​The guest author for today on Interviews by Dante is Libby Cole. She is an author of Contemporary Romance. Her latest book is Hawaiian Heartbreak. It is the first installment in the Hawaiian Heartbreak Trilogy. Libby prefers some anonymity as an author so there is no photo with this interview. ​

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was a journalist before I became frustrated with seemingly only bringing people bad news. I still believe it’s an important job, but decided that wasn’t the environment I wanted to be in every day. So I moved from being a romance fan, to a romance writer. Now I bring people happy ever afters, and hopefully an entertaining thrill along the way!
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Hawaiian Heartbreak is the first in a trilogy, about a holiday fling unexpectedly turning into so much more. Some of the reviewers have said the Hawaiian setting is like a character in itself, which is exactly what I wanted! Love and wanderlust all in one, but of course, with complications along the way.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
The rest of the trilogy, Hawaiian Healing, and Hawaiian Homecoming. Hawaiian Healing is almost ready to go to my editor now. I know that people need resolution, so I’m aiming to get all three out by January next year. No rest for the wicked!
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
Romance is what I love reading, and I really believe in writing what you love. It shows in your writing if you genuinely care about the story and the characters. My brand of romance is ever-changing, but currently it’s about rediscovering yourself, finding your place in the world and what you want from it. Falling in love with someone might be the catalyst for that, but rest assured, these are strong women in their own right!
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
Only romance for now, although never say never. I’m enjoying getting to write in a longer form than when I was a journalist, and focus on happiness and new beginnings. In the future? Who knows.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere – a holiday, problems that a friend is dealing with, a movie. The important part is sitting down and not feeling too beholden to the original idea. Start with that grain of a story, then think, if that’s true, what else is true?
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
To a certain extent. Jay in Hawaiian Heartbreak was originally based on a real life tour guide on a real life tour, but as I worked out the story, he took on a life of his own. Now he’s very far from that original tour guide. And much hotter!
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Going out with friends, going on a long walk, curling up with a good book. Anything to break the cycle of staring at my computer, and willing the story to come!
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
For me, I’m a control freak. I’d had enough of being bossed around by big companies, so I researched indie writing and went for it, without ever trying the traditional route. The biggest challenge was finding a good editor and cover designer. I had to trust them to help me put out something that was top quality. Being a control freak doesn’t mean I get to ignore constructive criticism!
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I knew the basics of my story, and I knew the first book was all about heartbreak. It percolated for a while, and I kept a list of maybes on the first page of the book. And then one morning I switched on my computer and I knew. Which makes it sound a bit magical, but believe me, there was a lot of thinking to get to that point!
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
Romance is definitely my preferred genre. You can find so many different stories within romance that there’s something great for any mood. But I also make sure I break out of my rut sometimes, read something new, give myself a fresh perspective on what makes good writing.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
Through Wordpress and Goodreads I’ve been lucky to meet some really wonderful writers. Every time I’m online someone’s offering some great advice, an insight, or even just talking about a struggle I hadn’t considered that now I can try to work out in advance. So nothing structured, but I really couldn’t go without my online author friends.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Whichever part I’m currently working on! When I’m writing that first draft, working out what’s next, I’m certain that’s the most difficult thing. When I’m on round five of editing, and I’m sick of reading the same words over and over, I think that’s the worst. Then when it’s ready for release and I’m waiting to see what readers make of it – that’s torture!
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Coming up with ideas. My ideas list is enormous, so I’ve certainly got plenty more books coming. Turning them into a proper book though, that takes time and sweat.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
Kitchen table, cat on my knee, and absolute silence all around me. If anyone else is home I can’t manage anything useful.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I have a page of plot points when I start, a loose skeleton of things that will happen, character reactions, and the outcome. But I certainly don’t do a full chapter-by-chapter breakdown. I like to just get going and get it on the page.
 
With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
For me, I’m currently an Amazon/CreateSpace loyalist. They know what an indie author needs in terms of promotion, their systems are user friendly, and they reward loyalty. As I continue, I may branch out, but that’s likely to be a few years from now. 
 
Wild Card Question.
Answering this question is not required, but I would really like to see what your answer is.
 
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
 
I hear a lot of people say that love scenes in romance novels are unrealistic. And sure, some are. But I try to write things that are realistic – as long as you’re in the right hands! So I wish those people would ask me where I get THAT inspiration from. There are some great non-fiction books out there that will change your perspective. Start with I Love Female Orgasm, by Dorian Solot, Marshal Miller, and Shirley Chiang. It’s friendly, funny, and I guarantee you’ll learn something. 

​The guest author for today on Interviews by Dante is Tracey Clark. She is an author of Paranormal Romance. Her latest work is Shocking Finds. It is the first installment in the Finder’s Keepers series.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Tracey Clark, a born and bred Kentucky gal. I started writing a few years after I was diagnosed with MS, and my worlds quickly became my passion. My two pugs help keep me going and for down time I use art projects to refresh my mind.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Shocking Finds (A Finder’s Keepers Novel) is my first publication, and will be released on oct 26. Paranormal Romance at it's finest. Follow Marin and the Fae entering her life. Betrayal, Fae assassins, steamy and undeniable lust … magic and the unknown.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I have two rough drafts for the Finder’s Keepers series that I will be editing, along with a few accompanying short stories.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Shocking Finds is the first book in a series, but each book can be read as a stand alone. I want this world to grow with each novel with out any confusion should a reader start with book two or three, instead of one.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I love the emotional content in a romance novel. The pull of seeking out that HEA. I will read anything from behind-closed-doors-lovin’ to in-your-face-gymnastic-worthy-passion. My brand of romance shows the doubts that can be felt, but the connection is impossible to dismiss. Plus ... Paranormal Romance allows for anything to happen. Which I love.
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
I have yet to write anything that didn’t hold some form of passion. For the most part I stick to Paranormal Romance, but I started a contemporary romance rough draft. Still in the romance section but it is my first attempt at something other than paranormal.

​Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
I have yet to base any of my characters on real people. I have used a few of their last names, in a kind of shout out to those I love, but that is all for now.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
I have been inspired by many authors. I love the feel and build up in Karen Chance’s novels. Laurell K Hamilton and Lora Leigh are both steamier than I am so far, but they both have the ability to pull me into the story with the emotions jumping off the page. Shelly Laurenston/G. A. Aiken always manages to make me laugh out loud. I could go on for hours, but all the authors I fine inspiring have been from the romance genre. I actually have one favorite that didn’t come from the paranormal subgenre... Lorelei James and her cowboys novels.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to paint, using oil paints. Really, art of any kind draws me. Other than that, I spend time with my two pugs.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
Like a lot of other authors, there were a lot of query letters. And man do I suck at query letters. I was actually looking into self-publishing, even though I knew I needed someone to lead the way (I am still learning all the ropes) when I came across Gone Writing Publishing. They asked for a copy of the novel and a synopsis. Which I found a lot easier.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I was actually planning to use Finder’s Keepers as the title, then I saw that Stephen King was coming out with a novel using the same. At first, I thought ... well crap... then I realized that Kind had done me a favor, though he will never know. I started looking for a new title and came up with Shocking Finds. My main character get an electrical power that she can’t control, and inadvertently shocks those around her when she loses her temper. Plus she works at Finder’s Keepers ... so Shocking Finds.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I read at least thirty romance books each year, more depending on free time.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
I will always love Pride and Prejudice... a true classic. But my current favorite has to be the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance. I love her stories, but I’m really waiting to learn more about her Pritkin character. He is my favorite male lead.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
My main male character feel like the Fae version of an American Indian to me, but I can’t pinpoint one that is currently famous... so he will have to be an unknown. One of my male background characters feels close to the ‘Rock’ Johnson. And my Female main character would have to be that girl that played the Doctor’s daughter in one episode of Doctor Who.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am a member of RWA, and always participate in the various NaNoWriMo groups. There area few other online groups that I like to visit, but those two are the main ones.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing, editing, and more editing has to be the hardest part. There are so many edits, and something to do with my MS causes my mind to shut off after a few hours of edits, so this process is extremely long for me. That is part of the reason that I wrote about five rough drafts for various series, as well as a handful of short stories before I started trying to get published. I needed a cushion so that my readers won’t have too long to wait for book two and three.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Brainstorming comes really easy for me. I love doing it for new stories. Even if those stories are being written by my writing friends.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Makayla is my favorite. She doesn’t get too much screen time in Shocking Finds, but she will be one of the main character’s in book two.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I like to be comfortable when I write. Usually this happens in my lazy boy, in my office. Surrounded by my art and my pugs.
 
How would you describe your writing style?
I start out by writing story boards. For me, these are quick and extremely short snippets. He when here, she did this, oh look...a fight, they had sex, more fights, the cave contains, etc... then I sit down to write the first rough draft. This way I can get all my ideas down fast, and come back later.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
There is now plan when I write. I sit down, and it is all free flowing information. I write down what comes to me, and later I can decide or change that information. This works for me, and when I have a piece that I can’t use, I usually gets used somewhere else.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
About five hours after I got diagnosed with MS I knew that writing was the only thing that wanted to do. I also happened to be the only course of action that didn’t cause my MS to flare up. I started playing around with writing about three years after my diagnosis for a way to keep my mind occupied. Walking was hard to do, and television caused my head to hurt. So I told myself stories. Eventually I could write these stories out, but at first I could only do story boards. Writing was hard for me at that time, and most likely this need to keep my writing short started my writing style.
 
What is your favorite quote?
I love the first part of William Blake poem... ‘To See A World...’
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Go out there and have fun with your writing, work hard, and support your fellow authors. We are a community and there is a lot of support and influence to be found. As well as the push we all need from time to time.

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Toya Richardson. She is a writer of Paranormal Romance & Contemporary Fiction​. Her latest work is Rise of the Chameleons, part 2 of Eternal Love of the Seekers series.

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve been writing since the tender age of four and was always encouraged by my mother. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2009 before she was able to see me published. I still miss her love and friendship and I feel that was the catalyst for me to start writing seriously and since that date, I have written seventeen books. A series of eight paranormal/romance are to be published by Red Sage Publishing and a contemporary romance/thriller was published this February by Little Bird Publishing.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Rise of the Chameleons, part 2 of Eternal Love of the Seekers series, is out 1st October 2015. It is a fairly gritty story about the continuing battle between The Seekers and Global Innovations – two warring factions of modern day Atlanteans. They have special powers and manage to live side-by-side with the humans without detection. I’ve attached the book blurb etc. which should give some insight. I am a romance author, so even though there are some traumatic moments, love will always win in the end.

Because it’s a series The Atlantean Birthright – part one – needs to be read in order to keep up with events in the following books.
​
What do you have coming out in the future?
Books three to eight in the Atlantean series will be coming out one a month from November 2015. Book seven has now been split in to two books because it was over 130K words long. Book eight is called Desire Unleashed. I have written book nine, but it requires editing so I haven’t submitted it yet.
 
I have several books in fantasy romance and contemporary romance, which have yet to be placed. When all the editing
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Most are stand-alone and Eternal Love of the Seekers is a series.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I’ve always loved romance stories and happy ever after books, but with mine, especially the series, I love to leave a cliffhanger so that the reader cannot wait to read the next one to see what happens. I also love long, drawn out, sexual tension. The slow build-up is extremely important to me.
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
I did write a fantasy once. I had an agent at the time, although he was unable to place it. I self-published with his assistance, but it cost so much money, for very little return, that I said I’d never do it that way again.
 
When I get some time, I hope to rewrite the book and turn it into more of a fantasy romance. 

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Most of it comes from inside my head, although sometimes I may see a place, or person and imagine them in different scenarios.
 
In March of this year, I was lucky enough to spend a month in New Zealand and Australia. We visited Waiheke Island, an amazing place off the coast of Auckland NZ. I got off the ferry and almost had sensory overload. It was an amazing place and a story came to me. When I got home, it took around five weeks to get it down and I have ended up with a 75K contemporary romance, which I am attempting to place at the moment.
 
To be honest, I never know when an idea will strike. If I don’t have my pad and pen with me, I note it down in a text to myself.
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Not really, most of it comes from inside my head. I did have one surprise though. I’d written The Atlantean Birthright, the hero is called Armand De Silva, and then I went to see the first Thor movie. I’d never heard of Chris Hemsworth but when he appeared on the screen, he was a dead ringer for Armand…very nice surprise  :D
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
My main passion in life is writing but when I get the time, in between working and keeping house like most of us authors have to, I love reading, cinema, theatre, going to live gigs, keeping fit and spending time with my friends.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
For some reason, I always find choosing a title extremely hard. It has to be something punchy that will draw the reader in, something which almost compels them to read it. I actually sit in an almost meditative state and then the title usually comes to me.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I prefer paranormal romance although since following other authors on Twitter, I read different genres now in order to support them.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I allow my characters to drive the story. I sit at my laptop and let the story take me where it will. I’ve tried to write plot lines but always end up writing something completely different.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
When my mum passed away in 2009, she desperately wanted to see me published and she was mentor. She had always believed in my work and that’s when I had to confidence to really go for it.
 
What is your favorite quote?
Okay, this was from an author at a workshop I attended years ago, “Write because you love to write. If you write to earn money, then you might just as well give up.”
 
This is very true because writing is a passion, something a writer cannot function without.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Never get disheartened by rejection letters, have the courage of your conviction and keep on writing.  Always check your work carefully and edit as much as you can. When you submit your work to a publisher, check the guidelines and follow them verbatim or your work won’t even get looked at.
 
Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
 
Why do I write if I can’t make a living out of it?
Because it is my passion and I am driven by the desire to write and see my characters and stories come to life. And if only one or two people read them and enjoy what I’ve penned, then it’s a marvelous achievement.

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a graduate from Hofstra University who majored in theater but didn’t have the gumption to bang on doors and deal with rejection. I stayed in the field that put me through college, managing an optical store and working as a lab technician making eyeglasses. But that never filled the creative void I felt from never having fully pursued my dream, so I found other ways. I wrote and directed a couple of children’s plays for my daughter’s elementary school class and for our church Christmas pageant. Then, without realizing it, I ended up running a small side business, making decorative cookie favors for special occasions. I made them for my daughter’s class one time, and before I knew it, people were ordering them from me. Along with that, I found myself taking orders for platters of my Greek pastries during the holidays.
Something prompted me to start a food blog, sharing not only the recipes, but also the traditions and stories that went along with the particular food I shared the recipe for. And that led to me writing restaurant reviews, sharing recipes and writing feature articles for the regional magazine, Boating Times Long Island.
So here I am a mom of two, ex-actress, optical technician, food blogger, freelance writer, baker, and debut novelist. But what truly defines me is my never ending optimism, my love for life, my family and friends, and my insistence that I will never be old.

Tell us about your latest book.
EVANTHIA’S GIFT is a multigenerational love story rooted in Greek heritage. The story begins in the 1950’s and takes us through the 1990’s, chronicling the lives and loves that unify two families.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
EVANTHIA’S GIFT is Book One in The Gift Saga. I am currently working on Book Two. In the meantime, I share stories and memories through my food and recipes on my food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
EVANTHIA’S GIFT is slated to be a trilogy. I named it a saga and not a trilogy so no to limit myself if I decide to add a fourth. I am considering adding a companion cookbook as part of the series. Between some of the chapters, I’ve included a few recipes to enhance the cultural experience for readers.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
The first piece of advice I’d received as a writer was to write what you know and to write what you love. I read romance and women’s fiction. I enjoy a good love story and I wrote one from the point of view of the people from my own heritage and others I’d known and observed.
What makes this love story special is that it speaks to young and old – to all generations. It is two love stories in one book, set in two different eras. And I think what is interesting is how the tone of the book shifts when the era changes. Nostalgic for the older reader, eye opening for the younger ones.

​From where do you draw your inspiration?
 I draw inspiration from many places. The inspiration to write this book came from the death of my mother. I began writing as a way of working through my grief, and it somehow took on a life of it’s own. I never imagined it would become a complete book. Many aspects of the book honor her life, culture and heritage. It is not her story, but for anyone that knows her, certain traits and events are recognizable. Inspiration also came from my constant need to observe life around me. I’m a people watcher. And of course I drew from my own life, emotions and experiences.
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
 I absolutely have based characters on real people in my life, and it’s caused a guessing game amongst the people I know. The most obvious character is the one based on my mother, Anastacia. She lives in my mother’s timeline. She arrives in America the same way and for the same reason. But that is where it begins and ends. Their path in life is not the same. Their stories are not the same. Many of their personality traits are similar – their kindness, love for family, loyalty, and grace.
The character of Irini, one of the protagonists is based very closely on a real person. But most of the other characters are combinations of several people I know to form one person, along with my wild imagination.
Sophia lives in my timeline, therefore she has many of my experiences, but she also has many of my older daughter’s talents and personality traits. My younger daughter, who is twenty 25, has speculated that she is a nine year old boy in the novel. Everyone has their theories. Most of all, everyone wants to know if there is a real Dean out there, or is he just a figment of my imagination?
 
What authors inspire your writing?
I think the better question is what authors inspire me. I think each author has a voice of his own. I admire many authors, but to try to write like them would not only be impossible it would be empty. It wouldn’t be flowing from my soul. I come from a theater background and we had to read all the classic plays starting from ancient Greece to modern times. I appreciate the works of Aristophanes, Moliere, Chekhov, Ibsen, Shaw, Hellman, and Williams. I’ve read more plays than I can count. Of course Shakespeare is in a class of his own and one of my favorites. I love the classics. And in works of fiction novels this is true as well. I’ve read Steinbeck’s East of Eden many times, and the same is true for Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But I am inspired by contemporary authors as well. The one that comes to mind is Sylvain Reynard. His Gabriel Trilogy is unforgettable. I am in awe of the beauty in his use of language, and his knowledge of art, history, religion and culture.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
When you write from your soul, it is usually because you have experienced what you are writing. I tap into an emotion, past or present, and put a little of myself in each character. Many of the events in the book have happened in some way. I may have changed the details, or changed the context in how or when something happened and to whom, but the basis is there, and I can feel it when I write it. If it is something that I witnessed, or that someone told me, I approach it as the actor I once was, and bring the character to life.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I am not writing I spend time with my family and friends. I like to cook and entertain. I live on Long Island and spend time on the East End discovering new wineries and dining and shopping in the Hamptons. I like to swim, play tennis and dance. I hate the winter and live for the summer. Sitting by the pool with a good book is a great day.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Coming up with the title was more difficult for me than writing the entire book. Originally, the title was AND I LOVE HER, after the Beatles song. The song has an important meaning to Sophia and Dean in the story, but the title never sat well with me. The book is split into two parts – Anastacia’s story and Sophia’s story. The title worked for Sophia’s storyline, but not for her mother, Anastacia. I needed a title that would pull the whole book together. Another author friend of mine and I sat and brainstormed possibilities. It was she that felt a very Greek name should be in the title, and that would distinguish the book from others. She also thought the gift is what tied the story together, and she was correct, but it was a small portion of the story. Because of the name change, I went back and rewrote sections of the book where the gift comes into play. I believe the book is better and richer for this rewrite.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
This is a funny question. The reason being that my co-workers and I spend hours casting the movie versions to our favorite books. Because this book is so personal to me, it is hard for me to cast. I have visions in my head of who these people are, and they are real to me, but not stars. They are their own persons. But the discussion has come up and people are trying to cast my characters. The character of Sophia is modeled after my daughter, but she is her own person also. When I envision her, I picture Mia Sara. If you remember her from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, she is the description of Sophia. She is too old to play her now, unless she plays her in the 1990’s. But the young Mia Sara is whom I see as the 1970’s teenage Sophia. I have no one for Dean. I’m working on it. I have him in my head though. For the older Anastacia, I can see Melina Katakarenes. And for Alex, her husband, I can see John Stamos in a serious role, playing a distinguished professor with a tragic past.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
The easiest part of writing for me is getting my story down on paper. Perfecting it is another story, but the ideas and the storyline seemed to flow out of me. I surprised myself because I had the basic story in my head when I began, but I expect the get stuck at some point, but it never happened. To this day I believe that my mother’s spirit was guiding me through the whole process.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Do I need to choose one? That would be impossible.
I love Anastacia because my mother was the inspiration for her character, and if it weren’t for her, the book would have never been written. Like my mother, family is everything to her and she would give up anything for the ones she loves.
Alexandros is the man every woman wants. He loves with his heart and soul, and it is forever. He is strong, devoted and passionate. He is a good husband and a wonderful father. His past could have made him bitter, but only made him more compassionate.
Sophia live when I did, how could I not love her? She is a blend of my older daughter and me. She has many of my experiences and emotions, and my daughter’s talent, intelligence and sensibility.
Dean is a combination of many boys I knew when I was young. The reader will want to ring his neck at times, but the author understands him. He is the schoolgirl crushes I had, and the boys I grew up with that had to struggle with controlling parents. I love Dean, hate him, pity him, and every other emotion you can think of.
 
