New Release Feature Feels Like Home review and Q&A w/author Vicki Lewis Thompson

 New Release Feature 7-24-12 Feels Like Home

and Q&A w/Vicki Lewis Thompson

Debbie - Vicki Lewis Thompson is a multi-award winning multi-talented author, so please welcome her to the forum.

Vicki thanks for joining us today and celebrating release day for Feels Like Home, tell us a little about the new novel.

Vicki - Thanks so much for inviting me here!  I always get wrapped up in my characters, but with Rafe and Meg I was more involved than usual.  He’s a city slicker who needs to discover his inner cowboy, and she’s a woman who’s learned how to live for the moment.  She has so much to teach him, and once he opens up, he has so much to give her.  And then there’s Diana, the wayward mother who abandoned Jack Chance when he was a toddler, moved to San Francisco, remarried, and had twins – Wyatt and Rafe.  Rafe and Jack have issues, understandably, and when Diana shows up, it’s every man for himself.  I’ve been building toward Diana’s reappearance for nine books.  I loved writing that scene.

Okay I’ve been doing a little spying on your website and according to your bio you have more than 100 books published, so first WOW and second, how does this release day compare to the very first one.

I won’t lie to you.  The first day you see a book with your name on the cover sitting right there on a bookstore shelf is magic.  I’ll always love that first book and the thrill of finally being a published author.  But ego is not such a factor anymore.  These days I’m eager for readers to find the story and get involved with the characters, because I love those people.  I’m excited for my characters to go into the world more than I am about me, personally, having my name out there.

Also according to your bio it says that you’re fascinated by the many ways a man and woman fall in love.
Tell us what you mean by that and how does that reflect in your writing

I’m obviously in the right profession because relationships, especially romantic relationships, do fascinate me.  Ideally, two people come together and help each other grow.  While real life doesn’t always work that way, sometimes it does.  I write about the times that it works.

I see that your Harlequin books are mostly contemporary and I see that the new featured is a Blaze title. What does Blaze mean and is this title part of a series.

Blaze is the hot line, which suits me because I’ve been drawn to the more explicit stories from the beginning.  FEELS LIKE HOME is the ninth book in the Sons of Chance series, which is part of the Blaze line.  Fortunately my wonderful editor Brenda Chin is enthusiastic about the Sons of Chance series, so it will continue for another eight books!

You also have a paranormal series, tell us a little about that.

I’m writing a comic werewolf series for New American Library’s Signet imprint.  It’s a total departure from the Sons of Chance, which turns out to be a good thing.  Writing both keeps me from getting into a rut.  My werewolves are rich, sexy, and non-violent.  They don’t kill people, and they don’t bite them and turn them into werewolves.  They’re noble, gorgeous, and they prefer their steaks rare with a good red wine.

Are you a reader as well as a writer, which authors do you like to read, what genres

I read literally everything, from YA to contemporary to historical.  I’m a wuss, so romantic suspense that’s too scary doesn’t find its way onto my shelves.  But I do read mysteries sometimes.  One of my favorites is The #1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.  I don’t dare start naming romance authors because I have too many friends in the business, and I really do try to read them all!

You as I mentioned above are a multi-awarded author, is there one in particular that means the most, is there one you’re still hoping for.

The most amazing award I ever received was in 2008 when Romance Writers of America gave me the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.  I was Cinderella that night, and I’ll never forget it.  As for the one that got away –I’ve been a finalist for RWA’s RITA award eight times, but I’ve never won the thing.  I wouldn’t mind getting it someday, but if I don’t, I’ve had my share of recognition and I really can’t complain.

What is coming next for you

More cowboys and werewolves!  I have WEREWOLF IN DENVER coming out in October, and I’m in a December anthology I’m crazy about.  It’s called RESCUING CHRISTMAS and features stories about rescue animals from me, Catherine Mann, and Kathie DeNosky.  It’ll warm your heart!  Then next summer more Sons of Chance books will arrive, along with WEREWOLF IN ALASKA.

Do you write full time and do you belong to a writer’s group

I write ALL the time, LOL.  Well, not quite.  I take some breaks for visits with family and trips to Disneyland.  Last fall my daughter and I went on a Greek cruise.  But whenever I’m home, I’m writing.  It’s what I do.

I have three writers I meet with twice a year and we plot our books together.  We don’t critique pages, but we do hammer out plot ideas, and we’re all involved in multiple book projects, so having the chance to discuss plots is wonderful.  My plotting partners are Rhonda Nelson, Kira Sinclair, and Andrea Laurence.

I’m sure that fans here would love to meet you in person, do you have any B&N events or signings coming up.

I don’t have specific plans for a B&N signing, but I’m always open to the opportunity!  Barnes and Noble provides such a friendly venue for readers.

Thank you Vicki for your time and Good luck with the new book!!

Thank you, and thank you for the chance to talk about what I love – reading and writing!

My Review of Feels Like Home

Feels Like Home
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Harlequin Blaze series # 699
ISBN 13:9780373797035
224 pages

Rafe Locke came to The Last Chance to see his twin brother married and perform his duties as best man, he’s not looking forward to the drama having his mother here will cause or the pain she may cause his older half brother who she abandoned as a small child, but he’s willing and up to the task. There’s another task he’s willing to perform when he meets the maid of honor, only there’s nothing honorable about the performance he has in mind.
Meg Seymour traveled from PA to see her best friend married and as soon as she arrived at The Last Chance it starts to feel like home to her and since she’s more interested in being happy than having money she’s already looking for ways to become a permanent resident another thing that will make her happy is getting up close and personal to best man Rafe Locke who’s one handsome gift and she’s ready to unwrap him.
The explosive attraction they have for one another starts as pure lust but soon grows to something that neither has expected or thought they wanted. Will they be the next recipients of the magic of the Last Chance or will this love affair fizzle out before the bride and groom say I Do.

This is my first Vicki Lewis Thompson read but it won’t be my last. She gave me a country feel romance with down home characters right along with big city slickers and made them all fit together in a great story set under the big sky country of Montana. Her hero and heroine are a most unlikely couple for that all elusive HEA but totally spot on for that hotter than Hades scorcher of an affair, but as we get to know the real people behind the masks we also see just how right they are for each other and have the added fun of watching them trip and fall in love and it especially impressed me how playful she made them in regards to lovemaking and just interacting in general. Her love scenes are definite sheet burners and should come with a warning of rapid pulse and heartbeat. So if you’re looking for that modern day knight in shining armor we call cowboys look no farther.
Ms Thompson thank you for one heck of a line dance and just so you know I’ll be dancing to your tune again real soon. YeHa!

Buy the book here

Fans visit Vicki’s website here, she always has a monthly contest and this month she’s offering a B&N gift card along with one of her novels.