Kathleen Dienne has been a reporter, a theatrical stage manager, a ghostwriter, a sloganeer, a video game consultant and a marketing analyst. Fiction seems to be the most honest stuff that she’s written.

She is very lucky to have the enthusiastic support of a brilliant husband, a delightful toddler and several elderly beagles. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, and if she’s not reading, she’s taking photographs of the husband/toddler/beagles and making elaborate scrapbooks. Secretly, she practices Italian with those “speak and learn” CDs in hopes of someday moving to Tuscany. So far, the only person picking up Italian with any fluency is the toddler.

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys watching how a writer avoids writing, please come over and hang out at http://www.kathleendienne.com. Sometimes there are recipes. You can also find her on Facebook (friend her or fan her!) and follow her on Twitter (KathleenDienne). Finally, she loves hearing from readers, so feel free to drop her a line at KathleenDienne@gmail.com.

Please tell our readers and members a little bit about yourself?

By day I am a consultant and a freelance writer. By night, I write erotic fiction. But the lines kind of blur, because I work from a home office. So if I absolutely have to attend a meeting featuring powerpoint and people talking to hear themselves talk, I can mute the phone and do something for one of my stories… and all in my comfy pants. It’s not really the writer’s paradise it sounds like it might be – I’m doing all of this so I can be home with my toddler and have dinner ready for my husband, he of the good health insurance and the top quality plot solutions. It is interesting to switch between Finding Nemo and sex scenes.

Also, if you have just made a joke inside your head about “Nemo” as a euphemism for a body part, congratulations, we have the same kind of dirty mind.

You have a new release coming out with Carina Press. How was your experience with this new ePublisher that is a division of Harlequin?

Fantastic, start to finish. I tell stories that don’t fit anywhere – the novella that came out on June 21 was a contemporary erotic romance that hinged on the concept of parallel universes, for example – so when I saw that Carina Press was looking for stories that couldn’t be pigeonholed, I jumped to submit. (I also wanted to go digital, not traditional, but I fully admit I wanted the heft of a traditional publisher for my digital work!)

And then the experience itself was fantastic. ePublishing moves so much faster than traditional publishing. I submitted my story in January, got the call in February, and the book went on sale in June. The Harlequin digital team has been great – I have been working professionally in social media since before it was called that, and I still learned a ton from their Social Media bootcamp. No one is ever too busy to answer questions and support newb authors, including the Executive Editor. The other writers are so enthusiastic and helpful. Finally, I can’t say enough good stuff about my editor, Melissa Johnson. She’s just a genius when it comes to spotting the real problem with a manuscript instead of the problem’s symptoms, and she’s hilarious to boot.

What other projects do you have in the works?

Carina Press just acquired my second novella – it’s an erotic romance with a cool action element. I’m trying not to talk about it too much, since we’ve just started editing!

I’m working on several Victorian-era pieces. Victorian erotica is pretty mindblowing, and I love the historical period.

What inspires you? What were your writing influences?

I am a huge science fiction and fantasy nerd. (My stories involve… well… science fiction, fantasy, and/or nerds – more on that in a second.) Heinlein, Asimov, McCaffrey. Mercedes Lackey was my gateway drug and I just finished her back-to-basics Arthurian tale. Sheri Tepper blows my mind and I can’t understand why she doesn’t get listed with the one-name greats. I love Louisa May Alcott and Agatha Christie, too.

The thing about those people is that they tell great stories. There’s metaphor and symbolism and depth, but the number one thing is a ripping good page turning story, and they never lose sight of that from the first page to the last. That influences me more than anything else.

I’m inspired to write when I hear a snippet of conversation between two people in one of my daydreams. Put it this way – if I overheard something like it at a Starbucks, I’d want to scoot my seat over to hear more. Since I’m in my own head, I get right up close and play out the scene. If it holds my attention for a couple nights running (getting a toddler who doesn’t want to go to bed down for the night involves a lot of time in dark quiet rooms), I figure it’s worth a shot and I toss it in my idea file.

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer?

Honestly, it’s because these are the stories that compel me to write them. I have tried many other genres, and the romantic stories are the ones I stay interested in long enough to finish a manuscript!

That’s the big reason, but another reason is that my characters want to have their stories told. Many of the people in my stories are nerds. But their stories aren’t about their nerdiness. They’re just people, people who read a lot and play computer games and sing in choirs and collect movies. A nerd is just as likely as a jock to be great in the sack, to fall in love, to make a partner complete.

What is the hardest part of being a writer? The easiest?

The hardest part is treating it like a job even though you won’t get paid for another year… if you get paid at all. But if you only write when you feel inspired or artistic, you’re not going to finish much. You’ve got to treat it like a job, and make it a priority. That can be really hard without external feedback, and there just isn’t any. You’ve got to be your own source of strength and discipline.

The easiest thing is talking about your work. It’s like bragging about your kids, but people ask you to do it!

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

That we’re not writing “real” books. That we’re hacks churning out the same three plots. That because there’s a happy ending (and the books are written by women for women starring women), the resulting work is of less aesthetic value than one of those dreadful things where everyone dies after pissing and moaning for three hundred pages. And rainclouds are a metaphor for how your mother never liked you. Or possibly testicles.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Finish something and mail it to a publisher. I don’t mean to be flip – I have many, many friends who are terrific writers, and haven’t done either of those things. Finishing something is one of those things that is easy to say and easy to do. Butt in chair. Hands on keyboard. 250 words a day, minimum, and you’ve got a novel in less than a year. (This POST is more than a thousand words.)

I have been writing professionally for ten years, and I am not particularly remarkable. I just know I’ve got nothing to lose by hitting send (after carefully reading and following the submission guidelines).

Any last words for our readers?

Thank you so much for BEING readers, of anything. You make the world a better and more interesting place.

Rebecca E. Grant believes that love is unstoppable! For Rebecca, writing women’s fiction with wonderfully erotic elements is a little like cooking. First, she likes to lay her hero and heroine out gently on a well-oiled surface, take some seasoning up in her hands and smooth it into them until they’re so flavorful they’re ready to pop. Then she lets them steep awhile in a nice marinade. When they are at their most succulent, sometimes she will put them in a slow-cooking oven and turn them over and over, and other times she’ll toss them on a blazing grill to sizzle. Either way, at some point in the story, they are going to devour each other!

Currently an innovative educator with a PhD in organizational development, Rebecca lives in Minnesota on the edge of a wetlands, where wild turkeys and other creatures teach her balance and renewal. She loves the four seasons, long walks, early mornings with a steaming cup of coffee and late nights filled with stimulating conversation, a bottle of amusingly insouciant wine and good friends.

Rebecca began writing women’s fiction in April of 2009. Liberty Starr is her first published romance.

To find out more about Rebecca, visit her online at: http://www.site.rebeccaegrant.com/

Please tell our readers and members a little bit about yourself?

Awhile back I had a significant birthday (never mind which one ) and a friend said “You’re so serious so much of the time, Rebecca. Do something special to celebrate you.” She then suggested I have my horoscope read. I laughed and agreed to it because it felt like a fun, adventurous thing to do—even if it was a bit silly.

Knock me over with a feather—it was an amazing experience and the first of many steps I took to get to know myself better—to help me remember who I am—because in our ‘hurry-up-competitive-goal-oriented’ world it can be so easy to forget. One of the most important things I remembered is that I’m a romantic.

The first time I saw the snow-covered Rockies I was nearly knocked out by what a romantic backdrop they made. (I may have been slightly influenced by the fact that I was utterly in love at the time.) Then there’s the White House. The first time I saw it I was struck by the romanticism of the many lives—leaders—drama—and life-changing decisions that structure has given shelter to (again, quite possibly I was influenced by the tall drink of water whose arm was around me at the time).

Even as far back as when I was six or seven and tried on my first pair of roller skates—the kind that clipped to the bottom of my shoes—I was instantly enamored with them because I realized just how fast those skates would take me down the street to see Kenny, the love of my life.

Is it any wonder I write women’s fiction and romance?

You have a new release coming out with Carina Press. How was your experience with this new ePublisher that is a division of Harlequin?

Carina Press has to be the best experience any author can have. Let me give you a couple of examples of what it is like to work with them.

First, they responded to me before their published deadline. I wasn’t sitting around wondering… “should I follow up with them?”

When Angela James called me, she was warm and personable. She made me feel wonderful about my book, and very special as an author. I was momentarily overwhelmed thinking, “Holy cow, they chose my book!” It took me a moment to process. I remember Angela said something like, “Everyone here just loves the book.”

I swallowed hard trying to catch up. “Everyone?”

“Oh yes, we were talking about it at dinner and everyone loved it.”

“Dinner? Everyone?” (still processing )

Working with my editor, Jessica Schulte was such a positive experience. First, she has a great sense of humor. She was endlessly patient and responsive. I really felt like I had a partner. She was professional yet friendly. She suggested changes but left the writing to me. At one point she advised me to remove a character from the story because that character was actually a distraction. I might have really struggled with this except that Jessica had already demonstrated such skill. I knew I could trust her judgment. Of course, she turned out to be right!

I’ve spent the last twenty years as an innovative educator working to bring online education from ‘the shadows’ into the light of day. So, I know what it’s like to introduce something new to the world. I’ve also worked with a number of start-up organizations and they all have one challenge in common—overcoming poor communication because they’re moving so fast.

Carina Press is the first new organization I’ve seen that not only understands the importance of relationships and communication, but they actually deliver it. For example, they gather their authors together about once every two months or so to share information and facilitate a sense of author community. Carina has demonstrated to me that they recognize how important it is to build something together.

I just can’t say enough great things about them. Don’t even get me started on their cover art! Every cover I’ve seen is just yummy!

What other projects do you have in the works?

My erotic novella, SWEET COERCION is coming out in December. I have two books out to various pubs right now. One is NAKED HOPE, a contemporary romance involving a psychologist, a concert pianist who is also an international heartthrob and his ten-year old daughter who suffers from traumatic brain injury.

The second book, WILD THE WIND, is a historical romance with erotic and paranormal elements that was inspired by the legend of ‘the lost colony of Roanoke’ where entire colonies disappeared in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It is a sweeping epic and the first of an ongoing series.

Currently, I’m writing WOLFE’S DEN, a story that takes place in both 2010 and 1256. The book has erotic and paranormal elements, star-crossed lovers, covers a span of more than 700 years, a sexologist, and a highlander who keeps sweeping me off my feet

What inspires you? What were your writing influences?

My number one inspiration is the reaction from readers. After all, they’re the experts when it comes to knowing what they’re looking for, and what feels satisfying to them.

I also have a wickedly coy muse who teases and tempts me with the ideas she whispers into my ear.

I’ve been fortunate to have friends who believe in me, and mentors who did not hold back. For example, there are two authors, Ana Seymour and Kathleen Eagle who not only inspired and influenced me, they rescued me from what I’ll call ‘writer’s oblivion’ where I would have remained if they hadn’t been both generous and direct.

I met these two women while taking their class, “How to write women’s fiction and romance”. That class literally changed my life. It was tough to hear all the critique, and even tougher when they explained to me that while they loved my story line, I wasn’t ‘there’ yet as a writer because my style was too stiff (years of academic and business writing had rubbed out my spontaneity).

Then one day in class they talked about the difference between romance and erotica. Suddenly, my wicked little muse (I love her by the way) began to whisper all kinds of things into my ear. I was sitting in the back of the room when she said, “You could write erotica. It will act as a lubricant, and your voice will stop sticking.”

My eyes popped wide and I nearly choked because (as you’ve probably guessed by now) if I was a stiff writer, the probability that I’d be comfortable writing erotica was a long shot. But that voice was indubitably my muse—and who was I to argue with her?

Two days later, I found a private corner. There, hunched over my computer I wrote a short piece of erotica as a writing exercise…

… and then a longer one, and an even longer one. Every sentence shocked me. Not because I think there’s anything wrong with erotica, but because I had no idea it was in me… and there was nothing stiff about my writing … at least not about the dialogue anyway!

What still cracks me up is that the erotic story I wrote when I was working to loosen my voice landed me my first publishing contract.

After I got the hang of erotica, I developed an approach to writing romances that is not as graphic as erotica but is steamy enough to send you to the shower (or else I haven’t done my job!).

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer?

Well, the truth is, it took me a long time to embrace my desire to be a romance author. What actually happened was this.

I was a closet writer. My friends like to tease me because they know me to be fiercely private, yet over the past year I have begun writing about the one thing that gets attention from the masses faster than anything else: sex, with love being a close second.

Yet, even though these things are uppermost in our minds—or at least up there with the uppermost—we don’t go around telling business associates and casual acquaintances about our love lives or our sexual fantasies… even though we all have them, right?

We don’t rent out billboard space to announce our latest lover, or go on Lenno to talk about the Kama Sutra position we discovered that drives us wild.

For all that sex and love demand so much of our attention and hold our curiosity, it’s still very private.

That’s why I was a closet romance writer.

It all began one day about twenty years ago, when I hopped up out of bed and decided to write a romance novel. (Like it’s that easy…) Only two people knew I was writing romances. So, I wrote in secret. The story just poured out of me, and when I was done I called it When the Time is Right. I sent it off to a number of publishers and received a fistful of rejections. Not long ago, I ran across a musty-smelling copy of that old manuscript and laughed all the way through it because it was so genuinely awful. Really, the only thing to do was enjoy how sweetly terrible it was, and be grateful that no publisher had ever thought ‘the time was right’.

A few months later, I (secretly) wrote a second novel, Maestro’s Melody. This one was only slightly better than the first but I loved the story so much, I tried to get it right for about five years, but couldn’t. So, not only was the time not right, but the melody was flat as well.

Well, life happened and one day the calendar told me that twenty years of family, friends, education and career had come and gone. I had long since abandoned the idea of ever becoming a romance author—it had been fifteen years since I’d even thought about it. Then one day a year ago last April, the urge snuck up behind me and caught me in its net once again. Intrigued with this long lost idea, the first thing I did was (secretly) rewrite Maestro’s Melody and give it a new title.

All these years later I was still writing in secret for two reasons. First, I didn’t know if I could produce a book that was worthy of the romance genre. Second, for so much of my life, I thought one of the most important things—perhaps the most important thing—was to be taken seriously—and that no matter how much I wanted to write romances, it was not a serious undertaking.

I thought that, right up until one of my test readers sent me an email. In it she wrote:

“Your writing opened my mind and heart to new possibilities and opportunities. Your story delivered personal life messages to me. It reminded me to stop being so stubborn, to allow myself to be loved, to live with passion, and that it’s ok to open up my heart. You never know where it might take you.”

Well, I burst into tears because in that moment, I knew that not only did I want to write romances, it was a very serious undertaking, and I was finally able to say out loud to others, “I. Write. Romances. They’re intimate, hot, tender, and where appropriate, not so tender. They’re filled with intrigue, laughter, hope and provide an opportunity to disappear into the sheer fantasy of the moment. To marvel at the miracle of love, and the way one human body folds into another.”

It took a reader to show me that doing what I love to do most—what never feels like work—is not only meaningful to me, it’s meaningful to others as well.

