Please help me welcome Brenda B. Taylor to my blog today. Brenda gave me a great interview and is giving a $25 Amazon gift card to one commenter and a coupon for a free download of Heaven Must Wait and Follow Your Heart from Smashwords.

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve had the ambition to write fiction stories since childhood, but never found the time to sit down and put my thoughts on paper. Several times I tried, but became distracted by attending school, then later working and family. Now that I have more time to sit quietly, think, and write, I am trying to fulfill this lifelong desire.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

I love my home in the piney woods of East Texas, but my second choice would be Scotland during the summer months and Texas during the winter months. I would not want to face the darkness and cold of winter in Scotland.

How did you get started writing?

After retirement, I decided to write a historical fiction novel based on my family in Missouri. I didn’t want to get to the end of my life and say, “I wish I had done that.” Finding I knew nothing about writing fiction, I joined writer’s organizations, loops, and studied the art of novel writing. It has been a journey.

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

At present, I write historical fiction with elements of romance and family values woven into the fabric of the story.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I have written four books. Three in The Wades of Crawford County series, and one stand-alone Scottish historical fiction. I really can’t say I favor one over the other, but the Scottish historical was fun to write. I traveled to Scotland for research, and found my family there.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

Currently, I am working on the edits for the third book in The Wades of Crawford County series entitled, Through The Storm. The series follows the courtship, marriage, and early family years of Leann and Ralph Wade who live in post Civil War Missouri. I plan another novella and novel in the series to make five books.

What inspired your latest book?

My last novel, the Scottish historical, came about through genealogy research of my mother’s family. I uncovered the Scottish connection and became intrigued by the fact we have a Scottish ancestor who emigrated to the U. S. in the early 1800’s. I traveled to Scotland and connected with our family there.

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

At present I am trying to get Through the Storm, the third book in The Wades of Crawford County series, ready for publication.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

My story ideas came from family research.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Writing the novel. I don’t like editing, but know it is very necessary. My books go through at least six edits before publication.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing is my least favorite activity. I want to be creative and write something new and exciting. I love to see just how exciting I can make a story. Formatting for publication runs a close second.

What is your typical day like?

While having a morning coffee, I have a devotional and then begin writing, editing, formatting, or whatever else my WIP requires at the time. I will work until approximately ten o’clock, and then go on to other activities. Sometimes I return to the work in the late afternoon, but not often.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

My first book was self-published at the beginning of this year, and has been another major learning experience. I took an online self-publication class, read the Smashwords guide, and began formatting by trial and error. Realizing I didn’t have enough time in this life to pursue traditional publishers, I decided to self-publish. Traditional publishing takes years, and I didn’t want to wait that long or hassle with agents and publishers.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

I would advise others to study the process and be sure you want to venture into the waters. Sometimes they are very cold and rough.

What was the deciding factor in self-publishing your book(s)? Did you decide on ebook or print only or both?

I decided to publish ebooks first, and then later, when all my novels are online, begin the process of formatting for print. I need to study the print formats further, and won’t take the time right now.

What went into the process? Writing, editing, cover design, formatting, etc. Share your ups and downs and how you went about it. If you used a service, can you share?

I use a content editor and a proofreader, then my husband and I edited continuously. For the cover designs of the Wades series, I hired a graphic artist and used photographs of my granddaughter. Thinking I may want to change something down the line, I do the formatting and uploading of my books.

How long have your book(s) been out? How long between books if you have multiple sales—and if you have multiples did you see a bump in sales with subsequent publication?

At present I have two books, a novella and a novel, out in the Wades series. I am in the process of getting a third one ready for publication. After this third Wade book, I will publish the Scottish historical.

Follow Your Heart, The Wades of Crawford County Series, Book 2

Follow Your Heart is a poignant tale of newlyweds, Leann and Ralph Wade, and their struggle to overcome difficulties during the early years of marriage in post Civil War Missouri. The novel tells of a love strong enough to survive the hard times with the cords of family values and faith intertwined throughout the story.

Chapter One

Cuba, Missouri
September 1869
A chilly gust of wind pushed through the open window and past the lace curtains, jerking the wrinkled, faded paper from Leann’s hand, sending it to the floor. She shivered then rose to close the window.
Sue picked the paper up and examined it. “Are you still reading this letter from Sonny Wade, when you’re marrying his brother in two days? I thought you threw it away ages ago.”
“Hand that to me.” Leann had not heard her sister enter the room. She snatched the letter from Sue’s hand, tearing the fragile paper. “Really, Sue, my letter is none of your business. I should have thrown it away, but I felt sorry for Sonny, being in the war and a Union prison camp. And besides, I forgot about it.”
“You were hiding that letter.” Sue’s eyes narrowed when she looked directly into Leann’s.
“I didn’t hide it. You and the family read it.”
“Several years ago. You’ve been hiding it ever since and probably secretly reading it.”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Have you seen Sonny since he got out of the army? Or do you just read his letter and dream about the handsome man?”
“No, to both questions. He works on a Mississippi River steamboat and has only been home a couple of times. Pa told me he saw Sonny in town last year. They talked for awhile, then Sonny headed for the saloon when Pa walked away.”
“Well, you should have thrown it away. What if Ralph finds out you secretly kept his brother’s love letter?” Sue’s locks bobbed with her shaking head.
Leann tore the already ripped paper into tiny pieces and threw them into a small trash basket sitting beside the bedroom door. She could not explain to herself or to her sister why the letter had remained in the drawer for years. “Are you happy now? It wasn’t a love letter. You read it. He only wrote about the war and being homesick. I didn’t answer, so he never wrote again.”
Leann grabbed her younger sister by the arm, looking directly into the girl’s green eyes. Sue stared back with the same intensity. “And don’t you tell anyone about me keeping the letter. I forgot about it until I started packing. Do you want to cause trouble with Ralph or the family?”
“I won’t tell, if you will let me keep your pretty green parasol when you leave.” Sue pushed Leann’s arm off her own.
“That’s my only good one. It matches my green voile dress. I won’t have anything to take to the socials.”
“Make your husband buy you a new one.” Sue was unrelenting.
“Okay. I will leave my green parasol with you. Just don’t tell I kept the letter. Sonny Wade means nothing to me.”
“Well, he must mean something, or you would have thrown his letter away. He may not have put in writing that he loved you, but he came around here pretty often before he joined the army and gave Ralph room to move in.”

Biography

Brenda B Taylor and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. Brenda crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

Connect With Brenda

FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/authorbrendabtaylor

Twitter

https://twitter.com/rayburnlady

Website

http://www.houseofpassage.org
http://www.houseofpassage.org/?page_id=909

Amazon

http://amzn.com/B00CP6ZDPY

Amazon Author Page

http://www.amazon.com/Brenda-B.-Taylor/e/B001KIMN56

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/22741733-brenda-b

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/follow-your-heart-brenda-taylor/1116762438?ean=2940045230766

Kobo

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/follow-your-heart-10

Bookstore Without Borders

http://www.bookstorewithoutborders.com/ebooks/brenda-taylor/follow-your-heart/

Please help me welcome Sandra Schwab to my blog today. She’s given me a great interview, for you to enjoy.

Tell us about yourself.

Thank you so much for having me, Cindy! – My name is Sandra Schwab, and I have been writing historical romance for the US market for the past thirteen years. My first novel, THE LILY BRAND, was published in 2005.

In my “other” life, I’m a lecturer of English literature, and I live near Frankfurt/Germany with a sketchbook, a sewing machine, and an ever-expanding library, where books multiply at an alarming rate.

How did you get started writing?

I’ve always loved inventing stories and I started scribbling them down as soon as I could write. For as long as I can remember it has been my dream to become a published author.

Was your road to publication difficult or a walk in the park?

Since I was nineteen years old, I had tried to find a publisher, when finally, after years of collecting rejection letters, I had to face the sad truth that I was simply not writing the kind of things that a German publisher would buy from a German author. This could have been the end of my lifelong dream, but I wasn’t quite ready yet to give up hope. Instead, I started to write in English, which is a second language for me. A lot of friends told me I would never be able to compete with native speakers. I’m happy to say that I was able to prove them wrong. 

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

In a small English village; preferably with a nice National Trust country estate nearby and a good train connection to London so I can easily visit the wonderful museums in London.

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

When I was still a child, I fell in love with historical fiction – I devoured retellings of medieval epics and Rosemary Sutcliff’s novels. Once I started to read historical fiction for adults, I often despaired about the many sad endings (hero and heroine die on top of a tower, pierced by multiple arrows – but hey, at least they swear neverending love to each other before they drop dead, that’s totally romantic, isn’t it?), ghastly details (the exploding wax baby), and horrible or downright disgusting sex scenes (the worst was the book with the goat sex scenes) (please note the plural: there was more than one such scene and more than one poor goat).
When I discovered historical romance in 1999, it was like a revelation: historical fiction, but with a nice, strong romantic plot and wonderful love scenes (and not a tiny, teeny goat in sight!). Given my love for this genre and for history, it was only natural that I eventually started to write historical romance myself.

What inspired your latest book?

A few years ago, I stumbled across the original black-and-white St. Trinian’s films. I was utterly enchanted by their very unconventional portrayal of female characters: the girls of St. Trinian’s are utterly fearless, they terrorize adults, they have great adventures, and get into many mad scrapes – but at the end of the day, they are always victorious. And woe betide the person who dares to stand in their path! What would happen, I asked myself (as authors are wont to do), if you let loose such girls in Regency England and tried to introduce them into polite society? And thus, the idea for SPRINGTIME PLEASURES was born.

Give us an elevator pitch for your current book, SPRINGTIME PLEASURES.

George Augustus Griffin, Viscount Chanderley has to marry – fast: His father has ordered him to find a suitable wife this very season. Alas, the only woman Griff has eyes for is the very unsuitable Miss Carlotta Stanton, who is not only unbecomingly tall but also wears the ugliest spectacles in all of England. Still, Griff is utterly bewitched by her intense green eyes. Yet however much he feels drawn to her joie de vivre, duty and honor demand that he stay far away from Miss Stanton.

Dubbed “the Giantess” because of her unfortunate height, Charlie Stanton finds the London season far less glamorous than she had thought it would be – not the least because she is consigned a place among the wallflowers. But then she becomes acquainted with the very dashing Lord Chanderley, whose life is overshadowed by a terrible tragedy in his past. Ever ready to help others, Charlie is determined to rid him of his Sad Melancholia – even if it means taking on wild boars and highwaymen. However, the biggest challenge might be the elusive viscount himself and his belief that he is beyond all redemption.

Where can readers find you?

Website: www.sandraschwab.com
Blog: sandyschatterblog.blogspot.com
Twitter: @ScribblingSandy
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SandraSchwab.Author
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/EnchantingFiction

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

Digital editions of my books are available from Amazon; print editions will follow soon
My Amazon Author Site: http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Schwab/e/B001KIAPTC

Excerpt from SPRINGTIME PLEASURES

Charlie & her friend Emma-Louise chat about the hero

“The drive with Lord Chanderley was pleasant. Very pleasant, truth to be told.” Charlie looked up at her friend. “I wish you could meet him one day. He is so handsome. Indeed, I should say he is the most handsome man in all of London!” She smiled dreamily. “He can make his eyebrows mesh. Like this—” She curled her forehead, imitating Chanderley’s frown.

“A most peculiar feat,” her friend commented drily.

Grinning, Charlie nudged her with her elbow. “It is. And it has the most peculiar effect on me.” Reddening, she quickly continued, “But he is a charming man. And a nice one. It is not often that one finds a genuinely nice person, is it?”

Emma-Lee made herself comfortable on the arm of Charlie’s armchair. “He certainly sounds very pleasant.”

“Yes, pleasant. And sitting next to him on that box seat yesterday, now that was very pleasant as well.” Charlie grinned up at her. “It is most shocking, is it not?”

“Most,” Emma-Lee agreed. “Do continue.”

Charlie leaned her head against her friend’s shoulder “He smells very nice. And he has those lovely big hands.” She stretched out her right arm in front of her and wriggled her fingers. “They are quite lovely in gloves, but when everybody sits down to supper at the end of a ball, I can’t help looking at them in the, you know—” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “—nude.”

The two girls exchanged a glance before they burst into giggles.

“I suppose he would be much shocked if he knew that I am fantasizing about his hands,” Charlie finally gasped.

“Fantasizing!” Emma-Lee’s brows rose. “You’ve said nothing about fantasizing, Carlotta Stanton!”

“I know, it is most shocking. But his hands are so big and brawny and… and manly.” Charlie gave a happy sigh. “I never knew that hands could be so fascinating.” She glanced up at her friend. “Do you think I might be developing a brain fever? When I sat next to him in that phaeton, my body felt all warm and tingly. Prickly. As if I had fallen into nettles. Though not as unpleasant.”

“One should hope not!” Emma-Lee murmured.

Please help me welcome Michele Stegman to my blog today. Michele has given me a wonderful interview that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Tell us about yourself.

I have always enjoyed being just a little bit different. Even when my husband, Ron, and I decided to build a house, I wanted something different. So we found an old 1840’s log cabin and rebuilt it on our property.
With my writing, I try to look at things from other angles, to turn things around and make my books different. For instance, in Conquest of the Heart, my hero is a virgin. The heroine ends up seducing him.
History has always been a love of mine so living in a pioneer built log cabin and sleeping in a 200 year old bed suits me just fine. By contrast I also love technology. Whenever something new comes along, I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Okay, I am a Trekkie and have been since the first show aired. I read science fiction voraciously as well as straight science.

Do you have other talents?
I don’t know about talents, but I certainly have a lot of interests. I have always loved history and want to learn how people cooked and made things “in the old days.” I have a spinning wheel and a couple of looms, all of which I use. I use the yarn I make for knitting as well as weaving. I also enjoy tatting, an old way to make lace. I make my own bread, and sometimes homemade crackers. And I make my own soap.
I also love painting and am a member of my local art guild. And I play the piano for church.

What did you want to be when you were a child? Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

The list of things I wanted to do and be as a child is very long and I am still interested in most of them. Being a fighter pilot appealed to me for a long time. I wanted to join the FBI. Archaeology and paleontology were fascinating and I read a lot of books about those professions. I visited a few digs and helped out with one. I was thrilled when I found a site in our back yard, which is now registered with the state. I wanted to be a research scientist, especially a microbiologist, and sometimes I still get out my microscope and find things in the yard or pond to look at. Astronomy was a strong interest, and, of course, I wanted to write. From the time I realized that books are written by people, I wanted to be one of those people. Fortunately, all those interests that I read about and studied in school have found their way into my books. No research is boring. I’m interested in everything!

What inspired your latest book?

Conquest of the Heart is set in 1067 during the Norman conquest of England. Most “Conquest” books are written about big, strong, never-defeated-in-battle types. I often wondered how a mild, godly man would fare in those turbulent times. I decided to write a story with such a hero. My hero, Ranulf, is a Saxon, and was a candidate for the priesthood until his older brothers die. But he is also a man of principle and duty who learns how to do what is necessary to hold his estates when William invades, including marrying a Norman woman at the command of the king!

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

Ranulf is based on my husband. Well, gee, all my heroes are based on my husband! But especially Ranulf. And, going with that “be different” theme, he is a Saxon, one of the conquered.
Ranulf’s main weakness, as a former candidate for the priesthood, is that he is clueless about women. Thankfully, Madeline is just the woman to teach him all he needs to know!
His main strength is that no one can stand up to him. Ranulf is mild. He is willing to bend. But when it comes to protecting those dependent on him, his strength of will and his courage are overwhelming.

What is most difficult to write? Characters, conflict, or emotions? Why?

