An Interview & Giveaway with Kyra Jacobs

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Kyra Jacobs as our guest today.

Kyra is here to discuss her book, Armed with Steele, which is her debut novel.  Armed with Steele is the the first book in their new Hometown Heroes series.

Our review of Armed with Steele is below this post.

Let’s learn a little more about Kyra, before we Interview her.

Kyra Jacobs is a happily married, mother of two, who grew up in Indiana. When she’s not pounding out scenes for her next book, she’s likely goofing around with her husband and kids, or elbow-deep in snapdragons and Lamb’s Ear in one of her many flower gardens. She also loves to golf (though, golf doesn’t really love her) and to jam on the bass in Guitar Hero.

Be sure to stop by her blog, http://www.indianawonderer.wordpress.com for updates on her writing journey and other musings as seen through the eyes of this Midwestern writer.

Let’s talk to Kyra!

Hi Kyra, welcome to The Reading Café. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: Please tell us about yourself

Kyra: Thanks so much for having me! I’m a happily married wife and mother of two boys. We live in Indiana, and I’ve been a Hoosier my whole life. Though, I married a Buckeye, so we do bleed scarlet and gray on game days…

TRC: When and how did you first become interested in writing? 

Kyra: Truly, I’ve always enjoyed writing. The kid who got excited in school when essay assignments were doled out? Yep, that was me. But a few years back my summer flower gardening time was interrupted by a pesky broken finger. All that creative energy had to be redirected somewhere, and writing is where it went.

TRC: Armed With Steele is your debut novel.   What was your reaction when you saw your book published?

Kyra: It was so surreal. In fact, it really didn’t feel official until I saw my name and book cover on Amazon. Then it was like, wow, I’ve arrived! lol

TRC: Can you please tell us the premise of your new series, Hometown Heroes, and how you came up with the idea?  Is this book a standalone, or are you planning on making this a series?

Kyra: Actually, Lyrical Press came up with the Hometown Heroes theme. But I had so much fun writing about a sexy cop that I decided to continue on with a second book featuring a smokin’ hot firefighter. I’ve pulled the main characters from the Armed With Steele into this storyline, too, and have ideas that could potentially bring a few more books into the series as well.

TRC: Can you give us a brief description of the first book in your series, Armed With Steele?

Kyra: You bet. Armed With Steele is a fun romantic suspense. Think, a modern Stephanie Plum set in Fort Wayne, Indiana. But beyond the sarcasm and innuendoes lies a story about true friendship and the lengths we’re willing to go to help the ones we love. Jessica Hartley is a 25-year-old web designer who is trying to solve the mystery behind her best friend’s near-fatal car accident. Patrolman Nate Steele is the only one Jessica can seem to convince the accident was no such thing. After his superiors end their investigation without resolution, he convinces Jessica to work with him off the books. So introvert Jessica ends up working in a prestigious local office by day, and trying to resist her handsome undercover partner by night. And there just might be a slobbery bulldog, a few touchy-feely coworkers, and Nate’s vicious ex-girlfriend for Jessica to contend with as well…

Links to order Armed with Steele: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

TRC: If your book becomes a movie, do you have preferences as to whom you would like to play your characters?

Kyra: Ah, I knew eventually I’d be asked this question. Not really. I always kinda pictured Nate to be Kellan Lutz, but Chris Pine would do nicely as well. For Jessica, I never had pinned anyone in particular down. Maybe Olivia Wilde?

TRC: You write Romance Suspense, is there any other genre you would like to try?

Kyra: I actually completed the first draft of book one in a YA trilogy this spring involving a rule-breaking guardian angel, and hope to return to it after it has had time to “simmer”. 

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Kyra: Right now I’m tweaking revisions on the follow up to Armed With Steele, whose working title is Flirting With Fire. Along with the YA series, I’ve also got two other romances brewing.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you have a favorite place or time you like to write?

Kyra: Yes, it’s called “write whenever I can squeeze time in”. 🙂 On top of being a wife and mommy, I also work full time out of the home. Needless to say, finding time to write can be a challenge. Typically, though, I’ll try to carve out some time at night after the kids are in bed. On the rare occasion I have time to write during the day, I love to sit with my laptop in a quiet, sunny spot.

TRC: What are the challenges or difficulties that you found in your writing career?

Kyra: The two that come to mind are time and perfectionism. My time is limited, which can frustrate the hell out of my writing muse. And I’m a bit of a perfectionist, which also frustrates said muse. Someday, perhaps, we’ll learn to get along…

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information between each other and their family and spouses.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Kyra: Oh yes, lots of bouncing ideas around. My husband, of course, and my close friends. Several of my good friends are writers as well, and we could sit and talk for hours about plots, characters, motivations, and conflict.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kyra: Better not. My pesky writing muse is starting to nag at me already that I should be editing by now…

LIGHTNING ROUND:

FAVORITE FOOD: ice cream

FAVORITE DESSERT: ice cream

MILK OR DARK CHOCOLATE: dark, definitely

FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTER (not your own): Sookie Stackhouse

FAVORITE TV SHOW: Law & Order

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: Mortal Instruments

CATS or DOGS: Dogs


TRC: Thank you, Kyra for answering our questions. The Reading Café wishes you the best of luck with Armed With Steele.

Kyra: Thank you so much!

If you would like to learn more about Kyra, you can find her at the following links:
Website : http://www.kyrajacobs.wordpress.com/
Blog:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads:

 

Kyra has graciously offered to give one lucky member of The Reading Café an e-copy of her book, Armed With Steele.

1.  Please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open Internationally.

4.  Contests runs from October 19, to October 22, 2013