So, this is why I said earlier that it’s the readers who inspire me most.

I want to say just a little bit more about this question. It’s my personal belief that every human being is authentically unique. That we each have something extraordinary to contribute to this world—something no one else can do—and if we don’t do it, the world will never have it. It will be lost forever.

I’ve had any number of philosophical discussions with people about this and know many believe that if one person doesn’t do X, someone else will. To this I say, very likely so. But it will be someone else who does it… and so it will be different.

So, to be perfectly honest, I believe my decision to become a romance author was made before I ever stepped into this lifetime. I wrote a creative nonfiction book a couple of years ago titled ARIANA SINGS. In it, I talk about my journey to find my voice—to discover my authentic self, and my belief that we are who we are, and do what we do, because we made a contract before we came into this world to give the world something, as only we can.

Writing romances is one way for me to fulfill that contract. It allows me to be me.

What is the hardest part of being a writer? The easiest?

First, the writing. I said it doesn’t feel like work—and it doesn’t. But it does mean l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g hours at the keyboard grappling with ideas and images until they play well with the story.

Another challenge is the competition for attention. Books have to compete with so many other forms of entertainment and relaxation.

Of course, then there’s the challenge of attracting readers, publishers, and agents. With the advent of computers, email, and the Internet it’s so easy for people to write—including me. I can’t imagine writing a book without a computer. More and more manuscripts are created and presented to publishers. That slush pile is gigantic.

The easiest part of being a romance author is being in harmony with mind, body and spirit. When I do what I love, I experience joy. I have to believe that joy is passed on to others through the story.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

So, this won’t be original—every romance author experiences this. Almost the first thing people ask me is “where do you get your material?” and then they look at me as if I just spent the night before doing all the things I write about in my book.

I should have such an exciting life!

Being an author is all about listening to my imagination and being able to go there in my mind and heart. Sure, we write about what we know, as any good writer should. So, for example I’ve never been to Istanbul (is it still Istanbul?) or studied that country, which means I’m not going to write a story with that setting. But I don’t have to do the rough and tumble with the cowboy in my story in order to write about love, or love expressed through sex, or sex-just-because-there-was-no-way-not-to-in-the-moment—without experiencing every single detail for myself.

Still, if people want to think that I lead an amazingly exotic life with endless nights of sexual bliss, I can only smile and think that perhaps in my next life, maybe I’ll sign up to do just that J.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Well, I still consider myself to be an aspiring writer. Without plunging you back into my personal philosophy too deeply, I believe that every author, no matter how many times she or he has been published, is still an aspiring author, because we write to please for our audience. To give them something special, wonderful, fulfilling, memorable.

My best advice is the same thing every author ever said to me. Keep writing. Don’t give up. It’s easy to be distracted by other story ideas. For me, it’s usually about 40,000 words into a manuscript and other ideas begin to tempt me. I have to keep saying to myself “don’t do it! Don’t let yourself be distracted. Make a note of the idea and keep working the current story.”

The other bit of advice I would offer is simply this: be open to feedback. Seek it out, but be careful that what you’re really seeking isn’t a pat on the back.

The class I mentioned earlier was all about being able to embrace critique. Every time I left that class my wounded ego would say to me, “What a load of crap. Don’t listen to them.” My ego wanted me to lick my wounds. And believe me, I did. But usually about halfway home I would say, “Great that you believe in me ego, but I have to kick you to the curb because you would keep me writing the same way, and I didn’t go to this class to learn how to keep writing the same way. I went to class to learn how to become better.”

As an educator, I can’t count the number of times students have come to me asking for feedback. Every student needs (and deserves) encouragement. But so often, they come seeking only a pat on the back and aren’t looking for ways to improve at all.

We can’t learn anything new if we’re not open to critical feedback.

Any last words for our readers?

Yes. Back to my personal philosophy for a moment. I think it’s important for every romance writer to know why they write romances.

I told you earlier that I wrote in secret because I was immature, I lacked wisdom, I didn’t believe in what I had to offer, and I thought writing romances wasn’t a serious undertaking. All of that is true. But the overarching reason I wrote in secret was because I didn’t understand why I wanted to write women’s fiction and romance.

Here’s what I finally figured out. It’s my belief that in today’s world where fear and obligation so often define our priorities, we ache to remember love—to remember what it felt like the first time the object of our desire reached out to brush the hair from our face—what it feels like to be so wholly in the moment, nothing else matters except the transcendental, extrasensory experience romance evokes. There’s nothing like it.

As a romance author, every day I have the privilege to write about the human body and the human heart—how they respond to love, to desire, to joy, to pleasure, to sadness, to hope. And every day I believe more firmly that love is unstoppable!

Laura Bickle has worked in the unholy trinity of politics, criminology, and technology for several years. She and her chief muse live in the Midwest, owned by four mostly-reformed feral cats. Her short fiction has appeared here and there. Embers, her debut novel, is first in an exciting new urban fantasy series that continues with her forthcoming second novel, Sparks. More information is at www.salamanderstales.com

Laura also writes as Alayna Williams. Alayna’s “debut” is Dark Oracle, Pocket Juno’s June 2010 release. More info on her work can be found at www.alaynawilliams.com

Laura is giving away a copy of DARK ORACLE to one random commentator. Winner will be announced on June 18th.

Please tell us about yourself. How long and hard did you work before getting published?

I’m a bit of an odd duck. My educational background is in criminology and library science, and I’ve worked in and around criminal justice for the past twelve years. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my husband and four semi-reformed feral cats. In my spare time, I enjoy belly dancing and amateur astronomy. Not at the same time, though. Shimmying can really screw up your right ascension.

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I’ve been writing novels for the past ten years and submitting for two before I got my “break.” It can get tough, because it seems as if the goal is so far away. But persistence is key. Every rejection brought me closer to someone saying “yes.”

Do you think the paranormal / urban fantasy market has been over-saturated? Do you find it more competitive or difficult to obtain a readership because of this?

It’s a very competitive market, with a lot of great ideas in the ether. Urban fantasy is harder to sell to editors now unless the concept is really out of the box. And one hopes that readers will be accepting of unusual ideas.

I know that there’s a vast sea of books out there, but I’m hopeful that readers will give my books a shot.

What is your current project about? What other projects do you have in the works?

In EMBERS, which was released in April, Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department. She spends her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya—who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern—suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon an ancient entity that will burn the city to cinders. By Devil’s Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya—with the help of the ghost hunters and her fire salamander familiar, Sparky—can stop it.

I wrote DARK ORACLE as Alayna Williams, and it was released a week ago. Tara Sheridan swore off criminal profiling after narrowly escaping a serial killer who left her scarred for life. By combining Tarot card divination with her own intuition, she must help an intense federal agent find a missing scientist who has unlocked the destructive secrets of dark energy. The agent, Harry Li, draws her out of her self-imposed exile and back into the world.

I have sequels to both books in the works. SPARKS, the sequel to EMBERS, will be released in September. The sequel to DARK ORACLE will be out in March 2011.

What was the most important thing you learned once you’ve become published?

The most important thing I’ve learned is that getting published isn’t a destination. It’s not over when a book hits the shelves. There’s a whole lot of additional worry, waiting, and wondering about how the book will be received, how much it will sell, the possibility of future contracts, etc.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

I think that romance authors are often misperceived as not taking risks with plot and character. I don’t think that’s true – I’ve read so many beautifully plotted romances that also focus on character development, and bring an element of the unexpected to the table.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done, and what did it teach you about yourself?

