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

Best selling science fiction and paranormal romance author Veronica Scott is my guest today. Veronica has two grown daughters, a grandson and two cats (Keanu and Jake). For her day job she works at a major aerospace Lab (think Mars rovers) in the business side of the house and has been awarded a NASA Exceptional Service Medal for process improvements (but her heart lies with writing romances, not contracts!). She’s published by Carina Press and also self publishes.

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

I write in both science fiction adventure/romance and paranormal romance. I have one series that I’ve been self publishing which occurs in the far future and then my paranormals are set in Ancient Egypt. I’ve always loved science fiction, which is my Dad’s influence, as he kept the book shelves full of all the newest SF. My mother was a frustrated archaeologist, I think, and had every single Time-Life book about ancient civilizations and tons of historical novels on her side of the shelves. So I basically read everything and when I ran out of books to read, I started writing my own. Another excellent piece of advice is to write the book you can’t find on the shelf. Currently I can’t find enough books set in ancient Egypt with a paranormal twist (although of course there are some) and there are just never enough SF romances! Not for a voracious reader like yours truly LOL.

What inspired your latest book?

ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE is set on a planet in my far future universe. The events are loosely inspired by the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion in India, where many British women and children were caught in the middle of a horrific war and people they expected to protect them turned out to be enemies in many cases. I’ve always wondered what I would do if I were caught in a similar situation. So as the book opens, my heroine is a guest of the planetary ruler’s family, in a very isolated locale and she knows things aren’t quite right…well, you’ll see when we get to the book’s blurb below!

How does your family feel about your writing career?

They’re extremely supportive! One of my daughters is also a published novelist and they both have worked as free lance editors so they “get it”.

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

I think promo can take as much of your time as you’ll let it! When I have a book just coming out, I give more time than normal to doing guest blogs, for example (and thank you again for having me here!). I’m a regular blogger and tweeter every day anyway, not just about my books, but life in general. When there’s a new release, the pace does pick up for a few weeks. I’ve bought some ads here and there, promoted a few Facebook posts…Goodreads ads and giveaways are very effective for me. I personally love having a book trailer. I don’t think they actually give the books much of a boost but they make me happy. Truly though, the best promo in the world is writing the next book and getting it out there!

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I LOVE self publishing. I enjoy the control over all aspects of the book – the cover art, the promo, the timing of my next release, no rejection letters LOL…on the flipside, I have to be the one taking care of all the business details, which can cut into the writing time. I enjoy being part of the Carina Press family too though – highly professional and friendly editors, staff and fellow authors. I’ve learned so much from my association with Carina!

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

You really need to have the book professionally edited. That is a MUST, in my opinion. Pay for a professionally created cover, unless you yourself ARE a professional cover artist. Become active on whichever types of social media are comfortable for you (no need to do them all LOL). Realize self publishing is definitely a business. Join one or several of the author loops like the one Marie Force set up, where she and many other highly successful self published authors generously share tips: selfpublish@yahoogroups.com

And of course, keep writing the next book and the one after that…

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

Ironically, I kind of fell into self publishing in January 2012 because I realized it was the year for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking and my SF adventure novel WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM is a loose retelling of the Titanic, set in the far future on a luxury spaceliner. The manuscript was finished but I’d set it aside while working with Carina on my first book for them. There wasn’t any time to go through the process of submitting WRECK anywhere if I was going to time the release with the April 14th anniversary of the sinking. So, long story short, I had the book professionally edited, got a gorgeous cover from artist Fiona Jayde, and got the book out, all in three months. WRECK went on to win an SFR Galaxy Award and became an Amazon kindle SF Best Seller. So, my first experience with self publishing was on the encouraging side and a huge thank you to everyone who bought the book!

It’s available as an e-book, a paperback and an audiobook.

Give us an elevator pitch for your current book, ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE.

Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

That mission proves more dangerous than he expected when rebel fighters attack the village and raze it to the ground. Deverane escapes with Andi, and on their hazardous journey through the wilderness, Andi finds herself fighting her uncomfortable attraction to the gallant and courageous captain. But Deverane’s not the type to settle down, and running for one’s life doesn’t leave much time to explore a romance.

Then Andi is captured by the rebel fighters, but Deverane has discovered that Zulaire’s so-called civil war is part of a terrifying alien race’s attempt to subjugate the entire Sector. If he pushes on to the capitol Andi will die. Deverane must decide whether to save the woman he loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.

What’s next for you?

I have DANCER OF THE NILE coming out in mid October and MAGIC OF THE NILE in January, both self published. (The first two books in this connected series were published by Carina Press. Each book is a standalone story.) I’m working on my next SFR, which also will be self published.

Where can readers find you?

Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads Amazon Author Page Newsletter
I also blog weekly at Word Whores and on Paranormal Romantics on the 13th of every month.

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE is available on AMAZON for kindle and as POD paperback Nook Kobo All Romance eBooks and iTunes Smashwords
You can always find my books on Amazon! Several of my books are available as audiobooks also.

Excerpt from ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE.

Captain Tom Deverane has been trying to persuade Andi Markriss, the heroine, that she needs to leave her host’s isolated summer compound and leave with him now.

“I was told your boss made numerous attempts to get in touch with you, right until the moment he and the rest of the Loxton staff took a ship offworld.”

“Dave left Zulaire? They’ve all gone?” Now Andi fell back into the chair, raising a small puff of dust from the plush cushion beneath her. A wave of nausea rippling through her gut, she ran a hand through her hair, looping the tendrils behind her ear. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would my boss and my co-workers leave without me? Why wouldn’t the Tonkilns tell me? You’re still not making sense.”

Deverane came to hunker down in front of her chair, caging her with his arms, invading her personal space. Inhaling sharply, she caught a whiff of musk and forest and man, threaded with some delicious spicy note. She glanced down at his hands, strong, capable, locked on the chair close to her body. As if to calm an upset child, his voice was soothing and low. “Relax. We can get you offplanet in a military transport once you’re safely in the capital.”

She lifted her head, gazing straight into his eyes. Half-formed thoughts chased each other in her mind. The longer he talked, the more nervous she got, but it was still all too much to take in. Loxton only pulled staff offworld in the most serious situations. I haven’t heard a whiff of trouble. Dave wouldn’t have left me behind. Would he?

Deverane touched her arm lightly. “There have been incidents all summer. People disappearing, vehicles abandoned on the transportway with no sign of the occupants. There have even been some small-scale massacres in isolated villages, both Obati and Shenti. The violence keeps escalating. Command thinks a full-blown war is only a breath away, waiting for some convenient incident to touch it off. Lord Tonkiln and the others have chosen to keep things quiet, leaving their families at risk out here in order to demonstrate their belief in their own supremacy. Putting on a pretense of things going along as usual. Or else they refuse to see what’s coming. Civilians.”

He might as well have said idiots.

Deverane frowned at her, three deep wrinkles marring the strong sweep of his forehead. “Are you prepared to take the same risk?”

He’s invading my personal space, damn it. I don’t intimidate that easily, pal. She pushed at his rock-hard shoulders. Standing, he moved away a pace or two, still keeping his eyes locked on her. Licking her lips, Andi smoothed down her silky skirt. “You’re insinuating my hosts have deceived me and deliberately put me in harm’s way? I find that insulting.”

Eyes closed, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re a pawn to them.” Now he reopened his eyes and flung his arms out, hands wide open. “You mean nothing to them. If you’re going to refuse my offer of evacuation, then you’d better be ready to take care of yourself, because I guarantee you the Obati won’t.”

Please help me welcome Suzanne Perazzini to my blog today. Suzanne in addition to giving me a great interview is generously giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky commentor, so be sure and comment.

Tell us about yourself.

Since a child, I have been driven to explore, look beyond and seek change. This took me to the Fiji Islands on Volunteer Service Abroad at eighteen and after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Auckland, to Italy, where I stayed for the next decade. I had been out to conquer the world but instead met the man who was to become my lifelong companion. While he studied and did military service, I taught English and travelled.
But the settling down bug caught up with me. I returned to New Zealand, husband in tow, bought a house, started up a business in the fashion industry and had a baby.

For many years we worked, worried, renovated houses and homeschooled our son who now has a degree in architecture and is studying for a second degree in design, specialising in photography.

We currently live in a house overlooking the Pacific Ocean and I work in real estate.

In my free time, I am a photographer and food blogger. www.strandsofmylife.com is a blog about my food journey towards great health.

In my other free time, I write books. Writing is a channel for ideas and feelings which manifest themselves in words to create a story with the ability to make readers feel. I hope I manage to stir the emotions in readers which I experience while writing my novels.

I now have eight published books. I read all the time – anything from women’s fiction to thrillers. If I don’t have a book on the go, I feel bereft and centreless. Yes, that’s a word – I think.

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

I have travelled extensively to over 40 countries and have lived in New Zealand, Italy and the Fiji Islands. I probably already live in the ideal country – New Zealand. I would prefer it to be a little less windy and warmer in winter but otherwise I don’t believe any of us here can complain too much about this country.

Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

I have a full time job but would love to be able to concentrate on my writing and my food blog and maybe that will happen before too long but for now I divide my time between work, my family, my writing and my food blog.

Do you have other talents? Or is there a talent you don’t have that you wish you did?

I have been a fashion designer, teacher and now work in real estate but currently I split my spare time between marketing my published novels and my food blog, which gets around 60,000 views a month: www.strandsofmylife.com It does cause a constant dilemma of where to focus my attention but I can’t decide between these outside-work interests and so feel constantly harried but all the pressing matters that assail me like a very full inbox.

How did you get started writing?

I started writing my first novel when I was in my early twenties but I gave it to a friend to read and she said it sounded like a Mills & Boon book and that put me off writing for a long time. I now have a profound respect for the talent of romance writers but, at the time, I felt like a failure because that wasn’t what I was trying to write. I started again a little over a decade ago and had some immediate success which encouraged me and kept me wiring through all the ups and downs that are a part of this industry.

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

I am an eclectic writer and love trying different genres from thrillers to Young Adult but there is always a suspense thread through all my books. Romance is often present but can be of secondary importance to the action.

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

I have written about 18 books, both fiction and non-fiction about my travels. I had three published but have since got the rights back for two and am working on getting the third back and have self-published seven. My favourite should be Beneath the Surface which won the Romance Writers of Australia R*by Award in the Romantic Elements category a few years back but actually it is Merciless Truth, which is hard-hitting story about the war of secession of Katanga from the Congo in the 1960s. It is a tough story based on extensive research and conversations with my uncle who lives in Zambia and who was a mercenary pilot in that war. The story centers around a woman journalist and a mercenary pilot whose wife had been killed in the war. It is also now available in print as well as a kindle download.

All self-pubbed books are rumoured to be shoddily edited. What do you say to that?

I think many self-published books could do with a bit of a polish but many are already professionally published and on a par with any traditionally published books. I am an ex-English teacher and do a better job of editing than any professional so I am very confident that my books can hold their own against the best of them.

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

It was very difficult and one than can still bring me to tears and spanned ten years of acceptance and rejection. This can be a cruel industry that can destroy the weaker among us but, if it is a passion, we can now take our fate into our own hands by self-publishing.

Where can readers find you?

Readers can find all my books on my Amazon Author’s page here: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Perazzini/e/B00D40FWHO
They could also find me on my website: www.suzanneperazzini.com or my new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSuzannePerazzini

They can buy Merciless Truth on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Merciless-Truth-Suzanne-Perazzini/dp/1490561307/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375262424&sr=1-1

CHAPTER ONE

KATANGA, THE CONGO
EARLY DECEMBER 1962

‘Return to base, repeat, return to base,’ Dan’s voice crackled across the air space between his Harvard and the other three planes.

‘Roger, out,’ came back the replies.

Dan glanced below at the mushrooming cloud of dust and smoke – the legacy their bombs had bestowed upon the column of ANC soldiers who had dared to venture beyond the Katangan border. He felt no pleasure at the mayhem he had helped to create below but he had a job to do, and that was to keep the Central Congolese Army out of the independent state of Katanga. It was two and a half years since Tshombe had proclaimed the state’s secession. When the hell would they give up and go home? Still, it was bloody good money flying for Tshombe, so it was of little consequence to him if it continued for years. Most of the ground force mercenaries burnt out before their six-month contracts expired, but up here in the air, above the claustrophobia of the jungle, he could detach his emotions and fly for flying’s sake.

‘Rats at four o’clock, angels one.’ Nick’s voice tore through Dan’s thoughts. He glanced behind, up to the right. There they were. In the distance, two sleek Canberra jets, as long as they were wide, turning towards them. They were primarily bombers, but could be looking for a bit of action – trying to spook them.

‘Bloody do-gooders!’ Dan’s sweaty palms slipped against the control column. ‘Evasive action only. Turnabout right when I say go.’ He held course, his head turned towards the United Nations jets as they lined them up from behind. ‘They’re coming in now…steady…hold your position.’

Shafts of white light pierced the air as the sun reflected off the cold metal of the planes.
‘Turnabout right. Go! Go! Go!’ Dan bellowed.

In unison they turned. Steep and tight. Almost one-eighty degrees. Dead ahead the jets were startled by the counterattack of their prey and banked steeply, forced to break away. Their underbellies flashed pale and racks of bombs glinted like teeth as they swooped silently past, their sound far behind.

Again Dan yelled, ‘Turnabout right. Go!’

As they turned to follow the retreating jets, Dan saw them climb and bank back around towards them. He wouldn’t fire. Goddamn it. He wouldn’t fire. They were the United Nations after all – a peacekeeping force. Peacekeeping? Like hell. Perspiration trickled down his cheek. Why were they interfering anyway? Bastards!

He shook his head to remove the image of Ashley lying dead on that bed in the hotel. It had been their fault.

The Canberras were closing in. No, he refused to shoot. A mercenary he might be, but there were limits.

‘Line astern formation,’ he called over the radio.

The pilots maneuvered their planes one in behind the other, obedient, trusting their leader’s judgment. Dan watched the enemy close the distance between them.

‘Form defensive circle. Go!’ He banked steeply, the others following into a tight, closed circle like wagon trains defending against a horde of Red Indians. Confused, the jets wheeled sharply to their left. They would be forced to attack from above, at right angles to an elusive target. In frustration, the lead jet dropped its nose and let loose its rockets.

‘Hold formation,’ Dan ordered.

The rockets shot past them trailed by streams of white vapor. As the pilot peeled off to his left, Dan could make out the dark features of the pilot, see his resignation that this was not his day for a kill.

As both jets twisted and climbed into the distance, Dan wiped his hands on his trouser legs and kept an eye out for the return of the planes.

‘The rats are yellow,’ Nick laughed over the radio, the relief clear in his voice.

Dan grinned. ‘Head for Kolwezi. I’m late for an appointment,’ he replied.

‘What? No time for a beer?’

‘Nope. Got a lady to meet. Over and out.

Please help me welcome Nancy Lee Badger to my blog today. Nancy is going to be giving away to three winners, yes that’s right three, copies of the winners choice of her Highlander books. I’ll be pulling the names from the comments. I’ll be pulling the names of the winners on September 22nd.

Tell us about yourself.

I am a writer. Does it define me? No. I have lived a long, somewhat simple life. I met my husband in college, worked full-time outside the home while raising a family, and have had three ‘professions’ until I decided to write a book. When one of several finished manuscripts sold to a small publisher, then another book to another publisher, I was on my way. Today, I write full-time, and I love it.

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

Scotland! The Highlands near Wick, Loch Ness, and Staffa Island are on the short list of Scottish sites I want to visit.

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

After college I worked for Ames Department Stores, a New England precursor to Wal-Mart; worked about 22 years at Rand’s Hardware Store; after volunteering as an EMT and firefighter in my town, I worked for the State of NH as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. I started writing to the slow hours of night shift.

What is your typical day like?

Typical? I share a home with a man and a cat, so typical is not in my vocabulary. Hubby works strange hours, and I work best when he is not at home. The closest to typical is this: say he leaves for work. After closing the door, I would sit at my desk or somewhere less conventional. I would check Facebook to see if any friends, family, or fellow writers are celebrating a birthday. Then I peruse the family email. Then I spend too much time reading and responding to my writer email. Twitter is a place you might find me a bit more often, but I try to keep my attention on the future. Future book releases, promotions, writer meetings, workshops, etc. I break for meals or errands. Walking to the mailbox is a daily highlight that also gets me out of the chair.

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

Two small e-publishers released five of my books and novellas between June 2010 and August 2011. Covers, editors, price, and release dates were out of my hands. During that time, I sat-in on a program by author Sarra Cannon who explained how self-publishing worked. When several NY Times bestselling authors in the audience talked about how they were now trying it with their backlists, my eyes opened wide. Also, self-publishing offered the opportunity to bring a book out in print through Amazon Createspace. I wanted to place my book in my elderly father’s hands. Insanity? Could I do it all myself? Hmm…I had an idea for a short story, completed it, sent if to several people to edit, and hired a person to create a cover. That book, from concept to publication, took about 4 months. I uploaded it myself everywhere, and ebook sales started trickling in. When it won a writing award, sales skyrocketed. Dragon in the Mist was a hit! It is too short to release in print, but I will soon offer it with two other dragon tales in a printed collection. This insane career I stumbled on started to make sense.

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

The hardest? Having a cover made that met my expectations. I chose the cover art, but had no knowledge of how to put it all together. Once I was set to publish my tenth book, I decided to buy a cover-making program, and have since created both the ebook cover and the three-part cover for My Reluctant Highlander. The easiest? Coming up with story ideas. Ideas are racing through my head as we speak. With self-publishing, I can get them out of my head and into a book. Sanity returned!

What advice can you offer to anyone deciding to self-publish?

Do your research, and do not hesitate to ask for help. Amazon and Smashwords offer step-by-step workbooks on how to format and get your book ready to upload. Createspace provides a template for both the manuscript and cover. Other writers have been through this, have made the mistakes, and will share their findings if you ask

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

As I mentioned earlier, I plan to release a boxed set of three of my novellas that feature dragons of Scottish descent. I recently got my rights back from my publisher for one of them, and the others I self-published. Making the three into a boxed set will also allow me to offer a printed version. The titles included in this boxed set are Dragon’s Curse, Southern Fried Dragon, and Dragon in the Mist. Watch for it! In the meantime, I will continue to promote my Highland Games Through Time series, especially Book #3, My Reluctant Highlander. All three books in the series are available in ebook and print.

My Reluctant Highlander Book Blurb
Skye has spent the last five years trying to forget the blacksmith who followed her back to 16th century Scotland, to help fight evil. Sending Jake Jamison home against his will was a disastrous mistake. Stealing his heart was not part of the plan.

Jake must share his secret, Skye must give her heart fully, and both must dare to love in the time they have.

EXCERPT
Bull grabbed Skye’s hands, cupped them in his fists, and kissed her knuckles.
“Listen, sweetheart,” Bull said, pulling her into his embrace.
The shock quieted her, but before she could protest, he kissed the tip of her nose.
“Why did ye—”
“If you keep touching me, I won’t be responsible—”
“Get your meat hooks off her.” The seriousness in Jake’s growl was reason enough to push away from Bull. When he released her from his grip, she tried to turn too quickly.
She tripped over Jake’s bare foot, coming down hard on his toes.
“Ouch!”
“My apologies, Highlander.”
He stopped hopping, still cursing beneath his breath. The intensity in his glare made Skye stumbled back into Dara. When the startled animal retreated, her feet slipped out from under her. As she fell, Jake wrapped his arms around her and gathered her into his chest. The press of different arms, and a hard, naked chest, made it hard to breathe.
Struggling in his embrace, she was not surprised he did not let go. She deserved whatever Jake decided to do with her.
“You used your cursed magic on me, again. Now, I see you kissing my so-called friend.”
“Did I not save ye from a beastie wanting to make a meal of ye? And yer friend was thanking me.”
“Thanking you? Then why were you running your hands all over him?”
Jake’s voice thundered, his roar intensifying as he tightened his grip, but Skye did not flinch. He was less angry about her use of magic, than about her touching his friend.
Interesting.

More About the Author
Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, she moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Area Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers.

Connect with Nancy:
Blog http://www.nancyleebadger.blogspot.com
Website http://www.nancyleebadger.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/NLBadger
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/nancy.l.badger
Goodreads http://bit.ly/Vd1Usg
Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/13ICHLq

MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER buy links
Amazon http://amzn.to/11H0Hg1
AmazonPRINT http://amzn.to/12pX5Qc
NOOK http://bit.ly/16a7lim
Barnes&Noble PRINT http://bit.ly/10UQa3Z
KOBO http://bit.ly/12lX2V5
AllRomance http://bit.ly/19aBsI6
Smashwords http://bit.ly/11DtTDE
iTunes http://bit.ly/12Ic1bl

Here is a question for you: if you could travel to Scotland with me, what time period would YOU like to visit? Leave a comment along with your contact information for a chance to win either My Honorable Highlander, My Banished Highlander, or My Reluctant Highlander in ebook form (please include your format choice) Cynthia will choose THREE WINNERS on September 22nd.

Please help me welcome Lisa Owens to my blog today. Lisa will be giving out a copy of her book IF ONLY to two lucky commentors, so be sure and leave a comment.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

I am currently working on the second novel in my If Only series. The blurb is listed below.

What would you do if you had the opportunity to go back and relive your greatest mistake?

When Maggie Ryerson was a teenager, she made a choice that changed her life forever. When the stick turned blue, she found herself torn between two men: one was the friend who had comforted her when her world was turned upside-down and the other was the man she loved, the father of her baby. Both men had feelings for her and both of them had offered to marry her.
She chose to marry for love.
Now faced with an unplanned pregnancy, a husband who can’t keep a steady job and a hormonal teenager, Maggie wonders what her life would have been like if she had married for money instead.
But like the saying goes, be careful what you wish for…

What inspired your latest book?

I think that every woman has that one mistake that you wished you could take back. Something that you did or didn’t do that changed your life forever. Whether it was marrying the wrong man, breaking up with the love of your life or even battling drug or alcohol addiction. But what if you could go back and change your life? Would you do it if you had the chance? Would you risk changing your past to build a better future?
Those were the kind of questions that led me to start my first release, If Only.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

What would you do if you had the opportunity to go back and relive your greatest mistake?
Five years ago, Bree Sexton walked out on her fiancé and into the arms of a charming and handsome stranger. She has regretted her decision ever since. Instead of a fairy-tale marriage, her “prince” shattered her dreams and her spirit with physical violence and emotional cruelty she barely escaped.
She then mysteriously wakes up in bed with the fiancé she loved and left, the life she’d dreamed of now a reality, until her cruel ex-husband reappears to destroy her new life. But what is real, and what is make-believe? Is she really getting the chance she has always dreamed of? And when it is all said and done, will she finally end up with the man she has always regretted leaving? Or will she wake up to discover herself alone?

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Honestly, I am a little bit of both. Before I start a novel, I write out an outline with descriptions of the characters and a basic storyline. Nothing too specific, just an idea of how I would like for the story to flow. Once I start writing, some of the outline may change, but the basics of my story will remain the same. A chapter might get moved to another part of the story or the characters might meet under different circumstances, that kind of thing.

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

My hero in If Only is Scott Weston. Although he loves his wife to distraction and is sensitive to her needs, he is strong enough to kick ass if needed. Once this side of him is unleashed, he slays Bree’s dragons like a knight in shining armor. As for his weaknesses, besides his wife, he can have some difficulty controlling his temper. Due to a complete misunderstanding on his part, he slugs his own brother before he stops to get the whole story.

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

Bree Sexton is a woman whose personality seems to change over the course of my story. When she was married to Bryan, she was a timid, shy woman who never felt free to speak her mind. Her husband kept her under his thumb and she was expected to only speak when spoken to. If she didn’t follow his rules, she got punished.
The Bree when she is with Scott is a totally different person. She is stubborn and independent, sometimes almost too independent. She is secure in the love of her husband and she is comfortable enough with Scott to tell him where to shove it when necessary.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Not surprisingly, I love reading contemporary romances. When I am in the mood for a mystery or a thriller, one of my favorite authors is Mary Higgins Clark.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Never…under any circumstances, give up. Although it might be true that if you don’t try then you can never fail but if you never try, then haven’t you failed already?

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

The answer is a resounding, “YES!” I think sometimes every writer, both published and unpublished, suffer from writer’s block. Personally, I always have two different WIPs that I am working on at the same time. That way, if I get stuck on one storyline, then I try writing on my other one. For me, that seems to help.
Sometimes taking a break helps me as well. Watching a movie or reading a book—give myself a little breathing room from the characters waging a war inside my mind.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

This is one of my favorite quotes.
“That Which Does Not Kill Us Makes Us Stronger,” by Friedrich Nietzsche.

What’s next for you?

I am also currently working on a novel about a Marine who returns home after being wounded in Afghanistan to discover that things aren’t the same as they were when he left. His wife has abandoned him when he needed her the most and he suffers not only from the scars on his back, but the wounds that her desertion has left on him as well.

Where can readers find you?
http://www.lmowens.com/
https://twitter.com/_lisamowens
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-M-Owens-Author-Page/401065116637549
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6884569.Lisa_M_Owens

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

At this time, If Only is available as an e-book. I hope someday in the future to see it published in print.
http://www.lsbooks.com/lisa-m-owens-c343.php
http://www.amazon.com/If-Only- ebook/dp/B00ASOMPH4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356572772&sr=1-1&keywords=If+Only+by+Lisa+M.+Owens
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-only-lisa-m-owens/1114147612?ean=9781595789891

EDITED EXCERPT:

Bree stood there for a minute, watching as he walked out of her life. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if she had married Scott instead of Bryan. How would her life have been different? Would she have had children by now? Would she and Scott still be together, after all this time? Those thoughts and more weighed heavily on her mind as she headed out of the bar. It had begun to snow, and she wrapped her coat even tighter around her slender frame. She looked around, but there was no one to be found. She couldn’t help herself; she stuck out her tongue, a childish impulse she couldn’t ignore, and then laughed out loud in spite of herself.

She looked both ways before attempting to cross the street. Not seeing any cars, she began to make her way across. Bree was walking cautiously when one of her high heels slipped on a patch of ice. She could feel herself falling, and her breathing quickened as she began to panic, wishing she had waited for her friends before venturing off on her own. One shoe flew off as she landed, her head striking the curb. A sharp pain racked through the back of her skull, causing her to cry out. The last thing she saw was Scott’s face swimming before her eyes, and then her world went black.

* * * *

Bree awoke to a man nipping gently on her earlobe, his tongue stroking the delicate curves. His hot breath blew into her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine. She slowly opened her eyes as a man’s hand stroked her upper thigh, and she sighed happily.

Ooh, I must be dreaming. And it was such a delicious dream, too.

The man’s hand traveled up her thigh and then encircled her flat stomach. Out of the corner of her eyes, Bree could see a dark head pressing against her abdomen. Then she shivered as a tongue laved her belly button, going in and out erotically, making her feel as though her body was on fire. Bryan had never made her feel like this, and she hadn’t even looked yet to see who this stranger was! But she was only dreaming, so what difference did it make?

His hand continued traveling north, lovingly caressing her skin. He reached for her aching breasts, pressing her nipples roughly before he lowered his mouth to suckle them, first one, and then the other. Bree arched in anxious response to his touch. She longed to see his face, but she feared one look would make his magical touch disappear.

She ached all over, wanted his hands to caress her everywhere, and she longed to touch him. She opened her legs as he straddled her. His hair brushed her naked chest as he began kissing her. His tongue was driving her crazy with desire as he placed tender kisses along her neckline. He brushed her hair aside.

His morning stubble stung her delicate skin, but she hungered for more. Just one more touch, just one more taste, and she would awaken from this wonderful dream and find herself in bed, all alone.

“Oh, Bree, baby. What you do to me,” he whispered, his voice husky.

That voice jerked her back to the present. The voice had haunted her dreams for

years. The voice of the man she just couldn’t seem to get over.

“Scott,” she whispered.

About the Author

The writing bug bit Lisa M. Owens at an early age; she was writing short stories and poetry by the age of seven. At the age of eight, she entered a writing contest at her elementary school. About fifty books were written, but Lisa was one of the thirteen writers chosen who received a certificate and the chance to meet Oklahoma writer Sandy Miller.

A former victim of domestic violence herself, Lisa worked at the courthouse for over seven years. Almost three of those years she worked on the Marriage License/Protective Order desk. She helped women file protective orders and worked closely with the staff and counselors at DVIS.

Frustrated with books that merely gloss over the subject of domestic violence, Lisa wanted to write a book that told the entire story. Her dream is for her words to help give someone the courage to leave an abusive relationship.

She resides in Oklahoma and has two children. This is her first published novel, and she is currently working on the next novel of her If Only series.

Lisa enjoys hearing from her readers and can be reached at P.O. Box 9643, Tulsa, OK 74157-0643, or by e-mail, lisamowens@ymail.com. She can also be contacted on her website, www.lmowens.com.