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Kitty Pilgrim-Interview with the Author

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Kitty Pilgrim-Interview with the Author

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome former CNN correspondent and the author of the John Sinclair Mystery series new release THE STOLEN CHALICE-Kitty Pilgrim.

Photo: by Carol Seitz

TRC: Hi Kitty and welcome to The Reading Cafe.   We would like to start with some background information.  Please tell us something about yourself?

Kitty: I am a career journalist (24 years) for CNN who now writes thriller novels.  When I wake up in the morning I have always had the urge to write.  This has been going on for as long as I can remember.  When I was four, I dictated my first book.  I wrote stories in gradeschool, plays in high school, news in my early career. During my reporting career I would travel widely and enjoy telling the “story” to my viewers.  Now I am doing the same, except now I get 300 or more pages to tell the story, and can invent wonderful adventures for my archaeologist John Sinclair, and his girlfriend oceanographer Cordelia Stapleton.

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TRC:   As an award winning correspondent and reporter, what do you consider to be the most enlightening moment of your career?

Kitty: It is difficult to narrow down a career of nearly two and a half decades into a single moment that crystalizes my experience as a journalist. I have learned from every story, and gained a broader understanding of the world, day by day.  I have had the privilege of covering many world-changing events  – the collapse of the Soviet Union, the rise of China, the wars in Iraq and Iran, September 11th, and many many more.  

I can say this.  I started out in my career as an optimist, convinced that global communication would make the world a better place. After many years and thousands of miles I still am an optimist.  Most people do want to live in peace and harmony, have what is best for their children and enjoy comfort and security in their later years.  I believe in the inherent goodness of the majority of people who populate this world.

TRC:   You have travelled extensively throughout the world, both professionally and for personal reasons.  What or where is your favorite destination and why?

Kitty: I love the oceans.  Put me on a boat and I am in bliss.  I spend a lot of time on ocean liners – the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth.  (The Queen Victoria is in my first novel THE EXPLORER’S CODE as a location.)  My partner also has a boat and we spend most of the summer on it, doing my book tour up the New England coast and I usually write every day when I am on the boat.

In terms of land destinations I have been to approximately 6o countries and my favorite is usually the one I am exploring right at that moment.  My recent travels in Egypt for THE STOLEN CHALICE are a cherished memory.  Also I adore the high arctic of Svalbard Norway, not far from the North Pole.  Polar travel is one of my other favorite things to do. 

TRC: THE EXPLORER’S CODE is the first book in your John Sinclair Mystery series.  Would you please tell us something about the premise of this SERIES?

Links to Order-THE EXPLORER’S CODE
KOBO
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
The Book Depository
B&N Nook and Paper Books

Kitty: I have always been fascinated by the great explorers and adventurers – Christopher Columbus, Ernest Shackleton, Howard Carter, Amelia Erhardt.  Isabelle Bird, Gertrude Bell.  People who push the limits of the known world – so first and foremost my characters are explorers..

In this series, I would also like to inform as well as entertain.  In each of my novels the reader will experience new places – usually five or six locations per book. As my characters try to solve the puzzle, they go to some of the most glamorous places in the world, Venice, Paris, London, Cairo, Egypt.  My readers eat the delicious food, stay in the finest hotels, live the life of opulence and luxury.  These books are meant to take the reader out of their daily existence and give them a jolt of mystery, romance and adventure.  We all need a little of that in our lives, even if it’s for ten minutes before we turn off the light at night.

TRC:   Did you base the characters of John Sinclair and Cordelia Stapleton (or any of the storyline characters) on anyone in particular or are they a culmination of many people you have encountered?

Kitty: I wrote Cordelia to be a role model for young women.  So many thrillers undersell the abilities of the female character. I wanted my female protagonist to be smart, strong, and courageous – every bit an equal to the man in her life.  I intentionally made Cordelia an oceanographer because it is a very important and cool profession.  She is a scientist and has a very analytical way of working things out.  When I wrote her I consulted with a real life oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts – Susan Humphris.  Susan helped me tweak the character to make her exactly the way a marine scientist would be in terms of temperament and intellect.

John Sinclair is pure, dreamy fiction. Many people who read the series ask me “do you KNOW someone like Sinclair?”.  He is a compilation of all the heroic qualities I admire – courage, intelligence, sensitivity.  I threw in a good dose of humanity too – he’s not always perfect – especially when it comes to relationships – but he is well intentioned. 

Basing characters on real people isn’t fair to the real people – or to the characters.  They each deserve to live their own lives.

TRC: THE STOLEN CHALICE is your second novel (June 26, 2012 release) in the series.  Would you please tell us about the premise of this storyline?

LINKS TO ORDER The Stolen Chalice:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
The Book Depository
KOBO
B&N Nook and Paper Books


Kitty: I was very intrigued by era of exploration in ancient Egypt during Victorian times.  I updated this theme to include modern egyptologists and all the turmoil that is going on in that part of the world.  We learn the latest is scientific method for studying mummies.  In terms of plot, in THE STOLEN CHALICE, a terrorist ring in stealing ancient artifacts from museums around the world and using the proceeds to fund their activities.  My characters are drawn in when the Metropolitan Museum in New York is hit by an attack, and simultaneously on that very same night scores of Egyptian antiques are stolen.  I can’t tell you more or it would spoil the plot.  But the action takes place in New York, London, Scotland, Venice, and Cairo.

TRC: With the introduction of many varied and new characters, there are several potential storylines.  Will John and Cordelia remain your primary focus, or will the storylines venture into new territory, with different heroes and heroines?

Kitty: All my books will have John Sinclair and Cordelia Stapleton.  They are irresistible as a couple.  The storylines will explore new field sciences – such as volcanoes, or botany.  We will go to many new exotic places…I am thinking Iceland, or Ethiopia at the moment.  We have a big world out there.  With archaeologist John Sinclair representing land, and Cordelia Stapleton representing water, there is nowhere on Earth we cannot go.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the John Sinclair Mystery series?

Kitty: I have six outlined, and have nearly finished the third in the series. Because I go to different places to research my books, I don’t expect to run out of exotic locales until I am in my eighties or nineties – and that is quite some time from now.

TRC: There is plenty of espionage, intrigue and references to potential bio-terrorism in your storylines.  How much research was involved with the writing of this series?

 

Kitty: This is a heavily researched book.  I call it “fact based fiction”.  As a journalist I believe that my duty is to inform accurately – no matter what the format of writing. So for example in THE EXPLORER’S CODE I researched the historical details of the 1918 pandemic with medical records from the US Army and gave the novel to be proofread by the Harvard School of Public Health – just to make sure my treatment of the pandemic was accurate.

In THE STOLEN CHALICE my terrorist plots are also very true to life – I covered both domestic and international terrorism for CNN for many years am familiar with that subject.  However my terrorists in my books are not based on any real individuals – they are fiction.

TRC: What do you consider your greatest achievement? Personally?  Professionally?

Kitty: Personally,  I raised two sons entirely on my own and put them through college while working as a reporter full time for CNN.  It took enormous dedication and effort to keep everything running smoothly in all of our lives.

Professionally I aspire to inform.  When I do that well, I am happy.  Over the course of my career I have won many professional journalism awards, but when some individual comes up to me and says that they were very interested by something I wrote, that is the greatest achievement.  Connecting with each individual person is what I consider the highest goal.

TRC:  What was behind your decision to write a fictional mystery series?

Kitty: Over the course of my journalism career I had the great privilege of traveling to many exotic places. There were many details I wanted to share that didn’t fit into a news story – food, the feel of the place, what it was like to travel there.  In writing fiction I can bring these places to life for my readers.

I decided to write the novel on a whim, just to amuse myself.  It became a very addictive pastime.  Before I knew it I had a full series, and the characters took hold of my imagination and wouldn’t go away.  I found it so relaxing to write these books – they are so diversionary – that I didn’t want to stop.  After publishing THE EXPLORER’S CODE – I decided to become a novelist full time.

TRC: Many authors have always had a talent or desire to write.  What difficulties or challenges have you faced in your writing career and on the road to publication?

Kitty: I had no real obstacles.  I know it is popular to say I overcame all odds and kept pushing, but I wrote the full manuscript on a whim with no anxiety or thought of having it published.  Then I submitted it to an agent almost as an afterthought.  Mort Janklow matched me up with Scribner – my publisher.  I adore my editor, and my agent.  Everyone I have met in the book world is charming and nice –  from the bookstore owners who invite me to read, to the other authors I have met on book tour.  I hate to disappoint, but I love this new world.  

TRC:  Writer’s Block is a real phenomenon that many writers face at one time.  How do you handle the stress and anxiety of ‘writer’s block’?

Kitty: Ok hate me some more.  I DON’T get writer’s block.  In the news business you crank out story after story on a very tight deadline.   I did that for 24 years on a daily basis.  Now, when I sit down to write fiction, I just bang away at it for a few hours and then go out for a walk.  I do that every day without fail.  The discipline of doing it every day is in my genetic code. 

Part of my secret is I never stop moving, so I don’t run out of new places or ideas.  If I sat alone in a room and tried to invent something I dont think I would get very far, but my novels are based on my experiences.

TRC: Next Six months?

Kitty: I have a very heavy travel schedule – and write on the road.  First of all book tour for THE STOLEN CHALICE runs for the entire summer.  I love this part because this is where I will meet many of my readers.   After that I plan an extensive research trip to the Middle East.  November it will be England – as my characters live in London.  It will be a full six months of travel and writing.
 

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

Kitty: My partner Maurice is absolutely brilliant.  He is very knowledgeable about achaeology and art, different cultures and travel.  I always joke “Who needs Google?”  In my own home there is a man who has vast knowledge of pretty much everything. (He would hate me saying that, as he is also blessed with considerable modesty)

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

Kitty: The third book in the Sinclair series is almost finished, and I am actively setting up travel to research the fourth.  I work on two at once – one for research, the other to write.  We also shoot videos of the locations of the books so everywhere I go we photograph the places that will appear in the upcoming novels.  These videos are published on my website    Kitty Pilgrim  at the time of publication so people can view the locations in the book.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kitty: Primarily these novels are meant to be entertainment.  We all have long days and lots of worries.  I think the greatest joy is to pick up a book and let it take you away to another place and time.  In my novels I try to give the reader the most pleasurable experience possible, introducing exotic destinations, delicious food, fabulous hotels and homes, utterly luxury.  Interspersed are  and interesting and accurate tidbits of historical or scientific information.  But THE EXPLORER’S CODE and THE STOLEN CHALICE are not heavy lifting – we don’t need more homework.  These novels are meant to be a delight in every way.    

LIGHTNING ROUND (for a little fun):

Favorite Food – really good spaghetti – in Italy if possible

Favorite Dessert – Baked Alaska. ( I love the combination of hot and cold)

Favorite TV Show – Any kind of news

Favorite Movie – vintage movie: Now Voyager with Betty Davis,
contemporary movie: anything my sons take me to – it can be really silly or scary or just plain good.

Last Movie you saw –  I watch movies non-stop on airplanes so I see everything and anything – if it’s a long flight that can be two or three at a sitting.

Dark or Milk Chocolate – either, why limit yourself?

Favorite Flower – any flower that is white. (I have a white garden)

Last book that you read – Left Neglected – Lisa Genova

Do you have any pets? – Scottish border terrier named “Ensign”

TRC: Thank you Kitty for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of The Stolen Chalice. The John Sinclair Mystery series is a fascinating read.

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Donya Lynne-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Donya Lynne-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

Donya Lynne-BIO

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Donya resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her husband and a small zoo of cats and dogs. In fact, her writing buddy, Lucky, serves as her writing assistant most days, staying right by her side and distracting Donya with her adorable-ness when needed. Because, hey, every author needs a distraction once in a while.
As a little girl, Donya always had a book in her hand. As she got older, the books became pens and notebooks, which she filled with stories and poetry. For as long as she remembers, she has been writing and studying the writing craft with the goal of being published one day. She is passionate about providing readers with what she calls an experience. She wants readers to be able to sink into her stories and escape reality for just a little while, and every word is written, and every sentence structured, with that goal in mind.

Donya loves music and often finds inspiration for her stories in the wide range of music she listens to. But occasionally it’s a movie, a book, or just a drive around town that inspires her work. She constantly reads new material, new authors, and different styles of writing as a means to improve her own, and believes the writing process is one an author should always strive to perfect, even though perfecting it is an impossible feat. It’s the thrill of the chase and the challenge that keeps her from getting stagnant in her own work.

She has several projects planned and in progress, including eight more novels and two novellas in the All the King’s Men series, as well as several stand-alone novels, another series, and several short stories and novellas. She would love to share her journey with you in this exciting venture.

INTERVIEW with Donya Lynne

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

Donya: When I was younger, I thought I was going to grow up to be an engineer. In 7th grade, I took one of those aptitude tests and I tested in the 97th percentile in structural thinking. Basically, what that means is that I can see something now, and envision what it will be or look like after it’s gone through a series of changes, which is ideal for engineering. However, my senior year I was failing Calculus, so I figured if I couldn’t do Calculus, I couldn’t be an engineer, so I dropped the class and searched for another career choice. Turns out I aced Calculus in college, so go figure.

Anyhoo, I excelled in English and writing, even at a young age, and I won my first writing contest in fourth grade. My prize was a pack of Hubba Bubba bubble gum. Woo-hoo! I was on my way, and I continued to write stories and poetry all through school. I also enjoyed artistic endeavors and won first place in an art contest for the International Sports Festival my Freshman year in high school. I was also a clarinetist and saxophonist, and participated in every kind of musical endeavor I could fit into my schedule.

If my parents had been paying attention, they would have identified early on that I wasn’t cut out for academic pursuits and would have steered me toward a more artistic career path. As it stands, my dad engrained the idea in my head that writing, music, dance, and art were only hobbies, while my future lay in science and math. At least I figured out how wrong this statement was for me late rather than never.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Donya: I grew up in Indiana, and after living briefly in Wisconsin and Florida, I’m back home. I love Indiana, because we get 3 months of each season here. It’s great! LOL. In Wisconsin, it was cold all the time, and in Florida we never got snow. Indiana is like the baby bear’s porridge: Just right. Other than that, I love music and going to movies by myself. In fact, I enjoy doing almost everything by myself. I’m very independent and have a short fuse with nagging, hovering, needy types.

TRC: Have you always had an interest in writing?

Donya: Yes. Always. I can remember being four years old and making my older brother bring home extra reading and writing homework worksheets for me. I started writing poetry by the age of five, and my first poem was:

Together we can conquer the unconquerable.

Tall buildings, skyscrapers, and mountains will fall to our mercy.

But why destroy such beauty?

As long as we have each other, that is all that matters.

TRC: Who or what inspired you to write your first book?

Donya: Duran Duran inspired me to write my early stories, but I can’t really count those as books. However, after seeing The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, I was compelled to write a story about immortals. Legolas fascinated me, and a story began to percolate in my mind until I was completely obsessed with writing it. I have put this project on hold for the time being, because I am not ready to write it, yet. It is a complicated story, using writing conventions I need to master more thoroughly before attempting to put it out to the public, but when that book is written, it will be the first of another series. I don’t want to say anything more about it, because the idea is unique and unlike anything out there right now. I don’t want anyone stealing my idea. My hope is to pull that story out again sometime next year and have it published by 2014, just as the AKM series is beginning to wind down.

TRC: Duran Duran!! Hungry Like the Wolf-brings back a few memories 😉

TRC: What were the challenges you faced getting your first book to publication?

Donya: Learning all the intricacies of the self-publishing world, as well as making the decision between using a publisher and self-publishing. There’s a lot to learn and it can be daunting for a new author, but now I’m getting more comfortable with it.

TRC: RISE OF THE FALLEN is the first book in your All the King’s Men paranormal series. Would you please tell us about the premise of this book? Click HERE for our review

Donya: Rise of the Fallen is the story of Micah Black as he deals with the loss of his second mate and struggles to find his way back from the belly of Hell, thanks to the assistance of a feisty blonde named Samantha Garrett. But her saving him comes with a price, and Micah’s enemies are soon after both him and Samantha. If Micah can’t keep her safe, it will be his end, because he won’t be able to survive if he loses her after all else he’s been through.

TRC: You have introduced a cast of characters each with a story to tell. How many books do you have planned for the series?

Donya:  Right now, I have at least ten full novels planned for this series, as well as two novellas and a prequel. Micah’s story is a huge part of ALL the books, by the way. The entire series shows an undercurrent of his evolution, and when the prequel comes out (hopefully next year), his story will make even more sense.

TRC: HEART OF THE WARRIOR is your second novel in the AKM series. Would you please tell us something about the premise? Click HERE for our review

Donya: Heart of the Warrior took a turn from the dark nature of Rise of the Fallen. In HOTW, we’re dealing with two male vampires who are struggling with their attraction to one another. One, Severin, is openly gay. He doesn’t advertise it, but he doesn’t hide it, either. Still, Severin has other secrets he is terrified of being discovered. Arion, on the other hand, has lived his life of lies so well, he doesn’t even understand that he’s gay until he and Severin have an “encounter” one night in Arion’s kitchen. After that, Arion begins to question just how heterosexual he really is – or isn’t, as the case may be, and quickly realizes he’s lived the life his homophobic parents had plotted for him instead of what he wanted for himself. As Arion wrestles with his feelings for Sev and the fear of how his parents and best friend, Io, will react to his newfound homosexuality, Severin struggles to cope with being Arion’s “little secret” while keeping secrets of his own. These two are powerfully charismatic and full of emotional upheaval, and I’ve had a few readers already tell me they cried while reading Heart of the Warrior.

TRC: Your novels have a mix of heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual relationships, as well as some BDSM. Do you find anything particularly challenging about writing these storylines?

Donya: Not really, but when it comes to the BDSM portions, I want to ensure I’m representing the BDSM lifestyle as accurately as possible within the context of my novel. Consequently, I have done a TON of research and own several books on the subject.

TRC: With the popularity of novels like the Fifty Shades of Grey series and the media focus on the BDSM aspect of the storyline, have you considered how far you will take that particular outline in your novels?

Donya: I want to take it further than it was taken in Fifty Shades. Since I’ve always planned for BDSM to play a significant role in this series, I was glad to see that the public was ready to accept and embrace this lifestyle in the books they read. That much became obvious when Fifty came out and shot to the top. Even so, I’m still concerned readers won’t be ready for what my novels will show them. I think Fifty was pretty tame compared to some of the things I’ve got planned. But when I’ve got a character who is known in the community as a master dom, I can’t just show him spanking people. He has to know what he’s doing with it all. And Micah has a couple of specialties Fifty won’t touch. One of which is fire play and the other talent is one we see in Micah’s Calling, the first novella of the series. Since I’m not sure of the age rating of this blog, I won’t give the name of this talent since it’s profane. Let’s just say he’s excellent with screwing around with his subs’ minds. Micah also enjoys knife play and cutting, but only with willing subs.

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

Donya: Never family. They won’t give honest feedback and also don’t read the kinds of books I write, and I need honesty and familiarity with the subject matter. I have a couple of author friends and a few beta readers I have “trained” to be honest with me. I say trained, because people are so scared to give negative feedback for fear of hurting my feelings, but now that these people have been with me long enough and have seen that I don’t get upset or angry with them for negative feedback, they give it more willingly now.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Donya: I’m working on edits for Micah’s Calling, the first novella in the series. This novella falls in the time between Rise of the Fallen and Heart of the Warrior. The story in MC simply didn’t fit in Rise of the Fallen and would not have made sense in the context of that novel, so it had to be given its own book. This novella will answer a lot of questions and give readers a deeper glimpse of Micah, Sam, and Traceon.

I’m also working on a short story for a winter anthology, as well as on Royal Obsession, book 3 of AKM. Lastly, I’ve got a holiday story called The Christmas Pendant I hope will be ready by the end of November.

And here’s the funny part, book 6 of AKM is talking up a storm to me. The character for book 6, who won’t even be introduced until book 4, is soooo eager for his book that he will not pipe down in my thoughts. LOL.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Donya: Just that I look forward to sharing my journey, as well as the journeys of each of my characters, with your followers.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food

Today, my favorite food is bacon. It could be something different tomorrow

Favorite Dessert

Chocolate

Favorite TV Show

The old La Femme Nikita that was on the USA network back in the early 2000s. The one that starred Peta Wilson and Roy Dupuis. Favorite show of all time, hands down.

Favorite Movie

Blade Runner, but as with my favorite food, ask me tomorrow and you might get a different answer. Notable other movies are: Memoirs of a Geisha, Under the Tuscan Sun, Star Wars, Witness, the Bourne movies, and Erin Brockovich.

Last Movie that you Saw

The Vow

Last Vacation Destination

My mind

Do you have any pets?

I have four cats and two dogs. In fact, my cat, Lucky, is my writing buddy, and you can find a slew of pics of her on my Facebook page.

TRC: Thank you Donya for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best with the AKM series. We are looking forward to Micah’s Calling.

*******GIVEAWAY********

Donya is offering one lucky member of The  Reading Cafe an ecopy of either RISE OF THE FALLEN or HEART OF THE WARRIOR.  To be eligible:

1.  You must be a member of The Reading Cafe.  If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top or with one of the social log-ins.

2.  Contest runs from June 14-June 17, 2012

3.  Contest is open-INTERNATIONALLY

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Anne Mendel-Interview with the Author

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Anne Mendel-Interview with the Author

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome author Anne Mendel.

TRC: Hi Anne and welcome to The Reading Café. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Anne: I wrote an end-of-the-world book because I am an optimist. I believe my fears are based on what I don’t know. So, the more I know about disasters and survival and the better prepared I am, the less fearful I become. I’m a community organizer and my main character is one too, although she’s much stronger than I am. The book is more do as I say, not as I do, because in a terrible disaster I would probably end up on Darwin’s short list to extinction.

I have two sons, who have made it very clear they do not want to be in my books in any way, shape or form, so, Etiquette for an Apocalypse ended up with three generations of women living in the same house. It left a lot of room for conflict, intrigue and humor. My husband is neither a doctor nor Haitian, but we do live in Northwest Portland and the book is set in our neighborhood.

TRC: What was the catalyst that first sparked your interest in a career in writing?

Anne: Writing is just what I do. Can’t help it. But writing this book did have a specific moment when a light blub came on.

A few years ago I saw a movie about what happened in Cuba in 1990 when the Soviet Union collapsed and they lost all of their fuel overnight. The Long Emergency was about the things in Cuba that got better after the collapse. People lost 30 pounds, diabetes II disappeared and community flourished.

I thought it would be great to write a book that explained how, in hard times, some things can get better; BUT, it will be a lot easier if you start preparing now!

TRC: What have been some of the writing challenges you have faced?

Anne: Writing brings out all of my basic insecurities. I worry…. about everything. Am I good enough? Will people like me? Can I stick it out when the going gets tough? I worry I’ll be an utter failure. And, if I am successful, I worry I’ll never be that good again. I worry about big things like world peace and small things like what I’ll wear to a book signing. WORRY is my biggest life challenge and it seeps into everything…. will the answer to this question be good enough?!

TRC:  The answer is perfect!!

TRC: What challenges did you face on the road to publication?

Anne: It took years of writing research, persistence and many, many, many rejections just to get started on Etiquette for an Apocalypse. I’m not good with rejection. I think resilience is the most important personality trait to get us through rejection and hard times so I would say courting resilience helped me through the mess up and rejection. Publishing has been harder than writing the book. When I first found the book would be published I thought that was the perfect ending. I didn’t get that it’s a lot like giving birth to a baby and thinking that the hard part was over, and it was just beginning.

TRC: ETIQUETTE FOR AN APOCALYPE is your recent release. Would you please tell us something about the premise? CLICK HERE for our review

Anne: The simple premise of Etiquette for an Apocalypse is that an apocalypse leads to finding the limits of one’s human potential (if they survive, of course). My hope is that this book will inspire people to create and develop resilience, community and basic skills. 

TRC: The condo tenants are quite an eclectic mixture of characters and personalities.  What were some of your influences behind the personalities? Are any of the characterizations based on people in your own life?

Anne: Well, yes and no. There are bits and pieces of dozen of people I know in each character; for example, my protagonist’s mother. She is my mother’s obsession with weight, my best friend’s ability to strategize and she is also one of my neighbors, who trains show dogs. It’s a jigsaw puzzle of personality traits.

TRC: Do you have plans to write a series of novels featuring the Cohen’s and their condo friends?

Anne: Yes. I’m writing a sequel with most of the same characters. It’s about a rebellion. That’s about all I can say because I never know how a book is going to turn out till it’s finished.

TRC: How much research was involved in the writing of Etiquette for an Apocalypse?

Anne: I spent about a year taking classes and reading books about emergency preparedness. I now write a blog, “survival guide” which you can find on annemendel.com. I’m not an expert but I have collected a bunch of information.

TRC: Is there a message in your novel that you would like the reader to think about?

Anne: Yes! Take chocolate chip cookies to your neighbors TODAY. They are the one’s who will be pulling you out of the sinkhole. I have a weekly blog that give suggestions for one thing to do each week to better prepare. Anne Mendel’s website

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

Anne: I have the best writing group imaginable. The-Last-Writers-Group critiqued every word I wrote, sometimes two or three times. Marc Acitio, a well-known writer himself, is my coach, tutor and teacher. This book would not exist without these people.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Anne: I am spending most of my time and energy on promoting Etiquette for an Apocalypse. For years I fantasized about becoming published one day. I never imagined the efforts it would take to market my book.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Anne: Yes. Whether it’s a natural disaster such as a tornado or a financial disaster like Wall Street greed, the better prepared an individual is, both with skills and tools, the less fearful they will have to be. I know I’ve mentioned this earlier, but being prepared is so vital to one’s survival. You can check out my suggestions for building resilience on my blog at  Anne Mendel.com or follow me on Facebook.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: This is a much harder question than the ones you’ve already asked. Just one? Bar-b-qued ANYTHING.

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate Bread Pudding

Favorite TV Show: Arrested Development

Favorite Movie: Galaxy Quest

Last Movie you Saw: The Avengers

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark (No contest)

TRC: Thank you Anne for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to your next installment.   It is always a pleasure to meet the author behind the books we read and review.

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Amanda Ashley-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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AMANDA ASHLEY-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

 

Amanda Ashley-The Reading Cafe has recently featured several of the novels by author Amanda Ashley. Today we would like to introduce the author of His Dark Embrace-Amanda Ashley

 

Name: Amanda Ashley/Madeline Baker
Resides: in Southern CA
Marital Status:  married
Children:  3 sons

WEBSITE: Amanda Ashley/Madeline Baker

TRC: Hi Amanda. Welcome to The Reading Cafe. Please tell us something about yourself?

Amanda: Gee, there’s not a lot to tell. I love spending time with my family, going to lunch with my friends, walking my dog, playing with my grandkids. I love going to movies and plays. I collect all things Star Wars, also Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera.

TRC: You are a very prolific writer of many different genres.  Have you always had an interest in writing?  When did you first start writing?

Amanda: I never intended to be a published author. I was always, however, a reader. I started writing out of boredom. My husband worked nights. My kids were young. There was nothing on tv. I’d been reading a lot of romance novels and one night I sat down and started writing a book of my own. I wrote three books before I ever told anyone what I was doing. If not for a friend of mine, who read one of my stories and suggested I find a publisher, I would probably still be writing stories and hiding them under the bed.

TRC: What is the name of the first novel you ever published and in what year? How did you feel when you were notified that your novel was accepted by the publisher?

Amanda: My first published novel was Reckless Heart. It was published in 1985. Everything about that first sale was so exciting. I remember calling my best friend on the phone when I got the contract, and then running down to her house to show her the cover when I got it in the mail. Of course, actually seeing my book on the shelf was beyond words. I went back home, got my camera, and went back to the store to take a picture of my book. It was amazing, seeing my book on a shelf next to books written by authors I’d read. It’s still exciting to see my books on the shelf.

TRC: You have several different series and single books, in several genres including paranormal romance, historical romance and western romance. Which genre do you find most difficult to write and which genre are you the most comfortable writing?

Amanda: I don’t have trouble writing any of them. I think paranormal is my favorite because I can let my imagination run wild.

TRC: What or who do you attribute the rise in popularity of today’s many paranormal romance authors and books?

Amanda: I think it’s because there is such a wide variety in paranormal that you don’t find in other genres. In paranormal, we have werewolves, vampires, ghosts, fairies, shapeshifters, selkies, even zombies, not to mention other worlds.

TRC: Many of your short-stories can be found in anthologies, along with other authors.  What is your take on the anthology?  Do you use the short –story to keep the readers and fans happy, or do the works in anthologies, add to the different storylines already published?

Amanda: Actually, the only reason I’ve ever done an anthology was because I was invited to do so. I do think they’re a good way to connect with someone who might not have read my books before.

TRC: At The Reading Café, Sandy is a big fan of prequels-the story before the story-the background information never revealed in the current timelines. What is your opinion on prequels?

Amanda: I’ve never thought about it. I know the editor of my Reckless series wanted me to write a prequel to Reckless Heart, but I could never come up with a plot. I don’t think I’ve ever read a prequel.

TRC: His Dark Embrace is the next instalment in your Vampire Romance novels. Would you tell us something about the premise of this book? Click the title for our review: His Dark Embrace

Amanda: My hero is a very old vampire who found a tonic that allows him to live in the sun and eat mortal food. When the maker of the tonic dies, he tries to find the formula, which was made by the heroine’s grandfather. There is also someone else, someone evil,  looking for the formula, and the story involves Kaiden and Skylynn falling in love while looking for the formula, and defeating the bad guy.

 

TRC: Kaiden and Skylynn are the characters that drive His Dark Embrace.  What was your decision to match up this pair?

Amanda: I have no idea. 🙂  In the book I’m currently working on, the character I thought was going to be the hero just didn’t work, so I brought in another character who knew how to behave as a hero should.

TRC: On your website, you offer your fans and readers, quite a bit of information with excerpts, chapter out takes and prologues.  That is very generous.  Many authors post hints and clues. Why do you post so many ‘goodies’ for your fans?

Amanda: Because they deserve it. I have the greatest fans in the world. They’re always so anxious to know what’s coming next. And I love sharing my new covers as soon as I get them. I think it’s also a good idea to give someone who’s never read one of my books a chance to find out what they’re getting before they buy the book.

TRC: In your Vampire Romance series, which hero or heroine is your favorite and why?

Amanda: It’s usually the couple from whatever book I’m writing at the moment. I have to say, I really love Zack from Bound by Blood. And Gabriel, from Embrace the Night, which was my first vampire book.  But then, I love all my heroes. As for heroines, I love Kaitlyn, from Desire the Night. She’s such a spunky little werewolf!

TRC: Is there any character you regret?  Any character who is not redeemable?

Amanda: Nope! I have a character, Rhys, who was supposed to be a bad guy in Everlasting Kiss. But I liked him so much, he turned into the hero in Everlasting Desire.

TRC: DESIRE THE NIGHT will be released September 2012.  Please tell us something about this novel and its’ characters Gideon and Kay—a love story between a vampire and a wolf?

Amanda: Oh my gosh, I love this book. I think it may be one of the best I’ve written! Gideon is such a hunk. It was fun to pair a vampire and a werewolf and watch the fur fly! They meet under the worst of circumstances – he’s been imprisoned  by a witch and Kaitlyn is captured and brought to him as his prey. The story revolves around escaping the witch, falling in love, and trying to win her father’s approval. I can’t wait for it to come out. And I love the cover.

TRC: Have you ever considered writing an anthology that included all of your Vampire Romance characters/couples-each with their own chapter than culminating in a single event?

Amanda: No, but what a great idea!

TRC: As an author, you have several short stories available.  Which type of book/novel do you believe is harder to write—a full-length novel or a short novella, where all the information must be contained with a shorter number of pages?

Amanda: For me, full-length novels are harder simply because I tend to write short….my preferred length is 80,000 words – my publisher wants 100,000 – we compromise at 90.

TRC: What are you working on today?

Amanda: I’m working on a story that is very Twilight Zone-ish. My critique group thinks it’s kind of creepy, scary, which it is. It’s very different, but I’m loving it so far. I don’t want to say more. But this is the book where the character I thought was going to be the hero isn’t. I’m loving this one!

TRC: Many authors and artists have spouses/partners who offer advice, ideas or criticism.  Who is your muse when you are looking for ideas?

Amanda: My critique group. We’ve been together for years. One of them, Carol Amato, gave me the idea for Unforgettable. My oldest son gave me the idea for A Whisper in the Wind.

TRC: Is there anything you would like to add?

Amanda: Just a hearty hello to all my readers. I appreciate you and your support through the years, and hope I never disappoint you.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Movie: The Holiday

Favorite TV Show: The Vampire Diaries

Favorite Dessert:  Chocolate anything

Dark or Milk Chocolate:  Definitely dark

Last Book that you read:  River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Favorite Author: It’s a tie between Patricia Briggs and Charlaine Harris

Pink or Red Roses: Red

Favorite Food: Spaghetti

TRC: Thank you Mandy for answering our questions.  It has been a pleasure.

**************GIVEAWAY************

Amanda has offered a copy of her new release HIS DARK EMBRACE  to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1.  To be eligible, you must be a member at The Reading Cafe.  If you are not, please sign in using the Log-in at the top or by using one of the social log-ins.

2.  You MUST post a comment.  Please answer one of the LIGHTNING ROUND questions.

3.  Open to Canada and continental USA only.

4.  Contest from June 11 to June 15, 2012

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Heather McCorkle-interview with the author

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Heather McCorkle-Interview with the Author

 

Heather McCorkle-The Indelibles

The Reading Cafe has had the opportunity to read and review some of the Young Adult novels written by the members of the Indie website -THE INDELIBLES. Please welcome Heather McCorkle and her May 2012 release To Ride a Puca.

 

 

 

TRC:  Hi Heather and welcome to  The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us about yourself?

 

 Heather:  I love all things fantasy and sci-fi, as you can probably tell by my novels. 🙂 I’m a huge supporter of other authors, both in my online communities and in buying as many books as my budget allows each month. Outside of writing I love all things~well outside! The outdoors is my favorite place to be.

TRC: What or who inspired you to publish your first novel? 

Heather: Actually one of the editors of Simon Pulse did. I was agented at the time and my agent sent my novel to her. She loved it, thought it had the potential to be huge in fact, but had to pass because her list for paranormal novels was full. More followed from other houses with similar reasons for passing. I knew right then that my novel deserved the chance. 

TRC:  Do you have a specific writing style?

Heather:  I do. Third person past tense is my style of choice, though I’m working on branching out. 

TRC:  You are a member of the INDELIBLES website for Indie authors. How has your experience with the INDELIBLES helped with the publication of your novels? 

Heather:  More than I could ever say. The Indelibles are fantastic ladies and the most generous resource one could ever hope to tap.

TRC:  What have been some of the challenges you have faced as an Indie author?

Heather: I ‘ve been through two agents (the last parting ways because of the failing/changing market) and my steps have faltered a bit here and there. I will not name names, but I will say, to others who are thinking of going indie, stay as FAR as you possibly can away from vanity publishers (those who charge for services). Trust me, you don’t need them and you’re better off without them.

TRC:  TO RIDE A PUCA is your latest release.  Will you please tell us about the premise of this storyline? (see review below)

Heather: Imagine if Braveheart and Brave (the new Disney movie) were meshed together and took place in Ireland instead of Scotland. Then you’d have To Ride A Puca. It’s a tale about a girl who is one of the last of the druids in ancient Ireland, trying to survive and hold onto her home. 

TRC:  What were some of the research challenges involved with the premise of TO RIDE A PUCA e.g. Druid culture? 

Heather:  It takes place around 1160 A.D. which isn’t a much recorded time in history. Plus, history is written by conquerors and therefore a lot about the ancient Irish has been expunged. There is a bit on druid culture though because they inhabited far more than Ireland.

TRC:  Did you learn anything from writing this particular storyline? 

Heather:  To write from my heart. In doing so I discovered the most amazing and powerful kind of writing. I will never go back to writing any other way.

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas between family, friends and other authors. Which do you bounce ideas off of?  

Heather:  All of the above! I talk through my novels to my hubby, and my friends (many of which are authors). That’s how I get over writer’s block.

TRC:  On what are you currently working? 

Heather:  I’m editing the last novel in the channeler series (first of which is The Secret Of Spruce Knoll, second of which is Channeler’s Choice) and I’m drafting a historical fantasy about the Irish indentured servants. But ssshhhh! No one knows about that yet. 😉

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else? 

Heather:  Only that if you read and enjoy To Ride A Puca please tell others or spread the word in any way you can. Word of mouth is the most powerful thing in the world. And I will be eternally grateful and send you boatloads of virtual chocolate. 😉

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food Ice Cream. 

Favorite Dessert Ice Cream.

Favorite Movie War Horse, Braveheart, Wolverine, Firefly, Brave, Lord Of The Rings, and so many more!

Favorite TV Show Supernatural. 

Last Movie You Saw The Hunger Games.

Dark or Milk Chocolate Dark if I must choose. 

Do you have any pets?  Two cats (one psychotic the other neurotic. No those are not their names. 😉 and two horses. 

TRC:  The Reading Café would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you all the best with your writing career.  WE wish all of the members of the INDELIBLES much success.

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DEBORAH COOKE-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Deborah Cooke-Interview and Giveaway with the Author.

Deborah Cooke-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

The Reading Cafe would like to introduce the author of the DRAGONFIRE series and THE DRAGON DIARIES Young Adult series: Deborah Cooke

TRC:  Hi Deborah. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer a few questions for your many fans. It is always a wonderful surprise to read about the author behind the books. We would like to start with some basic background information.

Would you please tell us something about yourself?

 

Deborah:  I’m either a writer who knits or a knitter who writes. Depends on what day you catch me!

TRC:  When did you first become interested in writing? Did your parents encourage you as a young child?

Deborah:  I always loved stories, and my parents read to me quite a bit when I was little. There’s an old picture of me “reading aloud” to all of my toys when I couldn’t possibly have been able to read yet. I think it’s a natural development for avid readers to become writers, and I wrote my own stories as soon as I could. Although my parents encouraged me creatively, they thought it would be impractical to try to make a living as a writer and thought I should get a real job. I tried that but wanted to write stories instead. It turns out that they were right about the practicality of it all, but I love being a writer more than I like being practical.

TRC:  You have an honours degree in history, specializing in medieval studies. Has you education helped with the research behind many of your novels, including those written by Claire Delacroix– medieval romance series?

Deborah:  Actually, those two items – writing medieval romance and getting a second degree in history – developed out of my fascination with the Middle Ages and happened almost concurrently. So, they fed each other but one didn’t directly lead to the other.

TRC:  Have you ever attended the Medieval Times Theatre in Toronto, Ontario? If so, what did you think about the over all show and dinner?

Deborah:  I have attended that show, but it was a long time ago. I don’t remember specifics, just that we had a very good time that night.

TRC:  You have many different series under 3 different names including paranormal, romance, history and YA (young adult). Which genre do you find the most difficult and the easier to write, and why?

Deborah:  I like switching between genres and sub-genres as I think that keeps my writing (and my ideas) fresh. It’s best in my opinion to step away from a series before writing the next book, ideally to work in an entirely different subgenre for that interval. Then, when I return to the continuing series, I have to familiarize myself with it again, and that break always gives me new questions about the world and the characters, as well as new story ideas. I never want to tell the same story twice, and this strategy helps.

TRC:  Coven of Mercy is your first attempt at a vampire novel. What was the premise of the story, and do you think you will continue in the paranormal vampire genre?

Deborah:  I’m more familiar with vampires in the fantasy genre than in romance, and while they are interesting characters, they’re not my romantic fantasy. “Coven of Mercy” (which is only a short story) came out of an invitation to me to participate in a vampire romance anthology. My impulse was to decline, but then I started to wonder what would make a vampire be a romantic hero to me. I think of them as predators, so “Coven of Mercy” reflects my idea of heroic predators. I like the story a lot, mainly because it does defy expectations a bit, and would like to write more in that vein – or maybe it’s better to say that series. Time is always an issue. There aren’t enough hours in the day to write all of my ideas.

TRC:  Dragonfire series is one of your most popular paranormal series–about dragon shifters protecting the humans on earth from all sorts of nasties. Along the way, each male dragon suffers or experiences his ‘firestorm’—the call to mate. How did you come up with the premise for the series and the firestorm?

Deborah:  I’ve been interested in dragons and dragon stories for a long time, and have actually been proposing the notion of dragon shape shifter heroes in romances for a long time. Most of my editors have thought the idea was weird (I’m sure some people still do think it’s weird!) but to me it’s a natural connection. For me, dragons are heroic, noble, intelligent, beautiful, powerful. A hunky hero who could become a dragon is a great romantic fantasy, IMO. So, when paranormal romance became so popular, I thought this was chance to tell stories of dragon guys – the big difference is that Dragonfire is a contemporary series, reflecting contemporary concerns, while my original dragon shifter ideas were medieval romances.

TRC:  The loss of a scale is an interesting concept—one that makes the dragon vulnerable to injury and death-yet reparations can be made using the elements of fire, air, water and earth, as well as jewels etc, given freely by the mate- a true gesture of love and commitment. How did you come up with the concept and did you have to research alchemy or the history of elements in lore?

Deborah:  The loss of a scale creating vulnerability for a dragon is an old idea. It’s part of the story of Sigurd, the first dragon slayer, in the Saga of the Volsungs. Of course, my interest was in love healing the wounds of my dragon guys – they lose a scale when they fall in love, because their emotional vulnerability is mirrored in their physical form. It only stands to reason that the heroine’s love has to repair that weakness. I was already using the four elements in the storyline, so developed the healing ceremony using that and the gift which symbolizes the emotional commitment. In a way, it echoes our marriage ceremony which features the exchange of rings, but dragons had to have their own ceremony and symbols. One of the things that I enjoy about writing the series is that the focus of each book changes, letting me research different elements and different stories of dragons. With dragons, there are always more stories to unearth.

TRC:  Rafferty is one of the oldest and most respected dragons, and only recently experienced his firestorm-Darkfire, yet his mate is unable to bear a child due to what appears to be cancer or a hysterectomy. Why Rafferty and his mate, when he was one of the few dragons that actually wanted his firestorm? What was your decision behind choosing Rafferty and not one of the other dragons?

Deborah:  I don’t think I’m the only one who was already crazy for Rafferty, even before he had his firestorm. There’s something about a powerful dragon being a romantic that really worked for me. And I was afraid that Rafferty’s desire to have a firestorm would make him completely irresistible to the woman who sparked the flame. I thought his book might be ten pages long! So, I needed to put some challenges in his path, some obstacles that would make him question his own assumptions and desires. As mentioned, I like to mix up the variables in each story. Melissa intrigued me from the start, especially when she folded her arms across her chest and told me that it was impossible for her to fulfil the firestorm’s promise. I find their story both powerful and romantic, both because Rafferty heals Melissa’s emotional wounds and because she’s the one who can help him turn the darkfire to the advantage of the Pyr. In the end, although it wasn’t my initial plan, I realize that Rafferty is one dragon who be able to see beyond biology and that family is where you create it.

TRC:  Will you tell us about the premise for Ember’s Kiss (October 2012 release Dragonfire series)-who will get his firestorm?

Deborah:  EMBER’S KISS is the story of Brandon, who is the son of Brandt. Brandt is estranged from the Pyr – we met him for the first time in DARKFIRE KISS – and has alienated his son. We met Brandon in FLASHFIRE, when we saw Chen closing his talons around this dragon who is unaware of the range of his abilities. I like this book a lot, again because it is different, and I love the heroine Liz.

 

TRC:  Zoe Sorensson is the first female dragon born in centuries, and thus the Wyvern. Your new YA series-The Dragon Diaries- is about Zoe and the other children from the firestorms in the Dragonfire series. What was your decision to venture into the YA genre using the children of the firestorms (15 years later)-when the Dragonfire series is still on going and creating more children?

Deborah:  Zoë’s journey was always interesting to me, and it raised a number of intriguing questions. How would one learn to become a Wyvern? How much of it was intuitive? Who would answer questions? When I realized that Zoë would come into her powers as a teenager – just as the male Pyr come into their powers at puberty – I was excited by all the challenges she would have to balance simultaneously. I also realized it would be a fun paranormal YA series and my editor agreed. I simply told Zoë’s story in the format that best suited it, which happened to be YA.

TRC:  Nick and Isabelle-will you ever reveal the ‘heritage or origins’ behind Isabelle (Rafferty’s adopted daughter) and her unusual abilities, as well as her connection to Nick?

Deborah:  😉

TRC:  As with many YA storylines, there is always a three-way love triangle, and it appears to be with Zoe, Jared and Derek. Was this always your intent to match these 3 characters?

Deborah:  N/A

TRC:  hmmmm…..I am sensing a pattern 😉

TRC:  In Winging It, Zoe comes to realize that she and Nick will never be a couple, yet there is still some ‘tension’ between the two. Yet as the Wyvern she will never be able to mate with another dragon, lest she lose her abilities as both the Wyvern and Oracle. Was this part of idea when Jared and Derek were introduced-neither a dragon, but still a supernatural?

Deborah:  *stares straight ahead and goes to the next question*

TRC: You have introduced some shape-shifter and mages into The Dragon Diaries  storylines. WE have seen the mages throughout the Dragonfire series-will we see a connection between the two series involving the mages e.g. the next generation?

Deborah:  I think these four questions will be answered for readers in BLAZING THE TRAIL. No spoilers from me! 🙂

TRC:  Yes, a definite pattern 😉


TRC:  Blazing the Trail is the next instalment in The Dragon Diaries series—will you please tell us something about the storyline? (see our review below)

LINKS to purchase:
Amazon Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook
The Book Depository

Deborah:  BLAZING THE TRAIL is the conclusion of Zoë’s trilogy and coming of age, which is why so many questions will be answered and conflicts resolved in that book. At the end of WINGING IT, there is an alliance of shifters that has been created by Zoë with the teenagers of the four respective and surviving kinds. They have a plan to finish off the NightBlade and the last of the Mages, but are waiting for the next eclipse to do it. Zoë meanwhile is trying to choose between her relentless attraction to Jared – even though he’s not very encouraging – and Derek’s desire for a greater commitment from her. What’s the smart thing to do? Things escalate right before the Valentine’s Day dance when Derek demands an answer, Zoë’s ability to see the future begins to manifest, the apprentice Mages make a final play for world domination and Jared returns.

I had a lot of fun with the big finish in this book. 🙂

TRC:  What are you working on today?

Deborah:  Today, I am writing blog posts. 🙂 I’m also going to work on my upcoming medieval romance, THE RENEGADE’S HEART. I’m crazy in love with Murdoch, and with writing medievals again. I just can’t leave that story alone. It’s a medieval with paranormal elements and is linked to my Jewels of Kinfairlie series. (Yes, Isabella finally gets her HEA.)

TRC:  What do you do to relax?

Deborah:  I knit. A lot.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything?

Deborah:  Thank you for your thoughtful questions! I enjoying doing the interview.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Dessert
Lemon tart

Favorite Food
Fresh sourdough bread

Favorite TV Show
Downton Abbey

Favorite Movie
All That Jazz

Last Movie you saw
Excalibur (Again. I should quit renting it and just buy it already.)

Where did you go on your last vacation
Paris France – in February. It was wonderful.

Red or White Roses
I like all roses (all flowers, really!) but my favourites are the ones that shade between colours.

TRC:  Deborah, we would like to thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. Please keep up informed as to your upcoming releases, and of course, as always, we are very happy to read everything by Deborah Cooke.

Deborah:  Thanks very much for inviting me! You can always keep track of what’s coming from me on my blog:

LINKS:

Deborah’s BLOG
WEBSITE
Facebook

**********GIVEAWAY*********

Deborah Cooke is offering a copy of her latest DRAGONFIRE novel-FLASHFIRE to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1.  To qualify, 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 the social log-ins on the right side.

2.  Giveaway open to Canada and continental USA only.

3.  Please leave a comment and say hello to Deborah Cooke.

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Jamie Leigh Hansen-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Jamie Leigh Hansen-Interview with the Author

The Reading Cafe would like to introduce paranormal romance author Jamie Leigh Hansen.

“I love dramatic, heart-felt stories. I love mixing the magic and wonder of an anything-can-happen kind of world with the daily lives we all struggle with. It adds a sense of hope and adventure to whatever we’re dealing with, be it health, financial or personal problems. Taking a break from the everyday grind to think positively and see a possibility that something will good happen to you soon is what keeps people going even in times of great struggle.”

Website LinkJamie Leigh Hansen

 

TRC:  Hi Jamie.  Welcome to The Reading Café.We would like to thank you for responding to our request for an interview.  We are always happy to know about the authors we have read and what they
are doing.

Jamie:  Thank you for finding me on the web, Sandy. The Reading Cafe looks wonderful and there is so much to read and see here!  You’ve set up an incredible site.

TRC:  Thank you.  We would like to start with some biographical background.  Would you tell us something about yourself?

Jamie:  I am very fortunate in that I married my high school sweetheart and we will soon celebrate 18 years together. I believe in love, the good, the bad and the ugly and I hope to keep my novels realistic while showing the HEA can really happen.

TRC:  When did you start writing?  Have you always been interested in writing?

Jamie:  I’ve always had a fascination with reading and with books, but my love of writing didn’t develop until later in my teen years. Looking back at some of the assignments I wrote for class, and some of the stories I wrote on my own, I see I’ve always loved heart-touching, dramatic stories. One of the most memorable would be of a girl whose brother was in a coma as she comes face-to-face with the kid who put him there. Then there’s the photo journalist who disappears into a rainforest and is captured by cannibals. My imagination took me into some crazy places. LOL

TRC:  How involved in the writing process is your family?

Jamie: My husband and daughters read what I have written and support me through each step of the story.  My youngest daughter, however, will sit and analyze each detail of the story and characters. She definitely has a writer’s mind and a passion for my stories that keeps me encouraged even when I am convinced the entire story is falling apart.

TRC:  You are interested in the fund raising and research in  Ataxia.
Would you explain about Ataxia and how you became involved
with their cause?

Jamie: I have Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), which is a hereditary recessive neurological disease. Recessive means it stays hidden in the genes as long as there is a more dominant trait to take the forefront. But, as this one is passed down from both the mother and father, if a child gets a recessive Freidreich’s gene from each of them, then they have it. No one in my family had it or showed signs of it. But when my clumsiness became a bit excessive in my teen years, several trips to the doctor and lots of tests discovered I had this disease no one in my family had ever heard of.

What FA does is tangle up the DNA in my nerve cells, so they can’t produce Frataxin, a protein that breaks up iron in the mitochondria of nerve cells. The less Frataxin my body makes, the more the iron builds up and the less my nerves work. This results in a lack of coordination, fatigue, potentially fatal heart problems and a progressively downward spiral of abilities.

 

There is currently no cure and and no treatment for the Frataxin deficiency, although there is always vitamins, antioxidants and physical therapy to treat the symptoms.

 

There are, however, about 7 different drugs in Phase II and III clinical trials around the world. Several of these show quite a bit of promise in combating FA.

 

While reading on one of my ataxia email lists, I learned of a project BabelFAmily was doing to help raise funds for research into these and more drugs. The International Literary Project to Fight Against Friedreich’s Ataxia :

 

is a project with writers, translators and artists from around the world working on one novel that will be sold in multiple languages and formats. Our fiction novel is titled The Legacy and combines mystery, murder and love with the last 160 years of discoveries about Friedreich’s Ataxia.

 

We are all very excited and in love with this project. There is so much in it to feel passionate about. We are close to finishing the first draft of writing and translations into the main writer languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. As soon as edits are finished, we have translators lined up to add German, French, and many more languages.

 

We ask that anyone with an interest in supporting this project and cause LIKE the project’s page on Facebook. We have a logo made and will be passing it around to anyone who would like to make it a banner on their website. All free of charge, we just want to gather awareness of this cause. 🙂

 

Thank you, so much, Sandy for giving me a chance to speak about The International Literary Project to Fight Against Friedreich’s Ataxia.

 

TRC:  You are welcome.  Betrayed and Cursed are the first two book in your Nephilim series.  Would you please tell us something about the premise of this series?

Jamie: For those who’ve read this series already, thank you! It is not dead and I do plan more. 🙂

For those who haven’t, The Nephilim series begins with Betrayed. This is the story of Kalyss, a woman who has lived 9 lives, attempting to rescue her husband who is trapped as a statue. She has failed all 9 times, but this 10th life is different. She is different. Stronger, more capable, with a steel will that will not bend.She won’t fail this time, even if she doesn’t quite know what to do with her husband once she has him.

 

This story has all the drama, love and angst I could have ever wished to write when I was a teenager. I love this series.

 

The second novel is Cursed, the story of Elizabeth, the dream-weaver. She was raised in a family plagued by troubles, both ones they’ve created and those life has handed them. After a decade away, Elizabeth is drawn home to care for her dying mother and ten abandoned nieces and nephews in the crumbling home her family has kept, barely, for three generations. Elizabeth needs hope and the ability to believe in hope and love when it’s freely given to her in the form of a high school crush she’s never forgotten.

 

Elizabeth’s story is very special to me. I loved healing this home and this family. I loved meeting a woman who was strong enough to make it happen even when she didn’t believe herself to be.

 

And through both books, there is the story of two unlikely allies determined to help the special people who consider themselves just human and determined to beat the ultimate in evil.

 

TRC:  Are you going to continue to write any more storylines for the Nephilim
series?

 

Jamie:  I have several more books and short stories planned for this series. I will put them out as soon as I know certain things. 🙂
TRC:  The Murder King’s Woman was a short story first published in the anthology Vampire Romance 2. Would you tell us about The Murder King’s Woman? (see our review below)

 

Jamie:   The Murder King’s Woman is about a human named Mary on a mission to save the vampire who saved her as a child. It is a short story, but when I was done, Mary let me know there were more adventures that needed to be told.

 

TRC:  You are going to continue the Murder Tales series with a new release .  Would you tell us about the next book in the Murder Tales series?
Do you have a release date?

 

Jamie:  The Murder King’s Summons is the second in the Murder Tales Series, featuring Mary on another mission – to prove herself to the vampires and werewolves who raised her. But when she faces a spectre from her past, she’ll need all of her mental agility to escape the trap set for her.

 

TRC:  What are you working on today?

 

Jamie:  Today, I am working on a short story for The Mammoth Book of  Futuristic Romance – release date TBA.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything that you would like us to know?

 

Jamie:  Drop by and say Hi!!!!!

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

 

FAVORITE DESSERT: NY Style Cheesecake

FAVORITE FOOD: Steak fajitas with lots of guacamole.

LAST BOOK YOU READ: I have never made it to Acheron before I got busy, so I am now re-reading all of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series. So far, I am on Seize the Night with Valerius. I truly love this series.

TRC:  *hands Jamie a box of tissues and the 1-800 hotline number for support*–you will need it for Acheron

FAVORITE TV SHOW: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It has to mean something when you can watch the entire series more than a dozen times and still find something new to enjoy

FAVORITE MOVIE: The Cutting Edge with D.B. Sweeney and Moira Kelly. It’s a long-time favorite.

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: Bridesmaids. It was a nice surprise to see there was more to the story than the trailer showed, but all the humor was in the trailer.

RED OR PINK ROSES: Red, Orange, Black, Purple, Peach, Yellow and every other shade. I love roses.

DARK OR MILK CHOCOLATE: Definitely milk chocolate.

 

 TRC:  Jamie, we would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our
questions.  Stay in touch and let us know about all of your upcoming
releases.

 

Jamie:  Thank you, as well, Sandy. I will definitely keep your wonderful site at the top of my list. 🙂
****GIVEAWAY****


Jamie Leigh Hansen has graciously offered an e-copy of THE MURDER KING’S WOMAN & THE MURDER KING’S SUMMONS to 2 of our eligible members

1. You must be a registered member at The Reading Cafe.  If you are not a member, please register using the log-in tab at the top or one of our social log-ins.

2.  The giveaway is open internationally.

3.  Please drop by and say hello to Jamie.


Amazon Kindle Link:The Murder King’s Woman
KOBO Link: The Murder King’s Woman
B&N Nook Link:The Murder King’s Woman

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Deborah Cooke-Bio and Book List

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Deborah Cooke-Bio and Book List

DEBORAH COOKE-Biography and Book List

Today we begin our feature saluting the books and series from the amazing Deborah Cooke. June 2012 will see the release of Deborah’s third Dragon Diaries instalment BLAZING THE TRAIL.  Reminder:  Interview and Giveaway with Deborah Cooke on Wednesday May 23, 2012

DEBORAH COOKE (aka Claire Cross aka Claire Delacroix)

 

From the website: Deborah Cooke

Deborah Cooke has always been fascinated with dragons, although she has never understood why they have to be the bad guys. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels, and has written over forty romance novels and novellas. She has also been published under the names Claire Cross and Claire Delacroix.

Deborah makes her home in Canada with her husband. When she isn’t writing, she can be found knitting, sewing or hunting for vintage patterns.

BOOK LIST /READING ORDER

DRAGON FIRE SERIES

KISS OF FIRE
KISS OF FURY
KISS OF FATE
WINTER KISS
HARMONIA’S KISS (eNovella)
WHISPER KISS
DARKFIRE KISS
FLASHFIRE
EMBER’S KISS (Oct 2012)

THE DRAGON DIARIES series (Young Adult)

FLYING BLIND
WINGING IT
BLAZING THE TRAIL (June 2012)

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