CRASH INTO ME by K.M.Scott-A Review and Interview with the Author

TRC: Hi K.M and welcome to The Reading Café.

We would like to start with some background information. Please introduce yourself to our readers?

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K.M: My name is K.M. Scott and I’m a contemporary romance author. I’ve been a writer for years and a published author for two under my other pseudonym, Gabrielle Bisset, but Crash Into Me is my first contemporary and my first novel under the K.M. Scott name.

TRC: What was the deciding factor in venturing into another genre of storytelling and novels?

K.M: I’ve read contemporaries for a long time, but for whatever reason, my muse was feeling paranormals, so I pursued that genre. That’s not to say I’m not continuing writing those, but I’ve had a story in my mind for a few years that just hadn’t had the right feeling for me until earlier in 2013. One day, though, it was like lightning struck and I began writing what would eventually become Crash Into Me.

TRC: CRASH INTO ME is the first installment (August 28 release) of your new series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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K.M: The three books in this series will be called the Heart of Stone Trilogy. The trilogy is a contemporary romance based on what some many see as the backbone of many fairy tales: Wealthy prince (in this case, hotel owner) falls for a regular girl in what seems like a fated romance. I threw in a twist to the story, though, which makes it unique.

TRC: Do you consider this particular genre New Adult or Adult fiction?

K.M: I believe it’s Adult, but since the female protagonist is 24 years old, it fits into New Adult also.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? And will Tristan Stone be the focus of the series?

K.M: All three books in the series will be centered around the couple of Tristan Stone and Nina Edwards.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

K.M: I’ve always pictured Tristan as at least 6’2″, dark brown hair, deep brown eyes, and well-built, so Henry Cavill would be a great match for him (although I think he’s shorter than that and has blue eyes). As for Nina, I can picture Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries as Tristan’s love interest.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

K.M: I think about what I’d want as a reader. For me, that’s the secret to making sure my plots make sense while entertaining people. Especially when I’m writing contemporary romance, I want to make sure that the plot is believable.

TRC: You also write at Gabrielle Bisset. What upcoming plans do you have for the Sons of Navarus series?

K.M: The Sons of Navarus are at a tough spot in their fight with the Archons. They’ve lost one of their own, and in Blood Craving, the next book in the series, another Son, Sion, will have to help the woman he secretly loves as she works on the Prophecy of Idolas. Kali’s got some demons, though, and when they intersect with Marc Verrater’s new drug he hopes to use to enslave all vampires, she’s going to go through some things and the only one who can save her is Sion, the one Son who is more machine than anything else. There’s also that new baby Noele and Ramiel are raising, and readers can expect great things from that little guy.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

K.M: I tend to be a pretty strong director, but there have been times when the characters seem to take over the story. When that happens, I need to sit back and decide if where they’re going is what’s right for the story.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a ‘panster’?

K.M: I’m a committed plotter. I know the beginning, middle, and end to every book and every series before I begin writing it. That said, things can and do change (see the answer above about unruly characters LOL). However, I always have a very strong idea where things are going. It does make it hard, though, since I know how the story plays out and can’t talk about it until everyone else gets to read the books.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

K.M: They say that if the author cries while writing a scene, the reader will too. I think this is true. It’s easy for readers to tell if the author is putting their emotions into the work. For me, I like to write what I call vignettes, often very small scenes within the story that pack a huge emotional punch. They tend to be what readers remember from the story when they talk to me about the plot. So within the book are these vignettes that resonate with readers. I’ve read stories that don’t pull the reader in and I’ve found it’s usually because of the old telling, not showing idea. Sometimes it’s just that there are too many dialogue tags pulling me out of the action, while at other times it’s just that I don’t feel like I’m there for the action but that I’m being told about it.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

K.M: I’m a firm believer in walking away if it isn’t there. I can’t force it or it won’t work and I’ll just have to rewrite it all anyway. So I walk away and return when I feel right about it. That’s usually within a week or two, but sometimes I have to leave a book for a longer time (I had to leave the 4th book in the Sons series, Blood Prophecy, for months because I was fighting what I knew had to happen.)

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?

K.M: I’m a crazy woman when it comes to details. Nothing bothers me more than reading something and knowing the author didn’t take the time to research. After researching the details for Crash Into Me, I can now say I know well what the inside of a Jaguar F series car looks like, precisely how to tie a Windsor knot, and enough about Venice to know I need to get there asap!

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

K.M: I have an editor and a close friend who listen to my ideas, each for different reasons. My editor is great with helping me flesh out the details, and my friend is just interested in my writing and listens patiently while I babble on about this story and that.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

K.M: It’s a real juggling act. I have a full time job and I home school my son, so any time not dedicated to those two areas is left for eating, sleeping, and writing. My house is usually very messy since taking care of the house usually loses out to one of the other areas. My son is a great kid, though, so he helps a lot.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

K.M: I’m writing the second book in the Heart of Stone Trilogy, Fall Into Me, and I’m working on the 5th book in the Sons series, Blood Craving.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

K.M: Just that readers can find me on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/kmscottauthor and my blog at authorkmscott.blogspot.com I love hearing from readers, so stop by and say hi!

Follow KM: Website / Google Plus / Facebook / Goodreads

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food--pizza

Favorite Dessert--anything with caramel

Favorite TV Show--Person of Interest (love Mr. Reese!)

Last Movie You Saw--Iron Man 3

Dark or Milk Chocolate--Milk

Secret Celebrity Crush--Henry Cavill

Last Vacation Destination--Las Vegas

Pet Peeve--Lying

TRC: Thank you K.M. for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of CRASH INTO ME.

K.M: Thanks, Sandy!

Crash Into Me
Heart of Stone #1
by K.M.Scott
Release Date: August 28, 2013

ORDER: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 28, 2013

What would you give up for everything?

Tristan Stone was powerful, commanding, sex incarnate. And he wore it all so well. From the moment his mesmerizing gaze met mine, I had no choice but surrender to everything he was. His power. His decadence. His passion. He was all I never knew I needed.

He wanted to possess me, and I wanted to be his everything. All I had to do was accept what he offered. But everything has a price.

The world he gave me fulfilled my wildest dreams, but would that be enough when the past crashed into the present?

••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: CRASH INTO ME is the first installment in K.M.Scott’s new contemporary New Adult romance series. K.M. Scott is the penname of author Gabrielle Bisset (Sons of Navarus) and CRASH INTO ME is her first foray into the New Adult genre.

CRASH INTO ME focuses on billionaire and reluctant hotel magnate Tristan Stone and Art History graduate Nina Edwards. Following their ‘accidental’ meeting at a gallery showing, Tristan offers Nina a six month contract position as the art procurer for his chain of Richmont Hotels throughout the world. But what began as a business arrangement soon becomes something more. Before the six months are over Nina will transform the quiet, unsmiling recluse billionaire into a man who will break her heart in more ways than one.

The premise follows Tristan and Nina’s building relationship from employer and employee, to friends and lovers. But Nina soon becomes troubled by the small alarm bells that keep going off every time the darker side of Tristan is exposed when Nina steps over an imaginary line where jealousy begins to rear its’ ugly head. The small signs of possession and his need to control start mounting and Nina is unsure just how far the relationship will go before something or someone gets hurt.

The storyline is told from Nina’s POV. We are witness to her thoughts and desires, and there is no doubt that Nina is falling in love but it is Tristan’s ulterior motives that will leave the reader questioning his intent and action. And in the end, the true nature of the beast will be exposed and life for Nina and Tristan will never be the same.

The writing style is simple and the storyline is slow to build, but I never felt that we really got to know our leading couple before they immediately jumped into a relationship where Tristan controlled every aspect of their daily lives. Tristan and Nina both have a history of loss but their connection to one another runs deeper than anyone could have imagined.There is heartbreak and sorrow and you know that Tristan hides a deep, dark secret.

Tristan is an enigma. He is dark, almost cold and his personality never quite shines through on the pages of Crash Into Me. The storyline is character driven and because it is told from Nina’s POV, we never really get into the head of the man who controls the strings.

K.M. takes the reader on a virtual tour from America to Venice and we will discover there is a softer side to our hero Tristan Stone. The building of the sexual relationship is quick to develop as there is a definite mutual attraction between Nina and Tristan- one that will prove to be a heartbreaker for both.

If you are a fan of the Crossfire or FSOG series style then Crash Into Me will be a familiar storyline but one with a twist at the end of book one. I hope we get to see a different side of Tristan-perhaps a storyline perspective from his POV because whatever has been going through his mind, is definitely going to push the storyline forward.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy