
Oklahoma Nights Series from Kensington Brava
One Night With a Cowboy, Book 1 (coming Feb 26, 2013)
Two Shots With a Soldier, Book 2 (coming Fall 2013)
“Fish Out of Water” in a Mass Market Anthology w/ Linda Lael Miller, Jill Shavis, Lucy Monroe, July 2013
Contemporary Cowboy Anthology from Kensington Aphrodisia (Coming Fall 2013) “Two for the Road” M/F/M Menage
Three Weeks With a Bull Rider, Book 3 (Coming 2014)
Studs in Spurs Series (pro bull riders), Samhain Publishing
Unridden (Book 1-Slade, Mustang) e-book & Print
Bucked (Book 2-Mustang) e-book & Print
The Rookie (Deleted Scene from BUCKED-Mustang & Chase) FREE e-book
8 Second Ride (Short Story-Chase) FREE e-book
Ride (Book 3-Chase)-e-book & Print
Hooked (Book 4 – Luke)-e-book & Print
Flanked (Book 5-Garret)- e-book available, Print Aug. 2013
Red, Hot & Blue Series*, Samhain Publishing
Trey (Book 1) e-book
Jack (Book 2) e-book
Jimmy (Book 3) e-book
NOTE: Trey, Jack & Jimmy are bundled in PRINT as RED BLOODED
BB Dalton (Book 3.5) BONUS READ
Jared (Book 4) e-book -formerly “The Horseman”
Cole (Book 5) e-book -formerly “The Ballplayer”
Bobby (Book 6) -formerly “The Deputy”
NOTE: Jared, Cole & Bobby will be bundled for Print as SMALLTOWN HEAT in 2013
A Few Good Men-A RHB NOVEL (Book 7) e-book available, print in 2013
Model Soldier- A RHB NOVEL (Book 8 ) e-book available, print 2013
A Prince Among Men-A RHB NOVEL (Book 9) March 12 e-book, print 2014
Bull (Book 10) – awaiting release date
Matt (Book 11) – awaiting release date
The Commander (Book 12) awaiting release date
NOTE: Bull, Matt, The Commander will be bundled for print as TRUE BLUE
*The Red, Hot & Blue series was originally the Linden Bay Romance Task Force Zeta Series
Love’s Immortal Pantheon Greek Gods Series from Tease Publishing
Erato (Vol. 1-Erato/Acantha)
Eros’ Valentine (Eros)
Bacchanal (Vol. 2-Dionysus/Ariadne)
Bliss (Vol. 3-Eros/Psyche)
The Trilogy Collection (Rereleases of out-of-print Linden Bay Romance Backlist)
Opposites Attract (Trilogy #1)- Brad/Alyssa, Troy/Amy, Antonio/Maddy
Nice & Naughty (Trilogy #2)- appearances by Troy and Antonio and their firemen friends
Black Cat- (FREE READ) Belinda and Lar’s story featuring Donna & Grace from JUST DESSERTS
Just Desserts (Trilogy #3)-Donna’s and Grace’s stories
TEXAS TWO STEP from All Romance e-books’ Perfect Strangers line
1. Texas Two-Step (Wes/Maryann/Shooter, M/F/M)
2. Texas Two-Step: Cowboy Shuffle (Shooter & Ellen)
Stories from the MAVERICK RANCH from Ravenous Romance
1. A Cowboy for Christmas (Cattle boss Bonner Blue Boyd & Casey, M/F)
2. Valentine Cowboys (Ranch hands Justus & Dakota, M/F/M menage)
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH VICTORIA ALEXANDER
Victoria Alexander is the New York best selling author of multiple historical romances. Her engaging characters and heartwarming stories have charmed readers everywhere!
This month she has a new romance coming out called The Importance of Being Wicked. I ever so excited to discover that I would have the chance to ask her all about it!!
1) Can you tell us how you got started writing?
Victoria Alexander: My first career was as a television reporter so I've always written in one form or another. I've always been a voracious reader—mostly of popular fiction. While my writing background is in nonfiction, I love writing fiction even though I do think it's much harder. In nonfiction the facts are the facts and they can't be changed. But in fiction, at the end of a story or a book, everything needs to make sense. Nothing makes sense in the real world.
2) I love your Regency romances! What do you like about writing historical romance particularly this period? Why do you think this period is so popular with readers?
Victoria Alexander: Honestly, I like all of the 19th century from the Regency to the turn of the 20th century. I like the clothes and the manners and the fact that there's a war going on (lot's of potential for fabulous heroes and great stories there!) during the Regency years. And I love the progress that's happening later in the century with inventions and discoveries. I think its popularity with readers is one of the same reasons why I like writing in the 19th century so much. It's far enough away in time to be romantic and close enough that we can relate to it.
4) Hmm… that makes sense. I have always been a bit confused, what are the differences in writing a Regency versus Victorian Era romance? Are there any differences?!
Victoria Alexander: I have always thought that no matter what period you were writing in, the reactions and emotions of people were pretty much the same. People have always wanted to find love. But the setting around those characters is what makes the difference between writing a Regency versus a Victorian. And obviously the world around them affects their attitudes. Activities that would have been considered scandalous at the beginning of the century were nothing out of the ordinary at the end. Imagine the reaction of a proper Regency miss from 1805 to the sight of a lady on a bicycle in 1895. Shocking!
The Regency is loosely considered the first 20 years of the 19th century (although technically it was only from 1811 to 1920). It's very much the last moments of a way of life that had been unchanged for centuries. After the Regency, the 19th century was a time of almost constant change. As the world progressed through the 1800's it ran into the Industrial Revolution and inventions and discoveries that most people had never dreamed of. Progress, I think, is one of the biggest differences between Regency and Victorian era romances. And along with progress came changes in attitudes. You have to remember too that the Victorian period ran from 1837 to 1901. There was a lot going on.
At the beginning of the 19th century it took days in a carriage to reach places you could get to in a matter of hours by train at the end of the century. In 1800, your only means of sending a message was in person or by note. In 1900, you could make a telephone call. For a writer, the difference between writing in the Regency period and writing a Victorian set novel means my characters can send a telegram before taking off in their horseless carriages.
4) Wow! Thanks for you insights. Speaking of which, in your latest Victorian set romance called The Importance of Being Wicked, the hero is a Viscount in need of a bride. Can you tell us more about him? What makes him so special?
Victoria Alexander: Winfield Elliott, Lord Stillwell, has been engaged three times without making it to the altar. He is an unusual hero in that he is interested in marriage not just as part of his responsibility toward his family. He would like to find that perfect wife and he'd very much like to fall in love. He has a rather wicked reputation, due to a fun filled youth and thanks in part to those three engagements. (After all, what kind of man is been engaged three times without making it to the altar?) He's also funny and charming in the kind of way that makes you want to know more about those failed engagements. What was wrong with those women?
5) I know it is hard to play favorites but of all your books do you have a particular hero or heroine who is close to your heart? Can you tell us why?
Victoria Alexander: Right now I have to say Winfield Elliott. He appeared in What Happens at Christmas as a minor character and tried to take over the entire book. While I didn't have any plans when he first popped up, ultimately I knew I had to write more about him. I really haven't had a lot of characters who've done that to me. He was very insistent and I have to admit I hate saying goodbye to him. You know, if I could meet one of my characters in real life, I think I'd pick him. But his story is over, I gave him his happily ever after and really can anyone ask for more than that?
6) What is one quality that you feel is essential to try to give all your characters in your books? Do you ever base them on real characters?
Victoria Alexander: I've tried to base characters on real people but they change and grow so much, they take on a life of their own. In the end, they bear no resemblance to who I modeled them after. Which is probably a good thing. J
I'm not sure I can narrow down essential qualities to just one but I can do two. Ultimately, my characters have to have a sense of honor and a sense of humor. I think it's hard to find truly honorable people today in real life. Or maybe it's just the world we live in where honor is not something talked about or expected or obvious although I do think it exists.
As for a sense of humor, in fiction and in real life, if a character—especially a man—can't see the humor in life, can't laugh at his mistakes, he's not the kind of guy I want in my real or fictional worlds. My husband has a great sense of humor. He thinks it's funny that I have a dead husband named after him in nearly every book. J
7) I really enjoy your Christmas romances. Do you plan to write more?!
Victoria Alexander: I love writing Christmas books and I do want to write more. I have a couple of ideas but nothing definite at the moment.
8) I look forward to them coming out soon! What new characters do have planned in future books? Are you even tempted to return to old characters and write more about them? Perhaps in a Christmas anthology?!
Victoria Alexander: The Importance of Being Wicked is really the first of my Millworth Manor books (although What Happens at Christmas was set at Millworth). For the first time I'm setting a series around a place rather than a family. I love it! It's opened up a whole new world of possibilities for stories. I can have Millworth change hands or be rented out. I already have books in the works centering around a wedding at the manor, and questions of inheritance. I'm going to bring in more American characters and slowly move Millworth forward in time. Maybe even to the turn of the century and beyond. It's going to be fun. J
Sometimes I am tempted to return to old characters but not to main characters. I figure they've had their story. But I have a lot of secondary characters that I would like to go back and explore. And a Christmas anthology with some of them is a wonderful idea. Thanks!
9) I have to confess to loving time travel romances. I loved your book, Yesterday and Forever. Will you ever write another time travel romance? If time travel were possible, would you live in the past?!
Victoria Alexander: No, I wouldn't live in the past. I am far too used to the comforts of modern life. And as much as I love Victorian fashions, actually wearing them on a daily basis would be way too much trouble! But I would like to visit. So if the opportunity to spend a vacation in 1895 came along, I'd jump at it.
I do have a time travel I've been wanting to write for years. Whether I ever do it or not is another question. We shall see. J
10) Ohhh! I really hope you get it published, I will be first in line. Your books have given me so many untold hours of reading pleasure. This has been such an honor. Thank you for your gracious time answering my questions!
Victoria Alexander: Thank you, Steph. You had some tough, well thought out questions. And I'm so glad you enjoy my books. That keeps me going! Take care.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Victoria Alexander check her out at:
http://www.victoriaalexander.com/
Recent and Upcoming Romances by Victoria Alexander
The Importance of Being Wicked –Feb. 2013
The Importance of Being Wicked is a dazzling novel, set in Victorian England, at a country estate where love is always at home…it’s the perfect setting for a properly wicked seduction. Winfield Elliot, Viscount Stillwell, needs to find a bride, and has broken three engagements already. His real passion is his family’s fire-damaged country house, which he is trying to restore and renovate. The firm he hires to repair the house send a very desirable widow to represent them. Lady Miranda Garrett finds Win totally irresistible when she resides at his home to oversee the work being done there. Win occupies her days, her thoughts, and her dreams…and eventually her bed. Finally, the wickied Win has fallen in love; and what began as a scandalous proposition becomes a proposal.
Lord Stillwell’s Excellent Engagements -ebook Nov. 2012
We first met Winfield Elliott, Lord Stillwell, in What Happens at Christmas.
His lordship is looking for the perfect bride. And indeed, he truly believes he has found her. Each and every time.
Now learn the real story behind…
What Happens at Christmas -Oct. 2012
Camille, Lady Lydingham, knows precisely what she wants for Christmas—an official engagement to a handsome, dashing prince. Her very proper suitor expects a proper English family and the perfect Dickensian Christmas, which leaves the lovely widow with a slight problem. The last thing Camille wants is for the prince to meet her unconventional relatives. But with the aid of a troupe of actors, Camille intends to pull off a Christmas deception of massive proportions.
At least until Grayson Elliott shows up. A dozen years ago, he declared his love on the day before her marriage to another man, then vanished from her life. Now he’s back, gate-crashing Camille’ s already chaotic house party, playing havoc with her scheme—and with her heart. Because for Grayson, losing Camille once was bad enough. Losing her twice? Unthinkable. And he’ll find a way to show her they belong together—for this season and every Christmas yet to come…
My Wicked Little Lies -Feb. 2012
Evelyn Hadley-Attwater has it all—a genteel Victoria life replete with loving husband, ball gowns and elegant parties. No one, including the man she married, suspects that she was once “Eve”, a spy for England’s most enigmatic intelligence agency. Summoned for one final assignment, the excitement of her former life and memories of her mysterious, flirtatious boss “Sir” prove too tempting . . .
Adrian Hadley Attwater is a respectable, dignified gentleman. But even the most proper gentlemen have secrets of their own. Secrets from the rest of the world, from their families, from their wives. Secrets that have a price. Now, as the veil of secrecy frays, a tantalizing game of cat and mouse will test the bounds of unfailing love . . .
His Mistress by Christmas -Sept. 2011
For three years, Lady Veronica Smithson has been perfectly happy as a widow—and thoroughly independent. Still, the right gentleman could provide the benefits of marriage without the restrictions. And in Sir Sebastian Hadley-Attwater, renowned explorer and rogue, Veronica is sure she has found him.
Sebastian will come into his inheritance in a matter of weeks-if his family deems him responsible enough. There’s no better way to prove his worthiness than with a home and a wife. But though the lovely Veronica will share his bed, she steadfastly refuses to marry.
But Sebastian has never been one to take no for an answer. Not when it comes to something he wants. And an intimate Christmas sojourn at his new country house will surely change Veronica’s mind. But he doesn’t count on unexpected visitors, meddling relatives and a few innocent deceptions gone horribly awry.
Still, and one way or another, this will be a Christmas to remember.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDRA IVY
Alexandra Ivy is the New York best selling author of the paranormal Guardians of Eternity series. Edgy, exhilarating, and totally addictive, her books are a fan favorite. This author is constantly creating amazing characters that captivate readers and makes them want more!
Boy, oh, boy, was I thrilled to get the chance to ask her all about her books!!
1) I have to tell you I actually started out reading your Regency romances! Do you think you ever will return to that era? Do you miss writing them?
Alexandra Ivy:
Very much!! My first love was Jane Austin when I was in junior high school. I absolutely adore the charm and clever wit she brought to her writing and it was so much fun to try and capture that same magic. I hope that someday I’ll have the time to write them again!
2) You Regency books were a lot tamer than your books now do you feel that your writing style has changed dramatically since you first books? What do you find most rewarding about writing?
Alexandra Ivy:
I definitely feel as if my writing has evolved over the years, but a part of the difference came from the expectations of different genres. The regencies were by tradition sweeter romances with the sex behind closed doors while the longer historicals were a bit spicier. The paranormals have been so much fun since there really are no ‘rules’.
3) Kensington has been re-printing your vampire paranormal series, Immortal Rogues. The last in the series, My Lord Immortality, has just been re-released. Did you make any changes to these books? Do you think you would ever return to this series?
Alexandra Ivy:
No, I actually didn’t make any changes, but the beauty of having immortal characters, is that I could use them in future Guardian books. Nefri who is a prominent character in the Immortal Rogues makes an appearance in my current books.
4) So glad you are still keeping characters! I adore your Guardians of Eternity series- it is so involving and complex! Do you have to have the plot mapped out so you know in advance what will be happening in the series? Or do you sort of let the characters take over? Does the plot constrict your writing/creativity sometimes because you have planned what will happen in upcoming books?!
Alexandra Ivy:
It’s been a learning process for me!! I’ve never wrote a continuing series before the Guardians, so I didn’t realize how involved it would become. Trust me, if I could go back I would have been far better at keeping track of characters and my ever growing list of demons! I do try to let the characters unfold the story, although there is always a background story that goes from book to book. And, of course, I try to introduce new characters to keep things interesting.
5) When I read your books I always feel they are edgier and darker than the typical romance. Was it difficult to get the idea for your paranormal series published initially?
Alexandra Ivy:
My editor was fantastic about pushing for this series, which I’ll always be so grateful for. At the time historicals were still the top sellers so no one was eager for me to switch to paranormals, but I really wanted to give them a shot. I’m really glad I started when I did. It would be really, really hard to break into such a crowded genre now.
6) I notice that you have several vampires in your paranormal series are they your favorite character ‘type?’ I have to say I am particularly fascinated by the Jinns will you write more about them?
Alexandra Ivy:
I do love my vampires . But it’s been interesting to create different demons. I’d love to do a story with a full-blooded Jinn as well as a dragon. And of course, I really would love to try to fill out the backstory on my Slyvermysts...there’s something very sexy about the dark fey! It’s always a matter of finding the time!
7) Dragons would be great! I can’t wait. Alright, your gargoyle Levet, adds a lot of character to your books will he ever have his own story?! Maybe a novella?
Alexandra Ivy:
Levet is my fav!! That’s probably no surprise to anyone. He will have a short-short ebook coming this April. It’s not his love-story, but it is a coming home story where he confronts the Gargoyle Guild, better known as his family. I hope to eventually do something that includes his HEA, but I haven’t fully decided how I want it to happen.
8) Okay, I know this is silly but if you could be a paranormal character (werewolf vampire Jinn…) from one of your books what would you be and why?
Alexandra Ivy:
I’ve always had a soft spot for Darcy. All of my heroines are kick-ass, but Darcy had a true vulnerability that allows her to empathize with others. I would like to think that caring trait is something we would all desire.
9) Makes sense! How many books do you have planned for your series? Will it come to a conclusion?
Alexandra Ivy:
I’m working on book eleven now and have thoughts for a book twelve, but I don’t have a specific end in mind. I hope I’ll know when the time is right to bring it to a conclusion
10) What about writing paranormal romances appeals to you? Do you have another series in the works? Can you tell us….please?!
Alexandra Ivy:
Paranormal is so much fun because it’s always changing. There are no reader expectations, or ‘rules’ that have to be followed. Most of all, I get a chance to make my own world, completely from my imagination. And I do have another series that’s getting ready to start. It’s more of an X-man series, with mutants that have special powers. The first story will be in the Predatory anthology coming out in May followed by the full length book late in 2013.
I love the X-Men. That sounds sooo good. Well, I want to thank you for your time! It has been a wonderful opportunity to interview you!
Alexandra Ivy:
Thank you so very much for inviting me!!! I love, love, love the opportunity to reach out to my readers. Without them the Guardians would never have continued. I truly appreciate each and every reader who had supported me!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KARIN TABKE
Karin Tabke is a National bestselling, award-winning author who versatility knows no bounds. From her steamy Medievals to her hot paranormal and vivid contemporary romances her talent keeps growing and so has her fan base!
Lately this rising star has concentrated her writing on paranormal romances which are this reader’s all time favorite genre. I was eager to ask how she comes up with her sizzling characters and complex world building. But also to ask if she will return to her contemporary and Medieval romances anytime soon.
She was generous enough to answer my burning questions!
1) Your writing has evolved from steamy warrior knights, hot cops and now features sexy shifters in your new Blood Moon Rising series. Do you feel your writing style has changed? Will you return to writing historical romances and ‘finish’ the Blood Sword Legacy?
Karin Tabke: First I want to thank you for inviting me to hang out, Steph! And also for all of your support throughout my career. I truly value it.
As to your first question do I feel as if my writing style has changed? Yes and no. No in that my voice is the same, even though it’s different for each sub-genre I write. But yes in that I am more confident of not only myself as a writer but more importantly I have much more confidence in the characters I write. Does that make sense? I am getting ready to begin Thorin’s story, MASTER OF DECEPTION. Stand by for more hunky knights!
2) Speaking of your erotic contemporary suspense novels. You recently published a short and sexy suspense novella in the anthology, Guns and Roses. Did you enjoy returning to the contemporary genre? Will you write any full length romantic suspense novels anytime soon?
Karin Tabke: LOVED writing REBEL ROSE. LOVE LOVE LOVE Rebel Yell Culpepper and sexy detective Cassius Cantrell. Another series I can’t wait to get back to. So, yes, more romantic suspense coming your way!
3) Lately, I have noticed your writing has concentrated more on your paranormal romances. (Which, I love!) What appeals to you about writing paranormal romances? Is it difficult to create your own world and its own rules? Do you have any favorite authors who have helped or encouraged you?
Karin Tabke: I like stepping out of my ordinary world and into one I have full creative control of. I don’t find it hard to create my own world with my own rules because I don’t make it complicated. I’m not a fan of big complicated worlds. Keeping it simple and believable works best for me as a writer and for my characters. I don’t read outside my genre when I’m writing it, but I do love good paranormal movies. The Underworld series has inspired me on several occasions.
4) I have to say I am so excited that your third book, Blood Vow is coming out this December! Your writing only seems to get more explosive and dynamic. When I read your books I can actually ‘see’ them in my mind. What inspired you to write this love triangle between shifters and a slayer? How did you come up with your Blood Moon Rising world?
Karin Tabke: Thank you, Steph. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing Rafael, Lucien and Falon’s story. I’m a huge fan of Sons of Anarchy and as previously stated a fan of the Underworld series. Hubby and I went to see Rise of the Lycan and as I was watching it I was thinking about Sons of Anarchy for some reason. I had an ah-hah moment and voila, went home and hammered out a very rough Blood Moon Rising lore outline. Btw this was a trilogy that every editor except the one who bought it passed on it. Too dark, they said, too raunchy. I refused to vanilla it down. And I’m so glad I didn’t. J
5) Your first two books in the Blood Moon Rising series seemed to concentrate more on each of the brothers in the series. In this last book will your heroine, Falon come into her own? Do you think you will ever revisit this world in the future or write a spin off? Or is Blood Vow the very last of the series?
Karin Tabke: Although she has her vulnerable moments (how could she not loving two hunky alphas?) Falon owns BLOOD VOW. My heart really went out to her as I wrote this last book in the series, and it is the last Blood Moon Rising book, that said, there is going to be a next generation series. ^_~
6) Speaking of paranormal romances, your L.O.S.T., paranormal suspense series is action packed and exhilarating. I enjoyed the first book Enemy Lover, and felt that the heroine and hero deserved another book. Will there every be another book featuring them as the main characters again?
Karin Tabke: I love love LOVE Jax and Marcus and have been giving serious consideration to giving them their own series.
7) In fact, the L.O.S.T. series seems like it could be endless series of books but I don’t see a new ones featured as of now? Will there be more books in the series soon? If so, can you tell us what you have planned?
Karin Tabke: I’m currently working on ENEMY SWORN book three in the series. Gage’s story. It’s going to be a bit shorter and a digital original as part of Simon and Schuster’s Pocket Star imprint. I’m really excited about it! And after that, there will be more L.O.S.T. stories whether they are traditionally published or self-published.
8) Okay, if you could be a character in one of you paranormal series, who would be and why? Is there one character that is a sentimental favorite?
Karin Tabke: It’s a toss-up between Falon and Jax, for obvious reasons! ^.^ Jax, Marcus, Lucien and Rafael are forever in my heart. All four beyond tortured and beyond amazing.
9) With all the books that came out this year how do you find the time to write? How do you deal with writer’s block? Or do you always have ideas ‘floating’ around in your head?
Karin Tabke: Writing is my job and it also happens to be something I love to do. It’s a happy chore. I don’t get writer’s block, I get sidetracked with other things that prevent me from writing. i.e. my family. But even with all of the distractions I always have characters swimming around in my head. I wish I had more hands and more hours in the day to write all of their stories. But eventually, one at a time they get told.
10) What books do you have planned on the horizon?
Karin Tabke: Lot’s. I have a sexy self-published antho I hope to have out by Christmas. Another sexy mystical story that’s part of a new series I’m working on, my Rebel Yell series and MASTER OF DECEPTION book four of my Blood Sword Legacy series. Once ENEMY SWORN and the erotic antho is in the can, I’m giving Thorin’s story my undivided attention! I cannot wait to get back with my hunky knights.
Thanks so much for graciously giving us your time!
Karin Tabke: Steph thank you so much for being patient with me, and for all of your support over the years. It means a lot to me. xo
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Karin Tabke you can check her out at:
On her website at:
http://karintabke.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karin.tabke
Twitter: twitter.com/Karintabke
Murder She Writes: www.murdershewrites.com
Wicked Writers: www.thewickedwriters.com
Upcoming and Recent Books by Karin Tabke
2012 releases:
Blood Vow, Berkley Heat – December 4th, 2012
(Blood Moon Rising #3)
A volatile mix of both Lycan and Slayer, half-breed Falon is Alpha female of her pack, marked by rival Alpha brothers. But when she learns that she is the daughter of the Master Slayer who murdered Lucien and Rafael’s parents, the revelation throws her relationship with both brothers into chaos. Falon begs them not to condemn her for her father’s deeds. She realizes before her Alpha mates do that they are destined to be one and pleads with them to accept the unusual triangle. Now, if Lucien and Rafael cannot overcome their pride and accept their fate, the annihilation of the Lycan race waits within the shadow of the Blood Moon...
Bloodright, Berkley Heat – April 3rd, 2012
(Blood Moon Rising #2)
Their shared blood will destroy them in hatred–or unite them in passion…
After years of waiting, Lycan Alpha Lucien Mondragon is poised to take revenge on his brother, Rafael, by killing Rafael’s life mate, the Lycan/Slayer half-breed Falon—but he cannot complete the kill. Instead of ending her life, Lucien defiantly marks Falon as his own.
Though terrified by the savage Lucien, Falon finds herself drawn to him. Torn between the love she has for Rafael and the hunger she holds for Lucien, the will of Falon’s heart will lead her to her destined life mate–but it may also doom the brothers and the
Lycan race to extinction…
Guns and Roses, Murder She Writes Press – Feb 21st, 2012 –part of an anthology
Rebel Rose
For Detective Cash Cantrell, hunting down a University serial killer is as routine as strapping on his gun each morning. Until he comes face to face with meddlesome coed, Rebel Yell Culpepper. He doesn’t know if he should arrest her or kiss her, but one thing Cash knows for sure, Rebel is key to finding the murderer, and the killer knows it too…
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH LORELEI JAMES
New York Times best selling author Lorelei James is the prolific writer of numerous super sizzling Western romances.
She may be most known for her first contemporary erotic series, the Rough Riders, which will have already grown to fourteen books by the end of this year! What makes her books so authentic and scorching hot? Where does she comes up with characters and they based on real (and sexy) cowboys?
Oh, yeah! I couldn’t wait to find out!!
1) What do you love most about writing smokin’ hot western romances?
Lorelei James: I like getting to show readers a slice of life that they’re probably not familiar with, and that cowboys as heroes, as alpha men, as caretakers, as lovers and fighters and fathers are very much alive in the modern day west—and it’s a challenge for a woman to love a man like that, retain her sense of self and be happy living in the middle of nowhere!
2) You currently write contemporary novels, do you ever think you will write a historical western? Why or why not?
Lorelei James: I have an idea for a historical western—that’s a super duper secret—and I hope to get to write it someday. Right now it’s more about my lack of time than anything, because I’m contracted with Rough Riders books and Blacktop Cowboys books.
3) I love your Rough Riders series. How did you get started on this series? Did you imagine it would ever become the series it is today? This year you have one more Rough Riders book scheduled to be released. Can you please tell us more about it? How many do you have planned or will they go on forever?!!
Lorelei James: I got started writing the series because existing contemporary westerns didn’t have enough sex in them to suit my tastes and I wanted to get into the intimate details of the hero and heroine’s developing relationship. I also thought it’d be fun and challenging to write about different members of a specific family over the course of several books and several years. Plus there are a few misconceptions about the west, about cowboys and ranchers, and I didn’t want to gloss over the details of life in modern rural America.
The next book scheduled to release is GONE COUNTRY and that is Gavin Daniels book. Gavin is the son Vi McKay gave up for adoption when she was sixteen, and he just recently tracked down his birth parents. So he’s moved to Wyoming to try and figure out if there’s a place for him in the McKay family. Gavin isn’t a cowboy, so that’s been a different angle to explore. There are sixteen books planned for the Rough Riders series.
4) What fascinates you about cowboys and the world they live in? Do you consider yourself a genuine cowgirl? Have you ever ridden a real bull?!
Lorelei James: I’m a wannabe cowgirl so that’s part of where my fascination comes from. I’ve been lucky enough, in the area I live, to know many “real” cowgirls and see the variety of their lifestyles—some are involved in rodeo, some are ranch women, some are business women who’ve married a rancher and have nothing to do with running the ranch they’re living on. Makes for a lot of different, fun scenarios to play with. No, I’ve never ridden a bull and don’t ever plan to!
5) More recently, you have written a ‘newer’ series called the Blacktop Cowboys which centers on the rodeo circuit. Did you have to do a lot of research about the rodeo and the characters that inhabit this world? Or did you grow up going to rodeos? Can you tell us about upcoming books in the series?
Lorelei James: The Blacktop Cowboys series isn’t really a rodeo series, the first book is set in the world of rodeo, but mostly the series is about a group of friends from the same small Wyoming town. Some are ranchers, some are on the rodeo circuit, one is a country singer, one is a western artist, one is a stock contractor for rodeos, one is a veterinarian, one is a barrel racer, so the characters run the gamut as far as how they make their living. I attended rodeos as a kid and I think I have the best job in the world because I get to attend rodeos for research
6) Wow! So fun! Personally, I find your westerns more realistic and appealing than any I know of in the genre. How do you keep your books so fresh? Is it sometimes difficult to come up with new stories?
Lorelei James: All stories are difficult to develop, and after writing thirty-some projects, writing hasn’t gotten easier, but harder. I work at developing each story independently, while keeping the flavor and theme of the series as a whole. It’s been a great ride with this family and my story telling has gotten stronger with each book—but partially because this many books into a series, the readers feel they know the characters and the world I’ve created. I love taking common romance tropes – i.e. secret baby, virgin and the older guy, love/hate relationships, city girl/country boy and mixing them up, putting my own spin on each one. I’ve had the creative freedom not to have to write the same book over and over.
7) Okay…I have to ask! How about those emotional, scorching hot scenes?! Do you find them more difficult to write that other sections of your books? How do you get inspired?!
Lorelei James: Sex scenes have to be choreographed to some extent, and yet, they also have to move the story forward in some way, either the plot, or to deepen the character’s connection, or to reveal motivation. I like writing those scenes, but they are always a challenge and never get easier. Readers have a certain expectation for the hotness factor in the books, so I have to bear that in mind, while not feeling pressure to write a ménage scene since it’s been a few books since I tackled that theme.
8) Of all your hunky cowboys, is there one that is a sentimental favorite and why?
Lorelei James: This is such a hard question! While I’m working on the book and right after I finish it that male character I worked with and lived with for months is my favorite because I know him best. Sometimes the details fade about a hero that I wrote a few years back. So I’ll say…Colby McKay is my sentimental favorite because he’s the one who started the Rough Riders series.
9) That makes sense! Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful that you write so many books, but how do you do it? Do you ever get writer’s block? What ideas do you have planned for future books/series?
Lorelei James: I don’t get writer’s block, I do occasionally get writer’s “I don’t wanna” where it’s hard to make myself work on a book because I’d rather be doing something else. Working from home can be a challenge—so I’m pretty strict with myself about getting my work done before I get to do something fun. When I feel overworked, I remind myself there are many writers who are writing more books than I am and there are other writers who’d like to be able to work full time like I am…that usually snaps me out of it.
10) I know you also write mystery novels. Romance and gritty mysteries seem polar opposites. Can you tell us what motivated you to start writing mysteries? Who are some of your favorite detective/crime solvers? What fascinates you about writing about mysteries?
Lorelei James: The mysteries are written in first person and are a little dark, with edgy characters. There’s a thread of romance, but the book is focused on the heroine and her relationship to the violence and crime in the story. I’ve found Lorelei James readers will follow me to the mystery side, but Lori Armstrong readers pretty much want the maiming and killing and not the sex. I was published in mystery first, not romance—a lot of people are surprised to hear that. I like the challenge of writing about the worst aspects of humanity—it gives me balance as a writer from only writing happily ever after stories.
Wow, thank you for giving me the opportunity to interview you. I couldn’t help myself from asking questions about your books! It has been a great honor to have you on our site!
Lorelei James: Thanks so much for asking me! Now I’m slinking back to the writing cave.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Lorelei James you can check her out at:
Her website at: http://www.loreleijames.com/home.php And also check out her dark, gritty mystery series under another name at: www.loriarmstrong.com You can also purchase personalized goodies at: http://www.cafepress.com/LoreleiJames Plus she has some great Freebies at: http://www.loreleijames.com/extras.php -free read and other freebies- yay! -Free short story The Pick Up Man -a short story written by Lorelei James
http://www.loreleijames.com/docs/The%20Pick%20Up%20Man_Lorelei%20James%20short%20story.pdf -Plus send away for FREEBIES!! Booksellers/Librarians/Readers/Fans: For Lorelei James promotional items, including bookmarks, postcards and other goodies, please shoot me a self addressed, stamped envelope (2 stamps) to:
· Lorelei James
· PO Box 9665
· Rapid City SD 57709-9665
Upcoming Books by Lorelei James
UPCOMING ROUGH RIDER BOOKS FOR 2012 KISSIN’ TELL, Rough Riders book 13 – June 2012
– Tell McKay’s story
GONE COUNTRY, Rough Riders book 14 – December 2012
– Gavin Daniel’s story
BLACKTOP COWBOYS BOOKS FOR 2012 ONE NIGHT RODEO, Blacktop Cowboys book 4 – August 2012
– Kyle Gilchrist's story
UPCOMING ANTHOLOGIES FOR 2012 BALLROOM BLITZ, Two to Tango Anthology – October 2012
– Lorelei James, Jess Dee, & Jayne Rylon
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH SABRINA JEFFRIES
Sabrina Jeffries is a multi-award winning New York Times best selling author. Every time this reader reads one of her novels she truly feels she has been transported back to Regency England!
Sabrina Jeffries’s romances have a loyal following that makes them a fan favorite and an ‘automatic’ buy. But how does she come up with her ideas and who inspires her charming characters?
When I had the fortuitous opportunity to ask her, I jumped at the chance!
And here is what this gracious author said.
1) As a New York Times bestselling author do you often get recognized by avid fans? What is the most memorable fan mail you have received?
Sabrina Jeffries: I only get recognized at conferences, I’m afraid. My most memorable fan letters are the ones where readers tell me wonderful, heartfelt stories about how reading my books helped them get through cancer or a death in the family or some other trauma. But I also do love the presents sent to me by readers. I’ve received everything from miniature items for my Will and Jane comic to cookies in shapes representative of my Hellions series to pirate items to hand-beaded or crocheted bookmarks. I love my readers!
2) Well, we obviously love you back! I that what keeps you writing? Do you ever run out of ideas? How do you deal with tight deadlines?
Sabrina Jeffries: The joy of writing and being read keeps me writing. Oh, and coffee. Lots of coffee.
So far I haven’t run out of ideas. I suppose it could happen but I doubt it. Every time I read something or see the news and watch a movie or go out in the world, I get two or three ideas.
I deal with tight deadlines with coffee. Lots of coffee.
3) When you write a book do you already have the entire storyline mapped out or do the characters sometimes take over and tell you what to do!?
Sabrina Jeffries: It’s a little of both these days. I map out the plot first, though if I have characters who are somewhat fixed when I begin (like the Hellions), I make sure the plot accommodates what I know about them. I always have certain things I know I want to happen. I just CAN'T know my characters until I start writing the book. It takes me a few chapters to really feel like I know them, and once I do, they start taking over and altering the plot, not a lot, but enough that it’s always different from my initial “plan.”
4) Can you tell us about your next book? Will characters from your latest series, the Hellions of Halstead Hall, return?
Sabrina Jeffries: My next book, ’Twas the Night after Christmas, is about Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, who was Virginia Waverly’s cousin in two of the Hellions books, so that’s one of the characters who will return. A couple of other characters from the Hellions series also appear.
Here’s the summary of the story: Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, has led an unabashed rogue’s life, letting no woman near his heart. Inexplicably abandoned as a child to be raised by distant relatives, he never forgave his parents, refusing to read any of his mother’s letters after his father’s death. Then comes a letter from his mother’s companion, Mrs. Camilla Stuart, implying that his mother is dying. It shakes his resolve and sends him on a Christmas visit to Montcliff, which might prove his last chance to discover the truth of his past and come to terms with the stranger he calls “mother.”
But two surprises await him at Montcliff. His mother is perfectly healthy. The second is Camilla herself, a lively vicar’s widow, too bright and beautiful not to arouse the scoundrel in Pierce. Though she alone is reason enough to prolong his stay, he is soon faced with other tantalizing riddles: what secrets lie in his mother’s past to explain his childhood abandonment? Why is the captivating Mrs. Stuart so determined to mend the breach between mother and son? Meanwhile, Camilla herself is caught up in love’s complications since the arrival of the irresistible earl. As his bold flirtation and suggestive whispers draw her dangerously close, can anything protect her vulnerable heart? If they are destined to share real happiness, there must be honesty between them—yet telling him the truth about her own life may shatter that chance.
5) Oh! Can’t wait! If you could name your sentimental favorite, which character would that be and why? What book has been your funniest book to write?
Sabrina Jeffries: This changes with my mood, to be honest. But my latest tends to be my favorite--I'm not sure why. I always think that the one I just finished is the best one . . . until the next comes along. Minerva’s book probably had me laughing the most, although my latest, first in the Duke’s Men series (about the Duke of Lyons, one of Celia’s suitors) has turned out to be far funnier than I first envisioned.
6) Regency romances are one of my favorite genres to read! What appeals to you about the Regency era? Will you ever write a Victorian based historical romance?
Sabrina Jeffries: I love the Regency because of the love of fine wit, the bawdy character of some of the aristocracy, and the wonderful costumes. Also, it was a time of great change in English society, which always makes for wonderful dramatic material. The Victorian period is a bit too humorless for me, but lately I’ve been edging into Victorian so I suppose there’s a chance I could still write in that period. I’d really love to write a book set in the Edwardian period (the same period as the first season of Downton Abbey). Don’t know if I ever will, though.
7) I hope you do! With your obviouc love of Regency England, do you often visit London for inspiration? What places do you love the most? Do you often have tea, scones and cucumber sandwiches with your friends?!
Sabrina Jeffries: I’ve been to England twice as an adult, and only one of those trips did I actually stay in London and tour it (rather than flying in and going somewhere else). I would go more often if I could, but our autistic adult son still lives with us. We don’t like to be away from him for too long. I love the Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Hyde Park, among other things. Although honestly, I liked everything I visited in London.
Sadly, I never have tea with friends. I’m a coffee drinker! I do like cucumber sandwiches and scones, but I don’t get many chances to have them.
8) You are having a reprint, After the Abduction, coming out in 2012. Are there edits to the original story? Are you ever tempted to make changes? How do you feel you writing has evolved over the years?
Sabrina Jeffries: My Avon reprints are not re-edited (and my upcoming one is Dance of Seduction, coming out April 30, 2013), but Pocket is reissuing some of my Deborah Martin titles, and I am revising those. Yes, I would like to make changes in every book I ever wrote. Sadly, if I did, I’d never have time to do anything else!
I think my writing has become tighter through the years and a lot more sophisticated. And funnier, too. At least, I hope so!
9) I notice you write many series. Is it more difficult to interconnect characters or do you enjoy having well-loved characters return? Has there ever been a character you felt was slightly unfinished and would like to write more about?
Sabrina Jeffries: I LOVE writing series. I love revisiting a world. Two characters I’d like to write more about are Charles Godwin and Captain Rafael, both from the Heiress series. Maybe one day!
10) The series is a great series, I’m sure fans wouldn’t mind if you did... please?! Okay, give us a hint, what upcoming books are you excited to write about?
Sabrina Jeffries: As mentioned above, ’Twas The Night after Christmas will be out October 30, 2012.
The reworked version of By Love Unveiled written under my Deborah Martin pseudonym will be out February 26, 2013. Here’s what it’s about: Marianne Winchilsea is running for her life from those who think she was involved in an attempt to kill the king. Forced to disguise herself, she trusts no one—especially Garrett Lockwood, the Earl of Falkham, the man who usurped her family home and who seems to be her most dangerous enemy. Beneath her disguise, Garrett sees a beautiful half-gypsy who is enrobed in mystery, deception, and secrets. A woman he should avoid at all costs. In a world of treachery and passion, of sweet seduction and whispered betrayals, each must learn to trust one another as desire turns into a passionate love that all the powers of the world cannot defeat.
My upcoming series is titled The Duke’s Men, but I’m not quite ready to talk about that one!
Thank you for spending your generous time with us!! It is always such a pleasure.
Sabrina Jeffries: Thank you for having me! I’m always delighted to talk to readers.
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Sabrina Jeffries you can check her out at:
On her website at:
http://www.sabrinajeffries.com
Sign up for her newsletter
http://www.writerspace.com/contests/sabrinajeffries.html
Also check her website with other famous authors: http://www.thegoddessblogs.com
Upcoming and Recent Books by Sabrina Jeffries
A Lady Never Surrenders -Jan. 2012
This youngest hellion uncovers a long-held secret . . . and the mystery of love.
With two months left to find a husband to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, Lady Celia Sharpe sets her sights on three eligible bachelors. Becoming betrothed to one of these wealthy, high-ranking men will surely prove her capable of getting married, so hopefully the wedding itself won’t be necessary for Celia and her siblings to receive their inheritance. Step two of her audacious plan is hiring the dangerously compelling Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate the three men she’s chosen. But with Lady Celia bedeviling Jackson’s days and nights, the last thing he wants is to help her find a husband. And when she recalls shadowed memories that lead his investigation into her parents’ mysterious deaths in a new direction—putting her in danger—Jackson realizes the only man he wants Celia to marry is himself!
To Wed a Wild Lord -Nov. 2011
To fulfill his grandmother’s ultimatum, Lord Gabriel Sharpe pursues a spitfire he believes desperately needs him. Then the tables are turned....
Like everything daredevil Gabriel Sharpe does, pursuing Virginia Waverly is a high-stakes game. Ever since her brother Roger died racing Lord Gabriel, Virginia has yearned to take her revenge on the reckless lord by beating him at his own sport. But when she challenges Lord Gabriel to a race, the hellion who has always embraced his dark reputation as the “Angel of Death” counters with a marriage proposal!
Gabe knows Virginia's family is in dire financial straits—why shouldn’t she marry him and solve both their problems? She claims to be appalled by his proposal, but her response to his kisses says otherwise. So when the two of them begin to unravel the truth behind Roger’s death, Gabe takes the greatest gamble of all, offering the cunning and courageous beauty something more precious than any inheritance: true love.
How to Woo a Reluctant Lady -Jan. 2011
Lady Minerva Sharpe has the perfect plan to thwart her grandmother’s demand that she marry by year’s end: become engaged to a rogue! Surely Gran would rather release her inheritance than see her wed a scoundrel.
And who better to play the part of Minerva’s would-be husband than wild barrister Giles Masters, the very inspiration for the handsome spy in the popular gothic novels she writes? The memory of his passionate kiss on her nineteenth birthday has lingered with Minerva, though she has no intention of falling for such a rakehell, much less marrying him!
Little does she know, Giles really is a covert government operative. When the two team up to investigate the mystery behind her parents’ deaths, their fake betrothal leads to red-hot desire. Then Minerva discovers Giles’s secret double life, and he must use all the cunning tricks of his trade to find his way back to her heart.
A Hellion in Her Bed -Sept. 2010
Furious at his grandmother’s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck—and his heart—at the card table against a most unlikely opponent.
Mired in scandal after his parents’ mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family’s brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can’t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family’s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans…and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one—and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.
The Truth About Lord Stoneville -Jan. 2010
By the time Sabrina was done seeding her New York Times bestselling series The School for Heiresses with red herrings to hide the identify of Cousin Michael, she had a treasure trove of leftover heroes. One of those men now graces this, the first book of her new series, The Hellions of Halstead Hall.
The oldest of the scandalous Sharpes—five hell-raising siblings tainted still by the gossip surrounding the “accidental” deaths of their parents two decades ago-—Oliver Sharpe, the Marquess of Stoneville, like his brothers and sisters, has lived life on his own terms. In his case, as an unrepentant rakehell. Or so life had played out until Grandmother Hetty got a bee in her bonnet. Now the five Sharpe siblings face a daunting ultimatum: Marry by year’s end—or kiss their inheritance good-bye.
Oliver vows to fulfill the bargain in true Sharpe style—by bringing home a fake fiancé from a brothel! But his scheme backfires when he foils a robbery and rescues an American beauty instead. Maria Butterfield came to London to find her missing fiancé, but her prior engagement won’t stop Oliver from getting what he wants: Maria in his bed. His rebellious charade may just call Hetty’s bluff, but not before it become all too real—stirring up a love that tempts him to be a hellion no more.
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEANNIE LIN
Jeannie Lin is the award winning author of several historical romances set in China. Her emotionally charged and action filled books based in the Tang Dynasty have won rave reviews. And a thrilling combination that makes them a breathe of fresh air to the romance genre!
I could not wait to ask the author about her writing and how she came to publish in such a ‘niche’ genre.
1) What attracted you to become and author of historical romance? What particularly drew you to write about the exciting, sword-fighting Tang Dynasty? Will you write more Tang Dynasty books?!
Jeannie Lin:
People always say, write the book you want to read. I grew up watching Chinese martial arts movies (wuxia) with my family and checking out books about King Arthur and his knights from the library. What these stories had in common were warriors and chivalry and high drama. And swords! I’ve always liked swords. Then when I started reading historical romance, it was like the glue that bound everything that I loved together. I could have it all.
The Tang Dynasty was always my favorite period of history because of the amazing women that lived during that time: Empress Wu, Princess Pingyang, Princess Taiping – they made me want to learn more about the culture and time period where women could become so empowered.
Will I write more? Yes!! As long as people want to read them, I’ll have more stories to tell.
2) Can’t wait! Your latest, My Fair Concubine came out this June, 2012. Can you tell us more about it?
Jeannie Lin:
I had published two stories with a lot of angst and high drama about swordsmen and warlords and intrigue. I wanted to try something different and write a romantic tale that took place in the capital city of Changan and highlighted some of the high culture of the period. I had read how the practice of heqin, peace marriage, was used more during the Tang Dynasty than any other. What was really fascinating to me was that several of the princess brides weren’t really princesses. Many of my ideas come from little tidbits of historical research and then grow from there.
3) I notice some of your stories take themes from fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast and the My Fair Lady storyline. Do you have plans to write another book based on a fairy tale premise?
Jeannie Lin:
I’d say the use of fairy tale is actually really slight in my stories. Even My Fair Concubine isn’t much of a retelling beyond the initial setup. Because my stories are in such a small niche for historical romance, I have to find ways to describe them quickly to readers. Archetypes such as “Beauty and the Beast” make for quick descriptors and allow readers to quickly match something unfamiliar with something familiar.
4) Makes sense! I have to ask.…writing books set in a more ‘exotic’ location than most historical romance must have been a challenge and a hard sell. Especially since the general American public is not familiar with Chinese history. Did you have difficulty selling your first book? What obstacles did you face? Do you have any advice for new/upcoming authors?
Jeannie Lin:
At the time I was trying to sell the book, I thought I was having a hard time. I had been writing for four years, finished three manuscripts (Butterfly Swords was my second) and queried it for a year, collecting close to a hundred rejections. It seems I’d get “close”, but then the final verdict was always that the book was too risky.
But the more I see of the book world, the more I realize there’s always some reason a book gets rejected. For some, it’s that the book doesn’t stand out in a very overcrowded genre, like Regency romance or vampires. For me, the unusual setting was an easy thing to reject on. I always told myself the true reason for every rejection wasn’t that the book was too risky. It was that my writing wasn’t good enough – yet.
So that’s my advice to aspiring or new authors: frame the problem in a way that you can do something about it. Success really is a head game – you have to create a way that you can win in your mind.
5) Why don’t you write in a more ‘popular’ genre? For example Jade Lee also writes Regencies. Do you think you might branch out into another genre?
Jeannie Lin:
I’m telling you, Tang Dynasty romance is the next big thing…
But seriously, let’s just say Jade Lee is WAY more talented and prolific than I am. Actually, I’ve met her and she’s a madwoman.
I’m not talented. I’m not prolific. Every time I write a story, I think “This could be the last one. They’ll take one look at this and I’ll never work in this town again.” So if I had one story left to tell right now, I’d want it to be the type of story we would all watch at my grandmother’s late into the night when I was growing up, the type of story me and my siblings and cousins used to grab plastic swords and try to act out. These are the stories of my heart. These are stories I feel all readers can fall in love with, but there’s no way they’d ever discover them unless I keep on writing them and putting more of them out there.
The short answer is no, because I’m stubborn and I don’t rely on writing income to eat. J
6) I believe you have lots of talent! I was wondering, were you born in America or China? Do you speak Chinese? Do you feel you background gives you a different perspective while writing?
Jeannie Lin:
I was born in America—California to be exact. I’m actually Vietnamese and do speak Vietnamese fluently, but not Chinese. (Though my hubby gave me Rosetta Stone Mandarin for Valentine’s Day) My great grandmother was from a wealthy Chinese family living in Vietnam and she was matched with my great grandfather in an arranged marriage after he passed the civil exams. The Vietnamese imperial system of the time was based on the Chinese system.
Because I’m Asian American, I feel like I’m speaking two cultural languages while writing. Actually, I guess I’m speaking two cultural languages while LIVING. You can’t really shut it off. I think growing up with a foot in each culture gives you a different perspective into both sides and the intersection can enhance and enrich both experiences.
I don’t want to just write western style historical romances that happen to be set in China. I want to bring in the type of characters and tropes you would see in Asian stories and blend them into stories that mainstream romance readers can enjoy.
7) Your books are very detailed and emotional. How do you start writing a book? Do you have to do a lot of research? Do you think you might do a novel in the Qing Dynasty –when Chinese are ‘introduced’ Westerners since this may have more cross-over appeal?
Jeannie Lin:
Usually there’s a little hook or seed of an idea. A poem or a historical tidbit. Then I start daydreaming. I play “movie” scenes over and over in my head and some of them are REALLY crazy and out there. I discard a bunch of scenes until a few key moments stick. I call this my incubation period and, unfortunately, I have to do this for a long time before I get excited enough to write the story. In terms of research, I do pre-research to help feed the brainstorming. Then I do some specific detail research during the writing. Then after the first draft is done, I do more research to add yet another layer once I know what themes I want to present.
I’ve been getting questions about other dynasties a lot lately! Ming or Liao or Qing. Am I shallow if I say one of the big turn-offs for me about the Qing dynasty is the men’s hairstyles? Hey, I write historical romance. I have to think the heroes look good! Jade Lee somehow made the queue sexy, but it’s a tough one for me. Bound feet also present some issue if I want to have a heroine of Han ethnicity. One of the biggest draws about the Tang is the relative freedom that some women enjoyed. It’s tough for me to find that same freedom in the Qing.
Additionally, there are many political issues that need to be addressed in the Qing Dynasty – the Manchurians vs. the Han as well as the incursion of the West. I feel I wouldn’t do it justice without delving deeper into those issues so my brain finds it hard to bring out the romance with a fulfilling happily ever after. The only time I’ve dipped my foot into the Qing dynasty was for a steampunk that’s in development. For some reason, speculative fiction allows me to find some sense of empowerment in an era that I find depressing.
8) Did you find is a challenge to sell a romance book that was not set a typical time period? I notice you wrote a short contemporary novel which was not a romance called, Pieces of Paper. Will you write a contemporary romance in the future? Was writing in a contemporary setting easier to write than your historical ones?
Jeannie Lin:
I think it’s more of a challenge, but there are so many options for publishing now, if the writing is compelling and the author is tenacious enough, there’s a place for any story well told.
Though I love reading contemporary romances, but I don’t think I have the knack for writing them at all. It seems easier for me to come up with fantasies about the past than the present day. When I start thinking of contemporary romances, real life starts to intrude and then it’s no fun.
9) A lot of mythology in China’s history includes ghosts, spirits, magical creatures etc. Do you think you will write a romance book which incorporates these stories and make it into a Chinese paranormal based romance book?
Jeannie Lin:
Hmmm….that sounds like it would be awesome!
I’d like to try one day. Something epic. With swords. J
10) Yes! Okay, can you please give us a sneak peak into what books do you have planned for the future?!
Jeannie Lin:
My latest release is out this month (Sept). It’s titled “An Illicit Temptation” and it’s the novella sequel to My Fair Concubine. The story is only available digitally at this time.
The next project is another swordfight adventure about a thief-catcher and the sword dancer who keeps on evading his capture. After that I have a set of romantic mysteries planned around a fictional pleasure house called the Lotus Pavilion (which was mentioned in the short story Capturing the Silken Thief).
Thank you so much for sharing your time with us! It has been a pleasure to meet such a groundbreaking author.
Thank you for the in-depth questions!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information about Jeannie Lin you can check her out at:
On her website at:
http://www.jeannielin.com/
Upcoming and Recent Books by Jeannie Lin
My Fair Concubine – June 2012 During the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court used a practice called heqin, or peace marriage, to form alliances with their barbarian neighbors. The alliance brides were officially recognized as Tang princesses, however often it was the Emperor’s niece, palace concubines, or daughters of high-ranking officials who were sent to the fronteir instead of a true princess with royal blood.
Chang Fei Long has been called back home upon the death of his father to learn that the family is swimming in debt. Before his death, his father arranged for Fei Long’s sister to become an alliance bride to regain favor with the imperial court. When Pearl begs for mercy, he can’t bring himself to force her into marriage and exile to a barbarian land. As a result, he has to come up with another false princess to go in her place.
Yan Ling is a servant at the tea house where Fei Long goes to brood about his troubles. When she mistakes his musings as a proposition for sex, she dumps a pot of tea on him and gets thrown out into the streets. Now homeless and destitute, Yan Ling begrudgingly accepts Fei Long’s offer to train her as a replacement princess.
The Dragon and the Pearl – Oct 2011 The Most Beautiful Courtesan of Them All… Former Emperor’s consort Ling Suyin is renowned for her beauty; the ultimate seductress. Now she lives quietly alone–until the most ruthless warlord in the region comes and steals her away…
Li Tao lives life by the sword, and is trapped in the treacherous, lethal world of politics. The alluring Ling Suyin is at the center of the web. He must uncover her mystery without falling under her spell–yet her innocence calls out to him. How cruel if she, of all women, can entrance the man behind the legend…
Pieces of Paper – March 2011 A Short Story Set In Tokyo A chance encounter brings a hint of romance to a young woman’s journey through the streets of Tokyo. This semi-autobiographical short story explores questions of identity and connectedness in the digital age.
Note: All of the author’s proceeds from the sale of this story will be donated to the Red Cross for the relief effort in Japan.
Butterfly Swords – Oct 2010 Journey to the very edge of honor, loyalty . . . and love
During China’s infamous Tang Dynasty, a time awash with luxury, yet littered with deadly intrigues and fallen royalty, betrayed Princess Ai Li flees before her wedding. Miles from home, with only her delicate butterfly swords for a defense, she enlists the reluctant protection of a blue-eyed warrior…
Battle-scarred, embittered Ryam has always held his own life at cheap value. Ai Li’s innocent trust in him and honorable, stubborn nature make him desperate to protect her – which means not seducing the first woman he has ever truly wanted….