***GIVEWAY** Interview with Diane Kelly author of Death Taxes and Hot Pink Legwarmers––"In my job as an assistant attorney general I represented the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy in disciplinary actions against CPAs. I was fairly young and naïve at the time, and was shocked to discover how much white-collar crime was taking place and that CPAs were actively involved in perpetuating all types of financial frauds."

***GIVEAWAY***

One entrant US only will win a copy of this novel to enter use the Rafflecopter widget below.

Here’s what folks are saying about the Death & Taxes series;
“As usual, the pace is quick without being frenetic, and the breezy narrative style is perfection—fun and sexy without being over the top.” —RT Book Reviews

“Diane Kelly knows how to rock the romance, and roll the story right into a delightful mix of high drama with great characters.” —The Reading Reviewer

Awards:
Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte was awarded the 2012 Single Titles Reviewers Choice Award!

 A recipient of the 2009 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements, she has received more than two dozen RWA chapter awards. Diane’s fiction, tax and humor pieces have appeared in True Love Magazine, Writer’s Digest Yearbook, Romance Writers Report, Byline Magazine, and other publications.

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Diane tell us a bit about your newest in the Tara Holloway series Death, Taxes and Hot Pink Leg Warmers.
Where did the idea for the series come from?

My book ideas always start with a character. I was attending a 3-day tax seminar several years ago and by the third day it was all I could do not to crawl under the table and take a nap. Fortunately, a criminal defense attorney took the podium and immediately grabbed my attention. He discussed how difficult it was to defend clients accused of tax evasion because the IRS employed a team of special agents who were sharp and savvy and knew how to build a solid case. Though I’d been in the tax industry for 15 years by that point, I’d never heard of IRS special agents. I was immediately intrigued and thought, “Hey! An IRS special agent would make a great character for a novel!” 

Do you have a certain number of Death & Taxes novels in mind?

To date I’ve been contracted for a total of 9 full-length novels plus two digital novellas.  I don’t have an end in mind yet.  I enjoy writing Tara’s stories so much I’d love to continue until she’s forced kicking and screaming into retirement! 

I have to ask, how did your career go from state assistant attorney to romance/mystery writer?

In my job as an assistant attorney general I represented the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy in disciplinary actions against CPAs. I was fairly young and naïve at the time, and was shocked to discover how much white-collar crime was taking place and that CPAs were actively involved in perpetuating all types of financial frauds. I became fascinated with white-collar criminals. Why do they do it? Are they greedy? Power-hungry? Egomaniacs? Sociopaths? I was also intrigued by their complex and complicated scams.

The writing bug came back to bite me at that time, too. I’d always loved writing as a young girl, and I missed the creative fun of wordplay. My two worlds came together and it seemed only natural to explore white-collar crime in my novels.

You’ve also written a stand-a-lone Love, Luck and Little Green Men just out in March of 2013.
Do you plan more stand-a-lone novels?

Love, Luck, and Little Green Men is a quirky one-off that I wrote back before I sold my Tara Holloway series, when I was exploring who I was as a writer. Although I had fun writing it and have some similar ideas for offbeat romantic comedies, I have no immediate plans to write more stand-alone books. My publisher keeps me on a tight schedule with my Tara Holloway series and there’s simply not enough time in the day!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a new romantic mystery series that will launch in 2014. The series will feature a rookie female police officer in Fort Worth, Texas, who is assigned to work with a female K-9. Hilarity ensues when the two battle for dominance as they pursue bad guys and love. We haven’t decided on a title for the series yet, though “Fort Worth Fuzz” has been bandied about.  

Tell us about your street team and can we join?

My street team is a group of avid readers who’ve enjoyed my books and share information about the novels  with their reader friends. It’s a grassroots way to spread the word about the novels and share the fun! I offer occasional promo items for the team members to pass out and freebies to thank my street team members for their efforts.  The street team is open to anyone who’d like to join.  Here’s the link:  http://www.dianekelly.com/join-the-street-team/

If we had to slip your novels on a genre shelf, which one would they fall on?

My books are nearly equal parts romance and mystery, though they tend to be shelved in the mystery section since my main character is in law enforcement and the stories involve a crime element. Though many cozy mystery fans read my series, the books are much edgier and sexier than the typical cozy. My books tend to appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton.

You belong to many organizations;
Romance Writers of America, Killer Fiction Blog, Ruby Slippered Sisterhood to name a few.
What’s the biggest benefit for you as an author to belong to any of these organizations?

Joining Romance Writers of America (RWA) was the smartest decision I ever made as an aspiring writer. At my local chapter, I learned oodles about the writing process and the publishing industry, critical tidbits without which I might have never gotten published. My membership also put me in touch with other writers, a group of whom asked me to join them as part of the Killer Fiction group. We’ve recently shifted our blog to a Facebook fan page, which allows quick and easy interaction with readers and can be continuously updated with breaking news. https://www.facebook.com/KillerFictionWriters?ref=ts&fref=ts

The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood is the name the RWA Golden Heart contest finalists of 2009 gave ourselves.  We banded together for support and promotion, and run a fun blog at:  http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/

 I am also a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. These groups are wonderful places for a writer to network and to find support and information.

So if one of your friends or relatives read one of the novels. Would they find themselves between the pages anywhere?

Though none of my characters is based specifically on a single person, I do borrow personality traits from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, who are my unwitting teachers in character study.  For instance, in Death, Taxes, and Hot Pink Leg Warmers, I have a scene where a woman goes a bit crazy with a handheld vacuum. My oldest sister is a neat freak and always keeps a Dustbuster at the ready. I borrowed that quirky trait from her.

Do you have any events or signings coming up to celebrate the new novel?

I have a signing at my local Barnes & Noble store at the Parks Mall in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, June 22^nd from 1 – 3 PM.  I will also be signing books at the RWA conference in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, July 17^th. The event is a huge multi-author signing to benefit literacy programs.  The signing will be held at the downtown Marriott Marquis hotel from 5:30 – 7:30.  Details are at: http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=564

Diane, thank you so much for chatting with me today. Good luck with the new novel!

Visit Diane's website here

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Interview with #1NYT bestselling author and personal favorite Barbara Delinsky––"Since life is always changing, the muse changes as well, and fresh new stories result. What I write next year depends on what happens in my life and the world this year. It’s pretty exciting, when you think of it."

Overview
On Quinnipeague, hearts open under the summer stars and secrets float in the Sweet Salt Air...
Charlotte and Nicole were once the best of friends, spending summers together in Nicole's coastal island house off of Maine. But many years, and many secrets, have kept the women apart. A successful travel writer, single Charlotte lives on the road, while Nicole, a food blogger, keeps house in Philadelphia with her surgeon-husband, Julian. 

Early praise For Sweet Salt Air

RT Book Reviews Names Sweet Salt Air a Mainstream Fiction “Top Pick”
RT Book Reviews gives Sweet Salt Air their highest Gold “Phenomenal” rating.  “Delinsky captures the magic of coastal Maine in this beautifully written book about friendship and redemption.  The characters are engaging and their various plights believable.  The drama of betrayal, the tension of risk and the triumph of friendship play out in a setting that is a character in itself.  A fantastic summer read!”
 

Praise for Ms. Delinsky’s work;
“Delinsky combines her understanding of human nature with absorbing, unpredictable storytelling—a winning combination.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) on The Secrets Between Us

"Delinsky has a knack for exploring the battlefields of contemporary life.” —Kirkus Reviews on Not My Daughter

“Delinsky does a wonderful and realistic job portraying family dynamics.” —Library Journal on While My Sister Sleeps

“A writer who continues to earn her bestseller status." —Bookreporter.com on Escape

“Delinsky never fails to entertain.” —RT Book Reviews on The Summer I Dared

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Barbara Welcome to my blog to one of my all time favorite storytellers.

What kind words!  Thanks for inviting me here, Deb.  I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to chat.

Tell us a bit about Sweet Salt Air.

Sweet Salt Air is as sensual a book as I’ve written in years – sensual in the broadest sense of the word.  Think of the five senses.  Our first view of Quinnipeague, the fictitious island where Sweet Salt Air takes place, is from the sea, and it’s a gorgeous sight.  Throughout the story, we hear the roll of the surf and the screeeee of gulls, we taste the fresh island food that is the basis for the cookbook Charlotte and Nicole are compiling.  We smell that food, along with herbs, flowers, and – of course – salt air.   And we feel skin.  Yes, this book is sexual a well.  There’s a love story here – two actually – that readers will adore.

Barbara you’ve released over 30 fictional novels and one non-fiction book. I’ve enjoyed most of the fiction and am amazed at how fresh each one seems when I read it.   How do you keep the muse going?

My eyes and ears are always open to new things that are happening in the world.  For instance, when each of my grandkids was born, my sons and daughters-in-law had the babies’ umbilical cord blood frozen.  Seeing that little box in the hospital room waiting to be transfered to a blood bank got my mind working about the possibilities for its use.  Sweet Salt Air is the result.

Since life is always changing, the muse changes as well, and fresh new stories result.  What I write next year depends on what happens in my life and the world this year.  It’s pretty exciting, when you think of it.

You don’t usually pull punches with your characters; it’s what makes them so real to your fans and me.  Why not give everyone a happy ending?

That would be unrealistic, and if there’s one thing I pride myself on, it’s writing a realistic book.  Life doesn’t always have happy endings.  I learned this at the age of eight, when my mother died of breast cancer.  That said, her death made me the person I am today, which is hard-working and optimistic.  Okay.  Some things aren’t meant to be.  But I do believe that HEA can be achieved more often than we think.  Not all the time.  But pretty close.

Of all of your novels that I’ve read (which is most of them) I think my favorite is Family Tree and that’s not to say that the rest weren’t fabulous, it’s just that this one particular one really stuck with me.  Do you have a favorite?

How to answer that?  My books are my babies, and I can’t pick between my sons!  I love each of my books for something special in them – the mother-daughter relationship in For My Daughters, the emotional tug of Flirting With Pete, my identifying with the heroine in Escape, and, of course, the vividness of the senses in Sweet Salt Air. 

Speaking of your prolificacy–does release day still affect you the way the first one did?

Actually, no.  The first few times I waited eagerly and rushed to every store in the area to see my books on the shelves.  Now I don’t.  I don’t dare.  Experience has taught me that my books may not be displayed front and center, that there may be fewer copies than I want, or, worse, none!  And online?  Oh, the book is always for sale there, but we live in an age where readers have a forum to vent every little gripe – and come release day, those little gripes appear in the form of reviews.  One bad review out of twenty good ones will devastate me.  So I don’t read reviews at all, which means avoiding the web as well.

I do feel a certain relief on release day.  I spend the weeks preceding it writing blogs, posting on Facebook and Twitter to build excitement, and responding to Q&As like this one.  Once release day comes, that’s done and I can focus on the next book, which I’ve already begun.  It’s always about the next book.

Authors face special publishing challenges today like never before.  If you were contacted by an aspiring author what one piece of advice to survive “publishing your book” would you give them?

I’m no expert on options that are available today, but there is one piece of advice that is timeless:  Just do it!  Try every outlet you can find.  Do not let that book sit in a desk drawer where no one at all can read it.  Some of the most successful books in recent years were rejected multiple times before they hit it big.

For what it’s worth, I was kicked out of Honor English in high school because I “couldn’t keep up.”  Had I let that get me down, I wouldn’t be writing this note to you now!

Speaking of challenges today for authors. How important do you think social media is for “selling your brand” or is it mostly for entertainment?

Some people, some businesses swear by social media. Me, I’m too busy writing and reading and being with family and friends to use social media for personal connections, but I have an active website and a huge Facebook following, and I do love connecting with readers through these. 

You know first hand the dangers of being closely related to a breast cancer victim, your one non-fiction book is about it (which all the proceeds go to your charitable foundation), you mentioned that you wish you had a book like Uplift when you were diagnosed.  What was your light at the end of the tunnel during your treatment?

The full name of that book is UPLIFT: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors, and the proceeds have to date funded eight years of a breast surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.  How awesome is that???

As for the light at the end of my tunnel, it was actually my diagnosis itself.  I had been waiting for breast cancer to strike and, when it finally did, it was totally treatable.  I have early detection to thank for that.  Mammography is a wonder.  Any woman who puts it off because she doesn’t want five seconds of discomfort should consider the alternative.  I saw it when I was eight and, trust me, five seconds of physical discomfort is nothing compared to the pain of that loss.  

You’ve written exclusively in the contemporary genre.  Can you see yourself ever dipping your creative toes in another?

Nope! 

So it’s time to pick up the laptop/tablet/pen? Where is your “writing cave”?

Right here where I am now, the room above our garage.  It’s a big room with windows front and back and skylights overhead.  I have a large U-shaped desk with tons of surface space for notes and research volumes.  And behind me?  A corked wall with pix of family and friends.  They have my back.  Literally.

Barbara, thank you so much for taking the time to let us into your world.  Will there be any events or signings for this release?

No formal tour.  That’ll be done online.  Since I do breast cancer events throughout the year, I won’t do any big events now, especially with Sweet Salt Air coming out in June.  This is vacation time for me – but also for my readers.  Sweet Salt Air being emotional, engrossing, and entertaining, is the perfect beach book.  So I’m hoping that my readers will be reading.  Period.

Thanks for these thought-provoking questions, Deb.  Be well.

Visit Barbara's website here

Week Three discussion of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend Week Three Discussion


















The ending?

How would you have ended it?

How many tissues did you use?

Have your feelings changed about Max's dad. We had a pretty lively discussion going about him in week two.
Did Matthew's "theory" help anyone?

Final thoughts?

How many will seek another novel by Matthew?



Matthew, did any of our discussion surprise you?
Do you have anything you'd like to add?
We'll dedicate the whole of next week to say thank you but I wanted to say and early thanks!!

Interview with Erika Marks who's talking about her new release The Guest House––"The Guest House is deeply romantic story about two very different families on Cape Cod—one a local family of builders, the other a wealthy summer family from North Carolina—whose lives and hearts become entangled through several generations."

Overview
For generations, the natives of Harrisport have watched wealthy summer families descend on their Cape Cod town, inhabiting the massive cottages along the town’s best stretches of beachfront. But when rich Southerner Tucker Moss breaks the heart of local girl Edie Wright in the summer of 1966, an enduring war starts between the two families that lasts for generations.... 

Early Praise for The Guest House:
From Kirkus Reviews: “Marks’ third novel is a textured story about the interwoven relationships of two families on Cape Cod in three different time periods. With its smoothly written, languid style, the book explores young love, social strata and releasing the bonds of the past. A satisfying read that evokes the leisurely warmth of long summer days and true connection.”

“An intoxicating blend of love, lost and found, and confronting the ghosts that lurk in our pasts. I highly recommend this beautiful story.” — New York Times Bestselling Author Karen White

“A deftly woven tapestry of love, loss, and family loyalties. Erika Marks’s modern day Romeo and Juliet is pitch-perfect.” –Wendy Wax, Author of While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

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Erika, hi welcome to The Reading Frenzy.
Tell us about your new novel The Guest House.

Hello! Thank you so much for having me here! My new novel is a love letter to a wonderful summer I spent on the seaside property of a rambling, shingle-style cottage, just like the one in the book.  The Guest House is deeply romantic story about two very different families on Cape Cod—one a local family of builders, the other a wealthy summer family from North Carolina—whose lives and hearts become entangled through several generations. Set on the coast at the height of summer, it makes for a perfect beach read!

This is your third novel.
Does writing fiction get easier the more books you write?

In some ways, it does. In terms of the craft and structure, I feel like I’ve become a more efficient writer, better able to trouble-shoot issues that may arise in a draft earlier than I might have in previous manuscripts. But that said, some parts of writing take what they take, such as fleshing out a particularly elusive character. One of the things I love about writing is the feeling that I am constantly growing and (hopefully!) becoming a stronger writer who is better able to convey the story in my head to the page in the most compelling way possible.

I love how you met your husband.
Can you share that with us please?

Thank you for saying so. I am, of course, pretty partial to the story too! I was living in New Orleans with my beloved pup Olive. There is a section of the levee known as the dog park where people let their pups run along the Mississippi and I had seen my husband there with his dog and had a bit of a crush on him from afar. Then, one rainy day, we were the only ones there walking our dogs and when we met on the path, we started talking. I’m still swooning.

You have an eclectic career background.
Do you think this helps you be a better writer?

I absolutely do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drawn from my professional experiences when I’m building a story, whether it’s a characterization or a plot point.

Speaking of your career.
When did you begin writing?
Was it a lifelong ambition?

I grew up reading comic books, and I really believe they were the start of my love for story. I remember wanting to be a writer from the time I was very young. I was fascinated to find Alexandra Sheedy’s SHE WAS NICE TO MICE in our library when I was ten and learning that she was just 12 when she wrote/published it. (Of course, I was a bit older than 12 when I got my first book contract!)

What would be the ultimate compliment a reader could give you?

There is nothing more powerful for a writer than just to know your writing has touched someone in some way—made them smile, made them feel hope, just made them feel. I treasure those responses. They mean the world.

You mention on your bio your cooking successes.
When you’re in your “writing cave” and under deadline do you find tending to the ordinary everyday things a challenge?
Or has time and experience made that easier too.

The beauty of never being a strong housekeeper is that when deadlines roll around and life goes sideways, a pile of laundry never looks unusually high! I wish I could say I was one of those writers who keeps it all together (they are out there—I’ve seen the evidence on Facebook!) but I invariably let chores slide when push comes to shove.  So long as I get to sit down to meals with my family, to read bedtime books and sing bedtime songs to my girls, to carve out time with my husband at night, I’m good. The dust bunnies get a free pass for a few extra weeks!

If one of your children said they wanted to be a novelist.
What advice would you give them?

To be patient, to be prepared for lots and lots and lots of rejection, but to never give up. To know when it’s time to shelve a manuscript and start on something new.  To read widely, be a consummate professional, and never burn bridges.

When you write do you have a set place, a set time, a set word count/day?

I always write at my desk—that’s the one constant for me. Everything else really depends. During the school year, I can be a lot more structured in terms of my time and writing schedule—but now that summer is here, it changes. I may write more at night or at odd hours. I am a firm believer in writing when you can, in scooping up those free moments and never waiting for the stars to align for that “perfect” writing period.

What entails novel research for you?

For my first novel, I had to do very little research actually, but for my second, The Mermaid Collector, I did a lot of research on lighthouses and period details of the late 1880s for the novel’s back story of a lighthouse keeper who eventually leaves his wife for a mermaid. For The Guest House, a friend helped me with my questions on photography. The book I’m writing now is involving research on surfing, which has always been a huge interest of mine so it’s great fun for me!

Erika will you be attending any events for the release of The Guest House?

Yes! The next event I’m attending will be the High Country Festival of the Book in Boone, NC, June 22^nd and I’m really looking forward to it! I’m always adding dates so I hope everyone will check in with my events page on my website and hopefully I’ll be visiting a place near you! http://www.erikamarksauthor.com/?page_id=378

Erika, thank you for setting us straight about a few things, good luck with your new novel!

Thank you for hosting me here—your questions are wonderful and it’s been a pleasure visiting. Happy summer, everyone!

Be sure and visit Erika's website here

Interview with award winning author Zoe Archer about her first novel Sweet Revenge in her brand new series Nemesis Unlimited -and find out why she likes heroines of the "kick-butt" variety ––" You can still find heroines that fall into the more “traditional” roles, but I do think that, nowadays, we’re finding heroines that are stronger and more empowered than they had been in the romances from even a decade ago. "

Overview
Sweet Revenge Zoë Archer
When Jack Dalton escapes from Dunmoor Prison, he has only one thing in mind—finding the nobleman who murdered his sister and making him pay. But when he reaches the inn where the Lord Rockley is rumored to be staying, three well-dressed strangers are there to meet him instead. And the pretty blonde is aiming a pistol right at his head …

Joining Nemesis, Unlimited has made Eva Warrick much more than the well-mannered lady she appears to be—one who can shoot, fight, and outsmart any man in the quest to right the injustices so often suffered by the innocent. She’s not afraid of the burly escaped convict, but she is startled by their shared attraction. She and her partners need Jack’s help to get to Rockley, but Eva finds she wants Jack for scandalous reasons all her own…

Here’s what’s being said about Sweet Revenge:
"Revenge can be sweet, smart, sexy and make for a fast-paced, non-stop read when Archer's the storyteller. Creating heroes to die for and empowered women and bringing them together in powerful action/adventures with depth of emotion and sensuality is her forte. To readers' pleasure, she brings an amazing cast of characters, a strong plot and romance to the first in her Nemesis, Unlimited series."—Romantic Times on Sweet Revenge
“Sweet Revenge is an intense, fast-paced read.  A strong plot, memorable characters, genuine emotions--not to mention plenty of heat.  What more can a reader want?” —Sherry Thomas, author of Tempting the Bride
“Sweet Revenge is a sexy, action-packed romance with a to-die for hero and a true love that will make you swoon.”—New York Times bestselling author Courtney Milan
"A dark, riveting tale from beginning to end.  Zoë Archer's books are not to be missed!"—USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Hawkins

Zoe welcome to The Reading Frenzy

Thanks for having me!

Tell us a little about your new novel Sweet Revenge.

Victorian England is a highly stratified society.  The elite and wealthy have all the power, while the middle class and poor have next to none.  When a wrong is committed against someone without power, and the law has failed them, the shadowy organization Nemesis, Unlimited steps in to ensure that justice is served—by any means necessary.

Sweet Revenge is the first novel in the Nemesis, Unlimited series.  Jack Dalton has grown up in the rough world of East London, and has been a thief and bare-knuckle brawler in underground boxing matches. He later became a bodyguard for a corrupt nobleman, Lord Rockley. But when Rockley murdered Jack’s sister, Jack tried to kill him—unsuccessfully.  He’s spent five years in prison, burning for vengeance. The novel opens with Jack breaking out of prison so he can finally get his chance to make Rockley pay. 

But things don’t quite turn out the way Jack plans.  He meets the steely, headstrong Eva Warrick, a Nemesis operative, and she and her colleagues blackmail Jack into helping them ruin Rockley’s reputation and put him behind bars.  It’s not the kind of bloody revenge that Jack wants, but as he and Eva work closely together to take down Rockley—from London’s seedy underbelly to its glittering ballrooms—they discover an attraction between them as unexpected as it is dangerous. 

This is a new series.
Where did the idea come from?

I’ve always been interested in the disparity between the classes, especially in a world as layered as Victorian England, where there could be dire poverty right beside unfathomable wealth.  Even today, our justice system doesn’t necessarily protect the rights of the poor.  And, honestly, I was influenced a lot by the television shows I grew up with, like The A-Team (not the movie with Bradley Cooper) and Knight Rider, where a person or group steps in to help the underdog.  Shows today like Leverage and Burn Notice operate on a similar principal.  So I thought about how well that would work as a historical romance series.  Something dark and gritty, but also romantic.

How many will there be in the series?

Right now, I’m contracted to write three books in the series (Dangerous Seduction, the second novel, will be out at the end of November), plus a novella, Winter’s Heat, which will come out around Christmas.

You received a starred review from PW for Sweet Revenge. (congratulations!)
How much stock do you put in editorial reviews?

Thanks! Obviously, I love getting good editorial reviews, and having such a great one from Publishers Weekly feels like a feather in my cap.  But the most important thing is how readers respond to a book.  Their opinion is the one that most matters.

You write in multiple romance genres, paranormal, steampunk, historical and science fiction.
Do you have a favorite to write?
To read?

I really do like writing in all of them!  But I’m always drawn to historical, because my academic background is in pre-20^th century literature.  It’s definitely fun to integrate paranormal elements into historical settings, like I did with the Blades of the Rose series, and the Hellraisers series.  And the steampunk is awesome because I could create a alternative historical timeline where women have more power than they might have in the actual time period.  It does feel great to return to straight historical, though.  The period is so rich with detail and facts, it’s impossible not to find stories there. 

As for what I like to read, I mostly read historical romance.  Some of my favorite authors include Meredith Duran, Julie Anne Long, Tessa Dare, Sherry Thomas, Courtney Milan, and Joanna Bourne. And when I want to read sci-fi, steampunk, or paranormal, I read Nico Rosso!

You have several novels in different genres releasing close together.
Is it hard for you to go from writing one genre to another?

Honestly, not that difficult.  I guess my brain is a little splintered that way!  My writing voice changes slightly depending on what genre I’m working on, but it’s almost become natural for me to segue from one to the other.  I like moving around from world to world.

In your bio you said that you loved reading romance, but you didn’t like how most of the women were depicted, you said they had a nasty habit of “screaming, fainting, being kidnapped….” So you chose to write yours as kick-butt as your heroes.
In your opinion has the role of heroine changed enough with the times?

There’s a huge variety of romance novels out there, which means that there’s a huge variety of romance heroines.  You can still find heroines that fall into the more “traditional” roles, but I do think that, nowadays, we’re finding heroines that are stronger and more empowered than they had been in the romances from even a decade ago.  I certainly won’t argue that heroines have to behave in a certain way.  Reading preferences are highly personal.  I only know what I enjoy reading, and that translates into what I enjoy writing. 

Your husband, Nico Rosso is also a romance author.
Have you ever considered co-authoring a novel together?

Nico and I work very closely together on the plotting of all my novels, and he’s also my beta reader/critique partner, so he’s quite involved in the writing of my books.  Plus, he and I created the steampunk romance world of the Ether Chronicles together.  As we were working on it, we realized that the world was so expansive, it could contain multiple stories.  So Nico writes the steampunk Westerns and I write the steampunk everywhere else.  We don’t write the novels together—we switch off between books.  Honestly, our process works so well, I don’t think either of us feel the need to actually write the same book together.  Plus, we have very different voices, so for now, I think we’ll stick to the arrangement we have.  Keeps things harmonious. *wink*

Okay from one boot bunny to another you must tell us about this passion of owning as many pairs as possible. (please)

It’s a sickness!  I have to join Boots Anonymous!  Seriously, though, I’ve always loved boots—how they look, their promise of adventure, and how a woman can actually run in them (unless they’re stiletto boots, of course, and I don’t own any of those) and kick some butt.  And I particularly love boots with buckles, which also gives them a historical and adventure vibe.  People have asked me to count how many boots I own, and there are too many!  Plus, that would entail me going into my closet and trying to sort through all the shoe boxes, which could result in an avalanche. How embarrassing would it be to call the fire department because I was trapped beneath a pile of boots?

When you have some downtime what’s your favorite place to get away to?

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, but for quick jaunts, Nico and I usually head up to the Santa Ynez area, which is about 45 minutes north of Santa Barbara.  (In Los Angeles, we tell distance by time it takes to get there, not actual miles.)  It’s wine and horse country, with lots of rolling hills straight from a Thomas Hart Benton painting.  Very beautiful and relaxing.  It’s such a pleasure not to hear leaf blowers and street traffic, and just listen to the wind in trees.

Zoe, thanks for stopping by and chatting with us and good luck with the new novel.
Will there be any signings or events with this release?

I’ll be doing some stock signings at local L.A.-area bookstores, but I’ll be doing quite a bit of blogging, so stay tuned to the internet. 

Thanks again for having me!

Visit Zoe's website here

Sweet Revenge: A Nemesis, Unlimited Novel

Book 1

The first in a breathtaking new series about the dangerous business of undercover revenge—and the undeniable pleasure of passion…

In the business of vengeance

When Jack Dalton escapes from Dunmoor Prison, he has only one thing in mind—finding the nobleman who murdered his sister and making him pay. But when he reaches the inn where the Lord Rockley is rumored to be staying, three well-dressed strangers are there to meet him instead. And the pretty blonde is aiming a pistol right at his head …

Desire is always dangerous

Joining Nemesis, Unlimited has made Eva Warrick much more than the well-mannered lady she appears to be—one who can shoot, fight, and outsmart any man in the quest to right the injustices so often suffered by the innocent. She’s not afraid of the burly escaped convict, but she is startled by their shared attraction. She and her partners need Jack’s help to get to Rockley, but Eva finds she wants Jack for scandalous reasons all her own…

Zoë Archer is an award-winning romance author who thinks there's nothing sexier than a man in tall boots and a waistcoat. As a child, she never dreamed about being the rescued princess, but wanted to kick butt right beside the hero. She now applies her master's degrees in Literature and Fiction to creating butt-kicking heroines and heroes in tall boots. She is the author of the acclaimed BLADES OF THE ROSE series and the paranormal historical romance series, THE HELLRAISERS. She and her husband, fellow romance author Nico Rosso, created the steampunk world of THE ETHER CHRONICLES together. Her new gritty Victorian romance series, NEMESIS, UNLIMITED, launches this Spring.  Zoë and Nico live in Los Angeles.

Excerpt

Website, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr

To buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Chapters Indigo, Books A Million

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend Week Two Chapters 22-42 ––Max's parents

We haven't talked much about Max's parents.
It's obvious that Max's mom is the bigger bread winner but the family dynamic doesn't seem to suffer too much by this as they're a loving couple and parents in spite of or maybe because of their unique situation being parents to a special needs child.

So let's chat for a while about Max's mom and dad

Has your opinion of them changed at all since the novel began

What's your over all feelings about them, their reactions so far to all that's happened and their feelings about Max.

Again please only use these as a starting point please bring up anything that concerns you or you want to bring to our attention.

Interview with debut author Ron Irwin who's talking about his novel Flat Water Tuesday; find out why he said––" I came to South Africa in 1992 fresh out of college hoping to save the world."

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• ISBN-13: 9781250030030
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Overview

 Rob Carrey, the son of a working-class cabinet maker, arrives at the Fenton School with a scholarship to row and a chip on his shoulder.  Generations of austere Fenton men have led the rowing team, known as the God Four, to countless victories—but none are as important or renowned as the annual Tuesday-afternoon race against their rival, Warwick.

Reviews:

Library JournalWorking-class Rob receives a rowing scholarship to the Fenton School, where the team captain's brutal urge to win leads to tragedy. A hot debut.

Kirkus ReviewsIrwin debuts with movingly rendered literary fiction about love and loss, youth and maturity, ambition and its cost.

"All you ever wanted to know about the world of competitive rowing is contained in the pages of Ron Irwin's new novel, whose hero is not only a prodigious oarsman but the lover of two memorably realized women."—J.M. Coetzee"

Flat Water Tuesday is the best debut novel I've read this year, a compulsively readable dark drama that weaves multiple storylines toward one marvelous denouement. Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of The Prophet

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Ron Hi, welcome to my blog

Thanks very much!

Tell us about your novel Flat Water Tuesday

 Flat Water Tuesday is a story about a man named Rob Carrey who is a documentary filmmaker for National Geographic. He comes back to New York from a shoot in South Africa to try to salvage his relationship with his girlfriend, Carolyn. In the middle of this very tense time he is called back to his old boarding school upon the suicide of one of his former rowing teammates. This forces him to confront his past while dealing with an extremely stressful present. This is a passionate love story set against the ultracompetitive world of rowing.

It sounds like too much of a coincidence that your new novel sounds a bit like your bio.
Tell us what led you to write the novel.

I always say that 90% of this novel really did happen and the other 10% could have happened. They say that most first novels come out of the author’s personal experience, and I have been lucky enough to live a fairly exciting life. I have worked as a documentary filmmaker, a teacher, lecturer, a writer, and of course I rowed for many years in boarding school and in college. So the events that I described in the novel are fairly close to my own reality. I think that, to begin with, the intensity of rowing in boarding school was something I always knew I would return to.  Rowers hold a special place in many American boarding schools. It is an elite sport and an expensive one and those kids who can move the boat quickly on a race course get a great deal of attention from their peers and from the school itself. I grew up rowing in Buffalo New York, and came to boarding school unaware that it was such an extremely respected pastime. In Buffalo, at least when I was younger, rowing was kind of a sport that few people really knew about although those that participated in it were very good. In boarding school, the rowers were gods. I wanted to explore that tribal environment from the point of view of an adult.

 I also think that many people have been in love affairs where their own carelessness has threatened to ruin everything. The heart of this novel is actually a love story, and it is probably the oldest love story there is. A man has made a fatal mistake and he needs to get back in the good graces of the woman he loves. He has realized, possibly too late, that he found the love of his life. I think that I do believe there is that one special person out there for us all, and when you find her you need to hold on. In the novel, Carolyn wants to get rid of Rob once and for all, but she can’t bring herself to do it. Essentially, Rob has to be able to apologize to her, and she has to be able to accept the apology. This is probably the story of men and women since the beginning of time!

It’s a pretty far leap from New England where you grew up to South Africa where you now live part of the year and lecture on film and media for the University of Cape Town.
What led you there?

 I came to South Africa in 1992 fresh out of college hoping to save the world. I  taught at a school outside of Soweto,  which is a famous township near Johannesburg. Here I was exposed to incredible talent, but incredible poverty. During that time I traveled around the country and realized it was a place that was in the middle of the momentous transition. Democracy was on the way, and I wanted to be part of that. I thought I would stay a few more years and study under the noted author JM Coetzee at The University of Cape Town, and then go back to the United States. Twenty years later, of course, I am still here and now I am the one teaching at the University of Cape Town! I travel back and forth between South Africa and the United States quite often. In fact I’m headed back in less than two weeks to help promote the novel. I think I have taken that long haul flight to New York about fifty times.  But Cape Town is a perfect place for a writer. It has wonderful natural attractions, great restaurants, and of course the university is easily the best in the southern hemisphere. So I think it is a bucolic life, although I do get homesick from time to time.

You are a documentary filmmaker. How different was writing a novel to making a documentary? How was it similar?

 I worked full-time as a documentary filmmaker for about three years. I think that writing a script for a short documentary is certainly a different task than the long  project of writing a novel. However, the one thing I did learn about was the amount of time it takes to get just a few seconds of screen time right. There is a tremendous amount of editing and reediting that documentary filmmakers have to go through to get the story right. And of course, you need to look at an interesting subject and make an interesting narrative out of it. I remember filming Himalayan mountain goats called “tahrs” out of a helicopter. These used to inhabit the slopes of Table Mountain here in Cape Town, but they’ve since been culled by the National Parks Board. It was up to me to tell both sides of the story, and also to make people care about  a big hairy goat. I had to get right to the emotional core of the story, and to provide all the other information as kind of an aside. This was the challenge I had with Flat Water Tuesday. I knew a lot about rowing, but I had to make the reader care as well. My goal was to make somebody would never ever seen a rowing shell love the sport as much as the narrator does.

The film rights for the novel have already been sold.
Does this mean that there will definitely be a movie?
Big or small screen?
Will you have a major role in the production?

 The film rights have been sold to Winther Brothers entertainment in Los Angeles. Lars Winther is a personal friend of mine and in fact he is also a rower. My agent, Tris Coburn,  is also a rower. To make matters more interesting, we all went to the same boarding school and graduated in the same class! But Lars is really in charge of the production of the film, although he does consult me from time to time. We are in very early stages now in terms of film production, but of course we do hope to see it hit the big screens. Once things start rolling in earnest, of course, I would like to be involved.

Since you’re bi-continental your “writing cave” must be mobile too.
Do you have a certain place/time to write?

 I think I write better in the morning, although when I was younger I liked to burn the midnight oil. I think that the earlier you get to your manuscript without the distractions of the day, the better. I prefer to write in my office at the university, because it seems when I’m at home there are a million things to attend to that seem more fun than writing.  The University of Cape Town has been very good about giving me creative space and my office is extremely comfortable and quiet. But I have written in hotel rooms, mobile offices, warehouses, in bed, and in sleeping bags. I do a great deal of traveling and I always try to find a quiet place where I can spread out and write.

I really do wish I had a proper “writing cave”.  Ideally it would  have an ocean view… but  knowing me I would probably wind up sleeping on the beach rather than writing. I think it was Proust who wrote in a cork lined room, so he could avoid all distractions and put plot notes up. Frankly, that would work best for somebody like me. Essentially, I need to be in a place that is low on distractions, but has easy access to coffee.

I suppose my very first “writing cave” was in Johannesburg.  It was a spare room that was about 10’ x 6’ in my first flat in the artistic section of town. I put a door on top of two trestles in that room and I worked there quite happily for a year or so. The room had a small window that looked out into the garden, but the garden was fairly small.  I think I remember that little room most fondly. I was certainly extremely productive there. Also, for one year I rented a small office on top of a box factory in Cape Town. That was also a very good place to work, but it was extremely lonely as I was the only renter on the entire floor. The wi-fi worked great, though!

Did you like novel writing enough for another one?

 Oh, of course. I am already working on a new novel and it is a wonderful pleasure to have an editor waiting for it in New York. I could not imagine another life. I am really doing what I’ve always wanted to do. When we were kids, my brother and I used to joke that he would be the businessman and I would be the artist who slept on his couch. Well, he now works as an international investment banker  and I have to say he has an extremely comfortable couch…

Ron as a new novelist what one piece of advice would you give to aspiring authors?

 I think that the best piece of advice I could give a new novelist, given that I have  taught creative writing for fifteen years, is to believe in yourself enough to continually improve. I think many novelists get told that they simply should not “give up”. That, in my opinion, may be bad advice. Let me explain. When I was in college I was lucky enough to meet Pulitzer Prize winning author William Kennedy. It was at his magnificent house outside of Albany that I decided I would I would like to be a novelist one day. I met him just as he had published his Very Old Bones, a novel that remains one of my favorites. Back then there was no e-mail, but we were all waiting for the fax to come through from the New York Times, and when it did it was a hot review. Kennedy went through years of rejection before breaking through and now of course he is a legend.

When I first wrote Flat Water Tuesday  in the little room in Johannesburg, I sent it through to an American agent whose name I had looked up in the Johannesburg Public Library. She picked it up, and send it out to twenty-five different publishers, all of whom rejected us. Most of the publishers did not know why a novel about high school rowing would appeal to adults. But I was dogged, and I rewrote the novel and made it yet more edgy, and we resubmitted. Unfortunately, we were once again roundly rejected.  I think I had to learn how to improve my writing and also find a way to make the novel relevant to adults. In other words, I had to take criticism in stride, and use it to improve. When I went to work on what is now the third version of  Flat Water Tuesday, I actually deleted about 80% of what I had. I started from scratch and I knew that the love story had to be an important part of the novel. I had to let go of the idea that people would read about rowing for rowing’s sake. When I submitted this version, it was immediately accepted by the first editor who saw it.

Will there be any signings or events where fans could meet you in person?

 I have a big event coming up in Cape Town, South Africa on June 5 at the  Book Lounge, but  by the time this is published that event will be over. I will have another lunch in Buffalo, New York at Talking Leaves Bookshop on Main Street on June  22  at 5:30 PM. This will be very important to me, because of course Buffalo is my hometown and part of the novel takes place in a fictionalized version of the city.

You can find out more about Flat Water Tuesday at www.ronirwin.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fwtnovel

Ron Thank you for taking the time to chat with us and let us learn a little about what it’s like walking in your talented shoes. Good Luck with this novel and all your future Best Sellers too!!