I’m interviewing Abbie MacInnes today.  Please help me welcome her.  Abbie will be giving away a copy of His Fifth Avenue Thief to one lucky commenter, so be sure and leave a comment for her.

1. How did you get started writing?

I had the idea I could write a romance while in college. I was taking a Sociology course on serial killers. My idea was of course, for a romantic suspense. It was totally horrible and messy plotwise, one of those books quite unsalvageable, but so much fun otherwise. I didn’t know anything about plotting or characterization. Ah those days of ignorant bliss. LOL That first idea sparked the dozens I’ve had since then.

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

I’ve always loved Historicals. My latest release is a novella set in New York City in 1850. For me, Historicals transport me back in time. It’s so much fun learning about the past and setting characters during a war or famine etc. I also write Contemporary western romances. What can I say, I love cowboys. They’re honorable, strong, tough and resilient.

3. What inspired your latest book?

The movie Gangs of New York inspired Cathlene, my heroine from my story. She’s a turtledove just like Jenny from the movie.

4. What is your favorite part of writing?

Ah, I love when an idea smacks me in the brain. I love when everything comes together, the characters, the plot, the story. Sometimes it happens in the first draft, but mostly everything comes together during the revision process.

5. What is your least favorite part of writing?

I’m not terribly fond of editing. I’m a perfectionist. Sometimes I’ll need to pull myself back because ten minutes will have passed and I still haven’t found the perfect word. There’s no such thing as perfection, but when a paragraph reads just right, it feels wonderful.

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

I’m working on several projects now. A timetravel Regency romance and a contemporary. I’d hoped to have something out this month, but personal matters have intruded and I’ve had to change my release schedule as a result.

7. What is your typical day like?

I have a day job, but I’m fortunate enough to be able to set my own schedule. I work three days a week and write on the days I’m not scheduled. Of course there’s so much that needs my attention, I have to really put my writing first those days before other things. I’m quite new to self-publishing. I’m still figuring out how to schedule all the tasks necessary before putting out a new release. Since I’m acting as publisher, author, CEO, there’s much that needs my attention. I’m still getting a handle on juggling all that needs done. *g*

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

I’m not the greatest book promoter. *g* I have my blog, and I tweet and post to Facebook, and I’m a member of several Yahoo loops. I try not to be too annoying and in your face because I don’t like just receiving messages/posts that mostly say “Hey, look at me and what I have.” I designate a half hour a day to browsing tweets and FB posts and blogs, and commenting/liking/retweeting when something interests me. I’ve found that blogging has been the most beneficial for me. I have my Sunday Sweet Spot Author spotlight feature where I promote other authors, so I’m not just giving readers my opinions and ideas and making it all about me me me. And I love giving back to other authors because when I first started writing, several authors welcomed me to their blogs. I love that kind of networking. It’s fun and easy and interactive.

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

It’s definitely been a learning curve, but I’m not on this journey alone. I’m a member of the Indie Book Collective.

www.indiebookcollective.com

and Indie Romance Ink.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/indieromanceink

Interacting with fellow members and seeing what options are available to me has made my experience with self-publishing very fun and profitable. It’s a lot of work as I said before.

However I’m not one to put all my eggs in one basket. I’ve been published with a few digital publishers, and when I began self-publishing, I noticed that both my titles with publishers and those I’ve self-published feed off each other if you will. I’ve decided that I’m not going to self-publish everything I write, but it’s definitely something I will continue to utilize because I’ve seen the benefits from it, such as knowing what works in terms of paid promotion and gaining new readers. And though most digital publishers can get an author the same distribution self-publishing can, many publishers have a massive, and loyal reader following, which takes time for indie authors to establish.

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

Everywhere. I love listening in on conversations in restaurants or coffee shops and seeing what I can use from them.

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

As a businesswoman who wants to write full time and make a living from my writing, I thought it important that I educate myself on all the publishing options out there. As early as this time last year, I swore I’d never self-publish. That thought wasn’t founded on anything sound. Keep an open mind and always be willing to change. It’s difficult being in this business, but if you keep an open mind and continue to keep up with all the changes in publishing, you should be just fine. I’m glad I didn’t dismiss self-publishing because I wouldn’t be where I am now as an author or a person.

Bio:
Abbey MacInnis is a published author of Contemporary Western romance. Along with Contemporary, she writes Historical, Paranormal and erotic romance. Whether she’s being swept off her feet by a Medieval knight, regency rake, or cowboy or cop, her heroes are always strong men who’ll love their women unconditionally.

On most days, Abbey can be found at her computer, penning her latest tale. A tale where love, respect, and passion combine to create a satisfying and happy ending. She invites you to step in to the pages of her romances, to leave your worries behind and get swept up in her world.

Check out my latest release:

His Fifth Avenue Thief

Two years prior, Irishman Aaron O’Connel took his life from rags to riches. Chance and wits have kept him alive in 1850’S New York City. But no amount of money or success can bring his love Cathlene back from the dead. When a thief sneaks her way into his mansion, the last woman he expects to find absconding with his belongings is his long lost wife.

Abandoned on New York’s shores, a widowed, penniless, and ruined Cathlene O’Connel was left to fend for herself in an unfamiliar world. Fear and circumstance drove her to a life of thieving in order to survive, but her heart risks the biggest danger of all when Aaron hands her a scandalous proposition: A son in exchange for her freedom.

Now that he has her back, Aaron doesn’t intend to let Cathlene slip between his fingers. He’ll do whatever it takes to regain her trust and love. But when an enemy from Cathlene’s past resurfaces, Aaron not only faces battling for Cathlene’s heart, but also her life.

Available at
<a href=”http://www.amazon.com/His-Fifth-Avenue-Thief-ebook/dp/B005F9VRB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312084280&sr=1-1″>Amazon</a>

<a href=”http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hisfifthavenuethief-583609-148.html”>All Romance Ebooks</a>

<a href=”http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-fifth-avenue-thief-lyn-worthen/1032670348?ean=2940013136625&itm=1&usri=his%2bfifth%2bavenue%2bthief%2babbey%2bmacinnis”>B&N</a>

<a href=”http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77195″>Smashwords</a>

Visit me on

<a href=”http://www.abbeymacinnis.com”>my website</a>

<a href=”http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-romance-author-Abbey-MacInnis/202180996459943″>Like me</a>

Follow me on

<a href=”http://www.twitter.com/abbey_macinnis”>Twitter</a>

<a href=”http://www.goodreads.com/abbey_macinnis”>See what I’m reading at Good Reads</a>

<a href=”http://abbeymacinnis.blogspot.com/”>Come follow my blog.</a>

Please help me welcome the talented Elysa Hendricks to my blog today.  Please remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a prize.

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

I probably spend way too much time doing promotion. Sadly, I have very little idea what works and doesn’t work. I just keep trying different things. Promoting for self-published ebooks is vastly different than for traditionally published print books. I write blogs and do interviews, which take time away from actual writing, but without them I’m afraid my books would get lost in the flood of books being released every day. I use Facebook as a way to connect with family, friends and readers, but it’s highly addictive. I’ll start out intending to spend thirty minutes there and three hours later I’m still reading and writing posts, most of which have little to do with promoting my writing. I belong to a couple a dozen writer’s Yahoo lists, so email is another big time suck.  So far I’ve managed to avoid becoming a Twit because the whole world of Twitter completely baffles me. I haven’t figured out the most efficient way to promote my books, but my best results have come from visiting people’s blogs. I love hearing from readers and other authors.

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

I LOVE it! I can write the stories that excite me without worrying if they’ll fit into a publishing house’s sometimes narrow parameters. And after a less than pleasant experience with one New York house I love the control and freedom self-publishing gives me. Being able to create my own covers is fun. However, I still have four fantasy books with ImaJinn Books and have a sci-fi romance DARK STAR DAWNING coming out with them soon. I haven’t eliminated the idea of traditional publishing. I’m just waiting for the right offer. Preferably one with six figures.

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

Mostly I dig them up in the backyard or I buy them resale shops, garage sales and the Goodwill. Actually, ideas come to me from many sources – TV shows, books, movies, newspaper and magazine articles, a snatch of conversation overheard in a restaurant or grocery store. Anything and everything can trigger an idea in my imagination. Once an idea sprouts in my head I think and dream about it until it beings to develop into a story. Sometimes at this point I’ll write down the bones of the idea and leave it sit. Other times it grabs hold of me so tight I have to start writing it out. At that point I usually commit to writing the book and start the process of research and plotting.

My least favorite method of getting a story idea is when someone comes up and tells me “Boy, have I got a story for you to write.” It takes tact (sometimes more than I possess) to tell that person I have more than enough ideas to keep me writing for years and only they can write their story.

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

I think all writers “collect” people in their minds. We store names, personalities, and events to be pulled out and combined later into entirely new character people in our stories. Though I may have used a name or a particular trait, I’ve never consciously taken a real person I’ve met and turned them intact into a fictional character in my books. I find that each heroine includes bits of me or people I know that I either like or dislike and in addition I’ll give them personality traits that I wish I had or wish I didn’t have. So if you read one of my books and recognize yourself, don’t be alarmed, it’s really just a composite person. That said each of my characters is a “real” person to me. They live in my head and heart for months as I’m writing about them and stay there forever afterwards.

5.  What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I like stories that offer me something different. My real life is plain, bland, boring vanilla, so in my reading I want spice and adventure. Fantasy with magic and sci-fi set in other worlds grab and hold my attention. But I also enjoy stories set in the real world about people, places and events that I’d never have the opportunity or courage to experience. While reading a book I can fall in love again, climb mountains, skydive, ski, fly planes and spaceships, explore caves and fight zombies. For a short period of time I can leave the problems of real life behind and be another person. In romance I’m guaranteed a happy ending.

6.  Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I write historical, sci-fi, fantasy and contemporary romance because I like those genres, so I also read them. I do try not to read historical fiction when I’m writing historical fiction, at least not stories set in the same time and place, so my story doesn’t inadvertently borrow from them. Same with the other genres. But since there’s such a broad range of story settings it’s pretty easy not to overlap my reading with my writing. I also read outside the romance genre, so I’m never without a book to read. I find that the more I read the more I write. Every book I read inspires and encourages me. I learn from them.

7.  Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book.

There’s not much to know about me. I’m 5’6″ tall. I have curly hair and brown eyes. I’m an author, a wife, a mother and a daughter. Everything else is subject to change without notice. All the interesting stuff is in my books.

Both my westerns THIS HEART FOR HIRE and HER WILD TEXAS HEART were inspired by my reading of Larry McMurtry’s LONESOME DOVE and T.R. Fehrenbach’s COMANCHES:The Destruction of a People. I wanted to write a gritty, realist account of life in the Old West, but also give the reader a compelling love story with a satisfying happy ending.

My latest book, HER WILD TEXAS HEART is the second book in my western series. In a lawless west Texas border town, a woman has two choices: death or dishonor. Doctor’s apprentice and former Comanche slave, KC O’Connor finds a third–she buries her femininity and longing for love beneath a boyish disguise. But the arrival of an injured greenhorn shatters the shell around her hidden heart.

8.  Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization?  Which one?  Have they helped you with your writing?  How?
I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America since the early 90’s. I helped found the Windy City and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapters of RWA. I also belong to WISRWA and COFW RWA chapters. What I’ve learned and gained from my membership in these groups is beyond measure. Romance authors are some of the most caring, helpful people in the writing industry. They write about the power of love to overcome all obstacles, so how could they not be? In addition to the help they’ve provided me learning the art, craft and business of writing, I’ve made and continue to make friendships that will last a lifetime.

Excerpt:
Arms and legs at odd angles in death, a man lay on his side amid the rocky, scrub covered ground. Blood covered his upper back, but the bullet hole in his coat, just below his left shoulder, was small.

KC leaned over him and fingered the rich cloth. Once she’d soaked out the blood, she could easily mend it.

She turned her attention back to the man at her feet. Too bad he was dead. Thick, gold blond hair covered his head and stubble of beard shaded his square chin. Beneath his tan, his strong classic features had a pale, waxy look. A thin trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth. Creases bracketed that same mouth, indicating he had either smiled or frowned a lot. KC bet on the former. Blue, she thought, with that fair hair, his eyes would have been blue.
His broad shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist, his legs long and lean beneath his tight trousers. KC estimated his height at least six inches over her own five foot seven.

Though KC didn’t much like men, she could appreciate this one’s male beauty. Gold and bronze, he reminded KC of the pictures she’d seen in Mama’s books, of the Greek god Apollo.

Books the Indians had torn apart and used to start the fire that…no, she wouldn’t think about that time. She turned her thoughts back to the man.

There’d only been one shot during the night. That, in itself, was unusual. Peaceful, Texas was usually anything but. One shot in the dark meant a slow night. It awakened her from her nightmare and for that she’d been thankful.
The hot Texas sun beat down on KC’s bent head. Sweat trickled between her breasts reminding her the dead didn’t keep long in the heat. Already a lone buzzard circled above, waiting.

With a grimace of distaste, KC searched the man’s pockets. Other than a pale, pink lace, nothing-of-a-handkerchief, they were empty. She stroked the soft silk, her rough fingers snagging the delicate fabric. With a scowl she shoved it into her vest pocket and continued her search.

Whoever shot the man also picked him clean. Probably Rico, she thought. That mean little snake would think nothing of shooting a man in the back. Rico must have been in a hurry, only the stranger’s boots were missing.

Well, Rico’s loss was KC’s gain. Made of quality material, the stranger’s clothes could be reused. The man’s silk shirt alone had nearly enough fabric to make a shirt each for Eli and herself. KC silently thanked her deceased mother for the needlework lessons.

Already the morning had proven quite profitable. Just before dawn, shouts and gunshots roused her from her bed yet again. Peering out of the hayloft window, she caught a glimpse of Rico and his men taking off after a dark stranger riding a big rawboned horse. KC wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a woman riding double with the stranger. She wished the man luck and put the incident out of her mind. This was, after all, Peaceful. Shootouts and murders happened on a regular basis.

When KC came down from the loft, she found over a dozen books lying strewn on the barn floor. Beautiful, leather-bound, gold-embossed books, books like the ones Mama had so loved.

Glancing quickly around, she waited for someone to step out of the shadows to claim them. No one came. She collected them and carried them up to the loft.

Before she hid them away, she stole a few minutes to stroke the smooth leather, to smell the familiar scent of paper and ink. Later she would open them and read the words, savoring them like the rare and wonderful things they were. Then she had scooted back down to begin the day’s chores.

Sweat soaked through the bandanna tied around her forehead, and rolled down her chest and back under the heavy leather vest she wore. If she stayed to strip and bury the dead man, she wouldn’t have time to slip away for a quick dip in the river before she’d be needed back at the stable.

Of course, she didn’t have to bury the man. What was one more body in a town like Peaceful? This far from town no one would notice the smell. Even if they did, it wouldn’t concern them, dead bodies were not uncommon in and around town. Few of those who died in Peaceful ever received a proper burial. Besides, the buzzards gathering above wouldn’t leave much.

As if summoned, a buzzard landed a few yards away, its beady eyes focused on the man’s still figure. KC gazed longingly at the silver swathe of water glistening in the distance then looked down at the man’s lifeless form. She gave a resigned sigh.

“Don’t worry stranger. The buzzards won’t have you. And,” something made her add, “I’ll leave you enough so you won’t meet your maker buck-naked.”

Standing, KC swept the broad-brimmed hat from her head and shooed the buzzard away. The bird rose squawking into the air. It would be awhile before the ugly creature worked up its nerve to approach again. By then it would be too late.

KC knelt next to the man and grasped his shoulders, rolling him onto his back. Only when he lay flat on the ground did she realize the scope of the loss his death was. Beautiful, she thought. Even in death, his face held the power to move her. A lump formed in her throat. No matter how often she encountered it, the ending of a life affected her. Unbidden, tears stung the back of her eyes.

Savagely, she rubbed her knuckles into her eyes. She would not cry for some unknown man—no matter how beautiful. She never cried. She hadn’t cried for Mama, or for Papa. She didn’t cry for her lost brother, Brendan. Crying didn’t bring the dead back. Crying didn’t ease the pain of grief. She swallowed the lump in her throat, pressed her lips into a tight line and reached for the pearl buttons of the man’s shirt.

His eyes blinked opened.

Shock held her rigid.

He reached out. His hand closed around her wrist, trapping her. His grip brought her nightmares to life.

A strangled shriek bubbled in her throat. Her heart pounded in fright. With a gasp, she yanked her hand free. Overbalanced she landed on her backside in the dust. She scooted away crab-like.

His hand fell limply to his side. “Please,” he croaked. “Help me.” Deep aquamarine eyes focused on her for just a moment, then flickered shut. Again, he lay still as death.

Trembling, KC crawled to his side and placed hesitant fingers on the column of his throat. There, beneath the warm, smooth skin, she could feel the blood pulsing through his veins.

Alive. He was alive!

Where can readers find your books? (buy link)

THIS HEART FOR HIRE

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95878
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-heart-for-hire-elysa-hendricks/1107511098

HER WILD TEXAS HEART

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/128511

I love hearing from readers and other authors. They can contact me through my web site or on Facebook.

http://www.elysahendricks.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elysa-Hendricks-Author/137316289643103

Please help me welcome Keena Kincaid to my blog today.  Keena will I’ll also give away one copy of her current book…or her earlier contemporary, Something More. Whichever the winner wants, to one lovely or handsome commenter.  So be sure to leave a comment in order to enter.

 
All about me

Author Keena Kincaid likes to say she writes romances in which passion, magic and treachery collide to create unforgettable stories. The truth is she’s usually kidnapped by tall, handsome men, who are totally into someone else, and held hostage until she helps them win the woman of their dreams.

Most recently, she’s matched Jane Grey, a risk analyst at NASA, with Andrew Morgan, a small town detective in the middle of taking down a corrupt sheriff. Jane is unable to see beyond her scarred past to a future with Andy, but he knows they will have something special—if he lives long enough to convince her to risk her heart.
Find her:
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keena-Kincaid/183583406047
• http://keenakincaid.com/
• http://typosandall.com

Do you have critique partners?

– Yes. Right now I’m not using her very well as I’ve been spinning my wheels on one story for a loooooonnngggg time. I’ve been busy with my day-job (I’m a freelancer, so I work when the money is good) so it’s been hard to dig in and find the rhythm of the story. But I am deep in the weeds of a tale, she always calls me out on my crap, which makes me a better writer.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

– I love a good crème brûlée. In fact, I am a crème brûlée snob. It’s got to be made to order and be warm on the inside. Making it ahead of time and serving it chilled is—in my opinion—a crime against nature.

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

– Individuals, not so much. The overheard conversations in a coffee shop or airport lounge, very likely. One of my favorite lines that a character of mine utters came from an overheard conversation on a plane. One man was complaining about an ill-behaved child. His friend said: “Look, you don’t understand. You’re not a parent.” The man replied: “I know. That means I have perspective.” It made me laugh, and I used the line.

What is most difficult for you to write?

Characters, conflict or emotions? Why? I struggle most with character, but then my stories are character-driven. Once I’m past the inciting incident, everything that happens plotwise is a direct result of my character’s conflicts, quirks, fears, secrets and beliefs. Once I nail my characters, the rest is easy.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.
As my troubled heroine says: Andy was a handsome, protective man, the modern equivalent of a knight in shining armor. Not every woman went for bad boys. He likely had dozens of lovers over the years, if not an ex-wife or two, although what woman in her right mind would leave him? You did, her conscience pointed out.

She stared up at him as his arms came around her waist. In another life, with another past, she’d snap him up so fast he wouldn’t know what happened until he recovered from the honeymoon. But she was Crazy Janie. She had issues that would stump Dr. Phil. Years of therapy hadn’t taught her to believe love would triumph.

Good never defeated evil, only delayed its victory.

Today I’m lucky enough to have author H. D. Thomson with me.  H. D. will answer some of our questions, offer an excerpt and at the end if you leave a comment you will be entered to win a copy of her book. Shrouded In Darkness.

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

I’ve written in several different genres. I’ve down contemporary romance under Carol Webb, erotica under Lynne Logan and now I’m writing paranormal romance under H.D. Thomson. For the longest time, I’ve tried to write for the market, but this last year, I’ve decided to write what I love the most which is paranormal romance.

What is your favorite part of writing?

The very beginning when ideas start forming and where I start asking questions like ‘what if’ so and so does this? ‘What if’ the villain acts this way? I love the excitement of creating a new plot or character.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Sitting at the desk and having run out of ideas and just staring at a blank word document. It’s happened a couple of times where I just don’t know where the story is going. I do a general outline usually. I know the ending and the beginning. Sometimes I have a hard time getting the characters from A to point B, especially when they don’t want to cooperate!

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

I’m going through the edits of Shrouded in Mystery, which is the next in the Shrouded Series. It’s about a man who wakes from a car accident with a dead man beside him and a duffle bag in the back seat with over one hundred thousand dollars in cash and a loaded gun. He has no memory of his past or how he got there. His only clues are a photo with the address of a shelter and a driver’s license with the name of Clark Kent. They lead him to Boston, where someone wants him dead. I really enjoyed writing this book. It’s probably my favorite out of the series. I’m hoping to have this released in the summer. It all depends. I have a couple of people that I hope will read it for final testing. If they don’t find anything, then I’m hoping I’ll publish it sooner.

What is your typical day like?

I work from when I get up in the morning to pretty well until I go to bed. Granted I do take breaks in between, but I’m beginning to wonder if my laptop is glued to part of my body! If I’m not working on my business, Bella Media Management, I’m writing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else though. I love being self-employed and I’m hoping to get my 3 book series out and published by the end of the year. The only person putting pressure on myself is me. I have to have deadlines. Otherwise, I’ll find myself procrastinating.

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

I don’t spend as much time promoting as I would like. I actually haven’t found what really works. I’m taking little steps here and there. I have done one blog tour earlier this month and I am doing another one with in the beginning of March. Actually, even though I’ve been published with small presses for a number of years, I’ve never done any heavy promoting until this year. So this is all very new to me.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I love the control that it offers. I am in charge of succeeding or failing. I really can’t blame anyone but myself if I land on my face. But I am finding out that it takes A LOT of work. With a small publisher, I didn’t have to worry about my cover, edits(other than doing what I was told by an editor), formatting of both the ebook and the paperback and also some of the publicity.

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

Think it through before you decide. Like anything else, there is no magic pill to become a successful author. I’ve heard many a tale where an author makes their fortune by becoming self-published, but I’ve heard the complete opposite too. I’ve read that the average number of books a self-pubbed author sells is 100 copies. That is a sad statistic. I plan on not being one of those statistics.

Blurb of Shrouded in Darkness:

Winner of the Ready-Set-Go Peninsula RWA Contest

Finalist in the Suzannah North Louisiana RWA Contest

1st place in Peninsula RWA Chapter’s contest.

Jake Preston is on borrowed time. If he doesn’t stumble upon a miracle and soon, he’ll endup dead. And even if he does, he still might end up dead with a clever killer hounding his heels. He believes that the one miracle and antidote to save him is in Margot Davenport’s house, across the country and miles away from Boston. Somewhere locked in her home is the key to reversing an experiment that is killing him with each breath he takes.

Margot doesn’t particularly care if she ends up dead. She’s lost everything she’s ever cared for. A divorce and the loss of her job as a corporate lawyer has left her with little faith in herself or in anyone else. Most importantly, she’s lost the one person on this earth she’s looked up to and cherished–her brother, Johnny. His death in a car accident has devastated her, and she can’t find the willpower to pull herself from the chasm she’s fallen into. Her only solace is at the bottom of a wineglass. Having moved back to the small town in northern Arizona where she was raised, she’s made a point of isolating herself both mentally and physically from everyone other than a few chosen friends. Little does she know that her life is going to explode into chaos and the person behind Johnny’s death is coming after her.

Buy links for Shrouded in Darkness:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/89s38yr

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/7mn558u

AUTHOR BIO:

H.D. Thomson moved from Ontario, Canada as a teenager to the heat of Arizona where she graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in accounting. After working in the corporate world as an accountant, H.D. changed her focus to one of her passions-books. She owned and operated an online bookstore for several years and then started the company, Bella Media Management. The company specializes in web sites, video trailers, ebook conversion and promotional resources for authors and small businesses. When she is not heading her company, she is following her first love-writing.

AUTHOR LINKS:

http://www.hdthomson.com

http://www.facebooks.com/hdthomson

http://www.twitter.com/hdthomson

EXCERPT 

Margot Davenport should never have opened the front door. She should have just kept on getting slowly and thoroughly drunk that night. But the pounding on the door went on and on, reverberating throughout the house and inside her skull.  Stumbling from the couch in the living room, Margot knocked over her glass and an empty wine bottle, and grabbed onto her throbbing head with a hand.

“Damn it!”

In the hall, she tripped over her calico cat, Marmaduke, who streaked past her and up the stairs. She swore again. The banging continued. The crazy fool outside had given up on the doorbell long ago.

“John!  Come on.  Open up!  It’s me, Jake!”

At the mention of Johnny’s name, Margot’s stomach twisted and rolled with sudden nausea. “Okay! Okay! Give me a second.”

She groped for the light switch to the hall. Nothing happened.

“Damn, stupid thing!” That’s what she got for not replacing the house’s ancient wiring.

“John, I’m freezing my ass off!”

“What do you expect,” Margot muttered, wondering if this guy was playing some sick joke at her expense.

Margot hit the outside light switch and peered through the glass panel beside the door. A man stood on the front porch. She didn’t recognize him, but then again, the sheet of snow and the light’s glare against the night backdrop didn’t help matters.

A gun or pepper spray for protection sounded pretty nice right now, but Margot hated guns and had never expected the need, living on the outskirts of Greyson, Arizona. It wasn’t like this town up in the White Mountains was loaded with crime. The worst incident had been a case of disorderly conduct last winter, and that had been from a drunken tourist.

“Who is it?”

A pause on the other side followed—almost as if she’d surprised him.

“Margot? Is that you? It’s Jake Preston.”

Though muffled, his words were clear enough to make out. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t recall what Johnny had said about him.

Margot frowned and winced as pain cut across her temple, brow and the base of her skull. She should have stopped at one glass of wine. “How do you know Johnny?”

“I worked with him at Miltronics for several years on the outskirts of Boston.”

Margot debated about turning this Jake away as she watched him stamp his feet against the porch. He must be freezing—what with the wind and snow.

“I know it’s late, but I need to talk to John. Please. If you could just get him, you’ll see I’m harmless.”

The urgency in his voice made her decide. He obviously didn’t know about her brother. She sighed heavily. What she had to tell him wasn’t going to be easy.

Margot unlatched the lock and opened the door.

An angry gust of wind burst into the house, tearing the knob from her grasp. The door flew wide and crashed against the wall. Gasping, she reeled back as snow flew in, stabbing her face with icy spikes.

“Here, let me.” He stepped inside and shoved the door closed with his shoulder. He turned his back against the light from the kitchen, casting his face in shadow. His baseball cap further shielded his features—along with sunglasses of all things.

How very odd. Sudden apprehension curled up her spine as Margot stepped away from Jake and the doorway. Topping a good six-feet, he appeared far larger than when he’d stood behind a locked door.

“What are the sunglasses for?” she asked.

“The light.”

“What?”

“My eyes. They’re sensitive to light. I injured both corneas as a child.”

“Oh.” She must have been staring at him like an idiot, but something about him made her uneasy. And it wasn’t just the glasses and pale complexion.

He must have sensed her disquiet, because he explained further, “It’s called traumatic iritis. It’s something I’ve had to live with for as long as I can remember.” He shrugged a large canvas backpack from his shoulder and placed it on the floor. “Can you get John for me?”

“He’s dead.”

Margot never intended the words to come out so abrupt and final, but…it hurt. Balling her hands into fists, she fought against the sudden tears that burned the back of her eyes. Please no. Not now. She couldn’t fall apart in front of this stranger.

“He can’t be. That’s impossible.”

I’m very lucky to have Anna James on my blog today.  Please help me welcome her and leave your comments at the end for a chance to win a prize.

How did you get started writing?

I became a romance novel junkie in my twenties and decided I wanted to create the stories I loved to read. Fast forward a few years and I have been somewhat successful. I have 8 novel / novellas that have been published and continue to write as much as I can.

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

I write contemporary romance for the most part but have made attempts to expand. Visions – is a contemporary romance novella with paranormal elements (available from Sugar and Spice Press). I am also toying with a new romance story that will involve time travel. Stay tuned for that – it’s only in the concept phase right now which means it floating around in my head!

What is your favorite part of writing?

Creating stories that are filled with desire, passion and romance!

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

For the most part I spend about 5 hours a week promoting, unless I have a new release, then it’s a lot more!

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

Definitely not a “walk in the park”. I was rejected SEVERAL times (I have lost count on the actual number) before I finally got my first contract.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

• Contemporary romance
• Contemporary romance with paranormal elements
• Futuristic romance
• Historical romance
• Time travel romance

Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book.

I’m Anna James, author of contemporary stories and I invite you to take a break from everyday life and get lost in a world filled with desire, passion, and romance!

I have been writing for years and was first published in 2010. Since then I have published eight novels / novellas (check out my website for more information www.annajamesromance.com).

I was born in Connecticut and lived there until I was nine years old. My family and I spent the next eleven years living in Williamsville, a suburb just outside of Buffalo, NY. I returned to Connecticut after receiving my Associates degree in Engineering Science and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I continue to live in Connecticut with my husband and children.

I am a romantic at heart and enjoy reading and writing romance novels

My current book, To Love and Trust Again, is the story of Molly Quin:

Three years ago Molly Quin walked out of Dan Berringer’s apartment and told him that she wanted nothing to do with him ever again. Now, after accepting a position with Bennett Engineering, she will have to see Dan every day. Fate could be so cruel! Seeing him again so unexpectedly, she discovered to her chagrin, brought back feelings she thought she’d dealt with a long time ago.

Dan Berringer made a mistake. He’d hurt Molly badly. He wants her back now and will stop at nothing to win her including letting Max McDermott get in his way.

Max McDermott wants Molly Quin. She’s smart, funny and sexy as hell, but he is reluctant to pursue her. He knows Molly is attracted to him too but what about her relationship with Dan Berringer? And is he willing to become involved with someone he works with again?

Follow Molly on her journey as she deals with hurts from the past and her feelings in the present and learns how to love and trust again.

What are you currently working on?

Right now I actually have two stories in the works. One is a traditional contemporary romance and the other contains elements of suspense and intrigue. I am hoping the latter will turn into a series.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Believe in yourself and in your writing. The road to publication is littered with rejection letters (or e-mails as the case may be). If you get rejected find another publisher and / or agent and keep at it until you have a contract!

My blog: www.annajamesromance.com

My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-James-Author-of-Contemporary-Romance-Novels/129394040447020

My Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/annajames

Twitter: @authorannajames

Happy Reading

I’m thrilled to have Jill James, author of Tempting Adam, Divorce, Interuppted, and Someone One to Trust.  She will be giving away 2 copies of Divorce, Interrupted Book 1, Second Chances series, so be sure to leave a comment to have a chance to win.

How did you get started writing?

I started writing short stories in the fifth grade. I had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Whitaker. She said I would be published one day, and here I am.  Once my older daughter was grown and out of the house and my son was in junior high I knew it was my time. I joined RWA and sat down to get serious about writing.

Tell us about your current series.

My series, Second Chances, is set in the fictional town of Lake Willowbee in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The first two are published and the last one is in the WIP stage right now. When they are done I’ll bundle them and put them into print as well.

What is your typical day like?

I get up at 7 and do email and blogs. After breakfast I write all day with breaks to do housework or errands. By 3 I’m done for the day. In the evening I play on the computer.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve enjoyed it for the most part. It is fun to be in charge, but a lot of work too. Everything about writing for a living has been a learning experience.

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

Do your homework. Read blogs, read advice wherever you find. Read the guide at the publishing platforms. Know what you can do and know what you will need to outsource. I loved learning to format for myself. I hired a cover artist, art is not my forte.

Do you have critique partners?

I have one critique partner. I trust her with my story totally. She knows what I’m going for in my story and she doesn’t change my voice at all. A good CP is priceless.

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

Everyone is fair game. LOL Just kidding, kind of. I do use phrases I hear. Lots of conversations at Starbuck’s are in my books. People say the strangest things in public.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

When I’m in the middle of a story I won’t read in my subgenre. Almost all my reading is romance. So when I write contemporary I read historical or paranormal. When I write paranormal I’ll read contemporary or even some horror.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

Yes, my husband is a cop and he requested it for safety reasons. Kind of had to accept that. I’ve gotten used to my new name. I answer to it at RWA meetings and conferences.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? Actually I wanted to be the first female astronaut. I still remember sitting on the living room floor, watching a black and white TV, and seeing Neil Armstrong step onto the surface of another world. I was hooked. It wasn’t until many years that I realized I didn’t like science enough to be an astronaut.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

Someone To Trust is Book 1 in the Second Chances series. I wanted to write a story with trust, not love, being the ultimate emotion for the heroine to feel for the hero. Evie is a former emotionally abused wife and it takes a lot for Brady to break through her shell and to prove he is trustworthy with her heart, safety, and life.

BIO

Jill has loved to write since she first began putting on puppet shows in her garage for a nickel a person.  Her first love was poetry until she picked up her first romance novel, Lily of the Valley, after that it was all romance.  She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance.  She is a member of RWA since 2004 and a member of the From the Heart chapter, Black Diamond chapter, Kiss of Death chapter, and ESPAN chapter.  She has been writing romance for a few years with a few poetry contest wins and a published short story, Lunch Break. She lives in Northern California with her husband, the inspiration for all her heroes.

She is a published author with The Wild Rose Press and as an Indie. Her books include Tempting Adam, Divorce, Interrupted, and Someone To Trust.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

“Honey, it’s just a stupid business trip. You would be bored in Oregon.”

“Evie, sweetie. I love you, but you know you aren’t the smartest apple in the bunch.”

“Evie, where in the hell were you? You know you’re not allowed out after dark. Only

women out after dark are whores and sluts.”

Blinking her eyes in the dark bedroom, Evie Grimes shuddered and took deep, cleansing breaths. Her ex-husband wasn’t here. He hadn’t been in her life for five, long, peaceful years now. Her heartbeat slowed, calmed, returned to a normal pace.

She turned on her side, hitting her pillow to relieve the residual tension in her shoulders.

Cold sweat pooled between her breasts. Sighing, Evie glanced at the bedside clock. She refused to get up at four in the morning just because her sadistic ex-husband had invaded her dreams again.

A car’s headlights traveled along the ceiling and she missed the lake even more than usual. Life in the little town wasn’t hectic. But the lake was so peaceful it made the town seem like a metropolis. She needed peace and quiet more and more as the nightmares returned. It was only a matter of time before the calls started up again and she’d be forced to change phone numbers yet again. A step closer to needing to find a new town again, praying it would be the last time.

Tears filled her eyes, rolling down the sides of her face and wetting her hair. He always found her and she always had to move on. Her thoughts ran in circles like a merry-go-round.

She threw off the covers and swung her legs off the bed. Even at four in the morning, the mugginess the day would later carry already filled the air. She strode down the hallway in her T-shirt and panties, all she forced herself to wear in the dog days of August in the sweltering foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Her footsteps pitter-pattered down the oak flooring of the hallway. The beats of her still-racing  heart pounded in her ears.

She flipped the switch on the wall and the kitchen flooded with light, banishing the not-yet dawn outside and the last dregs of her nightmare. Evie shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. Thoughts of Mark Trudeau still haunted her.

Her eye started to twitch and she cursed her ex-husband for the millionth time. Grabbing a banana off the counter, she ripped the peel off and jammed it into her mouth, biting it with a snap of her teeth.

She stood at the counter and glared outside. Too early to go open the antiques store, and too late to go back to sleep. Even if she had been able to sleep. Shaking her head, she tossed the banana peel into the garbage and headed back to her bedroom to get dressed. The day was only going to get hotter; she could take advantage of the early hour and go for a run.

Once she was outside breathing in the fresh mountain air she felt her muscles loosen up,

Evie clipped on her ear buds and pushed the volume button on her iPod. The hard rock sounds of AC/DC blared into her ears as she set off down the street leading to the running path behind the houses.

Her long strides ate up the distance. Each pounding thump of her feet on the packed dirt pushed all her troubles far away. Nothing touched her when she ran. Birds flew overhead, flitting from tree to tree. Squirrels and gophers darted across her path, just in front of her. She giggled as a pair of ground squirrels paused on the edge of the path, waiting for her to pass by. A traffic jam, Lake Willowbee-style.

Looking up, all Evie saw was dark hair and blue eyes, just before she slammed into a rock-solid chest. Her breath left in an oomph and she backpedaled to stay on her feet. It didn’t work, as she lost her balance and hit the dirt with her backside.

She glimpsed an outstretched hand as she looked up. Then looked up some more. Seeing a giant towering over her. A shiver ran down her spine. At 5 feet 2 inches, everyone towered over her, but she tried to avoid tall, large men and the one standing over her looked like Paul Bunyan.

A quick glance showed warm, blue eyes and a friendly smile. She steeled her spine and took his hand. Hers was lost in his grasp. As soon as she was back on her feet, she yanked her hand away and stopped herself a nanosecond from wiping it on her sweatpants.

He wasn’t any smaller when she was standing in front of him. Her vision was filled with a tight blue T-shirt and a chest filling every scrap of material to the bursting point. He was—just too much for her to handle. She skittered back a step.

Yanking her ear buds off, Evie became aware of the total silence in the woods. Just the call of birds and the underbrush movements of small animals filled the still air. Her head whipped around. No one but her and the giant in sight. She took another slow step backward, ready to run at the smallest sign of danger from the man in front of her.

“Hey now, it’s okay,” he spoke in a quiet tone so at odds with his size. “I was just bird watching. You came out of nowhere. I tried to say something, but I guess you didn’t hear me with the earphones and stuff.”

She knew that voice. Racking her brain, it came to her. The carpenter working on her sister’s lake-front house. Brady Jackson. A groan escaped her. Here she was acting like he was a mad stalker at her heels and she recognized this man. She’d seen him several times now at the lake house, working on the cabinets.

She glanced at him from beneath her eyelashes. He was handsome, movie star action hero handsome. Dark hair waved in the breeze and framed a strong face. His blue eyes glanced back at her. A smile cut across his face and transformed him from handsome to devastatingly handsome.

Her heart skipped a couple of beats. She hadn’t thought a man was handsome in more years than she cared to count. After Mark’s tyranny, she’d been happy to be blissfully single. As her mom had been thrilled to say, ‘handsome is as handsome does.’ Evie learned the hard way a pretty face could hide a monster.

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.