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An Interview with Gena Showalter

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An Interview with Gena Showalter


The Reading Cafe is thrilled to welcome the fantastic Gena Showalter our guest today.

Gena has a new release upcoming on December 26th, Last Kiss Goodnight. We will post a review on the book in early January.  Last Kiss Goodnight is the first book in Gena’s new Otherworld Assassin series.

Let’s begin our interview with Gena.

 

 

TRC: Hi Gena and welcome to The Reading Café. It is a pleasure to talk with you today about your new series and books.

Gena: Thank you so much for having me!

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us about yourself (for anyone who is new to Gena Showalter and her world)?

Gena: I’m a big believer that we can learn something new everyday.  I love to write, to read, to study ( that’s a new thing) and to just hang out with my family.  I dream about eating whatever I want, whenever I want, and never having to exercise.  I love to wear sweat pants and if you ever spot me out in public in a dress, take a picture because it may never happen again.

TRC: What was your first published novel? Do you remember how you felt when you were notified about your first book accepted for publication?

Gena: Absolutely!  I’d written for a little over two years and had six manuscripts under my belt when I landed an agent (Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency).  We got an offer for The Pleasure Slave almost right away—but that fell through.  Afterward, we shopped TPS everywhere, but no one wanted it.  Then I wrote The Stone Prince… but no one wanted it, either.  Two years passed before Harlequin decided to open up a single title line, HQN. They called my agent, hoping one of her other clients could write for them.  That client couldn’t, but my agent said, “Have I got the author for you,” and sent them TSP.   A few weeks later, my agent received a fax.  The phones were down at Harlequin but executive editor Tracy Farrell had read my book, loved it, and wanted to discuss it when she returned to the office—in a week.

The day before Tracy returned, though, my agent had to leave, so another week passed before the women were able to hook up.  I was very hard to live with during that time, I think.  Very on edge and hopeful.  Then, the call came in.  HQN did indeed want to buy The Stone Prince—plus The Pleasure Slave!

TRC: WICKED NIGHTS is the first book in your new Angels of the Dark series (a spin off from Lords of the Underworld). Would you please tell us about the premise of this series?

Gena: Zacharel, the cold as ice hero of Wicked Nights, is the leader of the Army of Disgrace. And I know, I know, that’s a terrible name for his army, but it’s kind of deserved.  The winged warriors he leads have lost their faith, torched their hope, and given up on love.   Some are as cold and callous as their leader.  Some are just plain cranky, while some have embraced the dark side a little too tightly.  Each book will follow a different warrior on his (or her) journey to love and redemption.

TRC: Will many of the characters from Lords  of the Underworld cross-over into the Angels of the Dark series?

Gena: William shows up in book two, Beauty Awakened, and readers will learn another secret about him.  Paris shows up for a scene, as well, and Kane’s fate is hinted at.  As for book three in the AotD series, (sadly) I won’t know until I sit down to write it.

Speaking of Lords of The Underworld-Kane and Torin are two of the remaining
characters without a storyline, oh and Cameo-when do you plan on writing their stories?  And with the new spin-off, will LOTU go on hiatus or end? 😉

I’m writing Kane’s book now (title coming soon) and Torin and Cameo play a big part in the storyline.  This will be released… August 2013, I think.  

TRC:  ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND is the first novel in your new young adult series-WHITE RABBIT CHRONICLES. Would you please tell us the premise behind the series?

Gena: The White Rabbit Chronicles will feature a teenage girl who loses her entire family in a car crash only to wake up to a world of zombies and zombie slaying—and a bad boy who will either save her or ruin her.  There are shades of Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice in Wonderland, and I have a new take on zombie mythology.  Put it this way: they aren’t what you think lol

Links to order Alice in Zombieland:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: The cover for Alice in Zombieland is beautiful. How much influence did you have as the author with the ‘conception’ of the cover?

Gena: I got to help pick the model (which I was so excited about!) but the publisher did all the design work, and I couldn’t be happier with the result!

TRC: THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS is the second installment in the White Rabbit
Chronicles. Would you please tell us about the premise?

Gena: I wish I could, but I hesitate to give out too much information since the first book hasn’t yet hit bookstores.  I’m sorry!  Let’s just say things heat up a notch—in every way!

TRC:  How many books do you have planned for this particular YA series?

Gena: Right now I have two under contract, Alice in Zombieland and Through the Zombieglass, but I have ideas for more.

TRC:  LAST KISS GOODNIGHT is the first book in your new OTHERWORLD ASSASSIN series. Would you please tell us about the premise?

Gena: Last Kiss Goodnight is the first in the Otherworld Assassin novels, and a spin-off of my Alien Huntress books.  The series will revolve around three black ops agents in serious trouble.  The first agent in the spotlight is Solomon Judah, who awakens caged and bound in a twisted zoo where otherworlders are the main attraction. Vika Lukas, the owner’s daughter, is tasked with Solo’s care and feeding.  The monster inside him yearns to kill her on sight, even though she holds the key to his escape. But the human side of him realizes the beautiful deaf girl is more than she seems—she’s his.
Links to Pre-order Last Kiss Goodnight:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / Books a Million

TRC: The cover for LAST KISS GOODNIGHT is another fantastic cover. Many readers DO judge a book by its cover. What has been your experience as it pertains to your readers and the book covers?

Gena: You know, they’ve seemed to like the ones I’ve liked and disliked the ones I’ve dislked (yes, there are a few but no, I won’t mention titles lol)

TRC:  You and PC Cast wrote a duology together in 2012. Would you please tell us about this exciting new adventure?

Gena: PC Cast is a dear friend of mine, and we had so much fun doing our Mysteria novellas together, we just couldn’t resist another chance to work together!  Here’s a little about the stories:

POSSESSED by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author P.C. Cast 

Being a psychic detective who can channel only negative emotions makes Kent Raef good at catching murderers, but bad at maintaining relationships. Then Lauren Wilcox arrives with a most intriguing case: her twin sister has been murdered and is communing with Lauren’s spirit-and sharing her body. Raef’s the only one who can track the killer and free the spirit. But soon he begins to wonder just which twin he wants to save…and why…. 

HAUNTED by … me

Artist Aurora Harper is convinced she’s witnessed a crime-a murder so brutal she’s repressed the memories, only to paint the scene by the light of the moon. Now she needs her new neighbor, Detective Levi Reid, to help her track down the victim-and the killer. Levi’s dealing with his own memory issues, but one thing he knows for sure: Harper is meant to be his, and nothing can take her away from him-not in this life…and not in death….

TRC: What are some of the challenges you have encountered writing a duology (with another author)?

Gena: No problems, only fun!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Gena: I just finished revisions for Beauty Awakened, the second Angels of the Dark book, and I’m diving back into Kane’s book.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Sea food

Favorite Dessert: Bread pudding

Favorite Movie:  Anchorman (I watched it so many times I can quote dialogue)

Favorite TV Show:  How I Met Your Mother… no, Parks and Recreation… no, Big Brother (Go Frank!)  ** TRC Note:  Frank did not win, but ended up being the fan favorite.

Dark or Milk: Chocolate dark

Do you have any pets?  2 bull dogs and one very mean (to others) German shepherd

Last Vacation Destination: Sun Drenched Cali

TRC: Gena, thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to your new series and storylines. We wish you the best of luck with each new endeavor.

Gena: Thank you so much for the support!

If you would like to learn more about Gena, you can find her at the following sites:

Website: http://www.genashowalter.com
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

 

Gena has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of Wicked Nights”.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, 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 to U.S.& Canada only

4.  Contest runs from December 14th – December 17th..

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An Interview with Nancy Jardine

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An Interview with Nancy Jardine

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Nancy Jardine. Here is a short bio on Nancy.

Born and raised in Scotland, Nancy Jardine is an avid reader of many different genres. She now full-time writes in different genres which include: light-hearted contemporary romance, Celtic Britain historical romance, general women’s fiction, family saga, and time-travel fiction for children 9-12yrs. If, like Nancy, you are looking for a bit of escapism then you’ll find all that, and more, in her novels.

Let us begin our Interview with Nancy.

TRC: Nancy, we at the Reading Café would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Would you please tell us about yourself?

Nancy: I live in the village of Kintore, in the spectacular castle country of Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland, where history of all kinds is a stones throw away. I’m an ex-primary teacher of mainly 11-12 year olds, but I gave up the chalk in 2011 to write full time. When not writing, or officially child-minding my 1 year old granddaughter two days a week, I tend my lovely weeds in my now neglected large garden. A few years ago I started to do serious ancestry research and find that absolutely fascinating. I’m glad my own handsome hero of a husband does the cooking, or these days I’d starve!

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

Nancy: I always loved teaching creative writing in my classes, but my first ‘proper’ writing projects were 2 large non-fiction historical books which were published for school purposes.  A teacher resource book was written in 1999, and a comprehensive history book for Kintore School was written in 2005-my researches revealing that the village school amazingly dates back to the early 1500s. Those kick started my writing career.

TRC: What was your first book ever published?

Nancy: My first fiction novel-Monogamy Twist -was published by The Wild Rose Press in Aug 2011. This is my contemporary version of a weird Dickensian bequest of a slightly dilapidated estate in Yorkshire, England. This novel developed when I was watching a new B.B.C. series of Charles Dickens on TV, and concurrently doing the early ancestry research for my paternal family.

TRC: Have you always liked to write?  Please tell us your process in writing a novel.

Nancy: I always wanted to be a reader, but initially only wrote when necessary for teaching purposes. The urge to write for personal enjoyment only sneaked up on me after I had done the non-fiction work. I started off as a ‘pantser’ with my first novels, but then had to do a lot more planning for my ancestral mystery romances that have complex plots. I now initially tend to make a general timeline; a basic plot structure; I purchase inexpensive images for my characters from my favorite image sites (I use these for blog purposes and for my book trailer videos) and then I get started.

TRC:  You write contemporary romance and Historical novels.  Do you have a preference of the genre you like to write?  Is there any other genre you would like to try?

Nancy: I don’t really have a preference and I’m keen to try different genres and sub-genres. Though I loved creating my non-fiction works I’ve no plans to do any more non- fiction. To date I’ve written an action-packed adventure time-travel novel for children aged 10-12 years-Dabbling With Time-set locally in Kintore, where an intrepid trio travel back to the Roman invasion of the Emperor Severus in A.D. 210. I’ve started a second of this series. Two of my contemporary romances are what I call history/mysteries- Monogamy Twist and Topaz Eyes- where there’s a complex ancestral tree involved. The family members of the ‘tree’ have to be revealed to solve the central mystery. Take Me Now is a light-hearted contemporary romance-also with a mystery involved-where the heroine has to uncover a saboteur who is damaging the hero physically and also his businesses. My historical adventure, The Beltane Choice, is set in Celtic/Roman Britain of A.D.71 when the Romans invade the Brigantes territory. I’m presently writing a sequel to this. I’ve also started a family saga, beginning in the 1850s in Scotland, that’s loosely based on some of my ancestry research.

TRC:  How did you come up with the idea for The Beltane Choice?  Can you please tell us the premise of this story?

Nancy: In 2002-2004, there was an intensive archaeological dig undertaken on the land that was used to build a brand new school in my village of Kintore. The archaeologists discovered that the previous estimate of around 4000 Roman soldiers, encamped in a marching camp approximately A.D. 83, was probably inaccurate. New evidence showed that the area had been used 3 times by Roman Armies, and there had perhaps been 10000 men camped there. That dig was right across from my own garden, so I hope you can imagine how excited that made me! From that point on I was desperate to write a novel involving an invading Roman Army and the local Celtic population. I think you may have guessed I’ve always loved teaching Celtic/Roman history to my classes so it was a natural progression to move on to writing a romance set in those times.

To be totally different from my kid’s novel The Beltane Choice is located in what we’d now call the border areas between Scotland and England, in A.D.71-a critical time for the Celts of northern England. The Selgovae tribe’s territory was north of the border, and the Brigante lands to the south. A Brigante prince-Lorcan of Garrigill-captures a Selgovae princess-Nara of Tarras– and takes her back to his Celtic Settlement. Nara is used as a bargaining tool to ensure a stronger bond between the usually warring Celtic tribes when the might of the Roman Empire marches northwards in Brigante lands. The bargaining does not quite work out as simply as Lorcan plans and thwarts the development of their relationship. Nara has her own personal reasons for choosing her mate before the Beltane festival and finds herself in a real dilemma. Bloody war with the Romans causes untold grief and suffering- Lorcan is lost to her-but Nara’s determination and courage makes sure that situation changes!

TRC:  How much background research was required to write your novel?

Nancy: A lot of Celtic/Roman research was done generally during my teaching of the era, and I’ve accumulated lots of books. I’ve also visited many Celtic/ Roman visitor centers in Scotland and England and absorbed knowledge from that. I had to delve into specific Brigante and Selgovae research for The Beltane Choice, though there is actually almost no evidence written down about those tribes. Much of what is available was written by roman historians-like Tacitus- and has to be used with a ‘pinch of salt’.  A lot is then left to the imagination as to how the Celts actually lived. In The Beltane Choice I’ve used historical facts where suitable, but it’s mainly my interpretation of what I envisage as their lifestyle.

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Nancy: I’m currently working on a sequel to The Beltane Choice. My initial idea was to take on a particular character and tell that story. About 8k words into it I realized the time sequence would not work well enough. I abandoned that first draft, and started all over again with a different character from The Beltane Choice.

When I hit a road block with the above I pick up my saga and add more to that.

TRC:  Many writers discuss book ideas and information with a family member, a friend or another writer.  Who inspires you?  Do you have a muse?

Nancy: Unfortunately I have no-one who fits that category. One drawback of living in the countryside is that there are no writers groups nearby. I’ve largely done everything on my own till the editing stage of my books. I’m actively seeking either beta readers or a critique partner, since I appreciate their value to other writers I’ve come to know in Crooked{Cat}Publishing and The Wild Rose Press.

LIGHTNING ROUND:

FAVORITE FOOD: Spaghetti Bolognese

FAVORITE DESSERT: Scottish tablet

FAVORITE AUTHOR: Don’t have one. I like far too many, of many different genres.

FAVORITE BOOK: Pride and Prejudice

FAVORITE CHARACTER (NOT YOUR OWN): Jack Sparrow (and almost anything done by Johnny Depp)

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: Fantastic Four with Ioan Gruffudd (a re-run on TV when I took a break from writing!)

Thank you, Nancy for answering our questions. The Reading Café wishes you the best of luck with The Beltane Choice. 

 

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An Interview with Alyssa Day

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An Interview with Alyssa Day

The Reading Cafe is thrilled to welcome the wonderful Alyssa Day as our guest today.

Alyssa has just released Heart of Atlantis, her final book in her The Warriors of Poseidon series. We posted our review of Heart of Atlantis yesterday.  As we noted in the review, we are hoping that Alyssa will continue in the future to give us more stories of the men and women we have come to love.

Let’s begin our interview with Alyssa.

Hi Alyssa.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. As you are one of our favorite authors, it is a pleasure to have you back again at The Reading Café.

Alyssa: Thank you! I love you, too!

TRC: For those who are new to you, would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Alyssa: I’m a recovering trial lawyer who is now a full-time novelist. I rescue dogs, travel and live all over the world, and have an inexcusable fondness for cheesy horror and sci-fi movies.

TRC: You also write as Alesia Holliday.  Are you still writing as Alesia, and can you tell us what you like to write about under that name?

Alyssa:  I wrote my nonfiction, my mystery, and my romantic comedies as Alesia. I may write more mysteries!

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

Alyssa:  It changes daily. I have 2 kids and 2 dogs and am a Navy wife, so I have to work around being a single mom most of the time.

TRC:  We love your interaction with fans on Twitter and Facebook.  Do you think this has changed how authors promote their books, by allowing themselves to be more accessible?  Do you think there is a downside to this, with some authors receiving negative postings?

Alyssa:  I have had a few strange interactions – the other day, when I had a 104 degree fever (strep throat for a WEEK now!) and was live-tweeting a horribly bad movie called Congo (which I made very clear I was doing) about killer zombie gorillas, as far as I can tell, a woman tweeted me that it was horrible for me to make jokes about such beautiful creatures as gorillas, and the Republic of the Congo didn’t like it, either. I apologized to both gorillas and the Republic of the Congo, but made it clear, again, that I’d been talking about the terrible movie, not actual gorillas.

Also, a woman who claims to be Atlantean frequently emails me with Poseidon’s thoughts about what’s wrong with my books (Poseidon is her friend and hangs out in her living room.)  I appreciate the insights, but since I don’t personally know any gods, I have to continue to write fiction, not historical nonfiction, about Atlantis.

I adore talking to readers, especially on Twitter, which is like the water-cooler conversation I used to have as a trial lawyer.  Honestly, the only downside is that there are a few people who feel entitled to demand things from authors, since we’re so accessible, and that can be frustrating.  We’re doing the best we can to keep the books coming, everyone, but sometimes international moves to Japan, historic international disasters and evacuations, and family illnesses can get in the way of spending 24/7 writing that next book.


TRC:  It is December, and Heart of Atlantis is here. Please tell us how you feel about closing the Arc of Warriors of the Poseidon?  How hard was it for you to close this series, and end with Quinn & Alaric?

Alyssa:  I actually cried several times writing the book.  It is exactly what I planned, nearly seven long years ago, when I dreamed up this series, and all of my warriors get their stories wrapped up beautifully, but there is a scene with Quinn and Jack that made me cry hard, hot tears, and there are several scenes with Alaric that made me cry.  Also, Conlan gives a speech near the end of the book that made me cry.  I’ve lived with them for nearly seven years. I will be writing a few novellas about some of the characters, so it wasn’t a complete goodbye, but it was still bittersweet.  Time to say goodbye, and time to move on to something new!

Heart of Atlantis Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Bookdepository

TRC:  The popularity of all your Warriors has been great, but perhaps since their story has been a long time coming, there has been a special bond for readers waiting for Alaric & Quinn’s story.  Why do you think this happened?

Alyssa:  They were the ultimate in forbidden love; the dark, tortured high priest, and the damaged rebel leader with secrets of her own.  You could feel the spark between them instantly—they started out with a conflagration!—and readers wanted to know their story.

TRC: At some point, you had mentioned this was the end of the first arc in Warriors of the Poseidon.  You have said that you plan on doing some novellas on Denal, Reissen & a Christmas story with the ladies.  Will we see novellas to allow us to visit our favorites again, or would you ever considering doing another arc?

Alyssa: Yes, definitely novellas.  Not sure about another arc.  Currently working on the League of the Black Swan, my new series, and I have 3 other new projects queued up and ready to work on in 2013!

TRC:  Since we follow you on Twitter and Facebook, we have heard that Jack will get his own series.  Is this true, and if so, what can you tell us about it?  Also, when can we expect this to start?

Alyssa:  I can’t give details yet. I learned my lesson on that one when I HORRIBLY underestimated the time it would take me to figure out the indie venture for Alejandro’s Sorceress.

TRC:  When you last visited us, you talked a bit about your new series, The League of the Black Swan.  Can you please tell us the latest on this new series?

Alyssa: The first book, THE CURSED, will be out 5/13, and it’s SO EXCITING!!  The series follows Luke and Rio and their continuing adventures in Bordertown, a secret part of  Manhattan that exists on an interdimensional fold between the human, Fae, and demon worlds.

A novella in the series, The Curse of the Black Swan, also releases in May, in the anthology ENTHRALLED, with Lora Leigh, Lucy Monroe, and Meljean Brook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRC:  What are you currently working on?  Would you consider writing a different genre? Would you like to add anything else?

Alyssa:  I am putting final touches on the two League of the Black Swan books and FINALLY, FINALLY, figuring out how to post Alejandro’s Sorceress before my readers drive to my house and make me walk the plank.

I have SECRET NEWS about a new genre that I’ll be able to tell you in 2013!  Also, when I write Jack’s stories, those will be urban fantasy and not traditional romance.  Think if Harry Dresden and Sookie Stackhouse had a love child!


LIGHTNING ROUND 

Favorite Food: potatoes and pasta – I’m Irish and Italian!

Favorite Dessert: Pumpkin pie!

Favorite TV show: Too many to count but The Walking Dead is up there at the top!

Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings – I can’t wait for the Hobbit!!!

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark, but I’d rather have nachos 🙂

Favorite Author: Too many to count!

Favorite Literary Character (male & female) not your own:  too many to count!


Thank you, Alyssa for answering our questions. We wish you the best of luck with Heart of Atlantis, and your new League of the Black Swan series.  We look forward to working with you again in the future. 

If you want to learn more about Alyssa, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://www.alyssaday.com/
Blog:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads:
Alyssa has graciously offered to give two members of The Reading Café a chance to win two books in her Warriors of Poseidon series…“Atlantis Rising” and “Heart of Atlantis”.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, 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 to U.S. or Canada only

4.  Contest runs from December 6th – December 9th..

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An Interview with Erin Knightley

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An Interview with Erin Knightley

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Erin Knightley as our guest today. Before we meet Erin, let’s find out more about her.

Despite being an avid reader and closet writer her whole life, Erin Knightley decided to pursue a sensible career in science.  It was only after earning her B.S. and working in the field for years that she realized doing the sensible thing wasn't any fun at all.  Following her dreams, Erin left her practical side behind and now spends her days writing. Together with her tall, dark, and handsome husband and their three spoiled mutts, she is living her own Happily Ever After in North Carolina.

Let's begin our Interview with Erin.

Hi Erin and welcome to The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information.   Please tell us something about yourself?

Erin:  I tend to be that person who jumps off the ledge and just goes for things. Well, not literally – I’m terrified of heights! I’m a certified diver with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Science, I’m a certified diamontologist and work 1 day a week at a jewelry store to keep myself sane, I spent months perfecting cupcake recipes for a business I wanted to start (Cloudberry Cupcakes), only to discover I could never have a home-based food business because I have indoor pets. I’ve been a pizza maker, a lifeguard, a resident adviser, a day care worker, a clerk at a dry cleaner store (where I had to call 911 for the first time in my life thanks to a crazy customer), a lab worker at 3 different labs in college (one of which was in Irkutsk Russia), a real estate agent, a maid, a Geographic Information Systems analyst, an environmental specialist, and now a full-time writer. All that fodder for contemporary novels, and I only write historicals!

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Erin:  On some level or another, yes. It wasn’t until I was almost thirty that I considered making a living at it, but I always loved and excelled at writing in school. I have some of the most dramatic 3rd grade essays you’ll ever read, lol!

TRC: Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Erin:  Ugh – the internet. If ever there was a double-edge sword, that would be it. It is vital for my research and social networking, but it so often derails my progress when I am trying to write. I actually had to install Freedom on my computer, which locks me out of the internet for however long I specify. It was a $10 program, but worth its weigh in gold!

TRC: “More Than a Stranger” is your first book published. This is part of your Historical Romance series.. Sealed With a Kiss.  Would you please tell us how you came up with the idea of this series?

Erin:  This happened pretty organically. Once I started writing Evie’s story (More Than a Stranger), I knew that I wanted to stay with her family—I just loved them! For me, there is no better fodder for writing than a big, loving, all-up-in-each-other’s-business kind of family 😉

TRC: Last month you released a novella…Miss Mistletoe, would you care to tell us little about this novella?

Erin:  This is a fun little Christmas novella, which was born from knowing the very last line in the story, believe it or not. Basically it is about Cece, who embarrassed herself with an all too forward move on Finn when she was younger. They haven’t seen each other in five years until they both arrive at a wedding (Evie and Benedict’s from More Than a Stranger!) and are thrown together. Still mortified years later, Cece is determine to avoid Finn completely. Finn is none too happy to see Miss Mistletoe—the girl who made a spectacle of the two of them at a Christmas ball years earlier. But when she vows to ignore him, he can’t help but be intrigued. Before long, the tables are turned, and Finn finds himself perusing the same girl he sought to avoid.

TRC: A Taste of Scandal was just released, which has such a gorgeous cover. Would you please tell us the premise of this book.

Erin:  Didn’t they do the greatest job ever on the cover?! I swear, somehow or another, I must convince my husband to reenact the pose for our Christmas Card this year 😉   As for the story, Richard is the brother of the heroine in my first book, and I knew he would have his own book after he kept trying to steal the show in the first one! He’s handsome, charming, and a bit of a rake—not to mention the fact he is heir to the Granville Marquisate. He’s used to getting everything he wants…until he meets baker and proprietress Jane Bunting, who is wholly unimpressed with Richard and everything he stands for.

These two start off butting heads, but soon find themselves falling for one another against all odds. 

A fun little fact about this book: it grew from my love of baking. I was intrigued with the incredibly elaborate and beautiful desserts they had at that time, without a single mixer or electric oven to be had! And yes, I tried every recipe I wrote about. I swear, my arms are still sore from all that whisking!

Links to order A Taste for Scandal: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: What drew you to write Historical Romance? 

Erin:  I found romance novels through my job as a lifeguard—when it rained, I would go to the clubhouse and read from their library. I started off with contemporary, then found historical westerns, but it wasn’t until I discovered the likes of Connie Brockway, Lisa Kleypas, and Julia Quinn that I knew I was home. The gowns, the rules, the handsome rakes and glittering ballrooms—what’s not to love?

TRC: What are some of the Challenges (research) in bringing a historical romance to life?

Erin:   There is often conflicting information on the internet, and I must try to choose carefully what I believe to be true. For example, my use of the word ‘marquis’ instead of ‘marquess.’ There were those that were vehement that I was wrong because wikipedia said so. Yet, when I used Google Books to research tomes from that time period, I found plenty of uses of the ‘marquis’ spelling. Which reminds me of what one of my fellow authors said: “Even if you’re right, you can be wrong if readers don’t believe you.”

Also, there is always the challenge of not knowing what you don’t know until you try to write it (got that??). I’m writing a scene and suddenly realize I have no idea which servant would be attending to something, or how one goes about lighting a candle in a darkened room. It frequently stops me in the middle of scene and sends me scurrying to my research books/websites.

TRC: What are you working on now? 

Erin:  I recently submitted Book 3 in the Sealed With a Kiss Series—younger sister Beatrice’s story—called Flirting with Fortune 🙂 This one will be out in September of 2013. I’m also currently developing my next series, set in the same world with the characters I’m coming to know and love. More on that to come!

TRC:  Yayyyyyyyyy I guessed right….Beatrice is the next book  🙂

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

Erin:  Definitely my sister Kara. She is a screen writer by trade, and had a great mind for plotting. I’ve helped her, and she’s definitely helped me—sometimes just by playing the ‘what if’ game. Sometimes we go off on tangents, but other times it leads to genius breakthroughs! The same can be said of my fellow authors, Heather Snow, Catherine Gayle, Tammy Falkner, and others. It’s amazing what you can do when you sit down with another author, turn off all electronics, and just plot.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Erin:  Since I mentioned my sister, I also wanted to mention my super talented brother, Andy McLeroy. He is a spare-time composer, and he wrote an original piano piece inspired by my first novel, More Than a Stranger. It’s available for a free download at my website here: Click here. I’m so in awe of his talent—I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do!

Also, I’m active on both Twitter (www.Twitter.com/ErinKnightley) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ErinKnightley). I love hearing for fans and fellow romance lovers! I also frequently do pop giveaways (much better than pop quizzes!), so keep an eye out.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Popcorn (homemade oil-popped)

Favorite Dessert: Cupcakes 🙂
**Many of you asked about Erin’s cupcakes. Check this funny video by Erin:

Favorite TV show: Biggest Loser or Downton Abbey

Favorite Movie: Love Actually

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Dirk Pitt (Clive Cussler’s perpetual hero) 

Dark or Milk Chocolate: DARK!

Erin, thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you good luck  on A Taste of Scandal.  We look forward to seeing you again at The Reading Café.

Erin & her publisher have graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of A Taste For Scandal.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, 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 to U.S. only.

 4.  Contest runs from December 3rd – December 6th

Erin also has a wonderful giveaway on her website to celebrate the release of A Taste For Scandal.  Click HERE to enter that giveaway.


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Catching Up with Shannon K Butcher

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Catching Up with Shannon Butcher


The Reading Cafe is thrilled to welcome back the wonderful Shannon K. Butcher.  When we last talked to Shannon, she had just released Dying Wish, from her fantastic Sentinel series.

Today Shannon will be discussing her upcoming new release, The Edge of Sanity (our review is tomorrow) from her equally fabulous Edge series.

Let’s talk to Shannon.


Hi Shannon.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us again at The Reading Cafe, and to give us an update as to what you have upcoming, as well as what to expect in 2013.

Shannon: Thanks so much for having me over for a chat! 🙂

TRC: Edge of Sanity is scheduled to be released on December 4th. This is your third book in your Edge series.  Please tell us the premise of this series, for those who may not have read it.

Shannon: The series revolves around a group of mercenaries working at a private security firm run by a woman. They do a wide variety of jobs, and in the course of those jobs, some of the contractors begin to run across odd things. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the books, but I will say that as the series progresses, the source of those odd things becomes clear, and their efforts shift from simple business and profit to something much more personal.

TRC: Can you give a brief description of Edge of Sanity?

Shannon: EDGE OF SANITY is one of those books that has been in my head for a long time, dying to come out. It revolves around Clay Marshall, one of the employees of the Edge. His health has been getting progressively worse over the last few months. He’s been plagued by headaches, and more recently, blackouts. When he wakes up covered in blood—enough he knows someone has to be dead—he finally reaches his breaking point and asks for help. That help comes in the form of Dr. Leigh Vaughn, who knows all too well what Clay is going through. Together, they set out to uncover the source of his blackouts and find a way to stop them. But the closer they get to the answers, the more obvious it becomes that those answers may cost them their lives.
**TRC Note:  Watch for our review on Edge of Sanity tomorrow
Edge of Sanity Pre-Order Links:  Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: Falling Blind is your next book in your Sentinel series, which is expected to be released in April, 2013.  Can you tell us a little about this book? How many books do you plan for the Sentinel series?

Shannon: I’m hoping to do 12-15 books in the Sentinel Wars. I’ve set up the series with a definitive end, but I also designed it so that there’s some wiggle room in the middle to play with a few extra stories if I have the chance.

FALLING BLIND is book seven of the series and revolves around Cain, whose foster daughter has recently grown up and left, leaving him feeling lonely and floundering for a purpose. For centuries, she kept his lifemark healthy, giving him purpose and the willpower to cling to his soul and his humanity. Now that she’s gone, he fears that his days are numbered. Then he meets Rory, a mouthy, pink-haired woman with more guts than common sense. She’s plagued with the ability to see through the eyes of others when she’s close to them, forcing her to live in solitude. She’s only in the city now to hunt for the person who makes her inconvenient gift go away. When Cain finds her, he makes it his job to help her with her task, but in doing so, they draw the attention of a powerful Synestryn demon seeking revenge.

Falling Blind Pre-Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: Forget Me Not was a novella that you released in August.  This was a very sexy paranormal romance.  Are you planning on making this into a series?

Shannon: When I wrote this story, I never planned for it to be anything more than a single novella. I’ve always loved world building, and probably did more of that than absolutely necessary for a story so short. There’s definitely room to play more with this world, but for now, I’m focusing more on some other fun paranormal projects. I could always come back and revisit this world, but I don’t currently have any plans to do so.

 

Forget Me Not Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books a Million


TRC: Would you like to share with us what you may have upcoming in 2013, besides Falling Blind?

Shannon: Right now, the only hard release dates I have are for Falling Blind. I’m anticipating that the anthology KICKING IT may come out later in the year as well. I’m working on my short story contribution for that right now, which is buckets of fun. 🙂

In addition to those books, I’m currently working on three other projects, but they’re still too new to talk about. What I can tell you is that they’re all paranormal romance ideas that have been rolling around in my brain for long enough that I had to finally let them out. 🙂

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Shannon: I just want to thank you for inviting me to come out and play with you all. I often hermit up and disappear while I’m writing, so it’s really nice to have a chance to come out and be social.

Thank you, Shannon for giving us an update on what we can look forward to in 2013, and we wish you the best with Edge of Sanity & Falling Blind.

If you want to learn more about Shannon, you can find her at the following links.

Website:  http://www.shannonkbutcher.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Shannon has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a signed copy of RAZOR’S EDGE, as well as one of Shannon’s handmade necklaces (see photo)1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, 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 to U.S. or Canada only

4.  Contest runs from November 29th – December 2nd.

 

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An Interview with Jim Butcher

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An Interview with Jim Butcher

 

The Reading Cafe is thrilled to have the fantastic Jim Butcher as our guest today. Jim is here today to discuss his highly anticipated new release Cold Days, which will be released next Tuesday, November 27th. Cold Days is Jim’s 14th novel in his fabulous The Dresden Files.

Without further ado, let’s talk to Jim.

 

 

Hi Jim.  Thank you taking the time to answer our questions.  THE READING CAFÉ and its’ members are looking forward to our interview with you. Since we have posted your bio, we will skip the usual question of telling us about yourself. 

TRC: With Cold Days about to be released on November 27th, and being the 14th book in your popular Dresden Files series, can you tell us how you came up with the idea of Harry Dresden, a Wizard PI, and the entire world building of this series?

Jim: The Dresden Files started life as a class project in my Writing a Genre Fiction Novel class.  In point of fact, it was my attempt to prove to my writing teacher how wrong she was about all this structured, story-craft nonsense she was trying to teach me about.  You see, I knew about these things because I had a bachelor’s degree in English Literature with an emphasis in Creative Writing–whereas she merely had a master’s in journalism (and had published forty novels).  So to prove her wrong, I set out to do absolutely everything she said exactly the way she said it–to be her good little writing monkey and show her exactly what horrible things resulted from such a restrictive, cookie-cutter approach to writing would create

And I wrote the first book of the Dresden Files.

Which showed her.  Hah.

TRC:  Though fans want this series to go on forever, you have discussed ending this series somewhere near 25 books, ending with an epic trilogy.  Is this still your plan, what timeframe are we talking about, and how will you feel when this series comes to end?

Jim: That is still my plan.  Stories don’t go on forever.  They have a beginning, they have a middle, and they have an end.  The Dresden Files is a great big story, but it’s a story, and I’ve had an ending in mind since the first book.  Which is a really great thing because it means that I know where things are going.  I can plant things early that pay off in the future.  I can control the tension and the pace to best effect.  Having an end is /good/ for a story.  Having an indefinitely ongoing tale… to me, it’s like comparing a single performance of an Ode To Joy to a nine-hour round of “One Million Bottles of Beer on the Wall.” 🙂

TRC:  Cold Days is to be released in a few days…November 27th.  Can you please tell us the premise of this story?

Jim: Harry Dresden, having been mostly dead all day, wakes up to find out that he hasn’t managed to weasel out of his bargain with Queen Mab after all.  Now he’s stuck being the Huntsman to her Maleficent, a role known as the Winter Knight.  And she has a fairly simple first job in mind for him–Hi, Harry, nice to see you on your feet again, now be a good Knight and go murder an immortal and be sure to make it stick.  No problem, right?  And that’s just the first part of a day that gets catastrophically worse as it goes on.  The consequences of Dresden’s choices are arising to haunt him–and they’re not just things that have happened to /him/.  His friends have been impacted too.  So how do you keep faith with the mother of all wicked faeries (who will /kill/ you if you don’t), and with your friends (who might /die/ if you don’t), /and/ do the impossible, all while trying to hang on to your conscience, your identity–your soul?

Apparently, it’s helpful to shoot your mouth off a lot.

Links to Pre-order Cold Days:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository/ Books a Million

TRC:  Besides working on your next Dresden Files book, are you working on anything new?  Do you have any thoughts as to what you would like to write after the Dresden Files ends, and would it be Fantasy or Paranormal? 

Jim: I like having a non-Dresden project to do in between Dresden Files books.  Harry’s a great guy, but having him live in your head full time induces a lot of random twitching, and it’s nice to evict him for a while so that I can torment all new imaginary people.  Currently, my alternate group of imaginary people exist in a quasi-Victorian steampunk series of novels currently called “The Cinder Spires.”  It’s sort of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets Sherlock meets Hornblower, and it’s been ridiculously fun to write.  I hope to have it finished by the end of the year, so that I can plunge into the new Dresden fresh in 2013.

I mean, you know.  Assuming the Mayan apocalypse fizzles.

TRC:  With two writers in the family, how do you and Shannon handle the pressures of a deadline, especially if the timing is the same for both of you? 

Jim: We manipulate time.

Shannon does her most productive work in the morning and early afternoon.  I do /my/ best work between midnight and dawn.  So when the writing pressure is on, my usual day is to wake up noonish, or a few hours after, right about when she’s finishing her work for the day.  We spend the rest of the afternoon handling errands or whatever, hang out together in the evening, and then once she goes to bed, I get to work.  Neither of us interferes with the other’s work at all, because we’re busy being asleep, and we still get to hang out together.

I do feel bad for our dog, though.  He’s determined to be snuggling the feet of whoever is writing.  It is apparently his sacred duty.  So after a deadline-pressure week or two, there’s a lot of little snores drifting up from our feet while we work.

Thanks again Jim for being with us today.  We have enjoyed having you here, and we wish you good luck with Cold Days.  We look forward to having you come back and visit us again in the future.  

If you want to learn more about Jim, you can find him at the following links:

Website: http://www.jim-butcher.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

REMINDER:  Like Jim’s covers?  We have an interview with the Cover Model on Sunday November 25, 2012-John Paul Pfeiffer aka Harry Dresden!  Drop by and check out John Paul’s interview.

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An Interview with Elizabeth Richards

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An Interview with Elizabeth Richards

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome Elizabeth Richards. Elizabeth has just released her debut novel, Black City, last week. Before we start her Interview, lets look at her bio…

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.

In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.

Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

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

Elizabeth: Thanks for having me!

TRC: Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Elizabeth: I’m a thirty-something sci-fi and fantasy geek, who spends her spare time reading books about supernatural boys and daydreaming about dystopian worlds.

TRC: Did you always have an interest in writing?  When and how did you first start writing?

Elizabeth: Yes, writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I often wrote short stories when I was a little girl, but I started taking it more seriously when I was a teenager and by the time I was fifteen I was writing full length novels and film scripts. I would lock myself away in my bedroom and feverishly write late into the night, then bring my notebooks into school and scribble away during break (and sometimes in class too, if the lesson was particularly boring). I was addicted to writing and by the time I left sixth form college (having spent all my study periods working on my novels instead of doing my homework) I knew I wanted to do it as a profession.

TRC: You have quite a resume as an award-winning journalist. Have you been able to apply any of your knowledge & experience into your writing?

Elizabeth: Yes, most definitely. I learnt how to write to deadlines and deal with a crazy workload, how to self-edit, and most importantly how to cope with criticism (not everyone agreed with my reviews/articles and they were pretty vocal about it, lol!). Writing is a business, and my time writing for magazines helped me learn that, so you quickly develop a thick skin and don’t take things too personally when crit partners/agents/editors suggest you revise something.

TRC: On your website, we see that you ran successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls.  Do you still do this? How do you feel this has helped you in writing YA?

Elizabeth: I stopped running the website when I decided to have a real go at writing and getting a book published, because it requires so much time and effort to write a novel, especially when you’ve got a full time job, so something had to give. I really enjoyed the experience and I certainly think it helped me write YA, as I started to get a better understanding of the issues affecting girls these days, what their interests were, trends that sort of thing. I also learnt a lot more about YA authors and the market, as I was interviewing them and reviewing the books so that’s helped me in my own career.

TRC: We also noticed that you are an identical twin.  Does your twin help give you ideas in writing your books?  🙂

Elizabeth: Yes, she does. She’s an amazing sounding board to bounce ideas off when I’m stuck on something. It really is like chatting to a version of myself – she instantly gets what I’m on about and so we can shorthand things – I don’t need to do lengthy explanations, and we’re totally on the same wavelength. She’s been a marvelous help over the years.

TRC: How were you notified that Black City was to be published?  Was this your first submission?

Elizabeth: It was my first submission with an agent, although it wasn’t the first book I ever wrote. That hot mess was a contemporary novel called Raising Lazarus that failed to even get me an agent. It was a good learning experience though, and I don’t think Black City would’ve been the book is it today if I hadn’t had a practice run at it and made all those rookie mistakes!

Because I’m UK based and my agent and publisher are in the US, I was actually notified via email that Black City had been picked up. My agent forwarded Putnam’s offer at around ten-thirty at night. I’ve never been so shocked or delighted in all my life. I re-read the email a dozen times, not quite believing it, before having a small meltdown (lots of happy tears and jumping up and down), then I phoned everybody telling them the good news, despite the hour. I was so thrilled! I’ve still got the email archived away, and I occasionally look at it and just pinch myself. So much has happened in the past year and I can’t believe how lucky I am, I feel so blessed.

TRC: Black City was released last week (November 13th). Can you please tell us something about the premise of the book?

Elizabeth: Here’s the official synopsis, which I think sums it up best:

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable — they fall in love.

Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed —but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

TRC: How did you come up with the idea for this series, and how many books do you plan for this series?

Elizabeth: The idea for Black City developed over a period of months, but it all started with Ash. His character popped into my head one night when I was watching a movie, and I just couldn’t get him out of my mind. I was fascinated by this drug-dealing, supernatural boy who gets a heartbeat when he meets his true love, and the instant the movie finished I wrote a quick scene between Ash and his best friend Beetle. From that, the plot, the world and the characters of Black City developed, but it all began with Ash. 

Black City is a trilogy, and the second book is currently scheduled for release in Summer 2013.

TRC: Black City is categorized a Young Adult genre.  Why did you decide to write Young Adult?  Do you plan to stay in YA, or would you like to try other genres? 

Elizabeth: I’ve been a fan of MG and YA books for years – the stories just resonate with me more (mainly because I’m still a teenager at heart), so it seemed like the natural choice to write a YA novel when I finally plucked up enough courage to give it a go. I plan to stay in YA, at least for the foreseeable future, but I have always wanted to write an MG action book for boys, so we’ll see!

TRC: What are you working on today?

Elizabeth: I’m currently revising Book #2 of the Black City series, finishing up the first draft of Book #3 and working a little on my option book. So keeping busy! 

TRC: Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Do you have anyone you like to discuss your story with?

Elizabeth: Yes, in addition to my twin-sister, who I mentioned earlier, I also bounce ideas off my husband and also one of my closest friends – who also happens to be an author – named Tracy Buchanan. We’ve been friends for years as we worked at the same publishing company, and we encouraged each other to write our first ever books. We’ve been incredibly invested in each other’s careers ever since and chat every day about books, books and more books. We’re obsessed! I’m also very lucky to have a close group of friends, all of whom are experienced journalists, who I discuss ideas with as well.

TRC: Do you have a favorite author or book that has inspired you?

Elizabeth: JK Rowling has been a great inspiration to me. I just fell in love with the Harry Potter series and it really got me hooked on MG and YA books.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Elizabeth: I just want to say a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who bought Black City and supported me over recent months with your kind words, emails, tweets, interviews and reviews. It’s truly been the best time of my life and that’s down to you guys, so THANK YOU!  I couldn’t have done it without you.

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Yorkshire Pudding (a classic British savory food. Om noms!)

Favorite Dessert: Banoffee Pie. 

Favorite TV Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Favorite Movie: Jaws.

Last Book You Read: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (ARC) 

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Harry Potter.

Milk or Dark Chocolate: Milk.

Thank you Elizabeth, for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you the best of luck with Black City.  Please keep us informed about your upcoming new releases, as we look forward to working with you again.

Elizabeth: Thanks!

If you would like to know more about Elizabeth, you can find her at the following sites.

Website: http://officialelizabethrichards.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

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An Interview with Lisa Renee Jones

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An Interview with Lisa Renee Jones

The Reading Cafe is happy to have the fantastic Lisa Renee Jones as our guest today.

Lisa Renee has just released her final book in her Stepping Up Trilogy.  Our review of this wonderful series is just below this interview.

Lisa Renee is here to talk to us about her her latest book, as well as her other very hot new release, If I Were You.

Let’s meet Lisa Renee.

 

Hi Lisa and welcome to The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information.

TRC: Please tell us something about yourself?

Lisa: I owned a staffing agency for 11 years and people thought I was crazy to leave to write but life is short and I wanted to chase the dream. Thankfully, though it took years to feel successful, it’s been a good decision.

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Lisa: No. I was interested in acting and did some independent film in Austin, Texas and even hit film festivals with one of them I was the lead in. But I had kids and a company, and it just wasn’t possible to fully pursue it. Then one day I picked up a script and said — I love to read. Books are so a part of my life, maybe that creative side on me would feed into writing. So I tried and finished a book in about 3 months. It was horrible but it was a start.

TRC:  Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Lisa: Those moments on deadline when I hit point where the words aren’t flowing. It always means something is off I need to go back and fix but I freak out every time. My fiancee always reminds me — this means something is wrong. Go back and read what has happened in the book so far.

TRC:  What challenges have you faced getting your novels published?

Lisa: I got published fairly quickly but it’s hitting that sweet spot for exposure. Indie helped me overcome that and get to the point I’m at now.

TRC: You just released your 3rd book in your Stepping Up Trilogy….Winning Moves. Can you please give us a brief description of the book?

Lisa: I LOVE this story. It’s my favorite Blaze I’ve written and my last for a good while:( My schedule is just too tight. It’s about love rediscovered and I felt the characters so deeply I hope the readers do too. It’s about a Dance Show that becomes a Vegas show.

LINKS TO ORDER Lisa Renee Jones Books:
Amazon / Barnes and Noble/The Book Depository /

TRC: Next month you are starting a new Urban Fantasy series, Dark Angel. Can you please tell us the premise of this series?

Lisa: Actually it looks like I might have to put off this date. I’ll know next week but I hope not. But the premise is a woman who has a birthday on December 21 and discovers that something is awakened inside her that makes her be the key to causing the end of the world. Two sexy men will help her find a way to stop that from happening.

TRC:  If I Were You is the first book in your Inside Out Trilogy, which has had a fantastic start. Can you give a brief description of this series?  Also, when do you plan on releasing the 2nd and 3rd books of this series?

Lisa: The series is based on a real journal my fiancee found in a storage unit when we use to buy and sell storage units. It was inspired by that journal and I wrote it over a long period of time as I let the idea develop and take form.

Simon and Schuster releases the print of IF I WERE YOU in March, 2013,  BEING ME is June 11, 2013 and REVEALING US is September 11, 2013

About IF I WERE YOU:

The steamy first installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy by Lisa Renee Jones, in the bestselling tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.

When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she’s shocked and enthralled by the erotic life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer—until the terrifying final entry.

Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca’s life. Soon she’s working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca’s friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she’s going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she’s not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more.

TRC:  You write many different genres, such as romance, erotic romance, paranormal, suspense, urban fantasy.  Do you have a preference?  Do you find it difficult to switch between these genres, when writing your stories?

Lisa: I love writing across genres because it keeps me fresh but first person has really grabbed me. I am enjoying it more than I have 3rd in the past.

TRC:  Where do you get the energy or ideas to write so many books in one year?  Also what is your writing process, such as where you like to write or do you have preferred times?

Lisa: I write 7 days a week because it keeps my head in the stories. I set word count goals and if it takes until 3am then I make that goal.

TRC:  What are you working on now?

Lisa:  I just finished Being Me and now I’m working on a special secret attached project.

TRC:  Who is your favorite character (male and female) of your own books, and why?

Lisa: Well I’m writing Sara now and I enjoy writing her. She is my favorite for all kinds of reasons.

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

Lisa: My fiancee. He is the one who talked me into writing the INSIDE OUT trilogy and I released book 1 on his BDAY because of that and for luck.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

Lisa: BEING ME and REVEALING US is up for pre-order!

Amazon Pre order Links:
Being Me:
Revealing Us:

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Mac N Cheese

Favorite Dessert:  Chocolate anything

Favorite TV show:  I have many. We are TV fans at my house. We save things and watch them in marathons. I just started Sons of Anarchy and I’m loving it.

Favorite Movie: No favorite though I have to say I still love Pretty Woman.

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Milk for sure

Favorite Author: No favorite but Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series is a big favorite for me. I love Patricia Briggs Mercy series too. Shannon McKenna’s suspense. The list goes on.

Favorite Literary Character (male & female) not your own: Mac from the Fever series

Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time to answer our questions.  The Reading Café wishes you good luck with your Stepping Up Trilogy, Inside Out Trilogy, and the new Dark Angel series.

If you want to learn more about Lisa, you can find her at the following links:
Website: http://www.lisareneejones.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Lisa has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win one of her backlisted e-books.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, 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 to U.S. & Canada Only

4.  Contest runs from November 16th – November 19th.

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