What genre(s) do you write in and why?  I wrote Contemporary Romance. “Wrote what you know.” Mark Twain knew what he was talking about. I read mostly CR, so I am most comfortable writing it. I would also consider writing romantic suspense, which is my other favorite genre to read.

Tell us about your current series.  My current series, Windsor Falls, happens to also be my first. Windsor Falls is a small, mythical town set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. My books are about everyday life; struggling to find love, happiness, acceptance, etc.  I am writing a series because that’s what I love to read. Nothing cuts deeper than coming to the end of the book and having to let go of beloved characters. In a series, you don’t have to.

What is your favorite part of writing? I am a pantser who wanted to be a plotter in the beginning. Plotting makes more sense. Especially since I am a bit of a control freak. It didn’t work. The best part of writing is that I have very little clue as to what’s going to happen. I sit at my laptop and type. The story pours out. Many times, I am very surprised by plot developments. This drives my husband crazy. Which of course makes it that much more fun.

What is your least favorite part of writing? I struggle with external conflict. I’m 40K into my third book and still having issues. Now, internal conflict is my friend. But then I’m a psych nurse. Go figure.

How has your experience with self-publishing been? I have only self-published, so that’s all I know. I LOVE it! As mentioned previously, I am a control freak. The idea of someone else picking my cover art, etc. makes me a bit crazy.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish? Decide what’s important to you, especially in your budget, early on. Don’t skimp on important things like your cover art and editing. These things make all the difference.

What is your favorite dessert/food? Anything that’s bad for me… I love pineapple pizza and have no idea why so many find it so abhorrent. Of course, being a woman, I believe that chocolate should be a food group.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? For better or worse, they absolutely do. So annoying me is probably not a good idea. There are shades of people in my life in my characters.

Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book. I recently moved to Charlotte from the great, white North after way too many winters. I am a psychiatric nurse and work night shifts which means I haven’t slept properly in 15 years. While I love being a nurse, writing is my passion. I’m also a rabid soccer Mom. I love dogs and hate (read pathological fear) snakes. I come across as extroverted but am really quite shy.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors? The only way to truly fail is to never try. It took 15 years to publish my first novel, mostly because life gets in the way sometimes. Believe in yourself but also surround yourself with people from whom you can learn. Do your research.

Taking Chances

BLURB

Katie Fitzgerald learned the hard way about love. She vowed to never get involved with a doctor at work, and when she did, he broke her heart. Older and wiser, Katie is serious about not getting hurt again. Dr. Flynn Reynolds, staff cardiologist at Windsor Falls Memorial, just might be the man to change her mind. Attraction explodes between the two from their very first meeting. But Katie is determined to protect her heart. Will Flynn convince her to take another chance?

Excerpt:

Katie Fitzgerald cursed under her breath as she ran across the gravel parking area in heels. Never a good idea. The thought had no more entered her head when there was a sickening snap. She stumbled sideways as the ridiculously high heel of her right shoe fell to the ground. Katie lost her balance and was about to join her heel in the dirt and gravel. The items in her arms scattered everywhere. The string of inventive curses that followed colored the air around her.

Strong arms reached her, picking her up as though she weighed no more than a feather and placing her back on her feet. “I thought nice, Southern ladies didn’t know words like that,” came an amused drawl from behind her.

LINKS:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Windsor-Falls-Book-ebook/dp/B06WRX24FS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1490705906&sr=1-1&keywords=kimberley+O%27Malley

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-kimberley-omalley/1125887297?ean=2940157243838

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/coming-home-186

Website: www.kimberleyomalley.com

FB: Kimberley O’Malley

Twitter: @K_OMalley67

Instagram: kimberleyomalley67

Author Bio:

Kimberley O’Malley is a recent transplant to Charlotte, North Carolina from the frozen North. She is learning to say y’all but draws the line at sweet tea. Sarcasm is an art form in her world. When not writing, she is a full-time nurse and part-time soccer Mom, but not necessarily in that order. She shares her life with an amazing husband of more than twenty years, two teenagers, and one very sweet Shetland Sheepdog, Molly.

How did you get started writing?

I have always written. I love expressing myself through the written word. I love words! I love word images and word feelings. Language is an amazing gift and words can create amazing feelings and visuals. In high school, I took a creative writing class and knew I had found my niche. My parents, however, directed me toward a more secure career, but I never forgot my love of writing. I have tried off and on over the years to have books published which was so difficult I gave up all hope of ever being published, but then I discovered self-publishing and that really clicked for me. I was so glad that I could actually have a book published and I was publishing the book the way I wanted it to be.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write romantic suspense because I love romance and I love mysteries. I love strong heroes who know what they want and know who to get it, and I love strong females who can stand against anyone. I especially love it when they stand up to the hero and the dilemma is between saving the day or saving the relationship. Saving the day may be the only choice but then what becomes of the hero and heroine? You have to turn the page to find out.

Tell us about your current series.

During the summers, when I was young, my father would take us to the mountain ranch where he grew up. We loved it there. We loved riding horses and fishing and hiking. Those summers were special to us and when I was trying to decide on a series, I thought a ranch would be the perfect setting. I tweaked it a little bit and added the Arabian horse training, and then, of course, each book has romance and mystery.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’m working on two projects right now, which is a little nerve racking. I sent the manuscript for the sixth book in the Crystal Creek series to my editor and received her comments back the other day, so now I’m going through the manuscript trying to decide what I want to change and what I want to keep. I hope to release this book by the end of the summer. I’m also participating in a boxed set with twenty other authors. This boxed set will be released in November. My contribution will be a novella but it will introduce my next series. Also set in Colorado, this series focuses on college graduates as they make their way into the world. I’m very excited about that and can’t wait to release it.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Trent Parker came from nothing, but was never one to settle. He climbed his way up the Hollywood ladder starting with walk-on parts while he waited tables and shoveled asphalt until he had enough money to start his own production company. At last, he has everything he wants: He owns Hollywood. Everyone A-list star wants to work for him. But he doesn’t have one thing – the option for the breakout novel Sunset in Maui. Charisse Whitloch owns that. He’ll do anything to get that option, but he can only do that be getting close to Charisse. If he does that, it will destroy him.

Risking Her Heart Book Links

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KYD2C3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493569182&sr=8-1&keywords=laura+haley-mcneil

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/risking-her-heart-5

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/risking-her-heart-laura-haley-mcneil/1126310900;jsessionid=D043281AE1D9BA63F12686D6D596B12D.prodny_store01-atgap01?ean=2940154206836

iBooks

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1231808198

BIO

Laura Haley-McNeil is an award-winning author of romantic suspense and women’s fiction in novel length and in short stories. Her work has been featured in several women’s magazines. She has studied piano and ballet and has been a board member for two community orchestras. She and her husband reside in Colorado. When she isn’t writing, she jogs, bicycles and crochets.