Conflict is essential in a book. Unfortunately, conflict is very difficult for me to write. Like my hero, Ranulf, I am a person who likes peace. I want everyone around me to be happy. So it is hard to make my characters miserable or throw obstacles in their path. It’s even hard for me to write nasty villains. I want even them to somehow find redemption.
Give us an elevator pitch for your book.
Conquest of the Heart is a light-hearted romp through the dark ages! Set at the time of the Norman Conquest of England, the hero is a Saxon, one of the conquered, and the Norman woman he is forced to marry is out to seduce him any way she can.

Where can readers find you?
www.MicheleStegman.com
www.Facebook.com/MicheleStegmanAuthor
www.Twitter.com/MicheleStegman

Thank you so much, Cynthia, for inviting me here today! I had fun answering your questions and if anyone else wants to pose a question, I’d be glad to try to answer it.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Conquest-Of-The-Heart-ebook/dp/B00DENB81A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373649370&sr=1-1&keywords=conquest+of+the+heart
Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=17&products_id=456&zenid=2b403pleeiki37mrvfikr58nn5

Blurb
Her people conquered his country. How can they overcome the distrust they feel to find love?

Madeline wants a big, brash, never-defeated-in-battle, Norman knight. What she gets, by order of the king, is a wiry Saxon who once studied for the priesthood instead of warfare. But is this gentle man she has fallen in love with entangled in the rebellion now sweeping the land?
Ranulf wants to marry the girl next door. What he gets, by order of the king , is a lush, strong Norman woman who just might be a spy reporting his every move. He wants her in every way a man can possibly want a woman. But can he trust his heart to a woman who might have been sent to root out the struggle for freedom his people are engaged in?

Excerpt
She did not cry out or pull away. She opened her mouth farther, inviting a deeper taste of her sweetness, an invitation that this time, he did not ignore. She swayed against him, and the combined heat of their bodies seemed to melt them together, fusing them into one.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he marveled at how well their two bodies fit together, curve to cavern, hill to hollow, swell to depression. He started when her hand touched the bare flesh of his back, and again when her other one was also laid upon him, was utterly lost to dignity when they moved over his skin.

His own hands began to explore, almost, it seemed, of their own volition, but he drank in their findings, savoring the slope of her shoulder, the long curve of her back, a cresting buttock. His hands found it all, gliding over her, sending searing sensations to him to feed his hunger for her. But it was an insatiable hunger, a hunger that grew with each touch, each caress, each play of tongue on tongue.

One of his hands searched upward from her waist, climbed the mound of her breast, and was rewarded by a hardening nub at the peak. He pressed closer, wanting that union of flesh with flesh that could not be accomplished through layers of silk and linen. He pressed against her and she stumbled back a step. He turned her so that her back was to the oak and ground into her, tongue thrusting, loins pressing in a frenzy to intermesh.

Her hands moved with an equal searching frenzy across his back, kneading, clawing, wanting, urging him on. He grabbed at her skirt, trying to lift it, but the fullness of it defeated him, slithering back into the path of his groping hand, blocking him from his goal of bared thigh and hip and belly. He heard her moan and its plaintive note lent him new resourcefulness.

Before I begin to tell you about me, I’d like to thank Cynthia for inviting me here today. It’s an amazing opportunity to be surrounded by all of her followers. I hope something I say here today piques your curiosity enough that you’ll stop by my website at http://carolynhughey.com, or click on one of the links to purchase one of my books.

Tell us about yourself:

I’ve been writing since 2005. My introduction to writing was more about writing for therapy. Yep, you read that right. I was having some personal problems and I needed to straighten them out in my own mind. When one of my friends read what I’d written, she begged me to finish the story. While flattered, I didn’t pick the story up again for a very long time because I didn’t think anyone would be interested in what I had to say.

Shortly after, my husband and I went on a cruise and I met another writer. I shared the conversation I’d had with my friend and she encouraged me to continue. She and I kept in contact with one another over the course of the next two years with every one of her emails filled with encouragement to continue. And then one day, I decided to bite the bullet and join RWA, the national organization, and a local chapter. Little did I know that my life was about to change for the better!

Was your road to publication difficult or a walk in the park?

After finishing that first story, I submitted it to a publisher for the sole purpose of being labeled a ‘pro’ in RWA. After a year of not hearing anything, I figured the publisher threw my manuscript away because they couldn’t find enough words to tell me how awful my writing was. But on the thirteen month, something magical happened! I received a phone call from Avalon Books in New York asking me if Cupid’s Web was still available. Needless to say, I was stuttering and tripping over my words in disbelief. So one year later, the story was published and I was certain I was on my way to stardom. Wrong! Although I’d received the contract on my first try, it took another four years to obtain a second contract.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m definitely a plotter, but I didn’t start out that way. My first book was written off the top of my head and it was easy, but that’s because it was mostly about me with a positive spin on the story. It wasn’t until I tried to write my first mystery that I realized I needed to plot because having a humorous voice in a serious mystery just doesn’t work.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I love this question because it happens often, but only if the person is uniquely different. For example, in Magnetic Attraction written under my pen name, K. T. Roberts, I have a character named Mags who’s Goth—a different psychedelic hair color every week, but what’s so unique about Mags is that her sneakers always match the color of her hair.

During one of my many vocations—the first being a hair stylist, I’d met a flamboyant classmate who always made me laugh. Mags is modeled after him.

In Shut Up and Kiss Me, the aunt Nan Soranno is modeled after a very dear friend of mine with the same name. Nan’s uniqueness was her son and my daughter. Nan and I are both Italian, and she would have liked nothing better than to have our two offspring marry one another. Well, it didn’t work out that way, but even after they were married to other people, every time we’d talk, she’d say, “Jon should have married your daughter. The storyline is very much Nan.

Do you write under a pen name?

As mentioned above, I do write under the pen name of K. T. Roberts. I never planned to have a pen name, but because my contemporaries are sweet romances, I wanted my fans to know that if they picked up one of my mysteries, it was going to be a bit edgier than my contemporaries.

How did you choose your pen name?

I’ve always loved the name Katie. It reminds me of a tomboy, so rather than spell out Katie, I chose the initials. My husband’s name is Robert, so I’m Robert’s K. T.

How has your experience been with self-publishing?

In one word, FANTASTIC! I currently have four self-published books, The Last Witness and Elusive Justice are my Kensington-Gerard Detective Series and they’re both best sellers on Amazon in the top 100. Magnetic Attraction and Educating Daphne, which are humorous contemporary novels, contain a bit of vanilla spice, and all written under K. T.
I must also tell you that my experience with traditional publishing has been wonderful as well. As mentioned earlier, the beginning of my writing career was with Avalon Books who sold to Montlake Romance over a year ago. Ever since that time, I can’t tell you how thrilled I’ve been to be part of the Amazon forward-thinking family and the Montlake imprint. Recently, I was solicited by Amazon to write in their Kindle Worlds. To date, I’ve written two fan fiction stories about the popular television series, Gossip Girl. The first of which is Gossip Girl, Lovers, Liars and Thou, and my recent release, Gossip Girl: Murder & Mayhem, a serial. For a $1.99, you pay the fee just once, and every week, the next episode is automatically delivered to your Kindle. How neat is that? In this serial, I have eight episodes, each consisting of 8,000 or more words.

How many books have you written?

As of yesterday, I have twelve books published. Eight are traditionally published and four are Indie books. The line up is as follows: Cupid’s Web, Shut Up and Kiss Me, Dishing Up Romance, One Menu at a Time, Catering To Love, Christmas Magic-Insanity Claus, an anthology written by me and Gina Ardito, Gossip Girl: Lovers, Liars and Thou, Gossip Girl: Murder & Mayhem, The Last Witness, Elusive Justice, Magnetic Attraction and Educating Daphne. My latest release being Catering to Love.

What was the hardest thing you’ve found in the process of self-publishing? What was the easiest part of self-publishing?

Aside from the initial learning curve that goes with formatting and uploading your files, and book cover onto CreateSpace, I’d say the hardest part is making time for promotion. When you have one or two books, it’s not a big deal, but as your books accumulate, time is at a premium. Then of course, there’s always the age-old question of how much advertising is too much, how much is not enough? It’s a double-edged sword. But what I have found since the very beginning was, if I don’t advertise, I don’t sell as many books.

The easiest part by far is writing the book.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Writing a catchy pitch! I am the world’s worst pitcher. Seriously, I’m not kidding! I go on and on and when I see the eyes of the people I’m pitching to glaze over, I know I’ve said too much. The good news though is I’m taking two courses, not one, but two, to get this simple process under my belt. Then look out! I’ll be pitching to everyone I come into contact with. 

What genre do you write in and why?

As mentioned above, I was writing humorous contemporary until my publisher asked me to write a romance with recipes. I currently have three books in that series. In between, I wrote two contemporaries with vanilla spice because everyone told me ‘sex’ sells. Now that I’ve written all those, my absolute love is writing mystery/suspense with a little bit of romance, the romance being secondary. And it’s my mysteries that sell really well. The Last Witness, Elusive Justice, Gossip Girl: Lovers, Liars and Thou and Gossip Girl: Murder & Mayhem are all ranked in the top 100 in sales on Amazon, and still going strong. That’s all due to my loyal fan base and I couldn’t be more thankful for their support.
What’s next?

I have one more episode of my fan fiction to write. My initial plan when the Gossip Girl serial was finished, was to finish a cozy mystery I will be submitting to my publisher, but I’ve been getting such good reviews for my two mysteries and my fans are asking for more, so I’ll be writing Deadly Obsession next, and hope to have it released by December 2013.

I also have nine stories already outlined and will be writing those as well. There’s just not enough hours in the day! Six are cozy mysteries—the Cape May Capers series, but they’re not the typical Aunt Maddie’s Tea House type cozies with cats as the main focus. Mine are serious mysteries with triplet sleuths whom the police find extremely annoying, but they always help solve the case, and of course, give their police department the credit. The others are romantic suspense, again, the romance being secondary between the two partners.

If you haven’t already guessed, I’m self-motivated, never sit idle without doing something else at the same time, and I’m always looking forward to the future. My personality summed up into three words? I love life!

In closing, I’m offering three prizes to three lucky people who leave a comment for me. The winners will be chosen at random and will have their choice of a digital copy of The Last Witness, Elusive Justice or Gossip Girl: Murder & Mayhem. Thank you for stopping by.
Cynthia, thank you so much for your generous offer to join you today!

Biography
Multi-published author, Carolyn Hughey, who writes humorous contemporaries with a side dish of romance, and her alter ego of K. T. Roberts, who writes mysteries with a twist, lives in Arizona.
Originally a Jersey Girl, Carolyn is an author under Amazon’s Montlake Romance imprint. All of Carolyn’s books are available in paperback and digital formats. Cupid’s Web and Shut Up and Kiss Me were her first two releases. As a former chef, Carolyn was commissioned by her publisher to write a cooking series, Romancing the Chef’s Toque. Books One and Two, Dishing Up Romance and One Menu at a Time and Catering to Love are all available. All include recipes.

If you like to cook, if you like to eat, and if you’d like to find out some of the hilarious things that happen in restaurant kitchens, then these books are for you.

In October 2012, Carolyn released a Christmas anthology entitled Mistletoe and Magic, her contribution being Insanity Claus

In June of 2013, Kindle Worlds released Carolyn’s first young adult fiction, Gossip Girl: Lover’s, Liars and Thou, and a more recently released serial, Gossip Girl: Murder & Mayhem.

K.T. Roberts currently has two mysteries available, The Last Witness and Elusive Justice, with a cozy mystery series currently in the works. Also written by this alter ego are Magnetic Attraction and Educating Daphne, both slightly spicy contemporary romances.

Visit Carolyn and K.T.’s website at http://carolynhughey.com, her blog at http://carolyn-hughey.blogspot.com, and her author page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolyn-HugheyK-T-Roberts/380274958712901

Link to Catering to Love is: http://amzn.com/B00E6DBXA8

Link to GG: Murder & Mayhem is: http://amzn.com/B00FDWCMBU