Who or what are your inspirations/influences?
Everything influences me and inspires me, and you never know where the source will come from. For this book it was my mother, my Greek heritage, my childhood, the stories I’d heard all my life, my mother’s experiences with a nasty relative, and teenage angst.
Recently, something really bizarre happened to my daughter. Something worthy of story telling. The sequence of events might not work for Book Two, but I’m already thinking it might be a good subplot, used differently of course, for Book Three.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I have a computer room/office with a large screen Mac desktop. It’s ideal for me. I like to work when no one is home, or late at night when everyone is asleep, so I am uninterrupted.

What is your favorite quote?
“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
-Mr. Darcy”
It was hard for me to choose, but that is one of my favorites. It was so hard for him to say it, and when he did I was torn between feeling heartbroken for him and thinking he deserved it when she told him off.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
My advice is to follow your dream. We live in an age where anything is possible. Ten years ago, my book would not be on the market. I would still be searching for an agent, hoping someone would take me on as a client while my book sat in a slush pile. I sent out queries, and every author should. But if you get nowhere, paint your own destiny. There is nothing to stop you. The advice I will give is to do it the right way. Do not cut corner and don’t take shortcuts. I had beta readers, a critique partner, many drafts, a professional editor (a must), a professional cover designer and inside formatter, and proofread many times and get a fresh pair of eyes or a professional.
 
Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
 
That if the book got successful and an offer was made to make a movie or mini series of it, would I want to play one of the roles?
First of all, people have already told me it would make a great movie, but no one asked me if I would like to be in it. What would my answer be? Hell yeah! I was after all an actor before I decided to delve into writing. Okay, I haven’t acted in many years, but the desire never leaves you.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Anthony Avina. I’m 25 years old, and I live in Southern California. I have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy, and am an avid horror fan. I’m venturing out into the romance world for the first time, and am proud of the work I’ve done in this upcoming novella.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
VOID is the story of six friends who must band together to overcome great tragedy or hardships in their lives to find hope. I’ve written this contemporary romance/drama to serve as a modern day play of sorts, taking the reader through three acts to showcase these six characters’ lives. I delve into many current topics in this novella, from sexual identity and marriage to loss and blossoming romance. It takes place in Los Angeles, and revolves around six friends in their twenties who must navigate life together.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I’m actually working on a few projects. I am writing two short stories, a science fiction novel (the first chapter of which is featured at the end of VOID), and I have already finished a Noir/Thriller set in modern times that is set for the editing stage.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
I had actually intended this to be a stand-alone story, but as I wrote the story I realized that there is room to grow these characters, and explore their relationships in future books, so now it has become the first in a series.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I’ve always been a romantic at heart. I’ve always believed in the power that love represents, and ever since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to thoughtful, drawn out characters with deep seeded romantic relationships. While others were drawn out to films, tv shows and comic books for the goofy or action they might have, I was drawn to the relationships. My particular brand of romance focuses on equal love. That means I’m not really about writing the classic stories of strong men who take control and sweep a woman off her feet. I write romances in which each individual in the relationship is equal, and they must work at the relationship. I also make sure to write equal relationships in that there are straight and gay relationships, showcasing that love knows no sexual orientation.
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
No, this is actually my first foray into the romance genre. I’ve become known as a horror writer, and have also written science fiction, fantasy, and even comic book related stories.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Actually yes, I use people in my life as characters all the time. I even have one character in VOID that is loosely based on me, so I’m constantly using people in my life for inspiration.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Green, Cassandra Clare.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I am either playing video games, reading, watching shows or going out with friends or family.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Interestingly, the title for the book was not my original title. The working title had been Notes of Hope and Despair, but as I wrote the story out, I realized VOID sounded better, and it fit right into the story. Often times when people go through hard times, they find the road back towards those they love and true happiness is like crossing a great chasm, or like they are trapped in an endless void, but with a little help they cross that void and reach the other side of that chasm.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
My all-time favorite books are The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. This series enraptured me from the beginning, with its infamous opening line, “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed”. You instantly wanted to find out what was going on, and that one line sparked an entire subculture of Stephen King fans. The series has all my favorite genres and elements, from fantasy and horror to action, adventure, and deep seated romance and true relationships that are palpable and addicting to be invested in.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
For the purposes of this question, I’ll single out two of the six characters. For the character Javier, I’d choose Tyler Posey, because if he put on a little weight, (Javier is a bigger guy), this could be a good chance to showcase his talent outside of his typecast as a supernatural TV actor. For the role of Pamela, I’d choose Shailene Woodley, because she captures that soulful, powerful presence that Pamela has, and can melt you heart while standing firm on her own two feet, which would make a good pairing with Tyler.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Although I have a special place in my heart for Javier and Pamela, my favorite character to explore was Jasper Collins. One of the six friends, his struggle is with coming out to his parents as a gay man. His father is a strict, hard-nosed religious man, (a pastor in fact), and his mom follows his dad like he’s the direct line to God. Jasper, who is not religious and who is getting to a place in his life where he’s accepting of who he is, struggles because he knows he’ll lose his parents once he comes out to them, but he also doesn’t want to hide who he is any longer. I love this character so much because I’ve been a big supporter of the LGBT community for years, and I wanted to include this character to showcase the struggles a young man would face in today’s world with parents like that. I also am excited to explore his story more down the road in future installments as well.
 
Who or what are your inspirations/influences?
It may seem cliché or unoriginal, but my biggest inspiration and influence on my writing and my life in general has been my mom. I’ve struggled with physical disabilities for years, and they were passed on genetically through my family, so I had spent most of my life watching my mom struggle with the same diseases. She’s been such a big supporter of me over the years, and has never once judged me, held back on letting me know when something works and when something doesn’t, and has always pushed me to believe in myself. She’s shown me through her own work as a journalist and head of her own entertainment magazine that these disabilities don’t have to define you, but that they are just one small part of us. She’s given me the strength and courage to venture out into the unknown and pursue my dream of writing. She’s the strongest person I know, and she’s always let me choose my own beliefs and views on life, never once influencing me or pushing me towards one direction or another, and for that I’ll always be grateful. Thank you for everything mom, (if you’re reading this), and I love you.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
Although I currently have to write in a small room in my house in a desert town in California, my optimum writing environment would be in my own office in my home, which would hopefully be located in or near a big city like Los Angeles, where I could hear the sound of the people from the streets and hear the city come to life all around me. I feel more inspired and creative in a city environment.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I usually write out a general guideline for the story, but as I write it out I let my mind go and let the story kind of write itself, taking it in different directions I may never have thought of if I’d planned it all out.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
When I was a sophomore in high school. I was taking my first creative writing class, and I fell in love with the writing process instantly. I usually went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to writing assignments, and found the homework was actually fun, rather than work. I’ve been coming up with ideas for stories in my head for years, and when the opportunity presented itself, I knew that writing was my true path in life.
 
What is your favorite quote?
There are so many, it’s hard to choose just one. I have my all-time favorite quote from the movie Memento, but because it’s a long one, I’ll choose this really nice quote that I’ve always loved. If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.
Maya Angelou
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
My only advice would be to stick to what you love, and don’t conform to anyone’s ideas of standards. There are writers who are more intellectual with their work, and there are writers who prefer to entertain. Neither one is better than the other. Just be yourself and keep working at your craft. I’m still learning new things each and every day. That’s what makes a better writer.
 
Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
​
 Hmm, that’s a tough one. The one question I wish people would ask me is, “What do you think is waiting for us as a society in the future?”
My answer to that would be this: I think that our future is what the future for previous generations has always been. It’s a brighter future, filled with endless possibilities. There is so much to be fearful of, from disease and crime to climate change and war. It seems like there is always some new scare, some new threat to our future that makes the future seem bleak. I’m sure the people living during WWII felt the same way. With technology advancing us towards a more innovative future, and the judgmental people becoming a minority in the world rather than the majority, people are becoming more independent. Gay marriage is finally legal in the United States. No one would have thought that possible for years to come, and yet it happened. Other freedoms and other deadly thought processes will be changed as the years advance, and new outlooks on life will hopefully help change the things we cannot in this day and age. So how do I see the future? I see myself sitting with the one I love, watching the world venturing out into the cosmos, and extending what it means to be human. The possibilities are limitless, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Karen Docter. She is a writer of Contemporary and Romantic suspense. Her latest work Cop On Her Doorstep is the first in the True Love In Uniform series.

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
 Let me step into my P.A. (promotional assistant) body for a moment so that I don’t sound full of myself.  :)
Karen/K.L. Docter is a bestselling award-winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.

When she's not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them to fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do any of those things over a campfire, all the better! FMI: http://www.karendocter.com
Okay, so that still sounds big-headed but it might help to know that I’m sitting here in my jammies and slippers, my hair pulled up in a clip, no makeup and working on my second quart jar of iced coffee. I take my coffee seriously! Just ask anyone who knows me. Flavored coffee and books, that’s me.
I sit at my computer about 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Wish it was all pure writing time but, alas, it’s not. My dream vacation is me and my laptop writing on a lanai in Maui for three months...with room service. Nothing wrong with my dream machine!

Tell us about your latest book.
I’ve just launched the first book in my new True Love in Uniform series, a contemporary romance called COP ON HER DOORSTEP. The heroine’s husband was killed by S.W.A.T. six years before the story begins. Carrie Padilla has spent long hours at work rebuilding a life for herself and her son. The little time she has at home is spent keeping her eight-year-old son out of trouble, but he is all too eager to try to be the man in the house. When a handsome cop shows up on her doorstep, her errant son in tow, Carrie's heart stutters. The sexy Italian cop sets off all kinds of bells in her system, and she knows there's only one thing she can do to save what is left of her family, her husband’s memory, and her heart...avoid her new neighbor at all costs.

S.W.A.T. officer Jake Stafani already lost one little boy to gang violence, the dead boy’s older brother is missing, and Jake's not about to let the same thing happen to a neighbor's son. He drags the youngster home only to discover much more than a passing interest in the boy's beautiful, but wary, mother. Forced to take a leave of absence after a bust goes awry, Jake can think of nothing better to occupy his time than to keep Carrie and her son safe, and locate the missing teen who holds the key to taking the gang off the streets, once and for all.

Jake doesn’t count on his stubborn, intriguing neighbor distracting him from his job, or the passion that flares between them. He doesn’t expect her amazing son to steal a piece of his heart. Jake is ready to risk everything for Carrie, body and soul. But it’s not all up to him. If their new love is to survive, Carrie will need to be strong enough to see the man's beating heart behind the badge, to look beyond the pain of her past, and decide that loving again is worth the risk.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I’m currently working on book two of the True Love In Uniform series, COP CRASHES THE WEDDING. The third book, COP TO THE RESCUE, is in the preliminary planning stages. I have approximately 24 possible book titles waiting in the queue to be written, so I have enough contemporary romance stories in my  head to keep me busy for a while. :) I’m also working on the second book in my Thorne’s Thorns series as K.L. Docter.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
 I write stand-alone books in both of my series. I want readers to pick up my stories anywhere in the series so they can find a HEA (Happily Ever After) at the end of each book. Each book in my True Love in Uniform series is about a police officer who lives in the fictional town of Riverton, Colorado. Someday, I’ll branch out into firefighters or other “uniform” heroes and heroines. Each book in my Thorne’s Thorns series is a stand-alone book about one of six foster brothers, the dangers that enter their lives and the women they come to love. Previous heroes and heroines might appear in cameos in subsequent books but the story is not about them.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
 I love romance and believe there is a HEA out there for everyone. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to find it. Sometimes we aren’t lucky enough to meet that person. I try to help the couples in my stories to find their other half. I think it’s that surety that there is a romance out there for everyone that makes my stories special. The couple might fight falling in love but I show them that love is something worth fighting for, that their lives can’t be complete without each other.
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
Romance underlies everything I write, but I do write in two romance sub-genres. My contemporaries are pure romance, while I give in to my suspense leanings when I write my romantic suspense books. Am I intrigued with the idea of writing outside the romance genre? Absolutely! I would love to write pure SciFi, for instance. There simply isn’t enough hours in a day.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Everywhere. I may seem quiet when you put me in a room full of people but I’m watching everything, ferreting away little tidbits of characterization, mannerisms, speech patterns, etc. Yeah, I’m a real party animal! :) I get ideas from articles, conversations, television, radio, songs, etc. Once I get the kernel of an idea, it’s just a matter of time before I flesh out the rest of a story.
My contemporary romance, Satin Pleasures, was inspired by a real life event. Our family had moved to San Francisco right after the devastating earthquake in 1989 that collapsed bridges. One day, I had to cross the Bay to get to a writing meeting. There was a major accident that closed the bridge, and I was stuck in the middle with a fear of earthquakes and heights preying on my mind. I got through the next two  hours watching the people around me, and what I saw is almost exactly what I describe in the first scene between the Dan and Tess. Of course, the h/h weren’t anywhere but in my head. But they were fully formed, their stories launched by the time I drove of that bridge.
I draw inspiration from so many places that I currently have over 70 contemporary and suspense books waiting in my TBW (to be written) file, with more added all the time.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Since I pull characters and stories from all over, technically that answer is yes...and no. I do make it a point not to people my stories with anyone who would recognize themselves. We all share traits, but mix those traits up? The combinations are endless. None of my serial killers are real people in my life—thank goodness—but they, too, can have traits I’ve observed and twisted into something...more.

How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
Who we are as a person today is influenced by everything we’ve experienced up to that point. One of the reasons why each writer is different and has their own style is that no two people will experience the same thing in the same way, so their approach to their writing will reflect those differences.
For instance, when I was ten years old, I decided I wanted to be a policeman after an incident in my neighborhood that made me very aware of the injustices in the world. Life experiences and my personality didn’t lead me down that path, but now I dispense justice in my romantic suspense novels.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
I love coming up with titles! They pop into my head out of nowhere, a comment someone makes, a news story, even out of something I read. My titles ground stories in my head. If I don’t know what it is, I simply can’t write the book. It’s that simple. Killing Secrets is about secrets. Secrets that are kept. Secrets that are revealed. Secrets that can kill. Catch That Santa is about a man and a woman chasing after their grandparents, one of which is dressed like Santa, who have run off to Las Vegas to get married. Satin Pleasures is a bit of an anomaly. The hero of that story was opening a new lingerie store called Satin Pleasures. I set that story aside for a while and, when I pulled it out to publish it, I discovered that there was actually a new online lingerie company with the same name. They’d trademarked it in the meantime. I had to change the name for Dan’s store in the book, but I was able to use the title because it was referring to the heroine’s love of satin. Cop On Her Doorstep is about a policeman showing up on the heroine’s doorstep where he’s not welcome. Cop Crashes The Wedding is about a policeman who arrests the heroine’s groom. In Cop To The Rescue, the policeman is also on a mountain rescue team and he saves the heroine when she’s abandoned in the mountains in a date gone wrong.

Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I used to read a lot more than I do now. There simply isn’t enough time in my day. When I do have time, I read across the romance genres with the exception of inspirational or erotic. I also read outside romance, everything from Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler to Ayn Rand to Robert Heinlein and Isacc Asimov...and more.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I’ve been in a number of writers’ groups over the years. Romance Writers of America, RWA Pro, Colorado Romance Writers, Kiss of Death Romance Writers, From the Heart Romance Writers, The Golden Network, Sisters In Crime, Sisters In Crime-Colorado to name a few.

​Have you won any awards for your writing?
I’ve won a number of awards over my career, which I’ve listed by novel on my website at http://www.karendocter.com/about/awards. I’m most proud of the Daphne du Maurier award, the four times I was a RWA Golden Heart finalist, and my two RomCon Reader Rated books where I achieved scores of 8.6 and 8.7 out of nine points from readers.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing. Not because I can’t edit. I was an editor in another life so I’m good at it. Too good, maybe. The hardest part of writing for me is to keep the Type-A editor inside me from bogging me down as I write. In other words, my internal editor has twelve inch talons embedded in my shoulder, and she just won’t shut up and let me write. She’s sitting here right now cleaning up this interview as I answer these questions, the cheeky thing!
I used to be a hardcore pantser (someone who writes by the seat of her pants). The more I learned about my craft, the bossier my editor became. I write a lot slower now because I’m reworking the same scene over and over until I feel like I can move on.

What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Conflict. I make my characters work for their HEA (Happily Ever After) in all of my books and, in the case of my suspense, I can be especially mean to my characters. Serial killers are not nice guys, you know! I love getting into the heads of all of my characters and make them as believable as possible. By the time I’m done with them, I know them like my best friends...even the villains. They become “real” to me, in other words.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
I tend to love all of my heroes, probably because some part of them fits the mold of what I admire most about men in real life. Their insights, strengths and weaknesses. Their protectiveness. Everything that makes men and women different. It’s fun to explore their psyches.
 
That said, I have to say the one character that is my favorite to date is the villain in Killing Secrets. He might be a twisted serial killer but he was tremendous fun to write. One of my favorite crime shows is Criminal Minds because it gets into the minds of serial killers and analyzes why they do the things they do. I find it intriguing to figure out why any character does what he or she does. Getting into the villain’s head though is downright scary and understanding him can be highly satisfying. This is why I write more psychological suspense than graphic description. I’m more focused on the why, not the how.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I finally have my office the way I like it. It’s in the walk-out basement so it has windows and southern exposure. I’ve painted it a beautiful Emperor’s Gold and surrounded myself with my collection of dragons and Asian paintings and screens. I smile every time I walk into the room. If it’s cloudy outside, I turn on my tract lighting and it feels like I’m sitting in sunshine.

When the weather’s nice—I don’t do HOT—I sit in the garden patio with my laptop, an easy thing to do now that I’ve got a docking station and am down to one computer. Of course, I have three monitors that are always turned on so I guess I didn’t trim down on my equipment. Which means I do my best writing outside…fewer distractions. :)
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
 
What is your favorite quote?
The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play ~ Arnold Toynbee.
 
As a writer, I get to blend my work and my play. I love my job!

Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
 
If you were able to do one thing that would impact positively on the society’s problems, what would it be?
I would teach everyone the art of communication. I believe most of the world’s social ills stems from miscommunication and ignorance. If we communicated better, our decisions and viewpoints would be based more on fact than conjecture and wishful thinking. I have no illusions we can resolve all of society’s ills but too many people form opinions and make decisions on bad or little information.
 
I write romance because I believe it is one of the most important relationships we build as human beings. Getting to know someone intimately enough to fall in love with them takes work and communication and caring, and we all deserve that in our lives.

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Zara Steen. She is a writer of Paranormal and Fantasy Romance for both Young Adults and Adults . Her latest work is Blue Moon Rising book two in the Mercrutian Chronicle.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Inspiration comes from everywhere. Anything could spark it. I could be speaking to you and I would get inspired to write a story. The other day I was watching the news on TV and I thought “wow, that would make a great base for a story”.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life? 
Rarely. The closest I have got to basing on real people were Emma Winston’s children in “Winter’s End”.  The personalities of her children were based slightly on my own.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I am not writing, I am usually busy being the mom, the wife, the cook, the housekeeper or the designated cabbie for children as I rush them to and fro between their extracurricular classes. But when I do get the time for myself, I lose myself in a book or in the garden or have a game of tennis with the family.

 How did you come up with the title of your book?
“Captive” was pretty easy to come up with since the theme of the book was regarding captivity. It was the subtitle, “Veiled Desires” which I had to work slightly harder for. The plot is set in Afghanistan, and as is customary there, women are required to cover their heads. “Veiled Desires” as a result hints at both:

The desires behind the veil

Those people who try to hide their feelings about someone

Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I am eclectic in my reading preferences. I read what calls to me. I might read a romance one day, a thriller another or a biography the next.

What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
Oh dear (laughs).  I’m going to dream big and say Jake Gyllenhaal for Adam Afridi and Rosamund Pike for Nora Jennings. I think Jake Gyllenhaal had made a fabulous dark prince in Prince of Persia and whose character Prince Dastan, is somewhat similar to Adam Afridi except with more brooding and drama. And because Gyllenhaal is a wonderful actor ranging in different styles of acting, he’d be able to pull off a dark, brooding Pashtun warlord such as Adam Afridi any day.

As for Rosamund Pike, I think she is gorgeous and her acting is absolutely top-notch. I loved her performance in Gone Girl. She is one of those rare actresses who can tear up and still look pretty doing it, which would be perfect for Nora Jennings.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
This would probably be the beginning of the plot and the conclusion. The beginning is important because that is the foundation. Everything is based upon that and if there are cracks, everything else begins to fall apart. Also you need to start off with a bang, something that will captivate the reader and make it worthwhile for them to continue on with the story. It is the lure, the bait.

The conclusion is important because you need to tie up everything at the end and you want to smoothen it and shine it so it doesn’t look abrupt. It must blend into the flow of the writing so the reader will get that closure they need.

What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
For me, this would most probably be the idea itself. I have more than a dozen plot ideas in the pipeline. But to actually start working and turning them into a feasible tale- that is another story.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
I’ve always said my characters are like my children. You love them all, which makes it all the more hard to play favorites. But because I’ve just finished with Veiled Desires, I would have to go with Adam Afridi and Nora Jennings.

Adam is the dark, handsome mysterious stranger who comes to the aid of a helpless woman, falls hard in love, protects those he loves and does not shy from shedding that tear when needs be.

Nora has got an inner strength I love and admire. She pushes on despite her circumstances and does not submit to her oppressors so easily. She fights to survive and will do what it takes to win back her freedom.

What is your preferred writing environment?
I wish my husband could answer this. (chuckles) He has been trying relentlessly to tame and train me to sit on a desk. But like my reading, I love to write in different places. Sometimes it is the couch; other times the bed or the dinner table. I could write in the middle of noise and chaos. Those things don’t bother me at all. Because once I get immersed in the worlds of my characters, nothing else seems to exist.

When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I’ve always wanted to write, but circumstances didn’t give me a chance until a few years ago. I suppose I would still be working in a dreary law firm if it had not been for my children. I quit working to raise them, but I quickly discovered I got bored between 9am and 3pm (their school hours). So one day I picked up my notebook and started typing. Never stopped since.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Be yourself. Do what you’re comfortable with. I gave up imitating a long long time ago. I find more peace just writing what I love and doing what I do.  My best wishes to Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele and Debbie Macomber. But I love being me and I am best doing it.

Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?

Why do I write about social themes? For instance it was prostitution in Red Collar and ‘bacha baazi’ in Captive- Veiled Desires.
While my main objective of my books is to entertain and produce titillating tales of love, I would like to use the opportunity to enlighten on certain problems affecting us as human beings.  My most recent issue has been bacha-bazi in Veiled Desires.

‘Bacha-bazi’ is the Persian term for ‘playing with pre-pubescent boys’. It involves child sex slavery and prostitution of boys, some as young as nine years.  It is an old Afghan tradition which is forbidden by both Afghan and Sharia law. However, most often authorities turn a blind eye to these cases because of the power bacha-bazi owners hold.  We can only pray that one day this gruesome practice will stop.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from real life, TV shows that I watch, songs that I listen to. Basically everywhere. I’m a huge daydreamer and come from a long line of amazing story tellers (I think it’s the Irish in me ;)).
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Some of my characters are based on friends and family in real life, however the similarities are pretty limited. While I love Tatum and Jager, I thank my lucky stars that I don’t know anyone really like them in real life. They are kind of terrifying. Haha!

What authors inspire your writing?
I like to think that my writing is all my own. I’m pretty new to it actually. Authors that I love however include Jojo Moyes, Cassandra Claire, Richelle Mead, and Deborah Harkness.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
It depends on the book I suppose. The Authority series is about gangsters, prostitutes, drug dealers and strippers. I’d have to say that thankfully, none of my real life experiences have had anything to do with that.

The fantasy book that I am writing is about fairies, which were a huge influence in my town as a child. Kids were terrified of them and truly believed they existed, however the Newfoundland legend of fairies is a lot darker than the stories other moms and dads read to their children at night.

 What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing I draw. Before publishing I ran a successful shop on etsy selling my art. Also, my husband and I are big movie nerds so we do that a lot.

What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
Publishing was surprisingly quick. The process was tedious. Writing, editing, promoting… That stuff takes a lot of work.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
I knew that the main character in my book, Jager, was going to have a nickname as the gang leader. I thought about words that gave the character a sense of ‘Authority’ and then realized that that word in itself would work. Ha! The title of all three books will be a play on that name. Altering Authority represents Jager changing his frame of mind, how he feels about women and love. It also marks him giving up his role as authority, to an extent. When he and Tatum fall in love, they kind of share in the title together.

Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
Romance is my favorite genre. I typically only stick to that however every now and then a story will come along that is out of that realm that I fall in love with. The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay for instance.

What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
There are so many. Jane Eyre was definitely one of them. The girl you left behind by Jojo Moyes as well. They have strong females, and despite the adversities they face, they still get their man!

What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
I have this narrowed down to a science! Tatum is strikingly beautiful but kind of rough around the edges. Megan Fox would definitely play her and Jager, while tough and dangerous, also has a soft side. I feel like Garrett Hedlund could do him justice.

Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am on a few writers groups on Google+ and Goodreads although I’ll be honest, I have no idea how to work them! Threads confuse me and I don’t have the patience to constantly scroll through the dozens of post on a daily basis. My favorite was to connect with other readers and writers is through Instagram and Facebook.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
I have a bit of a weak spot of Tatum’s biological (When you read the book, you’ll know why I had to call him that) father, Phil. He’s a Scottish biker with a crazy moustache who shoots up warehouses with his criminal friends, yet he plays with Jagers kids, loves his daughter and tells her so daily. He calls other women ‘darlin’’. Swoon.

What is your preferred writing environment?
I love just hanging out on my bed with a good frappacino and my laptop. I’ll lock myself in there after supper, leave the kids and my husband to fend for themselves and write for hours, or until he can’t handle it anymore and calls on me to settle an argument or discipline by son for being a pain in the ass.

Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I always do jot notes before hand so that I know that my story has a beginning, middle and end. It has a climax, a problem, a solution… if I didn’t do this, I’d ramble on and on forever.

With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
I’m probably the most impatient person in existence. I knew I wanted to be published. I knew that people would love my story and I knew that it needed to get out there as soon as possible. The only way to do that was through self-publishing. I also wanted full control over my book. All the rights, permissions… promoting is a little bit harder on your own however, if the story is good enough, it will promote itself.

What is your favorite quote?
“You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway." – Junot Diaz

Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Just do it. Don’t second guess yourself, don’t worry about the critics. J.K. Rowling has critics. Stephen King has critics. George R.R. Martin has critics. Not everybody will like your reading but what matters is the people who do. 

Please tell us a little about yourself.
I always thought I would communicate in the world as a writer. As a child I was a voracious reader, and knew someday I would pen a great novel. But life sometimes takes left turns and I went to broadcasting school instead of a four-year college. I wanted to be the next Barbara Walters and make a million a year. Well that didn’t happen, but I did spend thirty years having fun, spinning records, interviewing people, doing love song dedications. I had a ball until…Congress passed a law in 1996 allowing broadcast corporations to own multiple radio stations in one market. Well, the gobbling began and soon behemoths like Clear Channel ate up radio stations like locusts in a wheat field. And radio announcers like me were axed on bloody Fridays with surgical precision. I left radio, went to work for the US Federal Government, and in my private hours, began doing what I really loved doing. Writing. 

 Tell us about your latest book.
The Chair is about love the second time around.  In a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, widower Paul Bixby develops a deep friendship with bank teller Linda Bauman—a friendship he hopes will evolve into something more. When Linda’s unusual fascination with highchairs comes to light, Paul builds an exquisite chair for her, crafting the chair with love.

Linda thought her parents had died when she was an infant, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. She treasures the highchair she used as a child as a symbol of their unconditional love. But when a man shows up at the bank and claims to be her father, Linda searches the Internet and is stunned to learn of a long-buried family tragedy and an unspeakable crime.

Linda moves with her boss, Brad Erickson, to a branch office in a different town and secretly shares a home with him. Though devastated by Linda’s choice, Paul steps aside and wishes the best for her. But is Brad the man she hoped he would be? Or is Paul’s quiet love what she needs?

 What do you have coming out in the future?
I am currently writing a murder mystery called Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die. A serial killer is murdering lesbians in Seattle. Homicide detectives Nick Winston and Pat Strom are assigned the case and hope to find the butcher before he mutilates and murders another woman. For Pat Strom, the case becomes terrifying and personal.

 Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
The Chair is a stand-alone. Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die is the third in a series about Seattle homicide detectives Nick Winston and Pat Strom.

 Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I love the mix of romance and murder. My mysteries are salacious and sexy. I love to keep the action moving both in the bedroom and the squad room.

Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
Mystery and crime.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
It bubbles up from some strange place in my brain. I just open the valve and let it flow.

 Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Of course, I do, but I don’t use the whole person. One woman I knew had marvelous hands and I loved writing about her hands. In The Chair, Brad’s personality is based on a man I once dated. He was a jerk who treated women terribly. I really enjoyed writing Brad.

 What authors inspire your writing?
Anne Rice will always be at the top of my list of admired authors. The sensuous, decadent detail in her vampire novels is simply amazing and her colorful descriptions of the Garden District in New Orleans were so vivid, I could smell the fragrant bougainvillea.  Romance writer, Sandra Brown is another. I always learn from her sex scenes. She can write them smooth and sexy, but classy.

 How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
Yes. Of course. Whoever we are, whatever we have learned finds its way into our writing.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I work full-time for the Federal Government, am raising a grandson, and write novels. There’s not much time left. I am studying Italian. I love languages but struggle to find a few extra minutes to study.

What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
I spent a LOT of money on writer’s conferences. I polished my elevator pitch and learned to assault agents and editors in hallways, elevators, and yes, even bathrooms. I was never comfortable with that process. I got a few nibbles but nothing that ever came to fruition. I queried agents and publishers on the Internet regularly and eventually nabbed an agent. That relationship lasted a year, but she never secured a publisher for me. Tired of playing the traditional game, I decided to epub my book. I sold a few copies and felt good that it least it was “out there.” But sales were minimal. California Times Publishing contacted me and asked to represent me. I was thrilled that FINALLY I had been asked to the prom. It has proved to be a supportive, satisfying relationship. Jeff Napolitano is the publisher and is simply great to work with.  I’m not a best-selling author yet, but I’m working on it.

Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I prefer a juicy who-dun-it. I am eager to see if I can solve the mystery before the author does the big reveal. 
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
My all-time favorite is The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. The pull of forbidden love was heart-wrenching and enticing. I must admit I love 50 Shades of Grey too. Initially, I read about fifty pages and thought, wow, there’s sex on every page. This is over the top. I was vocal on social media about what a lousy book it was and advised everyone to save their money. After a few months, I picked the book up again and gave it a second chance. I became entranced with the love story. Christian adored Anastasia, just like Edward worshiped Bella. Women ache to be cherished. That hooked me.

Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am a member of a writer’s critique group. We met several years ago in a romance writing course at a community college. We started meeting monthly and have been together ever since. We are very supportive of each other and I trust them implicitly. I have written three novels since joining this group. It’s great to get free editing!

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing is the most time-consuming and challenging.

What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Is there an easy part? I haven’t found that yet.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
My favorite character is in a previous book, 6 White Roses.  Tandy Williams is a raucous, sexy, lovable girlfriend to Detective Nick Winston. She’s very creative in the bedroom and was just plain fun to write.

Who or what are your inspirations/influences?
Again, I must mention Anne Rice. I once stood five hours in towering heels just to get an autograph and photo with her. My feet wouldn’t agree, but it was worth every minute of the wait. I am crazy for early Stephen King. His later material, not so much.

What is your preferred writing environment? 
Early weekend mornings I sit down in my recliner and write before my grandson wakes up.  My brain is fresh and I produce some of my best writing.

How would you describe your writing style?
My novels are spicy and the fast-paced. To bore my reader would be the kiss of death.

Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
With Romance, I let my characters drive the story. With my murder mysteries, I have to carefully plot where I am going to drop my clues in the storyline.

When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I’ve always wanted to write. I was side-tracked by broadcasting, but that was okay. I loved radio and had tons of fun, but deep down, it was always writing that called me.

Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
It’s a tough business and the competition is fierce. Hang in there and find people who support you.

Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?

What do you get out of writing?
I love the creative process. I just dig words and molding them together to create a wonderful sentence excites me.