The following letter was written on 30th June 1927 and has recently been discovered in a vacant building in New York which once housed a prestigious magazine. The letter was in a sealed envelope post-marked London, England:

Dear Mr D****,

As I’m sure you’ll know, I am the famous (indeed, infamous) weekly columnist writing for London’s Piccadilly Herald. My job here is to review restaurants, dinner-dance clubs and boutiques. But no doubt you’ll be aware that I succeed in accomplishing far more than that. Indeed vast numbers of people here in London – thousands, perhaps even millions, who can tell – are now reading the Herald purely to find out what I have to say on every subject worth reading about, from bobbed hair to emancipation for women to the latest on my own new romance with a certain devil-in-a-dinner-jacket. I am now contemplating a move to the United States and would like to know whether there might be a new home for me on your little publication. It would be something of a sacrifice for me to forgo my daily cocktail hour in favour of your dreary Prohibition rules and regulations, but I understand there are certain establishments where the more potent of beverages may still be purchased and certain means, also, of ’smuggling’ small quantities of one’s favourite tipple about town in order to enliven one’s fruit juice while going out and about. Indeed I have in mind, for my first article, a review of the best containers for such purposes and of garments with capacious inside pockets to be effectively utilized. Alternatively, I could attempt an answer to the eternal question: How did the bagel get its hole?

At any rate, here’s a sample of my column for you to devour (this will appear in next week’s Herald):

Summer’s arrived to send us all ga-ga. That old card, that party jester. At the first glimmer of even the tiniest ray of sun, we all go running about the West End in our sandals, exposing our unpalatable toes, displaying our lily-white legs and our flabby arms. My, what an unwieldy sack of potatoes we Londoners are. All through the winter we are so chic in our silver fox coats and our plumed hats and our nicely cut tweeds. It’s as though we’ve all signed a pact, agreeing not to look or not to care for the next three months.

All this gay abandon simply doesn’t bring out the best in me. I am not of the type that is all ruddy complexion and flaxen hair and overflowing wholesomeness. My red-lipped, jet-haired white-skinned visage is offset nicely by ice and darkness and the contrasting roaring fires. Today, while dashing about Dickens & Jones (there are pleasing summer dresses about that place in pastel colours for those who are the pastel type) I beheld my reflection in a long changing room mirror and was, frankly, aghast at my own ghoulishness. I resembled nothing so much as a vampire caught out in the daylight, and don’t know what I can do about this beyond a fastidious avoidance of mirrors for the rest of the season.

Perhaps, all in all, it’s better to hide away by day and come out only at night for dinner and dancing at one of London’s better night-clubs. Though one should remember to beware of Londoners attempting the Charleston …

Now, as you know, it’s been over a year since the Charleston stepped off the boat and took up residence in our better night-clubs. They dance it dandily in Paris and New York. So how much longer is it going to be before the Londoner learns how to do it properly? Men are very much the worst. There’s something, frankly, convulsive about those kicking, flailing legs. At the Salamander, you take your life in your hands when you step on to the dance-floor. In fact, I wouldn’t even advise taking a table beside the dance-floor. But many of the fairer sex are not so much better – really, there are a lot of farmyard hens strutting about the West End, pecking and flapping.

The solution? Lessons, of course. Trust me, girls, it’s a sound investment.. I suggest any of you with a nagging suspicion that your Charleston may be of the feathered, clucking sort, should seek out, post-haste, Miss Leticia (known to her friends as ‘Teenie Weenie’) Harrison, of Mayfair. Take heed: This might change your life. In an ideal world, one would of course take the hubby or boyfriend along to Teenie Weenie’s – but if he thinks he’s too fine and manly for classes, you’ll have to teach him yourself. Let’s face it, we’ve been educating our men in so many departments since long before we – that is, those of us over thirty – got the vote (NB. the under-thirties would have my sympathy were it not for the fact that I covet your tender youth) and we’ll be doing so for as long as men are men and women are women. Embrace your fate.

Two irritating comments that I regularly encounter, of an evening, now my fame is spreading:

“Miss Sharp, where do you find the stamina to go out all night every night? Your job must be the hardest in London.”

– and –

“What an easy job you have, Miss Sharp. All you have to do is go out and enjoy yourself and then tell us all about it.”

Also, I am outraged at the reports of various pretenders claiming to be me in order to blag good tables and complementary cocktails. Doormen, if ever in doubt, ask ‘Diamond’ to blow you a smoke-ring. This is a very particular talent of mine, and should instantly reveal any fake gems. Oh, and by the way, I have never in my life had to ask for a free drink!

So, Mr D****, I shall wait for your answer with baited breath. Really, I do feel I have now exhausted the (not so) bright lights of London, and am altogether ready for pastures new. I’m afraid I can’t tell you my real name at this time. This is a closely guarded secret, known only to my family, best friends and the paltry trail of lovers staggering along in my wake. Even the aforementioned devil-in-a-dinner-jacket doesn’t yet know who I really am. If you’re utterly desperate to be let into the secret of my true identity, or if you’d like to see a wider selection of my columns, I suggest you consult The Jewel Box by Anna Davis (published by Pocket).

Do send your reply soon, there’s a good chap, as I have a short attention span and shall certainly have forgotten all about you by the weekend.

Yours sincerely,
Diamond Sharp

Raise your hand if you appreciate a good book recommendation. *raising my hand high*

Normally when I come across a book recommendation it’s through a review, a site like GoodReads, or via a reading friend. Sometimes our reviewers will mention a book that they thought was especially great and those are always the ones I keep an eye open for.

It’s no surprise that when Donna told me how fabulous The Accidental Bestseller is, I had to put it on my list. “Fun characters, four writers, great writing,” she said. So I found a copy.

And by page 40 I was totally hooked. Yes, some books are recommendable by page 40. Others, I wait until the end to see if it ends as good as it starts. Not so with this book. I’ve been telling everyone who will listen what a good book it is. The characters are likable, troubled, and “real.” There are also genuine laugh out loud moments…something I haven’t found in a book in ages.

I must admit this is a stretch from the books I normally read. I am, after all, a diehard-and-proud-of-it romance junkie. If it doesn’t have ROMANCE on the spine, I generally turn my nose up at it. Sorry to say, dear friends, I am a romance snob. So what is a romance snob/junkie doing reading a non-romance (yeah, there’s no clinch cover in sight on this one) novel?

It came highly recommended. And now, I’m giving it a page 40 recommendation and telling you to read it. But don’t worry, I don’t plan on straying from my romance novels for too long. No longer than it’ll take me to finish The Accidental Bestseller.

Do you have a Page 40 Recommendation? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you.

Have a seat, make yourself comfortable and start by telling us a little about yourself.

CC I’m a writer…oh, yeah, that’s why I’m here. Okay, I’m an animal lover and martial artist. I have a tendency to procrastinate, but that’s okay because I work better under pressure. I love summer, watching movies and eating junk food. Nature motivates and energizes me, while the noise of the city irritates and stresses me. I believe everything happens for a reason and that positive thinking can change your life.

You have many hobbies: photography, horseback writing, archery…reading. What authors inspire you?

CC Yes, there are many things that I enjoy doing. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to do everything I’d like and now that we’ve moved to a farm and have animals, I have even less time. Of course, I do make time for reading, that’s one indulgence I allow myself regularly. As to what authors inspire me, it depends on my mood. Some of my favourites are Terry Goodkind, Anne Bishop, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Karen Marie Moning, Lynne Kurland, Susanna Kearsley, Nora Roberts…the list goes on.

Do you have a favorite book or series?

CC I’d have to say that Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series, Nora Roberts’ Three Sisters and Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogies, Anne Bishop’s Tir Alain series.

Many authors admit that there’s a bit of themselves in each of their characters. I think that’s perfectly natural. Do you think that your life and personality finds its way into your books and characters?

CC Definitely. Absolutely. In my first book, the heroine was so logical about everything, a fact that drove the hero crazy, but it wasn’t until after the book was published and people began giving me feedback that I realized just how logical I’d written her as a character. For the next while I listened to everything I said and how I reacted to situations and I became aware of just how logical I am. Quite a rude awakening.

Your blog is called Mythical Author. Can you tell us what it means to be a mythical author?

CC It means that I get to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, boldly go…whoo, sorry, that was a flashback to my childhood when Star Trek was my favourite show. Come to think of it, that might have been one of the things that made me start thinking beyond what we know or what we can see. Being a mythical author really just means that I love to focus on myths and legends. Places that may or may not have existed in the forgotten realms of the past, or maybe still exist in another dimension side by side with us.

About Your Books

Tell us more about your latest release. What’s it about and what inspired you to write it?

CC Actually, I have two recently published books, both very different from each other. The Crystal of Light is a fantasy that takes place in the land of faerie and is chock full of myths and legends…just my kind of story. My other book is titled, A Witch’s Lament, and has a past/present timeline that deals with the subject of the Salem witches. It gave me a great excuse to visit Salem and do research. Many of the places I mention in the book are actual places in Salem, while some of the excerpts of the trial and many of the people are real as well. I’m not sure what inspires me to write the things I do, I just know that there are so many subjects that fascinate me and if I write about them it gives me a chance to research them. For example, a story I’m working on deals with the Knights Templar and researching their history is very intriguing.

What’s coming out next from you? Our readers will want to mark their calendars!

CC Later this year my next novel, Solitary Cove, will be released by Treble Heart Books. It’s a romantic suspense and very different from anything I’ve written so far. No faeries, myths or legends. I have no idea where it came from, but the story presented itself to me and pretty much forced me to write, so I did. After Solitary Cove will probably be a sequel to A Witch’s Lament and will hopefully be published by Crescent Moon Press. They seemed to like A Witch’s Lament enough to want a sequel, so I’m spending this summer writing A Witch’s Legacy.

Do you come up with your characters first or the plot of the story?

CC Ummm, you’re not going to believe this…and it sounds silly, but I come up with a title first. The title is always my foundation, strikes me unexpectedly, and sets the subject and tone of the story.

Do you have a favorite book or one that’s closest to your heart that you’ve written?

CC I would have to say my first book, Sword Across Time, will always hold a special place in my heart. It was such a thrill to actually beat the odds and become a published author and the feedback on it, both from reviewers and readers, was fantastic. More than I could have imagined.

Random Questions

Give us 5 words that describe you.

CC Oh, gosh, I don’t know. When I read this question outloud and the first thing my husband says is, “Skinny.” So I better use that as one of the words. Since I’ve been working 2 part-time jobs, as well as running our own business and doing my writing, I’ve lost about 12 pounds, weight I didn’t need to lose. I’m using that as an excuse to eat alot of ice cream, chips, chocolate and other good stuff to gain the weight back again. I guess “Loyal” is another word. “Persistent”, otherwise I’d never have been published. “Compassionate”, especially when it comes to animals. “Decisive”, I think. Well, maybe not, but then again, I suppose…okay…decisive.

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

CC The answer to this question changes from time to time, depending on a few things. Currently, if I had the choice, I would love to travel to New Zealand. I know people who travel and they say it’s the most beautiful place they’ve been. The fact that the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed there also piques my interest. Ask me that question again in the middle of winter and I might say the Fiji Islands.

Do you have a beverage of choice? Something you can’t write without?

CC I have to laugh, because as I’m answering these questions, there’s a glass of Coca-Cola sitting on the table beside me. It’s one of my weaknesses and I hate going into a restaurant and ordering a coke only to be asked if pepsi is okay. Well, no, it’s not okay, but I usually end up ordering the pepsi anyway.

Do you write to music or the TV?

CC Not usually. If I do listen to music, it’s something soft and mellow, or maybe a sounds of nature tape.

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

CC I love Christmas because I love Christmas carols. I start singing them about 2 months before and don’t stop until 2 months after. I drive my husband crazy. I also like to get my shopping done and then make a no-pressure visit to the mall just to listen to the music and watch the people run about in a frenzy. Watching others do their last minute shopping and knowing that I’m done, relaxes me. Kinda weird, but true.

Do you have any advice to new writers?

CC Be open to advice from everyone. Never assume that you know everything, or that your skills can’t be improved. Take what you’re told, sift through it and do what you think is best for your writing. I remember sending out a manuscript and receiving conflicting comments from different agents. One thought the beginning was too long, too much detail, and suggested I cut it down, while the other wanted more details, more world-building. In a case like that, you have to do what you feel is right for your writing. Now, if you’re getting advice from different people and it’s the same, then you should probably listen.

How can readers get in contact with you?

CC Through my website: www.catherineannecollins.com or my blog www.mythicalauthor.blogspot.com/

Thanks for having me here, I always appreciate the opportunity to share my books with others.

Catherine

Singletitles.com catches up with favourite historical romance author Nicola Cornick and chats to her about Regency rakes, Yorkshire and her dazzling new series: The Brides of Fortune!

Thank you for joining us here at Singletitles.com, Nicola! This month sees the release of your new novel, The Confessions of a Duchess, the first title in the Fortune’s Folly trilogy. What initially sparked off the idea for the Brides of Fortune series? Did you conceive The Confessions of a Duchess to be the first book in a trilogy or did the other two titles, The Scandals of an Innocent and The Undoing of a Lady, just grow organically from the first book?

Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about my Brides of Fortune trilogy! The initial idea for the series came from an article I read in a newspaper about a man who had bought the title of Lord of the Manor of a village in England. He then discovered that he could levy all kinds of medieval taxes on the villagers and started to charge them for all sorts of things like walking their dogs on the village green. Naturally the villagers rebelled and battle lines were drawn up! It made me realise what a wonderful idea that was for a Regency historical and so the idea of Fortune’s Folly was born, with its grasping squire who levies a tax on all the unmarried ladies in the village and all the fortune hunters who come along to try and persuade the ladies they would do better to marry than give away their wealth!

The Confessions of a Duchess is Laura Cole’s story and it was originally written as a sequel to my HQN historical Unmasked. So many people had written to me after reading Unmasked asking for Laura and Dexter’s story. Then I had the idea of Laura being the leader of the ladies of Fortune’s Folly opposing the Dames’ Tax – it fitted her character! – and so the idea for the series grew from there. Alice and Lizzie, the heroines of The Scandals of an Innocent and The Undoing of a Lady, feature in the first book so the whole series developed as it went along.

What were the challenges of writing this trilogy?

The main challenge I found was to keep the underlying murder mystery plot running through the three books in the series, to juggle my cast of characters and to make sure that I didn’t plot myself into a corner! I’m not that well organised as a writer (which is odd because I’m a very organised person in the rest of my life!) so I tend to let a book develop as I go along. I wait to see where the characters take it without planning too much of it in advance. But of course with a series you really do need to plan well or you get yourself into all kinds of tricky situations!

Could you tell us something about each book in the series?

Well, first there is an e-book prequel, The Secrets of a Courtesan, which is available exclusively from e-harlequin HQN Books. That sets the scene and introduces some of the characters whilst being an incredibly emotional and romantic love story as well!

The first book, Confessions of a Duchess, is Laura and Dexter’s love story, as I mentioned. They had one very passionate, forbidden night together and then went their separate ways for four years but now Dexter is back and is determined to discover all the secrets Laura is hiding.

In book 2 Alice Lister, a former housemaid who has inherited a fortune from her late employer, is courted by the most notorious rake in Fortune’s Folly, Miles Vickery. Miles is bad and dangerous to know and he thinks that because Alice is a bit of an innocent in the ways of the world he can blackmail her into marriage. But Alice has had to be tough coming from a background as a servant and soon Miles realises he’s in very deep. It’s a real battle of hearts between the two of them!

The final book, The Undoing of a Lady, is special to me because I adore the heroine, Lizzie Scarlet. I love all the books in the series but this one is my favourite because Lizzie is such a wild and outrageous girl. I hope that to know Lizzie is to love her – she has a very unhappy childhood and background and she needs to grow up a lot and I hope the readers will be on her side as she falls in love and tries to win her husband’s love in return. It’s a very emotional and moving book, I think.

The trilogy is set in the fictional Yorkshire village of Fortune’s Folly. Regencies usually take place in London or Bath, what made you decide to create a fictional landscape in this particular British county?

I enjoy reading and writing books set in both London and Bath but recently I felt like a change in location. Yorkshire appealed to me firstly because it is the county of my birth and so I know it well and secondly because the countryside provides a stunning backdrop for the trilogy. There were wild and dangerous elements to Yorkshire in the early nineteenth century. In my mind it has some of the same dramatic appeal of Cornwall or Scotland. There is definitely something untamed about the North of England and I wanted to capture that. The other element I wanted to include was to make Fortune’s Folly a little spa town, so I modelled it on Harrogate, which is one of my favourite Yorkshire towns.

Do you envisage writing more books set in Fortune’s Folly?

Well, I left a few of characters’ stories unresolved; I don’t think I could quite bring myself to let go of them! So there are a couple of the heiresses and one very, very bad and rakish fortune hunter whose stories are still to tell. One day I would love to go back and see what has happened to them!

Your books are renowned for their meticulous and vivid historical detail. What sort of research do you do for your novels?

Thank you! Yes, accurate research is very important to me. I think that it adds so much richness and detail to the story. I have a big library of books that are my first resource for research and I am always adding to it and looking for little snippets of historical information that could spark a story idea. I am also fortunate that I live in the UK and can visit lots of historical sites. I love visiting stately homes and old villages with centuries of history. I also draw on museums and art galleries, on costume collections for fashions and on specialist collections for things like carriage driving.

The Regency still remains such a popular era with readers of romantic fiction. What appeals to you about this particular era and why do you think romance readers just cannot get enough of Regency England?

The Regency period has always intrigued me because of its contrasts. There was such glamour at the top of society – all the beautiful balls and parties and entertainments that would have been fascinating to attend – and then beneath all that there was an entirely different world, that of the servant class and below that those who struggled even to survive. There was crime and poverty and disorder, there were the most stunning technological and industrial discoveries being made, there was political upheaval. There were so many interwoven strands making the period one of the richest backdrops you can set a book against.

I think there are quite a few reasons why readers love the Regency period. As a romance reader myself I like reading books that provide entertainment and escapism and within a historical setting I can maybe learn something new about a different aspect of history. That appeals to me. Then there is all that glamour I mentioned – the gowns, the balls, the lavish entertainments of high society. The Regency period also provides the perfect showcase for very strong, alpha heroes.

What’s a typical day for Nicola Cornick like?

I always wake up early even if I am trying not to, so I will either be out walking the dog by seven thirty or I’ll be at my desk. I like taking Monty, my Labrador, out early in the morning because I always find that being out in the countryside in the fresh air is very inspirational. I’m very much a lark rather than an owl so I will try to write in the mornings and do all the other stuff I have to do, be it writing-related or other jobs, in the afternoon. If I am working at Ashdown House, the historic house where I work as a guide and historian, I will start there at 2pm. I will show tour groups around the house and gardens and try to answer any questions they have about the house and its history. Then it’s home for a cup of tea and to put my feet up! Actually tea drinking is a feature of my day – I will stop writing or researching every couple of hours in order to have another cup. I’m a total tea addict!

Who are your favourite authors?

Goodness, how many can I choose? I suppose that my all time favourites, the keepers who have been on my bookshelves since I was a girl, are Mary Stewart, Jane Austen, Daphne Du Maurier, MM Kaye, Sharon K Penman… I have a LOT of historical authors on my favourites list! I also like “gentle” paranormals by authors such as Susanna Kearsley and James Long. Ferney, by James Long, is one of the best books I have ever read. Oh, and I like historical crime. C J Sansom’s books are superb. I’m constantly overawed by the work of many Regency authors who are writing at the moment. There are some wonderful books and authors out there. The standard is getting higher and higher all the time.

What’s next for Nicola Cornick?

Well, I have a new six book contract for HQN Books and I have almost finished the first of those books, which should be out next year. It’s a Regency historical set in London and the Arctic, so it’s a bit different! I was interested in writing about Arctic exploration and the sailors and explorers who searched for the North East Passage in this case, and for a trade route via the North Pole. So my hero is an explorer and my heroine a lady traveller and together they conquer the vast unknown wastes of the North! I visited Spitsbergen a couple of years ago and it was so beautiful and the history so fascinating that I immediately wanted to set a book there.

Sounds absolutely fascinating, Nicola! If you want to find out more about Nicola, her books and the Brides of Fortune series then do visit her website at www.nicolacornick.co.uk and her blog apassionforhistory.blogspot.com. The first Brides of Fortune title, The Confessions of a Duchess, is available now!

Singletitles.com catches up with British historical romance author Lindsay Townsend

What made you want to become a writer?

I’ve always told stories, even at times to the extent of having an ongoing plot in my head to help me get to sleep! These days more of them turn into formal writing, and because I tend to think ‘long’, the stories tend to be novels.

What drew you to writing romantic fiction?

I love high stakes, passionate emotion and happy-ever-after endings. It’s all about the realisation of dreams.

What originally attracted you to writing historical romantic fiction?

I did my unversity degree in history, with an emphasis on the history of the Crusades, so I have a medieval cast of mind. I also enjoy exploring the ancient world, which explains books like ‘Flavia’s Secret’ and ‘Blue Gold’. The emotion between lovers is strong, subtle and pretty much the same regardless of the period, and I find it exciting to explore these feelings in a different historical context than the present day.

What are the challenges of writing historical romances?

Making the relationships immediate for a modern reader while pointing up the ‘differentness’ of the period in which the story is set. I think it’s important to acknowledge that the conventions of each period were perfectly natural to the people living then: the strongly religious flavour of the Middle Ages, for instance, the acceptance of slavery in ancient Rome, or marriage between siblings in the royal families of ancient Egypt – all strange to us now, but not to the people of the time. To a writer of historical romance, all these aspects are both problems and opportunities.

Tell us about your latest book, A Knight’s Captive?

It’s set in 1066, when William of Normandy invaded England and took the throne from the Anglo-Saxon kings. A Breton knight, Marc de Sens, is on pilgrimage in England as a penance because of an incident in his past, and has brought his young nieces with him. On the road to the shrine of St. Cuthbert in Durham – the main place of pilgrimage in England in those days – he meets Sunniva, the daughter of a rough Anglo-Saxon who exploits her beauty for his own ends while treating her with contempt. Events on the road bring Marc and Sunniva together, their relationship deepens and Marc has to examine his loyalties when the Normans invade and he has to choose sides. There’s a fair amount of by-play, excitement and derring-do before the climax, involving a set of throwing knives, a boat on the Fens and an arrogant Norman bishop.

What inspired this story?

The invasions of 1066 – the Viking one in the north and the Norman one in the south at Hastings – changed the course of history in England. The chance of using such a backdrop for an intimate romance was too good to pass up.

Your historical romances for Kensington are set in the Middle Ages. What drew you to writing books set during this particular era as opposed to eras like Regency or Victorian England, which are hugely popular with romance readers?

High drama and directness. I love the colour and theatricality of ancient and medieval settings.

What’s a typical day for Lindsay Townsend like?

I try to get my new writing done in the morning, to leave the rest of the day free, It doesn’t always work out like that, though. Sometimes I have a day when the writing flows and it seems silly to stop, so I carry on all day even if I need an aspirin afterwards! Part of the day is taken up with blogging, promotion, emails and so on.

As a British author writing for an American publisher, do you find it difficult to promote and market your books for your American readers?

I get plenty of feedback, though not being able to sit and talk with a reader or visit a bookshop with my Kensington titles in it is a pity. It’s also too easy to get obsessed with rankings on Amazon, Borders or Barnes and Noble, which are really only a part of the story. Another thing: in Britain I’m five hours ahead of the east coast and eight ahead of the west coast, so I’m off to bed just as many Americans are settling down to their evening’s internetting. When it comes to joining internet chat sessions I have to be an early bird and miss the peak times. Luckily my blog (lindsaysbookchat.blogspot.com) helps to spread the word.

Who are your favourite authors?

Whoever I’m reading at the moment. It can be any good writer: Jodi Picoult, Terry Pratchett, Dean Koontz, you name it. If it’s a good strong story well told, it’s up my street..

What’s next for Lindsay Townsend?

There’s another Kensington coming next spring – ‘A Knight’s Alchemy’, set in 1210 – and I’m about to start writing a fourth, set at the time of the Black Death.

Thank you for joining us, Lindsay! Lindsay’s latest novel, A Knight’s Captive is out now. Readers who want to find out more about Lindsay and her books should visit her website at www.lindsaytownsend.co.uk

Reel crossed his arms and studied her. “You’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would. I didn’t know Humans had such open minds.”

“Apparently we have lots of neat tricks, us humans. Like breathing water, for instance.” Erica sucked in a few pints just for kicks and giggles. She hoped she remembered this hallucination when her body recovered from the bends.

“Actually, you can’t breathe water.”

“But I am, ergo, I can.” She demonstrated again.

“Well, that’s only because I did that to you. To save your life.”

“Oh. Right.” She choked on that last pint. “Um, to save my life? Well, that’s a relief. I had thought that I might be um, well, dead, but then, this certainly isn’t my idea of Heaven. So, I’m alive but unconscious? I just have the bends, right? I mean, yes, I’m seeing you as a naked, water-breathing stud-muffin, but you’re really just an illusion, aren’t you? Maybe a doctor at the hospital some passing boater took me to?”

Reel didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. The tittering of the little fish scattered among the whelk art answered for him.

“Um, Reel…?”

“Erica, I think you better rest on the bottom.”

“Why?” She did as he suggested, but put her hands up as he floated toward her. He had to be a figment of her imagination. He had to.

“Sweetheart, you’ve been out for a few days and you’re not in a hospital. You can’t have the bends because you never went up to the surface. Chum reminded me about them, actually. So I did the only thing I could.”

His face was grave, which, considering the situation, might not be an appropriate analogy, but then, what was appropriate when facing the impossible?

“What. Did. You. Do?”

“I turned you.”

“Turned me?” Somehow, that phrase did not offer comfort.

“Yes. Into a water-breather.” He crossed his arms, which flared some really nice pecs that tapered down to slim hips and–

Wait a minute–

“A fish? You turned me into a fish?” Forget the pecs. And other parts.

“Not a fish. Do you see any fins? Gills? You’re not even a Mer. I just gave you the ability to breathe underwater. Otherwise, you would’ve drowned. And Vincent would’ve had the right to, well, eat you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Of course you couldn’t.” Well, see? That made sense. “And Vincent was the, um, shark?”

“That’s right.” The faintest glimmer of pearly whites showed between his lips.

“And he wanted me for dinner.”

“Yes.” A bigger smile.

“So you somehow managed to re-route my entire oxygenation system and voila! Here I am at the bottom of the sea.”

“That’s it.” Full-out grin going.

“I’m going to be sick.” She turned her face to the side and felt her insides heave.

But then the floor blinked at her.

“What the hell was that?” she screamed, crab-walking backward.

“Flounder. They like to hang out in here since no predators are allowed.”

She put a hand on her chest, her heart beating three times as fast as normal. Or was that now normal with her newly-acquired aqua lungs? “Well there’s a relief. So I won’t have to worry about my body being torn apart by Vincent or others like him? Good to know. Now if I could only guarantee my mind won’t fall apart, I’ll be just fine.”

***

Buy It link:: www.amazon.com/Over-Her-Head-Judi-Fennell/dp/1402220014/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231000465&sr=8-1

Publisher:: Sourcebooks

Release Month&Year: June 2009

Please allow me to introduce Catherine Ann Collins, this month’s featured author. Catherine is living her life-long dream on a 50 acre farm where she and her husband recently moved. Between playing with her ever growing menagerie of barnyard animals and helping her husband run their martial arts dojo, she finds time to write. Her passion for writing leans toward myths, legends, romance and fantasy. Other interests include traditional archery, walks in the woods, photography and reading. Catherine writes about witches, faeries, and crystals for Wings ePress and Crescent Moon Press. Her books are available online and in print from amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Meet Catherine online at her website: www.catherineannecollins.com
Blog: www.mythicalauthor.blogspot.com/
Or, if you’re a facebook fan: www.facebook.com/people/Cathy-Walker/1066915521

A few bits of trivia from Catherine Ann:

“My most recent part-time job is helping during the kidding season on a goat farm. Getting covered in blood, slime and afterbirth comes along with the job of pulling kids out from the does who have trouble birthing.

I own a Samurai sword…and know how to use it.

I have a steel rod in my back, but still earned my 2nd degree black belt in spite of the limitation.”

Watch this space for an interview.

Welcome to SingleTitles.com Georgia, we are so excited to learn more about you and your books.

First, please give us a little background about yourself.

I was born in England, used to be a Special Ed teacher (among a variety of occupations over the years and across the globe). Now write for a living and live in Ohio.

We must hear more about your new Brytewood series. I found it so unique and interesting, fun too!

Thank you! I had a wonderful time writing them.

Please tell us more about the first book in this series, BLOODY GOOD, which is soon to be released…
Bloody Good is set in South East England during September 1940. In order to expedite the coming invasion, the Germans drop a nest of vampire spies, bent on sabotage, and general mayhem. Unfortunately (from their point of view at least) they end up in the wrong village. Among the inhabitants are a collection of paranormal Others, who one by one must acknowledge their powers and band together to defeat the enemy among them.

What other projects do you have coming up?
Feeling rather hooked on WW2 I’m chewing over an idea for another book- set in late 43- and early 44. There’s an area in Devon called South Hams. The entire 30,000 acres was evacuated- farms livestock, people and the area handed over to US Military for the troops to practice the DDay landings. ( The UK and commonwealth troops were busy doing the same thing in Anglssey) So the US troops arrive… to find the area deserted… but I think the Pixies stayed No idea where the story is going but it’s prodding at my brain and will soon sort itself out.

I’ve also got a couple of Rosemary projects on my editors desk. Including two more books in the “Forever’ series.

Georgia Evans is your pseudonym, please tell us about the books that you write as Rosemary Laurey …

Rosemary writes vampires, paranormal and a few contemporaries. Mostly novels but a few novellas and quite a number of short stories. I have details on my web site www.rosemarylaurey.com but if you’d like a taste of a non-paranormal Rosemary story there’s a free read, Waiting for Eros, at:
www.jasminejade.com/pm-7106-103-waiting-at-eros.aspx

What is a typical writing day like for you?
To be honest, there’s no such thing
I try to get in 2-3 hours minimum of writing, Then there’s promo, record keeping (the IRS get upset if that’s not done) answering e-mail, plotting and editing and lots of rewriting. In between there’s all the fun stuff like cleaning, vacuuming, dusting etc. but sadly that often ends up neglected.
Add weekends away for conferences and conventions (calendar on my web site) and things get busy.

When you are not writing, what are your hobbies or interests?
I love reading ( of course!) cooking, gardening and sewing. And visiting offspring who are spread across the country- literally on on the West coast, one on the East coast and another in the West. And I never miss a chance to get home for research.

What authors inspire you?
A really mixed bag, Any list is bound to be incomplete but here goes.
Anita Burgh, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Chelsea Quin Yarbro, Charlaine Harris, MM Kaye, Baroness Orczy, Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, TAnya Huff, Kathleen Eagle, Susan Issacs, Jerome K Jerome and Susan Townsend.
See what I mean about a mixed bag?

Do you have any advice for new writers?
Keep writing, finish the book and send it out. Again and again and again. Learn to cope with rejection. It’s part of the job.

Is there anything you would like your readers to know about you?
That I love hearing from readers and often have contests and giveaways on my web sites: www.brytewood.co.uk and www.rosemarylaurey.com
In fact if any of your members would like a signed bookplate and book mark, send me SASE to PO BOx 6548, Columbus, OH 43206

How can your readers find out more about you and your books?
Check my web sites. I try to keep them updated with new and upcoming releases.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Georgia/ Rosemary!

THANK YOU for inviting me

Leave a comment or question for Georgia and win your own copy of BLOODY GOOD!!

A winner will be chosen at random.  The deadline is June 6.  Good Luck!

Check out our review of BLOODY GOOD.

Singletitles.com catches up with the much-loved international best-selling author of Edge of Regret, Without Reproach and Hearts of Gold, Janet Woods.

What made you want to become a writer?

I can’t remember a time when I wanted to become a writer. It happened rather instantly in middle age. I read a romance, thought I might be able to write one, so went home and did write one. As a novel it failed spectacularly in all departments, except one. It gave me a huge sense of achievement and I knew this was what I was meant to do with the rest of my life.

You’ve written many wonderful books, mostly historical. What originally drew you to writing historical novels and, in your opinion, why is historical fiction still so popular?

I think there’s a natural curiosity in all of us to know how our ancestors lived. We’ve been left a legacy of beautiful buildings, places and art to wonder at and admire. The past shaped the world we live in and provided us with our customs and cultures. Because of that rich legacy I think we tend to romanticise the past. What drew me in was the challenge of trying to capture the atmosphere of a particular era, whether it be upper or lower classes. How was a woman’s experience then? For instance, what was it like being anything less than an equal partner in a marriage, or bringing up a family with a lack of medical expertise to call on – of growing up not being able to read and write, or not being able to flood my house with light at the flick of a switch. I do think there’s a strong element of the romantic in history that keeps historical fiction alive. It’s a little escape. But I don’t think I’d like to live there because the downside must have been the struggle to survive, even for the wealthy.

What are the challenges of writing historical novels?

Knowing when to stop researching. Historical fiction doesn’t have a one-size- fits-all element to the genre. There are historical novels that depict actual people and events. There are others that are mostly fiction, with facts stirred in. Others concentrate heavily on period flavour. Regional saga usually deals with the working classes. Some rely on story line – others on characterisation. Regency would be the most well known genre. Within these fall traditional romances, and a more sexy romance has emerged over the past decade or so, and so on into erotica. Research can be overdone, so it can come across as information dumping, or as though the author is trying to impress you with the facts. Or it can be so undercooked that it comes across as a costume drama. Finding the right balance for the type of book you are writing is the challenge for me.

In addition to writing historical romantic novels, you’ve also written contemporaries such as Without Reproach and The Grace of Day. What made you want to write contemporaries and was it hard for you to write books set in the present day after writing so many historicals?

I’ve always written the occasional contemporary. I find that a change of writing genre stops my writing from getting stale. Sometimes I get hit with a strong idea and characters that I just have to write. When I do I tend to run with it whether it’s a contemporay or not. WITHOUT REPROACH was one of those. It’s a romantic suspense, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. Neither publishers or reader like authors to change genre, but sometimes I get to the point when I feel as though I’m writing the same old thing. Sometimes you can get away with a bit of a change, as I did with Without Reproach. I don’t find it hard to switch because I usually feel as though I’m dictated to by my characters.

Tell us something about your latest release, Hearts of Gold…

HEARTS OF GOLD starts off in the Western Australian Goldfields in 1890. I started it there because the initial idea trigger originated there. The conditions were so harsh there that I wondered how a young teenager would fare if she was left alone with only the clothes on her back. Once I brought Sarette (my heroine) down to the point of despair where she had nowhere to turn, I introduced her rescuer and mentor, who was in the same depth of despair, but for different reasons. After a short time the story moves on to the UK. Although the mentor is left behind, his story carries through to the end and colours Sarette’s thinking while her new life unfolds. The story has a slight touch of Pygmalion to it, I think.

What inspired this story?

The picture of a snake – a death adder to be exact – so research for this book started off right from the very first paragraph. It appears in the first scene and was a catalyst for the plight of the heroine and her subsequent story.

What’s a typical writing day for Janet Woods like?

A very early start (today it was 4.30 am). Mugs of tea and emails till 7.30. Half and hour on the treadmill, breakfast, shower, then back to my desk by 9 am. I write until noon, then watch a film on TV with my husband. Quite often I’ll sleep through it. Back to my desk from 2 pm until 5 pm. My husband has the dinner cooked by then. This goes on for 7 days a week usually.

Who are your favourite authors?

Sharon Penman – Edward Rutherfurd – Nora Roberts – Jilly Cooper – Jackie Collins – Leslie Thomas – Anna Jacobs . . . too many to mention.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

I’m sure every one of them has heard of persistence – persistence – and more persistence! Getting published in the first place is hard and there are many good writers who’ve already learned their craft and are waiting to step onto the ladder. Keep writing, join organisations, enter the comps, go to conferences. and give yourself very chance to be read by those in the business.

What’s next for Janet Woods?

I’ve just started the second book of a two book contract with Severn House. The first book is called SALTING THE WOUND, and is on the way to my agent in London. The second is as yet untitled. I’m between agents at the moment, since my agency of nine years is to close, so feel a bit unsettled.

My new agent as from the end of June will be Kate Nash. Kate’s in possession of a contemporary I’ve recently finished called GRAFFITI. It’s a little different from my usual fare, and once again, the characters wrote it, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that Kate will be able to find a publisher for it.

Thanks for joining us, Janet. Janet’s latest novel, Hearts of Gold is out now and available for purchase at www.cataurl.com/TPzfF . If you want to find out more about Janet and her books, visit her website at members.iinet.net.au/~woods/ or her blog at janwoods.blogspot.com.

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So far, the tame liberties Erith’s notorious mistress had allowed wouldn’t raise an eyebrow among the marriage-minded misses at Almacks. Well, perhaps not altogether true. Olivia was a dab hand at double entendre. And that one burning kiss still haunted him.

One burning, possessive, damnably short kiss.

Too short.

When he’d kissed her, he’d tasted anger. And surprise. She hadn’t wanted to kiss him, but that flaring instant had incinerated every one of his doubts and dissatisfactions. Even the dull, constant ache of old grief and old guilt had briefly faded. Only with the greatest difficulty had he forced himself to stop after that one searing kiss.

By then her fate was sealed. He would have her. She alone could offer him surcease.

He wanted to kiss her again.

Straightening, he prowled across the rich red and blue Turkish carpet. She tensed as though scenting a predator.

“My lord, I told you my rules about this house.” Her fingers curled against the desk’s wooden lip. How delightful that she was nowhere near as self-possessed as she wanted him to think. It made him feel less helpless against the inexorable pull of attraction.

His approach didn’t slow. “I can wait until tomorrow night for…satisfaction.” He almost purred the last word. “But perhaps a kiss on account?”

Her chin’s defiant angle was unmistakable. “I should have outlined my requirements in a lover more fully this afternoon.”

“I’m all ears, madam,” he whispered. Very deliberately, he placed each hand on the desk next to each of hers. He wasn’t touching her but his body created a cage around her. “You have my complete attention.”

Without a hint of a blush, she glanced down to the front of his trousers. She was no innocent, his mistress. He liked that. He’d been innocent once and the tragedy of it had left him broken and ruined.

She was on edge and unsure and he liked that too. He fought the urge to press himself against her. This close, he smelt her skin’s delicate perfume. Lilies. Roses. Honey. Something warm and female that came from her and not a glass vial. His nostrils flared as he drew that delicious fragrance deep into his lungs.

“I don’t kiss, Lord Erith.” Her voice lowered and the husky contralto vibrated in his bones. “At least not on the mouth.”

He leaned forward to catch another wash of her scent. Oh, she was glorious, this woman. “You’ll kiss me.”

Her mouth formed a stubborn line. “No, I won’t. This, my lord, is how I conduct my liaisons. My time is my own, I’m completely faithful and I don’t kiss.”

He was an inch from tasting the creamy skin of her neck. A tendril of hair had broken free of the severe hairstyle. He reached to brush the stray lock aside.
She stiffened under his touch.

“So many rules, Olivia,” he murmured. “Rules are made to be broken.”

“Not mine.” She strove to sound forbidding but her unsteady voice betrayed her. He was close enough for her breath to brush across his face. He caught a hint of rich brandy and tobacco. “If my requirements seem onerous, it’s not too late to cancel our arrangement.”

“Now, that would be a pity.” He let his fingers drift to her nape. “When I’ve taken such trouble over you.”

He bent and placed his mouth fleetingly on her neck. Her skin was so soft there, like living silk. The honey in her scent left a sweet flavor on his tongue. She was exquisite. He couldn’t remember wanting a woman more. His heart kicked into a pounding gallop.

Just one taste. Although the desire raging in his blood urged him to devour her whole. He raised his head and looked into her guarded whisky-colored eyes. Her lips were slightly parted, hinting at hot darkness within, and he heard the faint puff of her breath. His fingers tightened in the soft hair at the base of her skull.

“I’ve never kissed a woman wearing trousers. The decadence is rather stimulating.”

He watched that slender throat move as she swallowed. “You’re not going to kiss a woman wearing trousers now. I told you, I don’t kiss on the mouth. I can’t believe you mistake my wishes.”

“Ah, your wishes, Olivia. I look forward to hearing more about those.” He smiled as his pleasure in her mounted along with his arousal. “I’ll have you to myself tomorrow night. What harm a sample now so I wander home with sweet dreams?”

In her remarkable eyes, he caught a flash of something that might have been fear. The thought nagged at the edges of his mind but not enough to stop him. Be damned to her rules. Somehow she’d hoodwinked every man in London into dancing to her tune. But he was the Earl of Erith. No woman snatched the lead from him as he waltzed her into his bed.

He pressed his mouth to hers. Her lips were sweet and soft. And firmly closed. It was like having the gates to heaven slammed in his face.

Well, there were more paths into paradise than the one through the front door.

Buy It link:: www.amazon.com/Tempt-Devil-Anna-Campbell/dp/0061234931/ref=pd_cp_b_2?pf_rd_p=413864201&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0061234915&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0V046M7FWFCN7WCZEAE2

Publisher:: Avon

Release Month&Year: January, 2009

She’s desperate for peace and safety…
Lucinda, Lady Denbigh, is running from a husband who physically and emotionally abuses her because she is unfashionably plump and has failed to produce an heir. Posing as a widow, she seeks refuge in the quiet countryside…

He’s returned from the wars, wounded and tormented…
Lord Hugo Wanstead, with a wound that won’t heal, and his mother’s and Spanish wife’s deaths on his conscience, finds his estate impoverished, his sleep torn by nightmares, and brandy his only solace. When he meets Lucinda, he finds her beautiful – ;body and soul – ;and thinks she just might give him something to live for …

Together they can begin to heal, but not until she is free from her violent past…

The first romance I ever remember reading wasn’t really a romance, but it was a helluva good love story. It was Gone With The Wind, and I read it-inhaled it, really-in the fourth grade. Rhett Butler is the walking definition of the Alpha male hero: tough, strong, more than a little dangerous, but with a heart just waiting to melt under the heroine’s loving touch. Scarlett, however, wasn’t your classic romance heroine, and readers were thus deprived of an HEA, although the narrative drive of the story and the fabulous characters made up for it.
But I don’t think I really came to the romance genre in the traditional way. I wasn’t seduced by books-although I loved reading-I was seduced by the movies. I fell in love with traditional romances every Saturday afternoon when I watched old movies like Captain Blood, Robin Hood, and endless pirate movies or westerns that all seemed to star Maureen O’Hara. The heroes in those movies, especially the handsome, devil-may-care ones like Errol Flynn in Captain Blood, had my pre-teen heart palpitating with innocent desire, and longing for more. Fortunately, I lived in a house that contained the mother lode: the entire collection of Georgette Heyer’s historical romances.
My big sister, older than me by seven years, had a pen-pal who lived in England. This best of all pen-pals sent us all of Heyer’s historical novels, and also turned us on to Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. When my sister went to college she left me her collection. It’s a miracle I ever graduated from the eighth grade, because all I wanted to do was lock myself in my bedroom and read those fantastic stories about tough, handsome men and intelligent, intrepid women. It drove my mother crazy that I would choose to spend a sunny, beautiful day holed up in my broiling hot room under the eaves, when I could be going to the local pool with the rest of the kids. I always figured those other kids were too dumb to know what they were missing.
My first Heyer novel was Regency Buck, and to this day it remains my favorite. Julian is the coolest hero, and it was from him that I learned a man could be well-dressed and sophisticated-even a bit of a dandy-and still be entirely masculine. But it was also from those books that I first became entranced with the Georgian and Regency periods, which, of course, led in high school to Jane Austen. Totally hooked, I majored in English at college, ending up with an M.A., and spending several years in a Ph.D. program at the University of Toronto. It won’t surprise you to hear that I specialized in the works of British women authors of the late 18th and early 19th century, particularly Fanny Burney, who wrote wonderful romances and was greatly admired by Jane Austen.
Now I’ve come full circle from the days of reading books like Regency Buck, Venetia, and The Talisman Ring. I write sensual, Regency-set historical romances for Kensington Zebra, and I love every minute of it. Like so many writers of romance, I owe a profound debt of gratitude to Georgette Heyer, whose wonderful stories will be read, I have no doubt, for many years to come.

Vanessa Kelly lives in Ottawa with her husband. She writes for Kensington Zebra, and her first book, MASTERING THE MARQUESS, will be released in April.

Thanks very much for taking the time to answer our questions, ones which will let readers know more about you and the intriguing stories you create.

ST: First of all, tell us about yourself. What inspired you to become a romantic suspense writer and when did you start writing?

Thanks for inviting me! I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid, but I got my professional start in journalism.. As the rookie reporter I had to cover a little of everything, but I was always most excited by the hard news stories. That’s probably why when it came time to write fiction, I was attracted to romantic suspense. For me, the best stories are the ones that have an element of danger and a compelling romance.

ST: Tell us about your upcoming April 2009 release, WHISPER OF WARNING.

This was such a fun book to write! Courtney Glass, the main character, is really one of those larger than life people. She has this uncanny knack for getting herself into trouble, and that’s what happens at the very outset of this story.

ST: Will there be more books in your Glass Sisters series?

Yes and no. The books won’t be called “Glass Sisters” stories (because I’m all out of Glass sisters!) but I plan to continue with the characters. Next up is Alex Lovell, the PI who helps save Courtney’s life in WHISPER OF WARNING. Alex’s book, UNTRACEABLE, is the first in my new Tracers Trilogy, which kicks off next fall.

ST: While we are discussing books, every writer and reader wants to know: How do you get the ideas for your books, especially all the mysteries and the threatening danger?

I’m a news junkie. I’m constantly clipping articles that catch my attention, and that’s often where I find the seeds for my plots. As a matter of fact, the first chapter of WHISPER was prompted by a news account of a lovers’ quarrel that turned deadly in a public park.

ST: Are the main characters created from your imagination or do they possess traits belonging to a real people? Do you have a specific process for choosing the names for your characters?

The characters are fictional, but sometimes they have bits of real people. The heroine from THREAD OF FEAR, for example, was inspired in part by the real-life forensic artist Lois Gibson. I interviewed Lois while I was researching the book, and I was amazed by the fascinating (and grueling) work she does on so many heart-wrenching cases.

As for names, I get them anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes I figure out what year a character was born and then consult the Social Security Administration web site in order to get names common to a specific time period. I want the characters’ names to ring true.

ST: Do your characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?

At the risk of being carted off to a padded cell, I will say yes. I hear conversations in my head all the time. When they get really loud, I have to sit down at the computer and start writing.

ST: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Things take so much longer than I ever imagined.. I sold my first book in 2005, and it didn’t appear on the book shelf until 2007. And at the moment, I’m planning stories and characters that will appear in books two years from now.

ST: Do you have a set writing schedule, and do you plot out your stories or just go with whatever you visualize at the moment?

I always start with a synopsis. And by the end of the book, you might not even be able to recognize that it’s the same story. Sometimes the plot just takes a new direction or I’ll be writing something and realize my character would never really do that, so I have to change things around. I don’t like sticking to a game plan too closely because it takes the fun out of it.

ST: How has being published changed your life, if at all? What would you like to accomplish with your writing career?

I feel so lucky to get to do what I love every day. I’m passionate about writing, and it doesn’t feel like work to me. As for what I’d like to accomplish… I really just want to write compelling stories that pull people in and give them a break from reality for a while.

ST: Do you have a favorite book and/or character from all the books which you have read?

I have so many favorites! I love Phoebe Somerville from Suzan Elizabeth Phillips’s Chicago Stars series, Jack Reacher from Lee Child’s series. Probably my favorite smart, kick-ass female character is Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta.

ST: If you could do anything and travel to any place in the world for one day, what and where would it be?

That’s easy: Italy. I studied Renaissance art, but I’ve never been to there. My idea of an amazing afternoon would be visiting Michelangelo’s David and then kicking back with a cappuccino and people watching from some sidewalk café.

ST: What is something that your readers may not already know about you?

Everyone always assumes that because I’m a writer, I must have an English degree. Nope. You don’t need an English degree, or any degree at all, to become a writer. So if you want to be an author, don’t let whatever your background is stand in your way.

ST: How can readers reach you?

I love to hear from readers! Please visit the web site at www.lauragriffin.com, or drop me a line at laura@lauragriffin.com. Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome Nancy, we appreciate this opportunity to learn more about you and your books.

First, please give us a little background about yourself. I started my career in 1981, and the first book I ever wrote was a straight romance novel along with my sister, Lisa Jackson, and another friend of ours. It was rejected all over the place, but it made me realize I could actually start and finish a novel. The next book I wrote was a solo effort, a young adult novel. It was purchased by Silhouette Books and published in November 1982 as DARE TO LOVE.

The book, WICKED GAME, by you and your sister, Lisa Jackson, introduced the storyline centered on The Colony, a cult with many mysterious aspects surrounding it. UNSEEN continues with another mystery connected to this cult. That’s right. The Colony members are a group of colorful characters with strange, interconnected pasts.

There is a mystery in UNSEEN connected to The Colony, the mystifying cult featured in WICKED GAME. How did your sister, Lisa Jackson, and you come up with this original idea as a focal point in these stories? We were brainstorming, asking ourselves what kinds of stories were our personal favorites. We both liked the strangeness of a cult, the rules that work outside of regular society. So we created a group of people who formed their so-called cult based on a few of their members’ own skewed perceptions, which is how many cults are formed. But our main “cult creator” turns out to be a woman, not a man, which is a bit of information that will come out in succeeding books.

Are some of the intriguing characters introduced in WICKED GAME back for more riveting adventures in your upcoming release, UNSEEN? Yes and no. There’s definitely a connection back to The Colony, but it’s kind of a loose one in UNSEEN. In future stories there will be more characters from the The Colony who interplay with ones we’ve already met.

Will The Colony have a significant part in any more of your future releases? Although my next few thrillers are stand-alones, The Colony is the glue that binds the stories together.

You have previously written numerous books in several different genres. Which one has been the most fun for you to research and then create? Well, I’m partial to the Jane Kelly Mystery Series, which reflects my own taste in humor and mystery. The character of Jane Kelly is an amalgam of me, my sister and my daughter, and Jane’s so real that she’s easy for me to write. I get her. She’s a little off-beat, but in that “I want you as my best friend” kind of way.

Do you enjoy incorporating some romance into your stories or would you rather write books focusing mainly on the mystery? The romance is key, too. I like a good mystery. I gravitate to them. But if they don’t have some kind of romance brewing that I can root for, it’s like empty calories. Just not satisfying enough. I want it all.

What other projects do you have coming up? I’m currently deep into my second thriller, still untitled, which will come out in April 2010. And I’ve got another Jane Kelly, working title PINK CADILLAC, just waiting for the green light. It’s been a little hard putting Jane on the back burner, but the thrillers have been an energizing change of pace.

What is a typical day like in life of Nancy Bush? I get up and think, should I exercise? Walk to the Coffee Nook and do a crossword puzzle? Or should I drive there? Or should I get right to work? Once my decision is made, sometime later in the morning I’m at my computer, doing some business-type work. When I’m satisfied with that, then I get to my laptop and my current writing project or projects. However, if I’m facing a deadline, I’m rolling out of bed and grabbing a cup of coffee at home and writing, writing, writing on my laptop.

When you are not writing, what are your hobbies or interests? I’m a big reader. My idea of a great vacation is hitting some decent weather and having the time to do nothing but read. Maybe eat some papaya and drink a few parasol-type cocktails. Also I like to head to So. Cal. on a regular basis and visit my daughter, son-in-law and their baby girl. This grandma thing is pretty good. Everyone said it would be, but I was skeptical. And whaddya know. They were right!

What authors inspire you? Oh, many. I seem to move through them in waves. Right now I’ve rediscovered John Sandford. I’d read a number of his Prey books ten years ago. Now I’m reading the rest of them! Naturally, I read all Lisa Jackson’s books, sometimes for pleasure, sometimes because I’m editing them. Have to keep the light on, though. She does give me a chill down my back.

Do you have any advice for new writers? Hmmm. Write about what you know, or what you like. Sounds so simple, and yet it’s not. If you don’t have passion for what you’re writing, even if it’s a light-hearted romp, it shows. Editors are looking for voice. Your voice. Which reflects your passion. That’s what sold my Jane Kelly series, my voice. All three of those books, CANDY APPLE RED, ELECTRIC BLUE and ULTRAVIOLET are uniquely Jane Kelly books, and that’s what editors, and ultimately readers, are looking for.

Is there anything you would like your readers to know about you? Okay, here’s my secret/obsession: I have a thing for HGTV. I’m always watching home improvement programs. I get upset when homeowners dismiss the value of their real estate agents to the point that I actually yell at the TV, even though I’ve never been a real estate agent myself. My husband thinks my behavior’s borderline certifiable. If I’m stuck in my story I tune into BUY ME, and it really gets my emotions charged up. Watching that show, I’ve clapped my hand to my forehead so many times it’s a wonder it’s not permanently stuck there. If I had more DVR recording space, it would be scary how many HGTV programs I might watch.

How can your readers find out more about you and your books? The best way is to check my website www.nancybush.net

Thank you for your time and for sharing with your readers!

Thank you for this opportunity to learn more about you and your works.

1. Please start by giving us some background about yourself.

I’m a multi-published writer who began her career by writing contemporary romances for Kensington’s Encanto Latino romance line. I have written for several publishing houses and am currently writing paranormals and romantic suspense for Harlequin and Grand Central Publishing. When not writing, I am a mom, wife, attorney and one of the founding members of the Liberty States Fiction Writers (www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com).

2. Why did you become a writer? Who influenced you?

In the fifth grade, my teacher assigned a project – to write a 20 page book that would be placed in a class lending library. I went home and started writing and at the end of the year I had a 120 page novel. I loved it and knew way back then that one day I would be a writer. I kept on writing through high school, college and law school and after my daughter was born, I decided that I had to take a shot at finishing my book and getting published. I took an adult writing class with Fern Michaels, a wonderful lady and writer. She liked what I showed her and was kind enough to send my work to her publisher. Several years later, I sold my first book to them!

3. As a multicultural author, did you have stumbling blocks placed in your way or was there a fresh market for your books?

It was exciting to part of the launch of Encanto and equally disappointing when the line folded after just two years. While most of my books feature Latinos, I’ve found that those that aren’t targeted exclusively to that market are enjoyed by a much broader audience. I believe that when you label books or authors based on race or ethnicity, you may put off some readers who will wonder how that kind of story would appeal to them since they are not Latino or of another race. However, stories with multicultural characters are for everyone because a good story touches upon fundamental issues and emotions that are important to all of us. The success of certain of my books with non-Latino readers just reaffirms that books with multicultural characters appeal to many kinds of readers. It’s just a question of correctly marketing the book based on its genre rather than on the race or ethnicity of its author or characters. I want to thank Cataromance and its fans for embracing the many different novels that I’ve written.

4. What do readers look for in your books, they are so varied from women’s fiction to suspense to paranormal?

I think there are two things which my fans have come to expect of me – strong female heroes and characters with whom they fall in love. I really put a lot of effort into creating multi-dimensional characters and the fact that readers ask about them even years after a book’s release is very rewarding. I always appreciate hearing from readers about the books and characters they’ve come to love and enjoy.

5. Please tell us about your current releases.

My February release is an e-novella Nocturne Bite titled HONOR CALLS. In HONOR CALLS, I’ve brought back a character who may be familiar to some readers – FBI Assistant Director in Charge Jesus Hernandez. Since DARKNESS CALLS, he’s been in the periphery of the stories, advising Diana and her partner during their assignments. Always calm and reserved and functioning by the letter of the law. Honorably discharging his duties until the day he runs into Michaela, a vampire slayer who’s now challenging what Jesus knows to be the right thing to do. What will win out — honor or Michaela’s need for vengeance against the vampires who killed her mother and forever changed Michaela’s existence?

My March release is another book in THE CALLING series – FURY CALLS. In FURY CALLS, I’ve brought back another fun character – Blake Richards. From the moment Blake popped into TEMPTATION CALLS back in 2005, I was in love with him. Blake was passionate, complex and best of all, a reluctant hero who enjoyed being a vampire. In FURY CALLS, Blake is forced to embrace being a hero in order to protect his beloved Meghan and his friends from a vicious killer who is stalking the vampire underworld in Manhattan.

6. What was your favorite book to write?

LOL! That’s like asking a mom who is her favorite child! I truly enjoyed writing DARKNESS CALLS because it forced me from a comfort zone and taught me to more deeply explore the inner workings of my characters. FURY CALLS is also a favorite because I had to create a truly evil villain which was quite a challenge in addition to handling Blake, who was always surprising me with what he wanted to do. SINS OF THE FLESH presented new demands and another growth in my writing because of its length and the genetic engineering elements in the book. Being a science geek, I truly loved melding what I knew about genetics with a fast-paced suspense and of course, a wonderful romance.

7. Do you have any up coming projects that you would like to share?

SINS OF THE FLESH, my November release, is my first single title paranormal romantic suspense from Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books). SINS OF THE FLESH is the story of Mick Carrera, a mercenary hired to find and bring in a ruthless killer–no matter what. But when his target turns out to be Caterina Shaw, a celebrated cellist suffering from a terminal illness, the lines between innocent and guilty blur. Instead of a violent criminal Mick finds an injured woman who, having undergone what she believed to be experimental gene therapy treatments, possesses some unusual powers…. Mick soon realizes that Caterina was just a pawn in a terrible game–one that will claim more victims unless they can clear her name and capture the true criminal.

8. What is a typical writing day like for you?

I still have a full time day job, so I usually write on the commute to work and then 3 to 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday. That usually gives me enough writing time to do a few books a year plus prepare proposals for future books. If a deadline looms or if I’m so caught up in a book that I can’t put down, I may also write at night after dinner, but that is tiring after a full day of work.

9. Is there anything else that you would like your readers to know about you?

I love to write, cook and travel. I love hearing from fans about the books or just to chat. One of the best things about my writing is the wonderful people I’ve met online and at signings and other events.

10. How may we, as readers, learn more about you and your books? (Websites, blogs, etc.)

You can reach me via my websites at www.caridad.com and www.thecallingvampirenovels.com. You can also track me down at my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/people/Caridad-Pineiro/1130005412 or my Myspace page at www.myspace.com/caridadwriter

Thank you so much for taking time out to talk to us at CataNetwork.

I didn’t get hooked on romance until I had young three kids. Prior to that, I read mostly literature, with some thrillers and sci-fi tossed in [gasp!!] When my kids were young, I worked the afternoon shift as a nurse in the ICU of a big trauma center, and I needed to unwind when I got home. Thrillers did not help! And once I stumbled on a great, compelling romance novel, The Rose in Winter by Katherine Woodiwiss, I couldn’t get enough.

I read every romance I could get my hands on then – Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, all the rest of Woodiwiss’s backlist. It felt so great to turn those pages and know there would be a happy ending when all was said and done, because I was so oversaturated with the grief and horror of a big city ICU. Things sometimes did not go well in the unit. There were patients we could not save – people died from massive injuries in car accidents and other trauma, or gunshot wounds, or sometimes disease.

But when I got home from work – and everyone was sound asleep in their beds – I could pour a glass of juice (or sometimes wine) and sit down in a cozy, overstuffed chair with a romance novel. It was my time to escape to a land of adventure and intrigue, of knights and armor and damsels in silk, of witty dialogue and gripping emotion, all of it wrapped up in the romance of one man and one woman, falling in love.

When I started writing to unwind (instead of reading), my goal was – and still is – to give my readers the same ability to escape into a compelling story to carry around with them for days after reading the last page.

I’ve always been a sucker for drama and happy endings for as long as I can
remember. At age 7 I thought Dracula should have gotten the girl. I loved
it when Half-Pint finally found love with ‘Manly’ on Little House on the
Prairie. I remember sneaking into the living room to watch Another World
before I was old enough to go to school.

My oldest sister is 14 years older than I am. I remember going through her
books one day and finding one called “Ashes in the Wind” by Kathleen E.
Woodiwiss. The girl on the cover wore a pretty dress, so I picked up the
book and started to read. I was 10, an early bloomer, and I was hooked. I
read the book in a couple of days and followed it up with ‘Shanna’. I used
to rip the excerpts out of Good Housekeeping magazine and read them over
and over.

I was already writing at this point, having finished an 87 paged novella
about a girl searching for the horse her father had sold out from under
her as a child. Of course she found love along the way. After reading
Woodiwiss, however, I now had history on the brain. I was particularly in
love with the Civil War. Shortly after this, ‘Manions of America’ aired on
T.V. and I knew that Pierce Brosnan was hero material. So, my first ever
attempt at a historical romance was written in 1981, with a hero who
looked suspiciously like Remington Steele and a heroine with a pretty
yellow gown. It was never finished, but it did feature a love scene!

A little while later I discovered Mom’s Harlequin romances. And while they
were entertaining, they didn’t quite do it for me like Woodiwiss had. I
began actively looking for historical romance novels on the bookmobile and
in stores. The first one I ever bought with my own money was Bitterleaf by
Lisa Gregory. It introduced me to indentured servitude, which to this day
is one of my all time favorite romance plots, even though it’s been
replaced by having one character indebted to another rather than owned.
Darn these days of P.C. behavior!

And THEN I found A Rose in Winter, again by Woodiwiss. This was the book
that sealed my fate and forever put the dual-identity hero story line in a
special compartment in my heart. I was young enough that I didn’t get that
the two men the heroine was torn between were the same guy. Oh, the angst!
I loved them both as well, and it really made me feel for the heroine. My
relief (and shock) and the big reveal was palatable. I was hooked forever
after.

Over the years I’ve read many different kinds of books and I’ve had
hundreds of favorites, but when I feel down or I’m looking for a special
read, I always look for a historical. It doesn’t matter if it’s Jane
Austen, a Bronte or something from this century. I don’t care if it’s sexy
or sweet, I want to be lost in that long ago time when women wore pretty
gowns and men bowed before them. I want the rules and regulations, the
rich language and the amazing longing of a glance across a crowded room.
And above all I want the happily ever after. That’s what truly hooked me
on romance; watching the hero and heroine overcome obstacle after obstacle
to be together, and knowing when I closed the book that the two of them
would work through any trouble that came their way — together. Who
wouldn’t be hooked by that?

Kathryn Smith

I think I was born a romance reader. Like other writers who have replied to that eternally interesting question – what got you started reading romance? – I loved fairytales when I was a kid. In fact, I still find myths and legends and fairytales fascinating. I often tell people who ask about my books that I write adult fairytales and I think that’s true – you get that same story arc but with a lot more ‘interesting’ stuff in between!

I distinctly remember the first time I read a romance novel. It was about 6pm one winter’s night and my eight-year-old self was driving my mother mad with my incessant chatter. Yes, I know anyone acquainted with me won’t believe this part of the story at all!

I was a really booky kid and I’d read everything age-appropriate in the house. In desperation to find something to distract me, my mother reached to the back of a wardrobe and pulled out a little paperback called A TOUCH OF SILK.

This Mills & Boon (now a division of Harlequin) by Australian romance author Joyce Dingwall changed my life. It was about an Australian nurse who took a job looking after the daughter of the hero, a very elegant and aristocratic Portuguese millionaire who lived in Hong Kong but had business interests in Macao.

For a girl from dull but comfortable middle-class Australia in the 1960s, the exoticism of this story captivated me. Even more than that, I loved the focus on the relationship and I’m still a sucker for that story of how a relationship develops between two people who must overcome obstacles before they get their happy ending.

I remember the nurse and the Portuguese senhor (I distinctly remember it was ‘senhor’ not ‘senor’, even after all this time) kissed and made up in Hyde Park in Sydney, a city the family had recently visited on what was a major excursion for us at the time. I remember my sigh of satisfaction as they promised each other eternal love and a life together. I remember immediately driving my mother mad to give me more books like that.

And I’m still avidly reading books like that! Well, perhaps now there’s a bit more than a kiss involved…

Thank you Lisa, for this opportunity to learn more about you and your books.

1. Please start by giving us some background about yourself.

I’ve had three full-length novels published and I’ve got novellas in four anthologies. The titles of my full-length novels (in descending chronological order) are Simply Wicked, Caught Up in the Rapture and At Last. At Last originally came out in ’03 in trade format and was recently reissued as a mass market.

2. Why did you become a writer? Who influenced you?
I’ve always loved to write, and was always jotting things down as a kid, so I guess I became a writer because it was natural for me. As a reader of romance, I cut my teeth on authors like Nora Roberts, Johanna Lindsay, Linda Howard and Sandra Kitt.

3. As a multicultural author, did you have stumbling blocks placed in your way or was there a fresh market for your books?
When I wrote my first book and submitted it, I’d say that some in the publishing industry were just beginning to see the possibilities for the interracial/multicultural romance genre. My first book—my worst, by far—was well-received because a lot of readers were hungry for the genre. Many of the stumbling blocks then are still the same now—myopic editors and agents who can’t see the value in multicultural stories and readers who want to pigeonhole authors.

4. What do readers look for in your books?
I think when a reader picks up a Lisa G. Riley book for the most part she expects to find a well-written, humorous, sexy story peopled with intelligent, fully developed, compassionate characters, who can be a little weird or quirky sometimes.

5. Please tell us about your current releases,
My most recent release is a sexy romantic suspense called Simply Wicked. In it you’ll find Cassidy Hamilton, a young, free-spirited American actress determined to make it on the stage. The only thing she wants as much as (possibly more than) an acting career is stuffy, older (by 14 years), aristocratic, British CEO, Tony Carleton who is just as determined that they won’t be together as she is that they will. This is despite the fact that he’s drawn to her like a moth is to a flame.

Topping all of that off is a tragedy from Cassidy’s past, of which a lingering, dangerous shadow remains, haunting her present and dogging her steps from London to Chicago and back to London again.

6. What was your favorite book to write?
Simply Wicked. I just had so much fun writing that book! Separately, Cassidy and Tony were pretty funny, but together, they were a rip-roaring riot! And of course the chemistry between them was enough to singe the pages as I typed—I could barely control them and their hormones!

7. Do you have any up coming projects that you would like to share?
I’ve got a book called Do Me Right that’s waiting for some savvy editor to snap it up. It’s the first of my three-part Do Me series. You probably think you know all about it just from the title, but shame on you for having such a dirty mind! Do Me Right is steamy and sexy and funny, but it’s also got a serious element running through it. It follows an engaged couple as they prepare for their wedding and just when you think everything’s coming up roses—SOMEBODY doesn’t show up for the wedding. I won’t be a tattler and rat out the culprit, though.

I also have an ongoing story on my yahoo group that’s been going on for more than a year; a fact that I’m sure is driving members of the group insane!

8. What is a typical writing day like for you?
I generally wake up by four every morning, and most times I figure I’ve got nothing else better to do, so I might as well get my lazy, cranky butt out of bed and write. This works sometimes, but if I can’t convince said lazy butt to do the right thing, I write in the evenings for a few hours. And just to keep it real, I don’t always write every day. I wish I could say I did, but sometimes my brain is just too fried from work to do so.

9. Is there anything else that you would like your readers to know about you?

Okay, let’s just do some random picks: the fact that there are people who are always eager to pay for and read something I’ve written still boggles my mind after all these years, and it humbles me unbelievably; I’m a huge fan of documentaries; the purity of a beautiful tune or talented voice has the ability to make me cry, but so does a sappy commercial; I love my family and it’s the most important thing to me, and finally, orange flavored G2 (that’s the new line of Gatorade for those who don’t know) has replaced old orange Gatorade as my most favoritest drink.

10. How may we, as readers, learn more about you and your books? (Websites, blogs, etc.)
I’m not exactly an open book, but you can find out more about me in detail at www.lisagriley.com. My yahoo group is at groups.yahoo.com/group/lisagriley/

and I’ve recently started blogging once a month at parkerpublishing.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for taking time out to talk to us at CataNetwork

You’re welcome, and thank you!