The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done is taking up belly dancing. I’m a pretty reserved person by nature. It helped me get out of my shell a bit and not be afraid of an audience. I’ll never be a professional, but it helped me loosen up a bit and have fun.

If you were a nail polish, what would it be called and why?

“Cosmic Coral.” I’m an amateur astronomer, and am fascinated by anything I can stare at in the night sky.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers? Any last words for our readers?

The single most important step along the path to getting published is finishing. The next step is having the discipline to do it again. And again. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s the whole learning-by-doing thing.

And I’m deeply appreciative of those folks who pick up my books. I know that there are a lot of urban fantasies out there on the market, and I appreciate readers taking a chance on mine.

Kelly Lynn Parra’s earliest stories were told with paintbrushes, but upon discovering the drama, forbidden love, and danger of romance and suspense novels, those paintbrushes were replaced with a keyboard.

Now a multi-published author, she has created memorable characters such as a graffiti artist, a psychic teen, and a tough undercover narc. A two-time RITA finalist, she divides her time between her novels, freelance writing, and the adventures of motherhood, where she juggles her home life with two children, a tattooed husband, a sweet poodle, and a stealth turtle.

To learn more about Kelly and her writing visit www.KellyParra.com.

Please tell our readers and members a little bit about yourself.

Hello Romance Divas, thank you so much for allowing me to chat with you all! I’m Kelly Lynn Parra and I’m debuting into romantic suspense fiction with Carina Press with my novel Criminal Instinct.

I started my publishing career in young adult fiction, writing as Kelly Parra. My novels are Graffiti Girl and Invisible Touch published with MTV/Pocket Books. I tend to write books about underdogs who beat the odds, because who doesn’t love a good underdog story?

My experience has been really wonderful. The Carina team wants the e-press to be the best it can be and it shows in all of their hard work and amazing ideas. They are also helping the authors with on-line publicity and gathering us for monthly chats to bring us up-to-date with Carina’s plans.

What other projects do you have in the works?

I’m continuing to write young adult and I’m toying with a potential sequel to Criminal Instinct. The problem is so many ideas to choose from!

What inspires you? What were your writing influences?

Movies and wonderful books inspire me. The tension and action in movies that have me on the edge of my seat, and characters in books who are original and who I would love to know in real life.

As a teen, the one author that kept me awake long into the night was V.C. Andrews. Although back then I never thought I would one day be a writer. While I was pregnant with my first child I discovered the wonderful world of romance through Nora Roberts.

Since then I’ve discovered so many fantastic authors such as Marjorie M. Liu, Dianna Love, Rachel Caine, Janet Evanovich, Anne Frasier, and Rachel Vincent.

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer?

While reading a bio of a Harlequin series author, I realized she was a stay-at-home mother writing romance novels. I was staying home with my son and wondered if I could write exciting and passionate love stories. So one day I took a chance and called it hobby. Once I joined on-line forums and chapters and took some workshops, becoming published turned into a dream.

What is the hardest part of being a writer? The easiest?

The hardest part for me is writing everyday. Sometimes the muse doesn’t want to work while I have a list of household chores to do or a baseball game to race to on time. *grin*

The easiest part of writing is creating characters and storylines from my imagination. I used to be an artist and I’ve always been very visual. This helps me to see what I’m writing like a movie playing in my mind.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

That writing is easy and that romance is all about sex. LOL. But these misconceptions usually come from people who are worried about how the world views them, and of course they are entitled to their opinions.

I know why I read romance and it’s to take a step into another world for a little while. To experience fiction that is out of the box and keeps me riveted. And I’m proud to read every genre that I enjoy.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Don’t give up and try not to take negative feedback too personally. Keep writing even after the bad contest comments or the rejections. Be open to creative advice and work to make your book stronger.

Also, please realize there is always more to learn. I’ve written three books but there’s always room to hone my craft and to make my storytelling better.

Thank you again for reading! I hope you are a excited as I am about the launch of Carina Press. And I hope you’ll give a newbie romance writer a chance and check out Criminal Instinct on June 7th, 2010. Happy Reading!

J. Wachowski writes stories, screenplays, school excuses and anything else that pays.

She lives with her family on the midwestern edge of civilization, but is often sighted lurking at jwachowski.com.

Please tell our readers and members a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Chicago. I’m a sturdy Midwesterner. I have one of those faces that seem familiar—people always smile at me and say, “I know you…don’t I?”

You have a new release coming out with Carina Press. How was your experience with this new ePublisher that is a division of Harlequin?

Incredible. This is the leading edge of the publishing industry. A lot of smart people–visionaries and risk-takers–are working on this new company. I’ve already learned so much, everything from marketing through social media to specific process skills related to the collaborative nature of the electronic medium. This is my first book, so I’ve also learned the fundamentals of polishing a manuscript for publication, as you would with any publishing house. I feel lotto-lucky to have had this opportunity.

What other projects do you have in the works?

I’m working on screenplay right now. Rewrites on a novel will be next.

What inspires you? What were your writing influences?

For big picture inspiration—my muse likes me to get out of the house. Change of venue, some people watching, that always gets my brain cooking.

When I need crank-it-out, scene-by-scene inspiration—I hop in the shower and warm my head. This started back in college. I always reviewed for tests in the shower. I think better under water.

My biggest writing influences are my parents. They modeled a love of books. When I was in kindergarten, my Mom built my Dad a bookcase that took up an entire wall as an anniversary gift. That sucker was filled to overflowing with every kind of book.

Consequently, I read everything. Non-fiction. Fiction. Literary and popular. The London Review of Books and SmartBitches. Never enough time to read everything I’d like.

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer?

This is a great story. It sounds like I made it up, but it’s true!

I was attending a writing conference in North Carolina. I had been selected for a special “master class” in writing with a famous literary type. Picture a dozen, edgy, serious people in black, clutching espressos.

The teacher ended our first lesson by telling us in all seriousness that we could expect to have one book published, but due to the fickle nature of the industry, our second book would never do as well as the first and our careers would probably be over after the third. “It’s a numbers game,” he said. Everyone nodded. We were dismissed for a coffee break.

Fighting a headache and a growing sense of malaise, I wandered into a panel discussion on popular fiction. Two romance writers, one mystery and one fantasy writer.

I listened to them say things like: “I’m so lucky!” “My office is in a closet. And I get up every morning at five a.m. and I write before I go to work. It’s great.” “Writing keeps me sane and happy.” “I still can’t believe it when I get a check. They pay me money to write!”

Wow.

I decided right then, I wanted to be with these people. Most writers feel compelled. I respect the ones who can also feel, and express, the joy of the work.

Being a writer is a Zen Koan—a puzzle that embodies two contradictory thoughts. You need to feel so compelled to tell the story that no one else matters. And you need to feel compelled to make your story understood by others. I think of it as: playing alone, with others. Learning to balance those two contradictory positions is the hardest thing for me as a writer.

Although spelling and punctuation are a close second.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

That they are stupid. Although, “misconception” isn’t a strong enough word. It’s really plain-old, ugly, bigotry.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

“Sit vis nobiscum.” (latin: May the force be with y’all.)

It’s Jax Cassidy’s first mission for L.O.S.T.—one that will give the former cop who went rogue a chance to prove herself. Her assignment: gain the trust of assassin Marcus Cross . . . eliminate him . . . then take down Marcus’s mentor, Joseph Lazarus, a man with a bold eye on the White House. But the woman who’s known by her team for being a femme fatale succumbs to passion, only to discover Cross’s deadly secret. He’s a vampire, and Joseph Lazarus is his creator.

Left for dead by his platoon in the violent hills of Afghanistan, special ops sniper Marcus Cross was given a second chance at life. His newly heightened skills make him the perfect killing machine, and as Lazarus’s right hand man, he’s quickly rising to the top of his dark empire, purging enemies with speed and precision. Only when dangerous beauty Jax Cassidy is sent to bring him in does he begin to question Lazarus’s motives and his own actions. But when Jax’s life is threatened by the one thing that can destroy them both, Marcus must make a bitter choice—her death or his.

Karin is giving away an autographed copy of ENEMY LOVER and a special mug to one lucky commenter. Winner will be chosen at random on May 14th and will be contacted via email. Please provide this info if you wish to be included in the drawing.

I’m very excited to have debut paranormal romantic suspense author KARIN HARLOW visiting Romance Divas for so many reasons. She’s already getting spectacular reviews and I’ve become an instant fan since her first book features the heroine who totes my name. How cool is that? And I didn’t even need to win a contest to be immortalized.

Seriously, if the cover is any indication of what’s in store for the series…it’s going to be HOT! Let’s give a big, warm welcome to Karin Harlow!
Thank you, Jax for the invite. But more than that, thank you for your very cool name.  Whenever I see your name, I think, hey what’s Jax doing here? It’s kind of weird but in a very wonderful way!

What propelled you to take that leap and become a romance writer?

I read THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER in 8^th grade!  I was hooked on romance from that moment on.  I started to write my own romances in high school, and it carried over off and on through the years until I finally thought, I can do this.  I want to do this.  I’m going to do this!  It took a lot of hard work and many rejections, but here I am.

How challenging has it been for you to market this series as a debut author?

Getting the word out.  Building an audience.

Pretty darn challenging! Trying to convince readers to take a chance on me with their hard earned cash is no easy feat.  Trying to convince readers ENEMY LOVER is a damn good book without coming across as a pathetic pool of goo is even harder!

What is the best advice for debut authors to focus on in terms of marketing themselves?

Go viral.  A few years ago it was scoffed at.  Now?  It’s paramount to success.  Create buzz and ride the wave as long as you can and that means a lot of work.  For me it’s no sweat hanging out at blogs and chatting.  I love to chat about romance and this industry.  I like people. So it’s a happy task.

ENEMY LOVER is the first book in your new L.O.S.T. series. Could you please tell us about the book and how you came up with the concept?

The L.O.S.T. series was pitched as The Dirty Dozen meets Mission Impossible with a paranormal twist.  The idea was sparked as my husband watched The Dirty Dozen for the umpteenth time.  Thank goodness I was sitting there.  I thought, how cool would it be to bring those guys into the 21st century and make them cops? Bad bad cops who have strayed way over the line. What if they went up against vampires they had no idea existed.  Voila, Last Option Special Team as born…

What do you love most about this series?

I can do anything.  My L.O.S.T. operatives are the best of the best and the baddest of the bad.  I never make excuse for them.  I love being able not to do that!  These stories are big.  A lot is on the line.  Like the White House. And the paranormal element?  How sexy are vampires?

You know you’re going to get this one….Why did you decide to choose the name Jax Cassidy as a heroine?

Jax Cassidy is a very cool name.  I envy you.  I knew Jax by name before I knew her by character, and she came to me almost instantly with the name.  All attitude and kick ass.  But also deeply damaged.  If I ever got into trouble, Jax Cassidy is the first person I’d call.

In fact, are you an author who has to have names clearly defined before starting a project?

I do.  Most of the time.  With Marcus, I knew everything about him except his name.  It wasn’t until I was writing his first scene that he told me who he was.

Or do you put placeholders on name?

Very rarely do I put a placeholder on my three main character’s names.  Names are very important, so I am very selective. But sometimes, like with Marcus, I had to let him reveal it.

Do you have any writing rituals you follow?

Nope.  I just put by butt in the chair and write.

Any superstitions when working on new projects?

None.

What is the most extreme or spontaneous thing you’ve ever done and did it impact your life in any way?

Took off to California from the east coast with my then boyfriend who became my husband 28 years ago with nothing but a few boxes.  Not one single regret either.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

That we’re bored housewives.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Don’t quit submitting.  It’s really rough and tumble out there right now.  Hang in there.  It will come to those of you who want it bad enough to do the work and stay in the game.  Go home and you lose.

Any last words for our readers?

I promise you will not be disappointed if you pick up a copy of ENEMY LOVER!

Also, I have a very cool give away for a lucky commenter today. A custom L.O.S.T. latte mug! But to be eligible you have to ask me a book or industry related question.

Thank you again, Jax for having me!

I wish you much success Karin in your new series and would love for you to come back for a visit! Ahem, I really think that everyone should run out and get a copy of ENEMY LOVER just for my name alone! LOL

A full time writer, Karin spins dark tales of suspense, love and things that go bump in the night. Drawing from her life as a cop’s wife, her stories resonate with authority and reality. When Karin isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling the California coast line with her husband and one or more of her four children or getting together in far off places with her writing buddies.

You can find Karin at:

www.KarinHarlow.com, www.facebook.com/KarinHarlow, www.Twitter.com/KarinHarlow

Would you tell us a little about yourself?

I write medieval romance for the Harlequin Historical line featuring characters born on the wrong side of the royal blanket. The Chicago Tribune called my work the “perfect balance between history and romance.” I call them “angsty historicals.” My fifth novel is out this month and I’m contracted for three more. After a long, hard struggle, I’m living my dream and couldn’t be more thrilled!

So tell us about your new book.

HIS BORDER BRIDE is my first story to be set in Scotland. This time, it’s my hero who is the royal bastard, the son of a much-hated prince of England and a Scots woman. A man without a country, he’s seen the worst that men can do, and done some of it. The heroine believes in the laws of chivalry and is sure this man has broken every one. While she’s drawn to him, she’s afraid of what’s inside of him—and of her own dark urges when she is with him. Here’s an excerpt:

From Chapter One
On the Scottish Border, 1356

Morning’s warmth had ebbed, and a chilly mist huddled in the valley and obscured the hills, reminding her of the dangers that lurked all around. The Inglis army might be far away, but the Inglis border was not.

That was her last thought before he rose out of the fog, a golden man on a black horse, like a spirit emerging from the mist.

A man without a banner.

A man without allegiance.

The hound barked, once, then growled, as if cowed.

The man’s eyes grabbed hers. Blue they were, shading as a sky does in summer from pale to deepest azure. And behind the blue, something hot, like the sun.

Like fire.

Any words she might have said stuck in her throat.

Next to her, Euphemia gasped, then giggled. “Where are you going good sir?”

Clare glared at her. The girl was hopeless. They’d be lucky to get her married before she was with child.

“Anywhere that will have me.” He answered Euphemia, but his eyes touched Clare.

Her cheeks burned.

Beside her, young Angus drew his dagger, the only weapon he was allowed. “I will defend the ladies.”

“I’m sure you will.” The stranger’s smile, slow, insolent, was at odds with the intensity in his eyes. “That’s a handsome dirk and I’m sure you could wield it well against me, but I would ask that you not to harm my horse.”

His tone was oddly gentle. Where was his own squire? “Who’s with you?”

“No one.”

“A dangerous practice.” Did he lie? An army could hide behind him in this mist. Her fault. She had ridden out alone and unarmed and put them all at risk. “Don’t you know Edward’s army still rides?”
He frowned. “Do they?”

His accent confused her. It held the burr of the land closer to the sea, but there was something else about it, difficult to place. Yet over the hill, in the next valley, each family’s speech was different. He might be a Robson from the other side of the hill, scouting for one last raid before the spring, or loyal to one of the Teviotdale men who had thrown their lot with Edward. “You’re not an Inglisman, are you?”

“I have blood as Scots as yours.”

“And how do you know how Scots my blood is?”

“By the way you asked the question.”

Did her speech sound so provincial to Alain? She winced. She wanted to impress the visiting French knight, not embarrass him. “What’s your name, Scotsman?”

“Gavin.” He paused. “Gavin Fitzjohn.”

Some John’s bastard, then. Even a bastard bore his father’s arms, but this man carried no clue to his birth. No device on his shield, no surcoat. Just that unkempt armor that, without a squire’s care, had darkened with rust spots.

No arms, no squire. Not of birth noble enough for true knighthood then.
“Are you a renegade?” On her wrist, Wee One bated, wings flapping wildly. Clare touched her fingers to the bird’s soft breast feathers, seeking to calm them both.

His slow smile never wavered. “Just a tired and hungry man who needs a friendly bed.” His eyes traveled over her, as if he were wondering how friendly her bed might be.

“Well, you’ll not find one with us.”

“I didn’t ask. Yet.”

Did he think she’d offered to be his bedmate? She should not be talking to such a man at all. “Well, if you do, I’ll say you nae.”

“I don’t ask before I know whether I’m speaking to a friend or an enemy.”

“And I don’t answer before I know the same.” Her voice had a wobble she had not intended.

“Are you a woman with enemies?”

“Three kings claim this land. We have more enemies than friends.”

“Aye,” he said, nodding, a frown carving lines in his face. He flexed his hand as if it itched to reach for his sword. “Who are yours?”

Her eyes clashed with his. She should have asked him first. Where was his loyalty? To the Balliol pretender, recently dethroned? To David the Bruce still held for ransom by the Inglis Edward? Perhaps he had lied about his blood and was Edward’s man himself.

Next to her, the young girl sighed. “This is Mistress Clare and I’m Euphemia and I have nay enemies.”

“Euphemia!” Was she batting her lashes? Yes, she was. “Do you want us to be killed?”

“He wouldn’t do that. A knight is sworn to protect ladies, aren’t you?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, then turned to Clare. “Don’t treat him as an unfriend.”

“If I do, it’s because I have a brain in my head.”

If she kicked the horse into a gallop, could she outrun the man? Not with Angus and Euphemia in tow and Wee One on her wrist.

She lowered her voice to a whisper. “He looks like a dangerous ruffian, not a knight. He wears no markings and he’s wearing dirty armor with rust spots!” The man, if he knew the maxims of chivalry, cared little for them.

Euphemia shrugged and turned to the man. “You’re not dangerous and dirty, are you?”

Something darkened his face before a smile waved it away. “Well, that may depend on how you mean the words, but I’d say Mistress Clare has a gift for judging character.”

Excerpt from HIS BORDER BRIDE
Copyright © 2010 by Wendy Blythe. Gifford
Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A…

You said a long hard struggle. When did you start writing?

Well, I started writing when I could hold a pencil, but I started writing seriously after a corporate layoff. One of the things they tell you when you are going through what is euphemistically called “a transition” is to evaluate your life and see what is on your list of things you’ve always wanted to do. “Write a book” was on still mine and I figured now might be a good time. Ten years and one layoff later, I was an ‘overnight success’ when I sold my Golden Heart finalist manuscript to Harlequin.

Why historical romance?

They say write what you read. I’m not sure that’s perfect advice. I read lots of things I could never write well, but I read, and love, romance and history. I found a pencil-written ‘manuscript’ not long ago of an historical novel I started at age ten! So the urge was there long before I acted it.

What did you do before you were published?

Some of what I still do. I started out in journalism, went into public relations, advertising, and then marketing and finally business consulting. I still juggle consulting work along with my writing.

How do you manage both? What’s your writing schedule? Is there a ritual?

On a normal day, (and there actually are a few of those), I write in the morning and do consulting work in the afternoon. I’m a believer in writing everyday. I show up at the computer at the same time each morning so the muse knows where to find me.

And I do have a ritual. When I start a book, I create a “soundtrack” to write by and choose a fragrance (buy a candle) that summons the story for me. When I push “play” and strike that match, like Pavlov’s dog, I am trained to make a cup of tea and open the file. No decisions. No waiting for the muse.

Habit can be your friend.

The soundtrack and candle also come in handy when it is time to do revisions or book promotion. They help me get back in the mood of the story, even if I’m immersed in another project by then.

So what inspires your stories? Where do your ideas come from?

History. Somehow, I can see human beings walking around in the midst of those events. For HIS BORDER BRIDE, for example, I read about the English invasion of Scotland in which they reputedly burned down a church full of people who had sought sanctuary inside. My book opens with the hero, standing in front of such a church, with a torch in his hand.

What authors influenced your work?

I always start with Anya Seton, who wrote Katherine. I loved that book and it’s amazing to see that my lifelong interest in the English royal family, legitimate and otherwise, particularly in the 14th century came from that story.

Who do you like to read?

There are so many great authors out there, it’s hard to name just a few, but Laura Kinsale, Penelope Williamson, and Megan Chance always make my “aspirational” list. I love Deanna Raybourn’s work. And Madeline Hunter. And newcomer Courtney Milan. And I do love a good suspense. Lisa Gardner and Tami Hoag are two of my favorites when I’m in that mood.

Well, I’d better stop here. You see the problem.

Have you any parting words of wisdom?

Know why you write what you write, beyond the desire to be published. I do not downplay fame and money! I’ll happily accept more of both. But when you are sitting at the keyboard facing a blank screen, those aren’t the things that bring forth your most authentic work. It’s the soul you bring to the page that connects to the reader. That’s what brings them back for more.

And thanks for having me!

How about you? What’s the reason you write? I’ll give a copy of HIS BORDER BRIDE to a commenter!

BLYTHE GIFFORD is the author of five medieval romances from Harlequin Historical. She specializes in characters born on the wrong side of the royal blanket. With HIS BORDER BRIDE, she crosses the border and sets a story in Scotland for the first time, where the rules of chivalry don’t always apply. Here’s a brief description:

Royal Rogue: He is the bastard son of an English prince and a Scotswoman. A rebel without a country, he has darkness in his soul.

Innocent Lady: Daughter of a Scottish border lord, she can recite the laws of chivalry, and knows this man has broken every one. But she’s gripped by desire for him—could he be the one to unleash the dangerous urges she’s hidden until now?

Blythe loves to have visitors at:
ww.blythegifford.com or  www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford

Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ®and T are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and/or its affiliated companies, used under license. Copyright 2010 ■ Author photo by Jennifer Girard

Tracy Madison is giving away one free copy of A BREATH OF MAGIC to a lucky commenter. Winner will be chosen at random by May 7th and will be contacted via email. Please provide this info if you wish to be included in the drawing.

Can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?

Sure! I live in Ohio with my husband, four kids, and way too many pets. And yep, life here can be crazy & hectic, but I love most every minute of it. The minutes I don’t love—well, that’s what bubble baths, wine, and great books are for. I’m addicted to the television shows LOST, Supernatural, and Castle. Oh, I’m also heavily addicted to coffee in all its forms and when faced with the decision of food or a Venti Double Shot on Ice from Starbucks…I’m going to choose the double shot every single time.

Your series contain a magical element in them, how did you come up with the concept? What compelled you to write it?

When I decided to write A Taste of Magic, the first book in this series, I knew I wanted to dig into a woman’s emotions after divorcing the only guy she’d ever dated. Heck, ever loved. But I also didn’t want it to be too depressing. I like humor. I like quirky. And I really like the idea of something out-of-the-ordinary happening to an otherwise ordinary gal. My solution? Give her a good dose of magic, some quirky relatives, and two handsome guys out to win her affections. While writing this first book, the second book came to mind, and then the third, etc. I can honestly say I didn’t start out with any plans to write a series, but I’m thrilled it has turned out this way. And I’ve had a lot of fun with the magic elements, as each heroine’s powers are different even though they are all connected via their Gypsy bloodline.

Do you have a ritual or writing process?

Sit down and write and hope for the best. Oh, and vast amounts of coffee. While I am a very organized person, my writing process is sort of chaotic. My writing hours shift depending on the story, my mood, and whatever is happening with the family. At the moment, I’m writing at night, when everyone else is asleep. Did I mention the coffee?

Can you tell us about your current release?

A Breath of Magic is Chloe’s story. When the story opens, she’s determined to create her own happily-ever-after with the man she’s dated for the past year, Kyle. Only Kyle has no desire to settle down. So Chloe uses her family’s magic (in the form of a magical cake baked by her cousin Elizabeth) to push Kyle into saying yes to her marriage proposal. He does. She’s thrilled. Until she discovers that her other cousin, Alice, has a magical drawing of Chloe’s future wedding day, and the groom isn’t Kyle. Chloe has to decide which fate she wants for herself, and how, exactly, to get it.

What inspires you? What were your writing influences?

Almost anything inspires me. A sentimental moment with my kids, a funny video on YouTube, a walk in the park, a hated chore, waiting to board a plane at the airport, an excellent book, movie, or TV show—all of these have given me inspiration in one form or another. But what I LOVE to write are stories about women who are in a really crummy period of their lives, whether that be emotional or something else, and then I give them something extra that empowers them and changes their lives. Yeah, I definitely like to empower my heroines. 

When you’re not on deadlines, what do you like to read?

Um…everything? Okay, not actually everything, but I have very eclectic reading patterns. One week, I might be on a thriller bend, and the next I’m all about romantic comedy, and the next I’m yearning for dark paranormal. I mostly read romances, but I’m also a huge fan of political/legal thrillers, women’s fiction, young adult, and a fair share of non-fiction—either for research purposes or plain old curiosity. I read all of the time, even when I am on deadline—just not as much. But I don’t go to sleep without reading at least a few pages of something.

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer?

Honestly, it was sort of a natural. I’m a sucker for the happily-ever-after ending, and I love writing about love. Everything from that first hint (or body slam!) of attraction, through whatever struggles the couple faces, until they reach their happy ending. It gives me tingles just thinking about it.

How many years of writing did you invest before you became published?

Off and on : About ten years. But a large aspect of those ten years, I didn’t write at all. Too much moving around the country, having children, moving again, having more children (did I mention I have four?), and all the other aspects of life. When I buckled down and got really serious, about two years, I’d say. But from when I first decided that “Yes, this is what I want to do,” to “the Call” was a total of ten years.

What is the hardest part of being a writer? The easiest?

Hm. The hardest for me has been learning to trust my intuition, to not second-guess every other word I put on the page. And promotion, I guess. Promo is hard for me, because I’d rather just focus on writing. But it’s necessary. The easiest? Hm, again. That depends on the day. J Some days, the writing itself is the easiest, but not always—not by a long shot. I’d have to say editing. When the book is complete from page one through the end, and I can dig in and make the story stronger. I love editing. I love revisions. I truly do.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

Other than we’re all making buckets of cash and sit around eating bonbons all day? There are several, actually, but the one that bugs me the most is that all romance novels follow a formula, are easy to write, and therefore, romance authors are really just connecting the dots. Ha! People who think that should give writing a romance a try.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Two bits of advice: One, if you can do anything else, do it. Seriously. If you aren’t fully committed, then the hard parts of this business will chew you up and spit you out. It’s a tough business, being a writer. Two, on the other hand, if this is your dream, then don’t give up. Because as tough as this business is, as heartbreaking as it can be, when you finally get to the point that you’re holding your book in your hands—it makes every struggle worthwhile. Truly. Oh, and when you get your first reader e-mail—that’s pretty fantabulous too!

Any last words for our readers?

A Breath of Magic is very special to me, and I so hope that readers will find the same joy in the story that I found in writing it. I’m giving away one signed copy of A Breath of Magic! To enter, just leave a comment!

Tracy Madison lives in Northwestern Ohio with her husband, four children, a bear-sized dog, an obsessive-compulsive puppy, one snobby cat, and one attack cat. Her house is often hectic, noisy, and filled to the brim with laugh-out-loud moments. Many of these incidents fire up her imagination to create the interesting, realistic, and intrinsically funny characters that live in her stories.

For more info on Tracy, visit her online at: www.tracymadison.com

Available at Bell Bridge Books or Amazon

**For a chance to win an ARC (advanced reading copy) of GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA, all you need to do is comment on this post. A winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Please provide your email address if you wish to participate in this giveaway.**

Can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?

I’m a diehard optimist and romantic.  I know I’m supposed to cite the 24 books released by Harlequin so far, the awards I’ve won, etc., but I’d rather talk about how I like making my own bread from scratch (and how therapeutic kneading dough is), how I love visiting NYC but need to look out the window over my sink and see the Longhorn cattle in the pasture behind us, how I’m fortunate to be descended from a long line of women with grit, how much I adore my children and think my grandgirlies are beyond amazing…how lucky I am to be with the man I’ve loved since we were teenagers…

You’ve gotten published without any real writing background. How does it feel to write for such a successful publisher like Harlequin? What has your experience been like working with them?

I never started out to write category romance—I’d never read any when I began—and I’ll out myself as one of those boneheads who actually used to worry about a friend of mine who read Harlequins all the time.   So I figure that when I encounter people who turn up their noses at what I do, well…it’s my just desserts.  But they’re showing their ignorance, just as I once did.  Harlequin has such wonderful writers and has launched so many great careers. It’s been a lovely experience writing for them—I’ve worked with wonderful editors and feel fortunate that they have confidence in me, that they give me cool opportunities to connect with readers all over the world plus fun gigs like the crazy kick of learning about NASCAR or the honor of the MIDNIGHT KISS anthology I’ll be in with Robyn Carr this November. (So thrilling!)

I’ve recently had another absolutely amazing publishing experience with BelleBooks and their women’s fiction imprint, Bell Bridge Books, with my April release, THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA, which is truly a book of my heart.  They’re a whole different publishing model than Harlequin, but man, have I had fun working with them!  If you don’t know the BelleBooks story, it’s a fascinating one, a group of multi-published authors like Deborah Smith and Debra Dixon who banded together ten years ago to bring to readers high-quality stories that the major houses weren’t geared to deal with.  They’ve done such a great job that they command tremendous respect in the industry and are an author’s dream to work with.

Do you have a ritual or writing process?

Um…besides the one Red Bull a day I seem to think I can’t write without?   (I know…I was supposed to say something soulful like I meditate or visualize or something, right?;))

Actually, I do get myself geared up each day and back into the story by first re-reading and revising what I wrote the day before.  That’s probably a more proper answer. (But the Red Bull is, sadly, true as well. Sometimes two, but let’s not think about that.)

Can you tell us about your current release?

THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA is getting some amazing quotes like Susan Wiggs (“Jean Brashear’s wholly original, funny and poignant novel has a heart as big as Texas. Told in a warm and intimate voice, it’s like a road trip with your best friend.”) Stella Cameron (“an incredibly talented writer who can hit every note with enough clarity to bring the reader tears, laughter, or just, “Oh, my, this is an amazing story.“) Debbie Macomber (“The depth of her understanding of human nature marks her as a writer to watch, a writer to read and a writer to enjoy. “) and others—SO exciting!  It’s also going to be featured in Eloisa James’s Romantic Reads column on BN.com in either May or June—I’m thrilled!

Here’s a blurb on it:

Six-foot redhead Eudora “Pea” O’Brien, ex-cocktail waitress and convenience store professional, sets off from Austin, Texas with everything she owns in her beat-up car.

She’s searching, on the advice of a psychic, for the reincarnated soul of her beloved sister. Along the way, Pea rescues a starving kitten and a pregnant teenager, gives her heart to a con man trying to go straight and meets a gun dealer named Glory, who introduces Pea to the sword-wielding women of Texas author Robert E. Howard (creator of Conan the Barbarian.)

Howard’s nearby hometown celebrates each year with a huge Conan festival, featuring his warrior-women characters in all their tough-girl pride. Can Pea pick up some pointers on strength, courage and self-confidence? Can she find her own lost soul by swinging a sword?

With the help of Glory and her nemesis, a grandmotherly café owner named Lorena, Pea seeks to master a whole new set of life skills: swordplay, the art of cooking perfect fried okra, how to be a surrogate big sister to Alex, and how to fall in love with Val Bonham without getting conned.

You can watch the book trailer at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEau9ZqC3z4

What helps get you inspired and what were your writing influences?

I never know what’s going to get me going—seeing someone on a street corner and wondering who they are, how they got there, where they’re headed; hearing a snippet of conversation; just driving around is great for getting ideas popping in my head (or solving plot problems.)  Country music ballads always make me want to wallow in writing another romance—not the storylines of them, just the longing they evoke (Billy Currington, Jason Aldean…Alan Jackson’s Remember When was the soundtrack to my book Coming Home—not that I listen to music when I’m writing (I don’t; just can’t) but when I’m driving down the road, some songs just make me hurt and make me want to dive into all the wild emotions of another love story.

Writing influences?  None that are conscious, though there are a lot of authors I admire.  I guess my main influence—and my only training—is how I’ve been devouring books all my life.  I theorize that I must have absorbed some inner sense of story structure.  I cannot read how-to books and avoid craft workshops like the plague; they freeze me up.

When you’re not on deadlines, what do you like to read?

What do I NOT read, is the question!  I read all the time, deadlines or not—I don’t get how writers can say they don’t read when they’re writing.  I’m always under deadline, and I’d die if I couldn’t read!  I’d almost rather read than eat (okay, that’s a lie…but you can do both at the same time, fortunately!)

I will say, though, that when my writing isn’t going well, I tend to go back to keepers for my reading.  Nothing puts me in a worse mood than reading bad writing, and that bummed mood impacts my own writing when I feel off-balance, so when I hit a rough patch, I go to my comfort reading, the authors whose work I know I love and who inspire me. 

What helped you make the decision to become a romance writer? Was it reading a romance book or a nudge from friends?

Actually, it was that lovely man I mentioned, the one I’m married to and who continues to validate my faith that romance is real.  I’m not one of those who always wanted to be a writer; if I had a ‘someday’ thought, it was to spend time painting!  But one day I happened to muse that, as a lifelong avid reader, it seemed like it would be the coolest thing on earth to see your name on the spine of a book.

Well, he’s Mr. Pragmatic to the core, so he says “What’s stopping you?”  He went way beyond that and encouraged me to take time each day from the business we were in together to give writing a try, and every step of the way, even when I was filled with doubts that I’d ever sell a book, he always, always believed I would.  See why I’m a diehard romantic?

How many years of writing did you invest before you finally made it?

I sold my first book a little over two years after I began writing.  I know now that’s not all that long compared to some, but it felt like eons at the time.  I wanted to give up a million times, but I’m proud to say that when The Call came (a week after receiving two brutal rejections, one on each side of my birthday, no less!) I was back at work, trying yet another story, literally typing when my agent called.

Which character(s) or storylines that you are most attached to?

THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA is the dearest to my heart of any book I’ve ever written.  Pea, the protagonist, was and continues to be a gift to me.  I feel like I’ve become the truest me as a writer I’ve ever been in the process of this book, and though it’s taken a long time and a lot of dredging up faith in myself over and over despite the doubts of others to stick with it until this book came to fruition, it’s also been the most joyous time of my life.  It’s revolutionized a whole lot of my thinking about my writing and its impact is rippling through my Harlequin books, as well.

What is the biggest misconception about romance authors that you’ve come across?

That they sit around in chiffon eating bon bons?    I have to say that they are the absolutely coolest group of women (mostly—though Ken Casper gets to be an honorary girl, not that he’d thank me;)) I’ve ever met.  Bright?  Incandescently bright, hard-working, fascinating, fun, formidable…it’s like the best sorority in the world, and I continually pinch myself that I get to hang out with all these amazing women! (Ooops—sorry, Ken!)

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Listen to yourself.  Be true to yourself. Figure out where to draw the line on accepting the opinions of others.  I’m not saying feedback can’t be important or that you can’t learn from others (I am not a fan of critique groups but I know others are) but there comes a point, deep in your core, where you have to believe in your story and be true to it whether anyone else is or not.  It’s not an easy place to be, and it’s a tough thing to do, especially when (we’ve all been there) you want to sell a book just about worse than you want to breathe.  But in the end, only you know what your story really is and when you’re being true to yourself—and if you don’t believe in it, who will?

Any last words for our readers?

It’s been one of the absolute greatest joys of my life to be allowed to share my stories with others. For any of you who’ve ever read my books or who may in the future, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Yes, making money is a nice thing and we all need to eat…but it’s nothing compared to hearing from readers, having them say, after you’ve spent all those hours and days and months alone trying to put what’s in your heart on the page: I heard you.  I got it.  You touched my heart.  There’s nothing like it in the world.

Thank you so much—and thanks to Romance Divas for this wonderful opportunity!

ABOUT JEAN:

Award-winning romance author and three-time RITA finalist Jean Brashear turns a wistful, funny voice to women’s fiction with the story of a grieving woman who sets out to find her reincarnated sister but ends up finding herself. A 5th-generation Texan, Jean lives in Central Texas with her husband and a shaggy, stray, escaped-from-the-circus dog.

To find out more about Jean, visit her online at:
www.jeanbrashear.com
http://twitter.com/jeanbrashear

“Jean Brashear’s distinctive storytelling voice instantly draws in the reader. She writes with warmth and emotional truth. The depth of her understanding of human nature marks her as a writer to watch, a writer to read and a writer to enjoy.” ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

“Jean Brashear’s wholly original, funny and poignant novel has a heart as big as Texas. Told in a warm and intimate voice, it’s like a road trip with your best friend. Don’t miss it!” ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs

“Jean Brashear has that “it” factor.  She is an incredibly talented writer who can hit every note with enough clarity to bring the reader tears, laughter, or just, “Oh, my, this is an amazing story.”  THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA is stunning, powerful and raw.  Pea is on a journey to heal herself, and find herself–and you will want to go with her to find her dear, dead sister–I do.” ~New York Times bestselling author Stella Cameron

“With characters full of heart…and vinegar, Jean Brashear takes us on a road trip through the back doors of modern life.  And we get to read every hysterical marker on the way.” ~ USAToday bestselling author Pamela Morsi

“THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA is a poignant journey of one woman’s search for a place to  belong.  The characters are as delightful and engaging as can be found between the pages of a book, and the book itself is a road map to happiness – something for which everybody yearns.” ~New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala

“A wonderfully engaging story of one woman’s search for self.  Jean Brashear tugs on your heartstrings and won’t let go.” ~New York Times bestselling author Julia London

“THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA is a fabulous read.  Riveting.  Original.  Those characters grabbed my imagination and didn’t let go.” ~New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell