Please welcome Allison Merritt to our blog today.  One lucky commentor will win a copy of a book, so please leave a comment..

How did you get started writing?

I’ve been writing since childhood, but in middle school I made up my mind to be a writer after one of my friends declared she was going to be a writer. She moved on, but it stuck with me. A few years ago I took a break from it, but eventually the need to tell stories came back to me and here I am.

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

I started out writing historical romances and a contemporary romance, but lately with the interest in steampunk and the glow cast by movies like Sherlock Holmes, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Jonah Hex, I really wanted to get into writing some fantasy/adventure/steampunk romances. It’s so exciting to put a different twist on the past.

1. Tell us about your current series.

The Treasure Hunter’s Lady is an fantasy/steampunk romance about a fiery British adventurer’s daughter and a brash Texas cowboy who have to find a legendary jewel in order to save the lives of people who are dear to them. They don’t intend to fall in love because she believes he’s after the treasure to sell it to the highest bidder and he thinks she’s a giant pain in the butt, but as they face a journey to the Dakota Territories, evil henchmen, a band of Indians and a mythical serpent, they learn they can’t live without each other.

1. What movie best describes your life?  Why?

It might sound funny, but I like to relate my life to a horse movie like Seabiscuit or Secretariat. You always see these horses that grow to be champions after they have a rough start or life throws them a curve, but they bounce back to win a race. I like to think that with the ups and downs life gives me, I’ll manage to break from the pack and win by a dozen lengths, but heck, I’ll be happy to win by a nose too.

1. What inspired your latest book?

I was working on a historical romance set in Australia when I started researching aboriginal myths. I read one about a god called the Rainbow Serpent, who created the world and controlled the waterways. Originally The Treasure Hunter’s Lady was set in Australia, but I had a hard time selling it to agents and publishers, so I revised it to set it in America. I had to research additional myths to supplement the plot line and change so many things. It has an entirely different ending than the first draft, but every second of revisions was worth the ending it has now.

1. What is your favorite part of writing?

The adventure of not knowing where the characters will end up. That and writing the dialogue. I like my characters with a lot of spark and clashing personalities at first, so they keep me entertained.

1. What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing. I’ll look at a manuscript until my eyes cross and still miss little details.

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

My next project is a novel called The Sky Pirate’s Wife. I started writing it during NaNoWriMo in 2010 and am working on a second draft of it now. I hope to have it out by fall 2012 or early 2013.

1. What is your typical day like?

Work, work, work. I’m a full-time cataloger at my county library, so I’m always surrounded by books. There’s plenty of time at the circulation desk too, so I often take the opportunity to write—by hand, which I later type out. Then I go home and I might go out with my husband to dinner or we’ll stay in and watch a movie. I also do critiques in the evenings and work on the Sky Pirate’s Wife.

1. How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

I always try to mention it in the afternoons on Twitter. I heard someone say more people are active in the afternoons, therefore more likely to take a chance on something they haven’t seen or read before. I keep people posted on Facebook too when I’ve just put something up and I blog two-three times a week and hopefully people are getting the message there too.

I have pretty good friends on Facebook and in my local writer’s group. They can always be counted on to buy and spread the word when I have something out. You can never have too many friends eager to pass you along. I hope some of the purchases have been made when a reader stumbled along through my blog. I’d like to think I can hook ’em that way.

1. How has your experience with self-publishing been?

So far things have been pretty slow, though they’re starting to pick up. I have two short stories up besides The Treasure Hunter’s Lady. The contemporary one is free at Smashwords and I’m pleased with the downloads. The other is a western and I think people aren’t really into westerns these days.

I love the control self-publishing allows me. I decide what the covers look like, I decide when to publish, it’s very freeing.

1. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

I’ve loved stories about the Old West since I was a teenager, so the ideas for the steampunks sort of stem from that—making up the technology for this is much harder. The historicals are the same way, I read a lot of Louis L’Amour and Leigh Greenwood with their great tales about the men and women who forged paths and took chances on love. The contemporaries are usually spur of the moment type stories, both of the shorts I have out now that are contemporary just popped into my head.

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

I really wondered if I could do it. I’m not very tech-savvy and I’m very shy, so I worry that people think I’m cramming my stories down their throats when I advertise them on my Facebook fanpage and my Twitter account. But when I sat down to learn how to format, just out of simple curiosity more than anything else, I was amazed at how easy it was. If you have a document that you can work with as you read the instructions for formatting (I started with Mark Coker’s e-book about how to format for Smashwords), then you can work on it step-by-step. I’m very visual, so that worked well for me. I also made the cover of The Treasure Hunter’s Lady, which wasn’t too difficult, but a little more frustrating. I recommend getting someone to make a cover for you if you can afford it. I still agonize over my font colors. If you have the knowledge and a good work and the determination to put it all together, don’t hesitate. There are so many people willing to help you if you network a lot and take advantage of that. You’ll never know what you can accomplish if you hide your stories in the closet and worry that you won’t be a success.

I’m very lucky to have science fiction writer and my friend Linda Andrews with us today.  Linda will be giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commenter, so leave a comment for a chance to win.!

How did you get started writing?

I got started in writing the same way many authors do. I read. A lot. When I’m on a break from writing, I can read two small books a day or one large book plus start another book. I would go to the library every couple of weeks and take home stacks of books. Then one day, I noticed my favorite lines were disappearing. So I made up my own stories. In my head, of course. Until one day, my husband challenged me to write them down. I hate writing. It’s hard and I knew that going in. But I love a challenge and so I wrote. That book will never see the light of day. But the next one was published.

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

I do what every smart writer should avoid. I write in multiple genres. At first, I stuck to romance. But even then I was all over the map. My first published book was an historical, Ghost of a Chance with a ghost as a secondary character. My second was a contemporary with the magic of Christmas. Then I branched out into fantasy romances which inevitably led to SciFi romances that got darker and darker, until I leapt into horror and apocalyptic fiction and receded into Urban SciFi. Because writing is still a challenge to me, I have to be really excited about the story–hence the genre jumping. The moral of the story is that I didn’t pick the genres, they picked me.

Tell us about your current series.

Blue Maneuver is the start of an Urban SciFi series. What is an Urban SciFi? Well, I did kinda make the term up, but in short it is about extraterrestrials here on Earth. Oh, it gets better. Because I love conspiracies and there are plenty of documentary series about UFOs, I incorporated much of them into the series. And did I mention that many of the extraterrestrials are human? There’s also a minimum of technology used and it’s in disguise so you won’t see a laser pistol. However, you might see a key fob that shoots lasers. I do love my tech.

What movie best describes your life?  Why?

That’s a tough one. Since I watch a lot of horror movies, I’m glad my life doesn’t resemble any of those. Or has there been any zombies… Although, I haven’t been getting much sleep lately and my kids aren’t exactly morning people. Hmm, I’d have to say Miracle on 34^th Street. Sappy I know. But I can be somewhat narrow-minded but my husband keeps me grounded as do my children. They also allow me to dream and share theirs with me. But most of all, I have my personal Santa who helps me get the things that are really important, like our current house—which sold 3 times but each one fell through until we were able to make an offer on it. Of course, I do believe in Santa. My husband just tells me he loves me which is code for: I won’t have you locked up.

What inspired your latest book?

Between the overindulgence of ancient alien theories, I watched a documentary that hinted that modern humans may have been on the planet for more than a million years. That’s a long time to be pounding rock. Heck, 53,000 years is a long time to pound rocks. So I got to thinking—what if we weren’t pounding rocks and picking lice off each other for all that time. What if we had left the planet multiple times in the past before the civilizations imploded? And what if Atlantis was one of those civilizations? And what if those space-faring humans wanted to come home again? And so a story was born.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Coming up with the idea for a story. Then it’s all in the dream stage, no fumbling for words, no trying to transcribe the images inside my head.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Filling in the blank page. I love editing, hammering at those words to get them just write, but putting them on the paper with that blinking cursor taunting me, can be a bit intimidating. To overcome it, I sometimes write with my eyes closed. Which can be disastrous is my fingers are one the wrong keys.

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

Ah, I have so many. I am currently seeking an editor for two of my SciFi romance novels. They are part of a series which is set in space—sleeping beauty is awakened by a cyborg Knights Templar. I currently have to finish up a PNR comedy set around Valentine’s Day due out next year. But the next thing I’ll be writing is the second book in my apocalyptic series, Redaction—complete with nuclear meltdown.

What is your typical day like?

I roll out of bed about 4:30 to feed the cats and walk the dog. Then it’s a shower and dressing for work. I eat breakfast while checking emails and book sales/reviews. Off to twitter and FB to see if I’ve come up with something clever to say or respond to. Then I drive to work—where it’s more emails, then depending on the day I’m working on my instrument, crunching data, cleaning glassware and my labs, or performing my chemical extractions. Occasionally, I jot down ideas in a notebook for my story. During my breaks/lunch I haul out the ipad and pound out a scene. Then it’s back to reviewing data, entering data and reading journals, if there’s time. After I swing by and pick up my son, I head home where I put dinner on then make a quick walk around the park or sweep the pool and check on the plants. After dinner, I sit at the computer, check emails and sales, write some more while listening to songs on YouTube. Then if it’s Tuesdays or Thursdays, I stop at seven pull out my scrapbooking or quilting stuff and craft for an hour. At eight, I help my daughter with homework and do the dishes plus assorted chores. Then I’ll check emails or write just a smidge more before shutting down the computer and going to be at 9. Glamorous I know.

How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

I spend about two hours promoting, but it’s not all about me and my works. I try to visit my favorite blogs and when an author I know is blogging on another site, I stop by and comment, sometimes even buy the book. I’ll do reviews for books that I can rate 3 stars or higher, but I won’t score lower just because I understand how much work goes into creating one. I also retweet things of interest and let my followers know if an author I love is blogging and/or offering a giveaway. As for what works, I haven’t a clue. I just decided to do a blog tour. The first couple months I set up myself. The next couple, I’m going through a service. So we’ll see how that works in spreading the word about my books.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve been very fortunate to fall in with a bunch or Indie pubs that approach it with professionalism and a long term approach (Thanks Bella Streetfor the introduction). I’ve learned a lot from them and they are very supportive. Even though my husband hasn’t read my stuff, he’s extremely supportive of everything I do. My family and friends are the same, plus there’re my fellow writers through my local RWA chapter. I’m never alone which says a lot because writing is a solitary business.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Everywhere! My brain is one giant index file that is constantly cross referencing things and spitting out ideas. I faithfully record them in a notebook. Most I won’t get back to but a few have actually seen the light of day—Redaction was a story 10 years in the making.

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

Know your craft, thicken your skin and find others like you. Plus, my favorite, never stop learning.

Do you have critique partners?

I used to have 9. Now I’m down to 3. That’s not counting family who also critique my works but they’re more beta readers.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

Red Devil pepperoni pizza. It’s thin crust with a tangy tomato sauce, just enough cheese and pepperoni so no one has to fight over it. Okay, now I’m starting to drool.

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

Pretty likely. My characters are a bit like Frankenstein’s monsters. They’re pieces kulled from many people. Rae, my heroine in Blue Maneuver, started with my critique partner Kim—she’s an accountant and doesn’t really like scifi. From that, she grew piece by piece until she became the character she is now.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

The extraterrestrials have landed, and they’re human. The only thing preventing Earth from becoming a battlefield is an unemployed accountant and her Smartphone.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Rae doesn’t believe in aliens nor is she tech savvy. The perfect heroine for a scifi novel, wouldn’t you say?  Her compassion is her strength—she does genuinely care from those around her, even the icky looking aliens. But the compassion also makes her weak as she wants everyone to be happy. Except those trying to kill her, of courseJ

Here is the blurb:

The extraterrestrials have landed and they’re human.

Rae Hemplewhite didn’t believe in aliens until a close encounter with out-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her.

And that’s the good news.

The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn’t keep her witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.

Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

Website

For those who would like to follow my tour, I’ll be at Sapphire Phelan‘s talking about Rae’s vow not to swear on Monday and talking about the two men in Rae’s life on Tracy Sumner’s blog, Friday the 10^th .

I’m very pleased to have Margaret Daley with me today.  She will be giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commentor, so please leave a comment for a chance to win.

1.    How did you get started writing?

I have been writing for over thirty years. I was an avid reader of romances, especially historical ones, years ago and decided to see if I could put a story down on paper. This was before the computer was popular. I wrote my first books by longhand then typed them. So different from today.

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

I started out in the secular market writing romances, mostly contemporary with a couple of historical ones. Then in 2000 I sold my first book to Harlequin’s inspirational line (Love Inspired) and made the shift to writing Christian romances (and romantic suspense books). I love writing for that market, but I have decided to re-release some of my older books as ebooks. I’m updating them and making a few changes then self-publishing them.

3.    Tell us about your current series.

My first out of print I’m reissuing is Deadly Race, a romance with a suspense/adventure element to it. The next one is Love Gone to the Dogs, a light contemporary romance with a zany cast of characters. I have several more after that.

4.   What movie best describes your life?  Why?

The movies I watch are usually suspense/thrillers. Thankfully my life does not reflect those movies. Truthfully I can think of one.

5.    What inspired your latest book?

My latest book is Deadly Race. It was written originally years ago, but what inspired the story are movies like Romancing the Stone. Fun, suspenseful, romantic.

6.    What is your favorite part of writing?

Coming up with the story and putting it all together.

7.    What is your least favorite part of writing?

Rewriting and rewriting.

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

My next self-published work is Love Gone to the Dogs which I hope will be out by the time this blog goes up. Then I will be working on the book, The Lady and the Cop.

9.    What is your typical day like?

I write most of the day, especially when I’m under contract. I do a lot of my interviews, answering emails, etc at night.

10.    How much time do you spend promoting your books?

What works best for you? I’m spending more and more time on promoting and I don’t know what works best for me. I suppose the most important thing an author can do is write the best book she can. I answer emails and letters sent to me and try to have a presence on several social media places.

11.  How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve just started and have a lot to learn.

12.  Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

From everywhere. A lot of time I don’t really know. They just occur.

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

Learn the craft, write the best book you can and then learn how to promote yourself. I wish you all good luck

Excerpt:

When you’re desperate, you do things you’d never do otherwise, Ellie Winters thought as she spied the neon sign that might possibly lead to her salvation. American Bar, Hotel Grande Costa.

Dressed in a blue satin jump suit, she paused in the doorway to the bar and glanced over her shoulder to see if those two goons—King Kong and Godzilla—were still following her. They were. Her heart beat faster. Her throat went dry. This wasn’t turning out the way it was supposed to.

Her new job was supposed to be an adventure in a country she’d never been to. Instead, she felt trapped and that frightened her enough to seek help from a total stranger. Now all she had to do was find that stranger.

Ellie moved farther into the room, scanning the dimly lit bar. She had to come up with a way out of this mess. Calling the police was out of the question, since her employer was best friends with the chief of police, and frankly right now she didn’t want to draw any more attention to herself than she already had. That was what got her into this mess in the first place. That, and the fact she was too curious for her own good.

When she heard a deep male voice, low and gruff, but definitely speaking English, her gaze fixed on a fellow American sitting at a table with another man, talking earnestly to his companion. The second man rose, said something she couldn’t hear to the American and left.

Her hand came up to touch the brooch she wore for good luck. For just a few seconds she allowed herself to feel relieved and thought finally things would work out for her. But when she saw the two goons enter the bar, her newfound optimism faltered. With a quick glance around the place, she drew in a deep breath and made her move toward the American.

“Finally I’ve found someone who speaks English,” Ellie said in a breathless voice. “You know everyone around Bella Isla speaks Spanish.”

Surprised, the man just looked at her.

* * *

Slade Calvert glanced about him, wondering if this woman had mistaken him for someone else, and noticed more than one man in the bar was covetously staring at her. Her startling beauty commanded men’s attention when she entered a room.

The woman sat in the vacant chair at his table. “You don’t mind if I join you?” Her big, blue eyes appealed to him as she leaned forward and extended her hand to him. “I’m Eleanor Winters, fellow American. But you can call me Ellie. Everyone does. I’ve just been away from home too long and I hardly speak the local language. Of course, not from want of trying, but I just don’t have an ear for foreign languages. Next time I’m going to a place where they speak English. Although that was exactly why I was hired to teach English, not Spanish. I have a friend who is a travel agent, and she said I wouldn’t have any problem getting my ideas across.”

Probably her friend was banking on some man not caring what she said, Slade thought as he took in the woman sitting across from him at the suddenly very small table. The soft scent of vanilla wafted to him. “I’m Slade Calvert.” A few minutes’ diversion wouldn’t harm him, and he could appreciate a beautiful woman as much as the next man. Like any healthy, red-blooded male it was hard to resist one when she practically sat in his lap.

The waitress appeared at her side, and Ellie immediately said, “I’ll take a rum punch with a little umbrella and a pineapple slice in it.” She indicated an umbrella and pineapple slice with her fingers. “It’s so …” she waved her hand in the air as though searching for the right word, “so tropical. I feel when you go to a foreign country you should do what the locals do. Don’t you think?” She didn’t give him time to answer but continued her chatter, bending even closer as though to impart a secret. “I think you should blend in when you’re traveling abroad.”

This woman would blend in about as well as a neon light in the dead of night, Slade thought, and gave their order to the waitress in Spanish.

When he returned his appraising gaze to the woman sitting next to him, he was struck again with the one fact that overrode all others: she was drop-dead gorgeous. A mass of silver-blonde curls framed her delicately featured face. Her sky blue eyes were fringed in dark lashes that made her eyes appear large. Her figure was voluptuous, not disguised one bit in her satiny jump suit.

* * *

Ellie shifted beneath this man’s suddenly sharp, probing gaze, crossing her legs then uncrossing them. She had latched onto the nearest American male, praying he would be easy to manage; she was definitely having second thoughts about this one. Even though he was sitting down, she could tell he was over six feet tall and his body was in superb physical condition, as revealed by the white short sleeve shirt that didn’t conceal his muscles. But what arrested her the most about this stranger was his hard, rugged features, a firm jaw line, piercing, jade green eyes, a nose that had been broken at least once, and a tiny scar beneath his left eye. She wondered how he had acquired it.

Inwardly she shivered. “I just love those little drinks with all the fruit in them. If you’re going to drink, you might as well get some nutritional value, don’t you think?” Why she ordered a rum punch was beyond her. She didn’t drink alcohol, but then she’d been so nervous when she’d spied the two men making their way into the bar right behind her, she hadn’t thought about what she was saying.

“If you want nutrition, drink milk.”

“Milk is good, too, and definitely nutritional. After all, that’s what babies are raised on the first months of their lives, but I doubt they have milk in here.” She always chattered when she was nervous and boy, was she nervous. Slanting a look over her shoulder at King Kong and Godzilla, Ellie noticed the two goons had taken a table near her. Her heart slammed against her chest. Why had she accepted the governess job? Look where it had gotten her. All she had wanted to do was see the world. Ellie leaned even closer to the American, keeping her voice pitched low so the two goons couldn’t hear. “Why are you in Bella Isla?”

“Business.”

“Oh, what kind?” Bodyguard would be good.

“I work for a computer company. Why are you in Bella Isla? You said something about teaching English to two children.”

A computer nerd? How was that going to help her? “Yes, I took a governess job here because I heard the beaches were great here. But there are so many soldiers around you can’t even get to them. What a disappointment. I should have tanned by now and just look at me. Pale as a ghost.” She didn’t add that the real reason she hadn’t tanned was that she had been a virtual prisoner at her employer’s villa. She needed this man’s help, and she didn’t want to scare him away, even if he sat in front of a computer all day. At least he was American.

“Lady, do you know a revolution is about to break loose here?”

“I’m sure they’ll get everything straightened out. Fighting is such a waste of time.” And right now she couldn’t deal with a revolution when she was sure her employer had sent two men to find her and follow her. She wondered when Godzilla and King Kong would make their move and seize her. The feeling of being trapped escalated.

I’m very pleased to have CJ Snyder with me today.  CJ will be giving one commentor a PDF copy of her latest book, While You Were Dead.  I’ve read it and can tell you it is wonderful.

How did you get started writing?

When I was six I wrote a poem.  My mother said it was extremely good.  As the oldest of four, I took that to mean I was very talented and should pursue a career in writing.  Lol, okay, not really.  I’ve always loved writing and things writing-related i.e. blank pages, office supply stores, freshly sharpened pencils…

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

When I was six, Santa brought me six Nancy Drew mysteries.  I had them all read by New Year’s Day.  When I was 14 I discovered Daphne du Maurier and the die was cast in solid lead.  I write Romantic Suspense.

Tell us about your current series.

The Black Fire series is about a group of men who are sanctioned to do the things no one talks about.  They work as a unit, in the country or out of the country, and they break all the rules.  It’s been fun getting to know them, getting into why they would choose this solitary lifestyle, and then watching them meet their perfect mates.

What move best describes your life?  Why?

American Dreamer.  It’s about a woman who’s married to a man who pats her on the head, but totally disregards her writing.  She wins a contest, flies to Paris, and meets the love of her life.  (Okay, so the Paris part isn’t like my life, and no one has ever tried to kill me but other than that…)

What inspired your latest book?

I brainstormed the Black Fire series with my late husband, and it’s still growing.  A new hero popped up in the middle of Dead Reckoning Book II which will be out later this year.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Whisking away to foreign locales, with dangerous men and beautiful women, all without leaving the safety of my chair.  Oh, wait—that’s reading.  Yep,  that’s what I like most about writing too.  There’s a soul-satisfying thump when all the pieces fall together that’s unlike anything else.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing.  Hates it, I does!

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

I’ll have Maverick available at Amazon for Valentine’s Day.  It’s finished, just have to convert to kindle.  I’m hard at work on Dead Reckoning, Book II in the Black Fire series.

What is your typical day like?

I work as an office manager, so I have to slide my writing in when I can.  I have a great critique group (We are Scripsi) who keep me motivated and on-track.  I’m a widow with grown children so my free time is pretty much my own.

How much time do you spend promoting your books?

What works best for you?  Facebook, twitter (learning –I’m learning!), and advertising at RomConInc.com have all worked well for me.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I absolutely love it.  You have control.  You don’t have anyone telling you, “but you can’t do it that way.”  Self-publishing lets the reader be the judge.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Everywhere.  The idea for the start of Maverick came to me while I was on the freeway in rush hour traffic.  I grabbed a pencil and jotted notes in between the starts and stops.  Sometimes I’ll dream a scene—usually the black moment scene or a beginning scene.

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

Find a friend who has already traveled the road and follow her advice! (Thanks, Cynthia!)

Do you have critique partners?

The very best in the whole world.  We’ll be having a blog up in a bit where we’ll take turns blogging about our different worlds.  We are a strange group: historical, outer space, scientific, contemporary hilarity, romantic suspense and criminal minds.  Put it all in a blender and you get us:  We are Scripsi.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

Dark chocolate anything.  Comfort food.

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

That’s a trick question, isn’t it?  I must say I’ve killed off a few people I didn’t like in my time, but they wouldn’t recognize themselves.  Fair warning, though…be nice to the lady who kills people in her books.

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

None of the above.  My stories thrive on all three.  The hardest thing for me is to fill in the white space.  The rooms, the scenery—I just don’t think about it when I write the first draft.  It virtually always has to be filled in later, unless it’s a part of the conflict.  In Maverick, there’s a scene where the heroine decides to camp out on the Grand Mesa in eastern Colorado.  She’s utterly unprepared for the quick-moving weather system.  Luckily, the hero is hot on her trail.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

More like a long and winding road.  Just have to say, I’m awfully glad to be at this end of it!

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.   While You Were Dead:  The hero is a sniper with one last job to do.  Sadly, that job will cost him everything.  The heroine had her heart broken when Max disappeared.  When he turns up ten years later, not dead, and with their daughter calling him, “Uncle Max”, she’s astonished and then angry.  When their daughter disappears, they have to work together to unravel the mystery of who and why.  Time is running out.

Maverick:  Maggie Chambers will do anything to save the only family she has left.  Including robbing an FBI agent at gunpoint.  Jack Myles is the best tracker in the country.  He’s been that close to catching Maggie for two years.  Now he’s got her.  Will he turn her in or help her catch the killer who wants her dead?

Dead Reckoning:  Ten years ago, Mykael’s life was destroyed with a single gunshot from a sniper.  Determined to avenge her husband, she’ll stop at nothing to gain the sniper’s secret identity.  Black Fire Intel specialist Ghost has to deal with a woman who knows far too much about their team.  Someone wants her dead.  Can he find out who in time to save her?

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like?

No view.  I live in the basement.  Don’t need a view, because the scene is inside my head.  Out on our deck I have a lovely view of the Rockies, though.

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

Max is black and white.  Everything in his life either fits or doesn’t.  Except for Kat.  Trying to get her round curves to fit in his military-square box makes him crazy.  On the plus side, he’s gorgeous and has a heart of absolute gold.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Kat doesn’t know her own strengths.  She’s fought a genetic curse ever since she was ten when her perfectly normal mother was convicted of killing her father.  She doubts herself, except when it comes to protecting her daughter.  She’ll do anything to keep her safe

Available now at Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/While-Were-Dead-Black-ebook/dp/B006PTW9WW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=gift-cards&ie=UTF8&qid=1325275421&sr=1-1-catcorr

I’m very pleased to have Jennifer Zane on my blog today.  Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her hilarious new romance, Gnome On The Range.

How did you get started writing?

A co-worker and I were discussing how easy it would be to write a romance novel. I said I would do it. It’s not as easy as I thought–to write any genre of book–but I stuck with it. For ten years.

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

I write Contemporary. I like to think of it as Humorous Contemporary with a Mystery. I consider myself lighthearted, but I can’t tell a joke to save my life. Instead, I like to write about life’s hiccups, the things every reader can relate to, and make fun of them.

Tell us about your current series.

I have one book out, so I’ll say it’s the first book in a series! It is set in a small town in Montana. A young widow has two boys. She works at her mother-in-law’s adult store and has a hot new neighbor. She and her children buy two ceramic garden gnomes at a garage sale. Someone wants the gnomes back and is willing to kill for them. Between an eccentric mother-in-law, a hot neighbor, two kids and someone trying to kill her, life is pretty crazy!

What move best describes your life?  Why?

Calm. In comparison to my heroine, life is pretty dull! Although, I dare to find anyone with similar challenges to Jane!

What inspired your latest book?

I lived in Montana for five years. The book is loosely–very loosely–based on my time there, people I met, things my children did.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Making myself laugh.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Proofing. Yuck.

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

I’m contemplating my next book–to really make a series!–set in Montana. This time it will be set in the dead of winter, a completely different set of problems come up when it’s -10.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Some ideas are from life experience. Yes, my son really did get his arm stuck. Not sharing the details here, you have to read the book.

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

Do it. There’s nothing to lose.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes! Each has a completely different genre and writing style so we’re great for each other. Couldn’t write without their support.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

Anything I don’t have to cook myself. Put it in front of me and I’ll eat it.

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

There is very high chance of recognizing a nuance of yourself, although I never use someone in their entirety.

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

Fear. I always wonder if they’re scared enough.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Ever have buyer’s remorse? Jane does. For some reason, the ceramic garden gnomes she bought for her two kids have turned her life upside down. Someone wants them, and will kill to get them. She’s next. Attempts on her life are nothing compared to dealing with two crazy kids, a crazier mother-in-law who meddles, and a hot neighbor.

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

He’s a former soldier who’s done some tours in scary places and settles into life back in Montana as a fireman–and Jane’s new neighbor. He’s protective, down-to-earth and wise. But his time fighting the bad guys of the world forces him to keep those he cares about at arm’s length, afraid they might get hurt, or worse.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Jane’s a widow who works in her mother-in-law’s adult store. She has two young boys. She’s an incredible mother, devoting her energy to her kids. But she has no life of her own since her cheating husband died–and even before then. It’s time she discovers who she is as a woman–and Ty’s going to help!

Excerpt:

“I’m not sure which one I want. I didn’t realize there were so many choices!”

The woman wasn’t on the hunt for a new car or juice boxes at the grocery store. Nope. She wanted a dildo. I called her type a Waffler. Someone who contemplated all options before even attempting to make a choice. Because of Miss Waffler, I had ten different dildo models spread out across the counter. Glass, silicone, jelly and battery powered. She needed help.

That’s where I came in. My name is Jane West and I run Goldilocks, the adult store my mother-in-law opened back in the seventies. Story goes she named it after the fairytale character when a mother bear and her two cubs walked down Willson right in front of the store the week before it opened. She called it fate. Or it could have been because her name is Goldie, so it made sense. I started working for her when my husband died, a temporary arrangement that helped her out. Three years later, things had turned long-term temporary.

The store was tasteful considering the offerings. The walls were a fresh white, shelves and displays just like you’d find at the typical department store. Then tasteful made way for tacky. Gold toned industrial carpet like you’d see in Vegas, a photo of a naked woman sprawled artfully across a bearskin rug over the counter. A sixties chandelier graced the meager entry. Goldie had to put her unique stamp on things somehow. It wasn’t a big store, just one room with a storage area and bathroom in back. Whatever she didn’t have in stock—although you’d be amazed at the selection Goldie offered in such a small space—we ordered in.   Montanans were patient shoppers. With few options store-wise in Bozeman, most people ordered everything but the basics from the Internet. There’s one Walmart, one Target, one Old Navy. Only one of everything. In a big city, if you drove two miles you came across a repeat store. Urban sprawl at its finest. Not here, although there were two sets of Golden Arches. One in town and one off the highway for the tourists who needed a Big Mac on the way to Yellowstone. The anchor store of the town’s only mall was a chain bookstore. No Nordstrom or Bass Pro Shop out here. You shopped local or you went home.

In the case of the woman in front of me, I wished she’d just go home.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked helping people and I’m comfortable talking sex toys with anyone. But this time was definitely different. Big time.

Behind Miss Waffler stood a fireman. A really attractive, tall, well muscled one wearing a Bozeman Fire T-shirt and navy pants. Can you say hot? A hot man in uniform? Yup, it was a cliché, but this one was dead-on accurate. He’d come in while I was comparing the various dildo models before I went into the perks of having rotation for best female stimulation. The first time.

“Can you explain the features of each one again?” Miss Waffler had her fingers on the edge of the glass counter as if she were afraid to touch them. Petite, she was slim to the point of anorexic. Her rough voice said smoker, at least a pack a day. Her skin was weathered, either from cigarettes or the Montana weather, and wrinkles had taken over her face. She’d be pretty if she ate something and kicked the habit.

I gave her my best fake smile. “Sure.”

I darted a glance at the fireman over the woman’s shoulder. Sandy hair trimmed military short, blue eyes, strong features. Thirties. A great smile. He seemed perfectly content to wait his turn. If the humorous glint in his eye and the way he bit his lip, most likely to keep from smiling, was any indication, he was clearly enjoying himself. A radio squawked on his belt and he turned it down. Obviously my lesson on sexual aids was more important than a five-alarm fire.

Miss Waffler was completely oblivious of, and unaffected by, the fireman. I now knew why she wanted a dildo. I picked up a bright blue model. “This one is battery powered and vibrates. Three settings. Good for clitoral stimulation.” I put it down and picked up another. “This one is glass. No batteries, so it’s meant for penetration. The best thing about it is you can put it in the freezer or warm it and it provides a varied experience.”

The woman made some ah sounds as I gave the details. I went through all the possibilities with her one at a time. I got to the tenth and final model. “This one is obviously realistic. It’s actually molded from the erect penis of a porn star. It’s made of silicone and has suction cups on the base.”

Fireman peered over the woman’s shoulder as I suction cupped the dildo to the glass counter. Thwap.

“You can attach it to a piece of furniture if you want to keep your hands free.”

Both fireman and Miss Waffler nodded their heads as if they could picture what I was talking about. “I’ll take that one,” she said as she pointed to number ten. The eight inch Whopper Dong.

“Good choice.”

I rang up Miss Waffler’s purchase and she happily went off to take care of business.

And there he was. Mr. Fireman. And me. And dildo display made three.

“Um…thanks for waiting.” I tucked my curly hair behind an ear.

“Sure. You learn something new every day.” He smiled. Not just with his mouth, but with his eyes. Very blue eyes.

Right there, in the middle of my mother-in-law’s sex store, dildos and all, there was a spring thaw in my libido. It had long since gone as cold as Montana in January. Who could have blamed it with all of my dead husband’s shenanigans? But right then I felt my heart rate go up, my palms sweat from nerves. The fireman didn’t seem the least bit phased by my little sex toy talk. I, on the other hand, was having a hot flash like a menopausal woman just looking at him.

“I’m Jane. What can I help you with today?” Hi, I’m Jane. I’m thirty-three. I like hiking in the mountains, cross-country skiing, I’m a Scorpio, and I want to rip that uniform off your hot body. I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts.

He laughed and held out his hand. His grip was firm, his skin warm and a little rough. “Ty. Thanks, but no toys for me.” A pager beeped. He looked at it briefly and ignored it.

“Don’t you need to answer that? A fire or something?” I asked.

“Cat up a tree,” he joked.

I laughed, and heard my nerves in it. I took a deep breath to try and calm my racing heart. It didn’t work. All it did was make me discover how good he smelled. It wasn’t heavy cologne. Soap maybe. I didn’t really care if it was deodorant. He smelled fabulous.

“Actually, it was for station two. I’m here for your fire safety inspection.” He placed papers on the counter. Had he been holding them all this time? I hadn’t noticed. For the next fifteen minutes we went over fire inspection paperwork with an elephant in the room the shape of a dildo.

Ready for more? Get Gnome On The Range at Amazon!