Stephanie Rowe-Interview and Blog Tour with the Author

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Four-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Heart® Award winner Stephanie Rowe is the nationally bestselling author of more than twenty published novels with major New York publishers, including Warner/Grand Central, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dorchester & Sourcebooks. Stephanie has received starred reviews from Booklist and high praise from Publisher’s Weekly. Stephanie writes romance (paranormal, contemporary and suspense), teen fiction, middle grade fiction and motivational nonfiction, including her bestselling dark paranormal Order of the Blade series.

TRC: Hi Stephanie and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of Darkness Arisen.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Stephanie: On the writing side, I’m a lifelong reader who, as a child, won a blue ribbon at my town library for reading the most books over the summer. My love for books never faded, and I started telling stories to kids while I worked at day camp during college. Eventually that turned into writing the stories down, and everything evolved from there. I love to write, I love to read, and I love the magic that can happen when an author lets her passion and imagination run free. When I’m not writing, I’m a mom, I play tennis with my pals, and I am working hard training my new rescue dog, who is just the sweetest boy ever.

TRC: Many authors have faced challenges or difficulties getting their books to publication. What struggles have you encountered in your writing career?

Stephanie: Before I sold my first book, I wrote 18 complete novels and 9 partials. I had over 150 rejections as well. I have since sold more than 25 books to traditional publishers, and have loved the freedom of shifting over to indie publishing and using the training I received from the NY market to manage my own career and writing now. During the time I’ve been published, I’ve been rejected another 50 or so times. I’ve had four editors leave and been dumped by their successor. I’ve had four lines that I write for close. And I’ve had a publisher go bankrupt. I’ve had an agent who stripped me off all self-confidence and creative ability, and I’ve had a agent who was magic in her ability to uplift me on the tough days, and everything in between. So, it’s been a long, challenging road, but it’s what I love, so nothing has been able to knock me off track.

TRC: Darkness Arisen (Order of the Blade) is your latest release in your Dark Paranormal series. Would you please tell us something about the book?

ORDER LINKS: Amazon/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO

Stephanie: Darkness Arisen (Order of the Blade, Book Six) is the story of Ian Fitzgerald, a warrior we met in the first book. His story was introduced in more depth in his novella, FOREVER IN DARKNESS, and we finally get his full story in DARKNESS ARISEN. It’s sexy, passionate, dangerous and wickedly intense. Readers will meet new characters and explore an entirely new world from what they’ve seen in previous Order of the Blade books, but will still get plenty of their hot, tormented warriors. Here is the official blurb for the book:

Darkness Hunts Him.
Calydon warrior Ian Fitzgerald refuses to die. Cursed by black magic, he has stayed alive through sheer force of will and unyielding commitment to a mission he is sworn to complete. There is only one thing that can defeat him…and she has just found him.

Desire Torments Her.
Ravaged by her own passions, tarnished angel Alice Shaw is fighting desperately for salvation before all she cares about is lost forever. Her sensual allure, and the forbidden power buried inside her, are outshone only by the burning need she awakens in Ian.

Fierce Passion Ignites.
Raging desire explodes between Ian and Alice, pushing them to the brink of destruction. They cannot afford to succumb, but the cord that binds them will never let them go…not until their most dreaded nightmares come true. Together, they are destined to fail. Together, they will fight to survive the impossible.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the lead characters, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?

Stephanie: Hugh Jackman for Ian, and Natalie Portman for Alice.

TRC: Which do you find more difficult to write and why? Full length story lines or novellas?

Stephanie: Honestly, they both take about the same amount time to prepare. My stories are character-driven, which means the plot derives from who the characters are and the choices that they would make. This means that regardless of whether I am writing a 30k novella or a 100k novel, I still have to know each main character in great depth. Once the writing begins, the novella takes less time to write because it is shorter, so from that perspective, it is easier, but before I start writing, it’s the same amount of work.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?

Stephanie: Hmm… that is a tough one. I don’t know what people are thinking about me! I am one of those sensitive people that internalizes it when people don’t like me, so I honestly try to simply focus on my writing and doing the best job I can, and not letting myself be affected by other people’s perceptions.

TRC: If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?

Stephanie: I wish I could stress less! I’ve actually been working very hard on this, and making some progress. It’s not an easy habit to shake, but it’s a very destructive thing to do to yourself, so I’m doing my best to learn to let it all go…

TRC: Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Stephanie: Personally, it would have to be my mother. We have always been very close. She is an amazing woman, and I admire her greatly.

TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?

Stephanie: When I am stressing about my writing deadlines, the person I need to call is my brother. As a creative type, he understands about the difficulties of that lifestyle, and he always strikes the right balance of empathy, and telling me to get over it, stop worrying about it, and get writing.

TRC: Is there a question that you would like to be asked in an interview, but nobody has asked? If so, ask away!

Stephanie: Hmm… that is another tough one. I have no idea. Maybe when the wedding date is for me and Hugh Jackman?

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Stephanie:
1) I would like to reduce all stress from my life (realizing that stress comes from the pressure I put on myself and my reaction to things, as opposed to the events themselves).
2) I would like to become injury-free so I can get fit and healthy.
3) I would like to move to a house with a nice, fenced in yard and lovely neighbors.
4) I would like to be a great mom and continue to have a special relationship with my daughter.
5) I would like my writing career to be steady and reliable.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Stephanie: I think book reviews are a wonderful way for readers to express themselves and for potential readers to get a sense of whether the book is something they would be interested in. I do feel sad when readers trash books for personal reasons, like when they give a 1 star review to a book that hasn’t even been released yet, so there is no way they could have read it. But for each reviewer that uses that forum to put bad energy out into the world, there are far more who are sharing valuable thoughts and responses. The positive, glowing reviews are wonderful to read on tough days, but the critical reviews can sometimes provide good insight for an author about how she can keep improving her craft.

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

Stephanie: I generally work solo, but recently my cover artist and I have created a new process in which he makes the book cover first, in any way he wants, and then I write to the cover. It gives him creative freedom on the covers, and it often pulls me into directions I wouldn’t have thought about on my own. For example, with the Darkness Arisen cover, when he sent it to me, I had the entire story plotted out as happening in the woods. Once I got the cover, and there was the ocean and these misty, ghost-like women on the cover, I completely changed the story and ended up with a really fun and new direction for the series.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Stephanie:
Today I’m actually doing my taxes, but once I get that done, I will be working on three projects:
1) PRINCE CHARMING CAN WAIT, which is the next EVER AFTER book,
2) GUARDIAN OF THE HIDDEN, which is the launch book for my new dark paranormal series, THE RUINED LORDS, and
3) DARKNESS UNLEASED, which is Ryland’s book, the seventh in the Order of the Blade series.

I am currently brainstorming all three of them, and whichever one comes together first will be the next one that I start writing.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Stephanie: Thank you very much for having me! It’s great to be here!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Homemade chocolate fudge sauce

Favorite Dessert
See above, or key lime pie

Favorite TV Show
Currently getting excited for the next season of Dancing with the Stars. There is always a story of triumph over tragedy on that show, and I find it very inspiring.

Last Movie You Saw
The last Harry Potter movie (yes, I’m a little behind the times!)

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate, all the way.

Favorite Flower
Hyacinth. The scent is simply magical.

Do you have any pets?
I have a dear, dear rescue dog named Muskie (aka Musketeer from Barbie & the Three Musketeers, as named by my daughter).

TRC: Thank you Stephanie for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best. Congratulations on the release of Darkness Arisen.

Stephanie: Thank you so much!

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DARKNESS ARISEN:  The Order of the Blade #6

ORDER LINKS: Amazon/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO/

DARKNESS ARISEN

The Order of the Blade Series, Book Six

Available March 25, 2013

Darkness Hunts Him.
Calydon warrior Ian Fitzgerald refuses to die. Cursed by black magic, he has stayed alive through sheer force of will and unyielding commitment to a mission he is sworn to complete. There is only one thing that can defeat him…and she has just found him.

Desire Torments Her.
Ravaged by her own passions, tarnished angel Alice Shaw is fighting desperately for salvation before all she cares about is lost forever. Her sensual allure, and the forbidden power buried inside her, are outshone only by the burning need she awakens in Ian.

Fierce Passion Ignites.
Raging desire explodes between Ian and Alice, pushing them to the brink of destruction. They cannot afford to succumb, but the cord that binds them will never let them go…not until their most dreaded nightmares come true. Together, they are destined to fail. Together, they will fight to survive the impossible.

READING ORDER: THE ORDER OF THE BLADE series
Darkness Awakened
Darkness Seduced
Darkness Surrendered
Forever in Darkness
Darkness Reborn
Darkness Arisen

3/25 – The Reading Café
3/26 – Reading Between The Wines
3/28 – United by Books
3/29 – Book Monster Reviews & Literal Addiction
3/30 – Ramblings From This Chick
3/31 – Redheaded Bookworm
4/01 – Wicked Readings
4/02 – Beach Bum Reads
4/03 – Books-n-Kisses
4/04 – Riverina Romantics
4/05 – Close Encounters With The Night Kind
4/06 – Alexx Mom Cat’s Gateway
4/07 – GraveTells
4/10 – Romancing The Book
4/11 – Cocktails and Books
4/12 – I Smell Sheep
4/13 – Jeep Diva

 

Stephanie is giving away winners choice of eBook from either the ORDER OF THE BLADE, EVER AFTER or ALASKA HEAT series to ONE winner at EVERY Tour Stop.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Giveaway runs from March 25-April 14, 2013

4. Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY