Friday Fun- Meet author J. E. Hopkins!

Please help me welcome the 

talented, J E Hopkins! J E 

has a treat for all you 

Paranormal fans! 1 lucky 

commentator will win a copy 

of WE SHALL RISE:)

You can learn all about J E at 

 www.jehopkinsauthor.com

but be sure to come on back and 

visit with us. 

Grab a cup of coffee. I'm having 

hazelnut flavor today. ;)

J.E., thanks so much for being here today.

1- Was your road to publication a delightful stroll in the park or a tiring jog over hot coals? My feet are still charred from those hot coals.

2- Where is your favorite place to write? I love to write while on vacation. Being in a relaxing atmosphere helps me de-stress and unlock my imagination.

3- What is the most difficult for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions? Emotions can be a struggle. It’s hard to convey it words what the heart feels.

4- Do you have critique partners? Not formally. I have people I trust that I discuss certain aspects of my writing with, but I don’t have a person I rely on to give me a chapter analysis.

5 - What music are you listening to lately? My musical taste is all over the place. I love all music. Recently, I have been hooked on Adele. Talk about emotional music. Every song takes you on a journey of her emotions.

6- Tell us about your real life romance. Unfortunately, not much to tell which is probably why I write romance novels. I get to imagine what’s not happening in real life.

7 - Classic Novel you would like to see turned into a movie? My favorite novel of all time is The Scarlet Letter. There have been attempts to turn it into a movie, but it hasn’t worked. I would love to see someone turn this classic work into a strong script.

8 -  If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would get the part? As I was writing, We Shall Rise, I pictured a beefier version of Johnny Depp as my hero Kaden. The guy is just gorgeous. Kaden has similar facial qualities, but he is a little brawnier.

9- Do you believe in love at first sight? I definitely believe in lust at first sight. I think love at first sight is a rarity, but it does happen. Too often, people mistake love, lust and infatuation.

10 -  How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? Everyone in my life inspires some aspect of what I write. It may not be a perfect match, but there are similarities. Certainly, just riding the subways of Manhattan you see some interesting people which provides a lot of great source material.

11 - If you could time travel would you go forward or backward? Backward definitely.  I am such a history geek. I would love to go back to almost any period of history just to experience life in those times.

12 - What was the best advice you were given leading you to getting published?  To not give up and stay true to myself.

13- If you could switch places with one of your characters would you? I would love to be my character Reysa. She kicks butt and gets to go home to a sexy vampire who looks like Johnny Depp. I would definitely love to be her.

14 - What did you do to celebrate when your first book was published? I just felt so content that I finally accomplished a dream. I didn’t do much to celebrate, but it was certainly one of the best moments of my life.

15- What is your favorite dessert/food? My mother makes a coconut cake that is simply divine. I also love banana pudding.

16- Tell us a little about your WIP. I am working on book #3 in my Misfits of the Lore paranormal romance series.

17- Favorite romance movie? The Thorn Birds.

18- Favorite actor/actress/both? My favorite actors are the late Laurence Olivier and Paul Newman. My favorite actress is probably Meryl Streep.  I also enjoy Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman.

19 - Favorite song/singer? Favorite band of all time is Queen.  I also love, love, love Otis Redding.

20- Do you believe in love at first sight or just lust at first sight? I think lust at first sight is much more common, but love at first sight can happen.

21 - What is your favorite writing conference to attend? I’ve attended a few RWA conferences, but I don’t really have a favorite.

22 - What is your favorite time of year? I’m a winter baby.

23- Tropical or European vacation? Both really. For the last few years, I’ve enjoyed European vacations so this year I am off to the Caribbean.

Buy links:
 
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/weshallrisejehopkins
B&N: http://bit.ly/weshallrisemisfitsofthelore

Links

www.jehopkinsauthor.com

jehopkinsauthor@gmail.com

@jehopkinsauthor

Amazon: http://amzn.to/weshallrisejehopkins

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-shall-rise-je-hopkins/1106957341?ean=2940013235366&itm=5&usri=j.e.+hopkins

Friday Fun- Meet author Rose Gordon!

Please help me welcome talented author ROSE GORDON. She's brought her latest release, HER IMPERFECT GROOM! (Rose, I love, love, love that cover!)
You can find out more about Rose at her website http://www.rosegordon.net/
But come on back and visit with us because Rose is offering 2 - TWO! - e-copies of either HER IMPERFECT GROOM or one of her backlist titles as prizes! So two of you can win this week:) Be sure to leave your email addy so we can contact you if you win.

