1. When
did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Like most writers, I’ve always
written. It started with short stories and plays when I was younger and
progressed from there. In college, when I wanted a break from calculus and
organic chemistry *shudders* I would write romantic short stories for my
friends, starring them and whatever boy they liked at the moment. :-) But I
never practically considered a career as a writer; my parents would have had a
fit. It was only after having my kids that I started to consider writing as a second career.
2. What
is your writing schedule like?
I try to write while the kids are in school. The
moment they get off the bus, I’m back in mommy mode. If I’m on a deadline, all
bets are off.
3. What
advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time before you were
published?
Establish a routine. My path to publication happened really quickly.
Tycoon is my first book. So I had no idea how many hours a day I would
need to write to complete a book or how to incorporate writing as a full time
job into my life as a stay at home mom. So figure out what you can reasonably
produce without turning you or your family upside down.
4. How
did you come up with the idea for your book The Tycoon’s Socialite Bride?
I saw the scene first, before anything else came together. I had a picture of
this woman waiting outside of an executive’s office all day for a chance to
talk with him. Finally, when it was clear that she wasn’t going to be let in,
she gets annoyed and bursts into his office. I thought, what would make a woman
do that? And in my head, this was an elegant, sophisticated woman. What would
she care about to go to such an extreme? I had to change the opening for other
reasons, so that initial scene isn’t in the book, but that feeling of
desperation is still there.
5. How
long does it take you to write a book?
See my answer to #3. I’m still trying to
figure that out! LOL
6. Is
there an author you haven't met who you'd really like to meet?
The great thing
about romance writer’s conferences is that you get to meet other authors and
you realize they really are just like you. It’s been amazing to meet a person
whose name you’ve seen on the cover of books for years. At my first RWA
National conference in 2012 I met Nalini Singh at a publisher book signing. I
had read Slave to Sensation about four months prior and was instantly
addicted. I read all of the Psy/Changeling books back to back and then started
the Guild Hunter series. She remains my #1 auto buy. So while I’ve “met” her,
what I’d really like to do is have a drink with her and hang out with her. Oh God, now I sound like a crazy stalker. LOL
7. Do
you prefer ebooks, paperbacks, or hardcover?
For the purposes of space, I have
to say ebooks. Like most readers, I had a keeper shelf and my keeper shelf grew
to enormous proportions. When I bought my first Kindle, it was awesome. I could
put numerous books on a small device I could always carry with me. And no
matter what I was in the mood to read, I could access it with the push of a
button. I now have over 150 books on my Kindle Fire. It’s a portable
library.
8. What
do you do when you're not writing?
In the little bit of time I have left after
taking care of my family, I love watching TV and movies., although TV is so
good these days that I’d rather watch episodes of a show than go to the movies.
9. What
advice would you give to new authors?
Remember this is a business. The romance
of finally achieving your dream of being published can be alluring and you can
forget that the goal is to sell books. Make sure you learn all parts of the
industry, not just the parts about writing.
10.
What were the last three books you read? Robin Covington’s Sweet Southern
Betrayal, Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project and Jeaniene Frost’s One
Foot in the Grave. I used to read much more before I started writing. I
miss it.
Fast
Facts:
Coffee
or tea? Coffee. I like both, but I’m
addicted to coffee. I have to have it twice a day or the caffeine headache that
follows is brutal!
Morning
or night? I am a morning person all the way. If I sleep late, something is
wrong with me.
Rivers
or oceans? Uh, can I pick a nice saltwater pool? LOL
White
wine or red? Both, but I like them sweet, not dry.
Champagne or liquor? My blog is titled Mimosas at Midnight. Does that give you a clue? ;-)
Laptop
or desktop? Laptop. I invested in a Macbook Pro last year. Best purchase ever.
I love it!!
Casual
or couture? Most days, I’m casual, but I appreciate fashion.
Ponytail or headband? Is this really an either/or choice? LOL I rock both. But in my photo you’ll see a headband, so I guess I’ll choose that.
Shower
or bath? I only have time to take showers, but I LOVE bubble baths.
Summer
or winter? Neither. I’m a moderate weather girl, so I’m all about Fall.
Motorcycle
or bicycle? Bicycle. Motorcycles do nothing for me.
To
avenge his mother’s mistreatment at the hands of her upper-crust employer, self-made
real estate tycoon Marcus Pearson needs entree into their exclusive world. When
D.C. socialite Pamela Harrington comes to him for help, Marcus realizes the
golden admission ticket he’s been seeking has suddenly fallen into his lap.
Pamela
will do anything to save her favorite cause, even agree to a marriage of
convenience. The altruistic “it-girl” isn’t worried about the pretend passion
with Marcus turning real; she’s sworn off powerful, driven men who use her for
her family’s connections.
So
she’ll deny the way her pulse races with one look from his crystalline blue
eyes. And he’ll ignore the way his body throbs with each kiss from her full
lips. Because there’s no way he’ll lose his blue-collar heart to the
blue-blooded beauty.
Amazon Vine Reviewer Simon Cleveland's Review:
Right off the bat I knew I'd love this story. First, it starts on a golf course. I happen to love golf. Second, it mentions D.C. My wife and I used to work in D.C. Beyond those two facts, this book has so many great characteristics and tension between the characters. I was on Marcus' side the entire time, and without giving anything away, I will say that perhaps my favorite line in whole novel was this, "Cancel my meeting." Marcus didn't even blink.