Thanks so much for being here today, Rose!

Tell us about your real life romance.

While everyone says real life romance is nothing like the romance in books, I have to disagree! In many of the books I've read, the hero towers over the heroine and marriages happen as a result of scandals (particularly in historical romance novels). At 6'4”, my husband is more than 16” taller than me, which came in handy when I needed a place to hide following our botched elopement! Truly, my husband and I are not the norm. We eloped as teenagers and had our fist child a month before our first anniversary. We've been married more than seven years now and while the “romance” part might not be what one reads about in books with romantic dinners out, boxes of chocolates, and flowers, replaced with endless meetings, burnt dinners, and a house covered with matchbox cars and Legos, we find time to remember why it was we couldn't wait another day to marry. Ironically, a lot of the sweet gestures the heroes in my books do, are modeled from the things my husband does for me—even if a bit misguided.

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

That really depends. I've written a few villains who've had personalty traits of people I know... For the most part though, I don't base a lot of my characters' personalities on people I've met, but rather, their looks. Two years ago I saw someone in passing with eye-catching features and was nearly stunned at his appearance. I later went home and changed my hero to having jet black hair and vibrant blue eyes.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Absolutely. I believe in hate at first sight, too. Both of these emotions were felt when my husband and I first met... I fell head-over-heels in love, and he couldn't stand me! (See how that worked out?)

If you could switch places with one of your characters would you?

Yes! I've written quite a few very lucky and enviable heroines. The only thing that keeps me from firing up the Delorean is one little, fourteen-letter phrase: modern plumbing. I'm really not sure how I'd handle a chamberpot or even a water closet. 

What is your favorite dessert/food?

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I love pizza. I could eat pizza almost every day. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't go for this, so we compromise. Whenever I pass some sort of milestone with my current work-in-progress, we go out for pizza. As an added bonus, our little boys love this, and this little tradition makes mom cool. Can't beat that.

Tell us a little about your WIP.

Currently, I've taken a break from Regencies and have decided to write a trilogy of Westerns based in Indian Territory in the 1840s. At the time, the United States Army had set up several forts across the land and the men stationed there were there to help keep the peace between the Indian tribes and offer protection for those who had to pass through.

 Because only military men and their wives were allowed to live at these forts, if a man did not come to the fort with a wife, he was unlikely to find one until he returned home. Unless one is accidentally left when a frustrated stagecoach driver leaves town before all of his travelers have returned, that is...

 Thus sets the stage for the first book where a well-to-do lady traveling by stagecoach from her home in Boston to meet her fiance in Santa Fe finds herself stranded in a military fort when her stagecoach leaves without her. Given the choice to either temporarily marry an officer until her fiance can come rescue her or take her chances with the Indians, she marries a the glib Captain Wes Tucker, who, unbeknownst to her, grew up in a wealthy Charleston family and despises everything she represents. But when it’s time for her fiance to reclaim her and annul their marriage, will she still want to go with him, and more importantly, will Wes let her?

 Though 1840s Indian Territory is as far away from Regency England as one can get, I'm having a ball writing this series and learning far more than I ever thought possible.

 ****

BLURB for HER IMPERFECT GROOM  

Upon their first meeting, seventeen year old Edwina Banks loses her heart to the handsome, Sir Wallace Benedict. She then spends three years doing everything in her power to see him again only to be devastated when she hears that he still holds a tendre for his former love interest—Lady Chatterfield.

Disappointed but not defeated, Edwina forms a plan to help Sir Wallace gain his much-deserved and long awaited happily-ever-after by winning the object of his affection’s favor. For truly then she can put aside her feelings for him and pursue her own match.

Or can she...

Despite his three engagements, the thrice-jilted baronet, Sir Wallace Benedict, has never had an easy time charming those of the fairer sex. Having been deceived and used more times than he'd care to remember, he's erected a wall around his heart and is skeptical of everyone. Everyone except one Miss Edwina Banks, that is. With an inquisitive disposition, yet a relaxing presence, Edwina is a mystery which has held him captive ever since their first meeting three years ago. So when she offers to give him advice for how to conduct a courtship that will end with the most favorable result: marriage, he agrees without hesitation.

But when Wallace learns that not only does Edwina have another suitor, but that her advice was meant to help him woo the wrong lady, he forms his own plan: use Edwina's wooing advice on Edwina.

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON

http://www.amazon.com/Her-Imperfect-Groom-BOOK-ebook/dp/B0073VRQSS/ref%3dsr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328049707&sr=8-1 

BARNES & NOBLE

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-imperfect-groom-rose-gordon/1108487553?ean=2940014091343&itm=7&usri=rose+gordon

 

 

Friday Fun - Meet Author Rachel Brimble!

Please help me welcome my friend and fellow Wild Rose Press author, RACHEL BRIMBLE! She's brought her recent release, THE ARRIVAL OF LILY CURTIS, a wonderful Regency Romance:)

You can find out more about Rachel and all her works at her  Website 

 But make sure to come on back and visit with us:)

Thanks for being here today, Rachel! You have to promise to come back and bring your next release.

1 - What is the most difficult for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions?

Conflict definitely! I am having an absolute nightmare with the book I am revising at the moment. My agent is expecting it March 1^st and I am in a major panic. I thought I had everything it needed but on a third read through I realized about half way through, the hero and heroine both want the same thing. They could easily work together. Panic!!

 I have this same problem with every story I write – lack of reason for my hero and heroine not to be together. Arghh!!

2 - What music are you listening to lately?

My absolute favorite band to listen to right now is Lady Antebellum. Gorgeous sound, beautiful lyrics and amazing voices. What more could a girl ask for? Love ‘em! J

3 -  If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would get the part?

I always use a visual for my hero and heroine when writing, if only so I have a permanent record of their hero color etc. For the historical novella I submitted for consideration a few weeks ago, my hero was Dan Stevens (who plays Matthew Crawley in the fabulous Downton Abbey).

Here is the pic I used – perfect Victorian hero, I feel!

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

Very unlikely – my imagination just not work that way. I very rarely meet someone or hear their story and think I have to write something about them or that. My inspiration often comes from articles I read in the newspaper, or an interesting real life fact from history…or most popular of all, the theme of an episode in a TV drama.

 The amount of stories kicked off by Grey’s Anatomy, Poirot, Eastenders or Rizzoli and Isles, you wouldn’t believe. Lol!

5 - Tell us a little about your WIP.

I am currently working on book 2 of what I hope will be a romantic suspense series. My agent is busy with book 1 and several houses have it under consideration and know it will be part of a three-part series. It is set in the fictional seaside town of Templeton Cove in South West England.

 It’s all very exciting as I haven’t released a romantic suspense in three years but these books came to me out of nowhere, begging to be written. I have everything crossed for their success!

6 - What is your favorite time of year?

I am my happiest in the sun BUT I also love the first taste of Autumn when I can go back to warm boots and a wool coat. Love that feeling! Summer is what I love though. I have a cabin at the bottom of my garden where I write with my Black Lab laying at the open door or I take my laptop onto the decking and feel the sun on my back.

 Bliss!! J

Rachel’s latest historical romance is The Arrival Of Lily Curtis, available now from The Wild Rose Press. Here’s the blurb:

At the mention of an arranged marriage, Elizabeth Caughley feels her life is over at the age of three and twenty….so she hatches an escape plan.  She will reinvent herself as a housemaid.  Overnight, Elizabeth becomes Lily…

Viscount Westrop wants nothing more than his legacy to be passed to his own son one day.  Even though he feels insurmountable pity for the unborn child already, he knows how much pain a broken promise can cause and will do what is right.  But with the arrival of his new housemaid, his plans are thrown into disarray.  Lily is funny, feisty and the most beautiful creature on earth – Andrew is thunderstruck.  But if anyone suspects how much he wants to ravish her and endlessly love her, Andrew’s lineage will be in peril.  And he cannot let that happen…

Buy Link:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4124

Links:

http://www.rachelbrimble.com/

http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/RachelBrimble

Friday Fun- Meet author Velda Brotherton!

Please help me welcome my friend and fellow Wild Rose Press author, VELDA BROTHERTON. Velda and I share a love of Old West stories. I've had the pleasure of hearing her speak several times, and she is a wealth of knowledge:) She's brought her latest release STONE HEART'S WOMAN.
You can learn about Velda and her writing at http://www.veldabrotherton.com
But then come on back, grab a cup of coffee and visit with us! Velda has graciously offered 2 Freebies - 1 e-book and 1 paperback to two lucky commentators. So don't forget to leave your email addy so we can contact you if you're name is chosen:)
Thank you for being here today, Velda!

1. Was your road to publication a delightful stroll in the park or a tiring job over hot coals?

While it was delightful because I met so many wonderful people, I wouldn't call it a stroll in the park. Perhaps a hop, leap and often flight over hot coals would better express the journey. Writing my first novel came about during several years when I wrote for local newspapers. And did it ever take years. Where I began and where I ended were such far-distant points. I began writing a women's fiction novel, you know that Great American Novel so many of us strive for? I ended in changing an award winning three chapters of a western into a western historical romance after an editor at Penguin suggested it. I've been in love with historicals ever since. And if you won't tell anyone, I wrote and had that book, and five more, published without ever reading a romance. Goes against all advice, huh? Lisa Wingate, a good friend, who was at that time published in romances, took me under her wing when the editor asked for the change, and she suggested what to do and where to change the book. She was not a critique partner, but rather a member of the first critique group I belonged to, and one that is still active today.

Dusty Richards, another group member, shoved me forward to pitch the book to the Penguin editor. Many others have been so kind and helpful over the years, to help me leap and fly over those coals. Like I said, I've met some wonderful people along the way.

2. Tell us about your real life romance.

I'm in love with, and married to, my high school sweetheart. In those days, and I won't say exactly when, if we gals didn't wear an engagement ring by the time we graduated from high school, we were failures. I met my husband-to-be when I was 14 and he was 16. We married when I was 17, much to my father's dismay. Hubby has carried my books ever since, and we've been married 58 years this past December. That's a long time to be with the same person and it's been bumpy, but he's always been romantic. He buys or picks me flowers often. When he goes shopping on his own, he often comes back with something for me, even if it's just a favorite treat from the fruit or veggie section. He sometimes brings me fresh mushrooms cause I enjoy them so, even though he can't stand them. Maybe that doesn't sound very romantic, but it suits me just fine. He also does much of my research and travels with me on my research trips. Best of all, he puts up with my writer ways.

3. How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? Very likely, and I often wear a tee shirt that announces, "Be careful, or you'll end up in my novel." I'm careful, though, to disguise them pretty well. Most everyone I know has had their name appear, first only, of course. A funny story: I made a friend early on who writes mystery novels. Quite a few years ago, Radine Trees Nehring was surprised when she found I'd used her first name for a young "soiled dove" in one of my books. She was so proud she actually sold more of those books than I did when we'd have book signings together. She later used Velda as a name for one of her characters. I've used most all my close relatives' names, and often their personalities here and there. It's wise, however, to be careful not to slander anyone. Even relatives can take a notion to sue.

4. If you could switch places with one of your characters would you? Well, sometimes I think I might, but when I get to thinking about it, most of my books take place before modern conveniences and those I really wouldn't want to do without. But if I were much younger, I think it would be fascinating and exciting to travel west along the Santa Fe Trail, especially if one of those handsome heroes came along. One of my favorite characters comes from my book, Images in Scarlet. Allie carried a Navy Colt and was very self reliant. Many women went west on their own, bought land, took jobs dressed as men, etc. My editor at Topaz once told me that to keep the stories romantic we had to leave out the bedbugs, and she was perfectly right. We can romanticize the west all we want, but some things people put up with would be horrific.

5. Tell us a little about your WIP. I have two new books out, but I'll talk about Stone Heart's Woman, out from The Wild Rose Press, because it's a western historical romance and the story is close to my heart. Though I always set my books during a time and place that particularly intrigues me, the plight of the Northern Cheyenne as they tried one last time to go home is heartbreaking. Their courage and determination is even more so. For 1500 miles their small band of men, women and children battled soldiers and dreadful conditions to make their way home to the land of the yellowstone.

Stone Heart is the son of George Armstrong Custer and a Cheyenne woman. Raised white, he is torn between two worlds, but makes his choice and joins the Cheyenne during their "final outbreak" from Ft. Robinson in Nebraska. Badly wounded, he holes up in an abandoned shack to heal. There he encounters Aiden Connor, a woman on the run, a red-haired Irish lass abandoned in a small frontier settlement by her fiance. Left to her own devices, she sings onstage until the good women there band together and run her out of town.

From need rather than choice, the two join forces. She to nurse him back to health, and he to see they survive the brutal cold and return to Ft. Robinson where the lone remnants of his people are penned up and starving. He will see they are freed at any cost, and Aiden soon joins him in the battle. One that will finally only be won with the help of Libbie Custer.

Jennifer can draw one comment out for a print copy of Stone Heart's Woman.

Those who want to answer this question can compete for a Kindle copy of another of my historical romances, Dream Walker.

Question: Why do you read western historical romances?

Links: Website http://www.veldabrotherton.com

             Blog  http://veldabrotherton.blogspot.com

              Purchase Stone Heart's Woman http://www.tinyurl.com/6q3fab5

              Backlist on Kindle  http://www.tinyurl.com/7dr9mbn