​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in Russia and moved to Israel when I was 13. I also worked in the U.S. for about a year. Professionally, I am a linguist and work at a university as a lecturer. And now I have also another profession, which is writing. And I am also a mother, which, I suppose, is yet another profession. :)
 
Tell us about your latest book.
This is a little bit tricky. I write in Russian, and the latest book I have completed is a fantasy adventure novel. But I believe that here, I should write about the latest (and meanwhile, the only) book that has been translated to English. This is a historical fantasy romance novel “Half a Step Away from Love”. I have to admit it’s more of romance than fantasy. The events take place in an imaginary country, but while working on the book, I took many of the details from 18th century Europe. The novel is largely about the confrontation between lord Cameron Estley, a nobleman and an advisor of the duke, and Inessa Antego, a lady-in-waiting to the duke’s sister. In the world of palace intrigue, these two are on the opposite sides, and we get a “from hatred to love” romance story. The book includes adventures, intrigue and a love story that develops step by step. Or even “half a step by half a step”. :)
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I am finishing writing the third book whose action takes place in the world of “Half a Step Away from Love”.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
It can be read alone, the story is completed. However, I have written another book about the same world but different heroes, and in fact, one character from the first book appears there as well. And, as I have mentioned, I am now finishing the third book of the series. The principal characters are different ones yet again, but many characters from the first two books appear in certain episodes.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
That’s a very difficult question to answer! It’s easy for me to say why it’s fantasy. I always loved reading fantasy novels, starting with Tolkien’s books, and I’ve been interested in myths, legends, different retellings of fairy tales and so on. But as for romance… I have no idea. I can only say that at the time I started writing books in this genre, I hadn’t read anything of the sort. I had read mainly epic fantasy and adventures in fantasy worlds. And some contemporary romance. But never an interaction of romance and fantasy. And still, somehow this came… I can only say that when I think of a new plot, the first thing coming to mind is generally the romantic line, and everything else is built around this line afterwards.
 
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’d say all the novels I write include romance, but there is always an intertwinement of several genres. Romance, adventure, fantasy, a detective story, humor – all of these are typically present, but the proportions vary.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Only certain elements. Some trait, attitude or attribute. But not the whole personality. I’ve recently read some author stating that characters are born in the course of the writing process. I absolutely agree.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
A lot. Of course, the books are not autobiographic. You know, I have never seen a dragon, I don’t speak to ghosts and don’t participate in sword fights. But real life experiences affect our worldview, our value system, our belief in what is possible and what is unnatural. And that, in turn, is definitely reflected in the way we write. There are also more specific experiences that played a role: for instance, the fact that I have experienced immigration helped me understand those of my characters who had to move from one country to another.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Oh, there are many things I like to do, but I hardly ever have time for them! Normally, when I have “free time”, that means I sit down with my laptop and write novels. I work at a university, which involves teaching, research and administrative work, I have a family, and I also write books. That leaves practically no time for anything else. But, of course, I love reading, I enjoy watching movies, and I love theater.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
I’ve been uploading the novels I was writing, chapter by chapter, on a certain Russian website. It was the biggest website where authors could upload their work “online”, during the very writing process. This way, you can get feedback before the work is completed, that’s actually very useful, and it’s also just fun. When I started, I had no readers, except for a couple of LiveJournal friends who were following the updates. Then new readers slowly began to appear. When I was writing one of my very first novels, Westfold, which contained among other plot lines, a Robin Hood kind of theme, three readers commented on the website. That felt like a lot! I was so amazed by this fact that people discuss my characters and their deeds, as if they were talking about real-life people! And then the number of readers and commenters started to increase. After I had written several novels, my page had more than a thousand visits per day and was among the Top 100 on the website. And at a certain point I received e-mails from representatives of two big publishing houses, proposing to publish my books.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
There is a Russian singer (and a songwriter) whose songs I enjoy very much. And in one of my favorites, there are the following lines:
"You hate me so passionately,
Standing half a step away from love"
These lines gave the book its title.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I like fantasy novels that involve both romance and adventures. So yes, I do enjoy reading books in the same genre in which I write. I suppose that’s quite natural. I also enjoy detective stories.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
“The Lord of the Rings”. This book has opened for me the world of fantasy, and since then, I am in love with this world.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Lack of time. When the ideas are already there in my head, but for reasons of time I have to write much more slowly than I would prefer.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Dialogues. I LOVE writing dialogues.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
Home. Sitting on a sofa with my laptop. That’s just perfect.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I MUST have a plan. By the time I start writing, I must have a very good idea about how the plot is going to develop. Some scenes may be added later on, of course.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I started in the childhood. Afterwards, there were periods when I wrote something and periods when I didn’t, and it’s only about five years ago that I started writing regularly. First, poems, then short stories, and then I moved on to novels.
 
What is your favorite quote?
I don’t have a single favorite one. But there are numerous quotes I enjoy, for instance, ones from such authors as Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen. I actually used some of these quotes as epigraphs in “Half a Step Away from Love”.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Inspiration should be priority number 1. Marketing, however important, must be ranked lower. Write what you really want to write about, be true to yourselves.
 
If you published under a pen name, why did you use a pen name and is there anything special about the pen name you chose?
My pen name, Olga Kuno, is also my maiden name. One editor suggested that I use it as a pen name, and I liked the idea.
 
Why did you want to be a writer?
Because I truly enjoy the process. It’s self-realization, which is very important for me. It’s a way to get immersed in a story, which actually makes it similar to reading. But writing allows me to create exactly the kind of story that I want. Or at least to try to do so. :)

Goodreads 
Facebook 
Goodreads page for my Russian books

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Russia when it was still the Soviet Union and moved to Australia with my mum when I was 16. I live in Sydney with my husband and write historical fiction. My first novel, Savaged Lands, has just been published by Endeavour Press and is available on Amazon.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Savaged Lands is a story of war and betrayal, of love and forgiveness. It is September 1941 and Hitler’s Army Group South has occupied Kiev. A young Soviet girl named Natasha falls in love with Mark, a Hungarian soldier of Russian descent. Trapped on opposing sides of a brutal conflict, they are forced to keep secrets from everyone they love. With everything stacked against them and nothing to hope for, the two characters are compelled to fight for their love and their very survival.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I am working on a novel about a woman who has lost her memory due to an accident. She returns home from hospital to discover dark secrets about herself, her husband and her relationships with others. It’s very different from anything I’ve written before and I am really enjoying it so far.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
It’s a stand-alone novel at the moment, although I might consider writing a sequel in the future. Or maybe even a prequel, as one of the characters comes from very interesting background and I would love to explore it further.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I write historical romance. For me, the setting is as important as interactions between the two characters. Because of the setting characters find themselves in the situation they are in. It affects their relationship and the way they relate to each other. It is historical background that makes their romance fascinating.
 
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? Most of my short stories are historical fiction, some of them historical romance. But I’m trying something completely different with my current work in progress, which is a suspense novel.

​Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Absolutely! Everyone I meet can end up in my book. I’ve been known to borrow particular features, names, even whole personalities. I’m still waiting for someone to recognize him or herself in my book though.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
My favorite author of all times is Alexandre Dumas. I love the adventure, the intrigue, the camaraderie of Dumas novels. The first time I read The Three Musketeers, I was seven and completely hooked. It was the start of my love affair with historical fiction. Since then I have read everything by Dumas I could get my hands on.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
I lived in Kiev as a child, and so, when it came to choosing a setting for my first novel, it had to be Ukraine. Having lived in the city, researching Kiev during the occupation and the hardships the Kievan population faced every day was a very intense experience. And I wanted to write about the war because I grew up listening to war stories. My grandparents have lived through the period and I think World War II is close to any Russian’s heart.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing or talking about writing with my friends. I also try to read as much as possible, as I find it helps with my writing. I constantly read authors whose style I admire and re-read my favorite books. Most of my free time I spend on the beach, enjoying the nice Sydney weather.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
The Count of Monte-Cristo has been my favorite book for the last twenty years. I think the character development in that book is astonishing. Monte-Cristo is a happy, carefree sailor who loses everything only to reinvent himself as an evil genius in possession of immense power and fortune. He is hell bent on revenge and this desire takes over his whole existence until there’s nothing left. He thinks he can play with destinies of others just like his own destiny was once played with but he is wrong. Although the prevalent theme of the Count of Monte-Cristo is revenge, ultimately the book is about forgiveness.
 
Have you won any awards for your writing?
One of my short stories set in Napoleonic period was the winner of Historical Novel Society Autumn Short Fiction Competition 2012. And I was the runner-up of 2013 defenestrationism.net Short Story Contest.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
The hardest part is to treat writing as any other job. To sit down and write no matter what, whether you feel like it or not, whether you are inspired or not.
Which of your characters is your favorite and why? My favorite character in my novel is a Hungarian soldier in Nazi-occupied Kiev. He’s not just any soldier but a soldier of Russian descent. I like him the most because of the way he handles many challenges he faces. Having grown up in a Russian family and now fighting on Hitler’s side and seeing Hitler’s atrocities on Soviet soil firsthand must be incredibly difficult for him. When he meets and falls in love with a Soviet girl called Natasha, he wants to do everything possible to protect her but it turns out that he himself needs protection.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I love writing at home where there are no interruptions. When I write, I turn off my phone and only check my messages when I finish a chapter. I also enjoy writing outside, in a quiet place, preferably overlooking the ocean. I carry a notepad with me everywhere I go because you never know when an idea might strike.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
Before I started writing my book, I planned out every chapter and prepared a detailed outline. But when I was actually working on it, the characters seemed to take on a life of their own. The end result was very different from what I had planned originally.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I first started writing at University. Just an occasional poem or short story here and there. I never showed my work to anyone but enjoyed it very much. After I graduated, I stopped writing until about six years ago when I went back to Uni to do my history degree. One of my lecturers mentioned that I had a nice writing style and I thought, why not give it a go and this time actually try to get something published? I’ve been writing ever since.

What is your favorite quote?
‘In every soldier’s knapsack is a marshal’s baton’ Napoleon Bonaparte
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Start small, write a few short stories and get them published. Seeing your work out there is a great confidence boost for any writer. Duotrope is a great resource that lists thousands of markets for short stories. Write from your heart and don’t worry about editing until later. Find as many beta readers as you can to get as much feedback on your manuscript as possible.
 
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?
Can I buy a thousand copies of your book?
And my answer would be a thousand times YES!

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Lindsay Marie Miller, and I am the author of Emerald Green, Me & Mr. Jones and Jungle Eyes.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Jungle Eyes is the name of my latest book, which was released on November 20, 2015. It is a Romantic Action/Adventure novel set on a deserted tropical island in the year 1899.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
There will be 3 more books in the Emerald Green series, a sequel to Me & Mr. Jones and 2 more books in the Jungle Eyes trilogy. I’ve also been working on a New Adult Contemporary Romance, which will be my first Stand Alone novel.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Jungle Eyes, Me & Mr. Jones and Emerald Green are each the first installment in their own respective series.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
Romance is always the one element of a novel or film that I am most interested in. For me, it’s the best part of any story I am reading or writing. I have always described the way I write romance as a “tasteful sexiness.” Just because something is sensual or passionate doesn’t mean it can’t maintain a certain level of innocence. I believe in keeping that steam or heat between the characters alive, because that intimate connection is what love and romance are all about.
 
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?
While I only write romance, it is the sub-genres within romance that I like to experiment with. Emerald Green and Me & Mr. Jones pertain to the suspense/thriller category of romance. But Jungle Eyes falls under historical and action/adventure romance categories. They also apply to different age groups: Emerald Green is Young Adult, Me & Mr. Jones is New Adult and Jungle Eyes is Adult. I’ll probably experiment with other romance genres over time, because I really enjoy different ways of telling a love story.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
A good book or movie. A special day. Time spent with family or friends. Really anything can inspire me to write. Mainly, it has to do with people. The ones I’m with and the ones I’m writing about.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Play the piano and guitar. Sing. I’ve been writing songs since I was a teen, so music is very near and dear to my heart. I love watching movies as well, especially those that have been adapted from novels. I’m also a TaeBo enthusiast.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Certain titles just sound right to me. When it clicks, it clicks. I think Emerald Green probably had a lot to do with the fact that my birthstone is emerald, and Me & Mr. Jones was inspired by an old R&B song by Billy Paul. With Jungle Eyes, I have no earthly idea. It just came to me.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
Usually, I read romance or some subset of it. But I’m open to thrillers, mysteries, biographies, and a whole lot of other genres. As a writer, I think it’s important to keep an open mind.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
When I first thought of the idea for Jungle Eyes, I pictured a twenty-five-year-old Christian Bale as Henry and Katy Perry as Elaine. If Hollywood was able to pull that off, I would be very pleased.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Those days when the words just won’t come. Sometimes, it can be hard, and you really have to push yourself. But that makes you appreciate the days when the words flow like honey.

On a chilly December night in Savannah, Georgia, seventeen-year-old Addie Smith dreams of an alluring young man, too mysteriously handsome to be real. When spring semester commences the following week, at Maple Creek High, a new student, named Tom Sutton, arrives, bearing a striking resemblance to the beautiful stranger from Addie’s dream. Addie feels inextricably drawn to Tom, and his rare, unwavering resiliency, as the enchanting nature of first love takes hold. But when a cold-blooded criminal returns to Savannah, in pursuit of a long-forgotten possession, Addie must confront the darkest secrets of an elusive, hidden past that threaten to destroy her future. 

​Finley O'Connell is a shy, reserved college student, who has no intention of ever trusting another man. At nineteen, Finley spends her Friday nights alone, studying clinical psychology to ease her mind of the abusive childhood she has yet to overcome. Her new professor, the young, charismatic Cabel Jones, begins to take an interest in Finley, whose first instinct is to run. But when an ordinary experiment turns to bloodshed, Finley must rely on Cabel, as the two hide away in a rustic, secluded cabin in the wilderness. Plagued by deception and fear, Finley soon finds herself in the arms of the one man on campus who can never truly be hers.

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Ellie Midwood. She is a writer of Historical Romance​. Her latest work is The Girl From Berlin: Standartenfuhrer’s Wife. The first book in The Girl From Berlin series.

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
Ellie Midwood is a New York based author who loves writing about her city and its people. She's a health obsessed yoga enthusiast, a neat freak, an adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew and a doggie mama.
Ellie lives in Brooklyn with her Sicilian fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Basically it’s a historical romance and a spy thriller in one. This is a diary of Annalise Meissner, a young German Jew with long time ago falsified papers, living a carefree life in pre-war Berlin. A talented ballerina, she comes from a wealthy family and at first doesn’t want to concern herself with the changes her country starts undergoing under the new Nazi regime. However, when the oppressions against the Jewish population begin, she realizes that she can’t be a silent bystander and swears to help her people in any way possible.
She falls in love and gets married to her father's longtime friend, Standartenführer Heinrich Friedmann, who even though he works for SD – the Reich Secret Service – seems to share her views, and soon Annalise learns why. Her new husband turns out to be a counterintelligence agent working for the US government, and together they start a dangerous game against the sinister Gestapo, trying to save as many lives as they can and not to compromise themselves.
But it's not only the persecuted people Annalise wants to save; she meets the leader of the Austrian SS Gruppenführer Ernst Kaltenbrunner who everyone seems to fear, but for some reason Annalise isn't intimidated by the Chief of the Austrian Gestapo and doesn't believe the rumors about his brutality. Gruppenführer Kaltenbrunner isn't hiding the fact that he would love to get this beautiful girl as his mistress, but Annalise, despite the mutual attraction, stays faithful to her beloved husband. However, the risky game she’s playing will soon change everything…
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
Currently I’m working on Book 3 in the series – War Criminal’s Widow, which will be the last one in the planned series, and after that I’ll have another story coming out, which will be set in pre-war Germany.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
It’s a series consisting of three books: Book One – Standartenfuhrer’s Wife, in which the action concentrates mainly on the character development of Annalise, my protagonist, and how she grows and changes after facing horrors that her country plunges into. Book Two – Gruppenfuhrer’s Mistress has a very different mood, it’s very provocative and erotic, since Annalise has to play a dangerous game of getting close to the infamous Chief of the RSHA (Nazi Germany Secret Service) and she’s not sure if she can fight their mutual attraction and stay loyal to her husband. Book Three – War Criminal’s Widow tells a very dramatic story of the two lovers during the last few months of war and later of the Nuremberg process, where Annalise’s beloved is being tried. It’s probably the most emotional part, which tells a story of love, loss and hope, which one can never lose. I didn’t want to concentrate on the same kind of feelings throughout the whole series, I wanted to show how they evolved and changed under certain circumstances, and how people sacrifice themselves for the ones they love.  
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
The Girl from Berlin is not purely historical romance, it’s also a spy thriller and a historical fiction as well, because all the historical events in the book are real, just like some of the characters who are also based on real people living in that period of time. That’s what makes it unique, the credibility and the possibility of everything described in the book – even the fictional events – could really happen.
 
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 do write in different genres, even though historical romance would be my favorite, for example my book The Brooklyn Boys Club tells a story of a young Italian-American boy living in Bensonhurst Brooklyn and trying to escape the fate of the rest of the youth who are being pulled into the dangerous world of the underground rulers of the neighborhood – the Italian mafia. So it’s kind of a Godfather type of story, but with a very light side to it, it’s very humorous and not your typical bloody type of mafia book.

​From where do you draw your inspiration?
Mostly from documentaries I watch and biographies I read; it’s very helpful in building a story and makes it much easier to create realistic characters.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love my yoga classes, exercise and meditation help me to relax and to refresh my vision, I always come back home very motivated and with new ideas that didn’t occur to me before. I also love reading a lot and enjoy finding new material on the subject I’m currently working on. To me it’s like treasure hunting, discovering new materials and documents, and I love putting those unknown to the general public facts in my books.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I wanted it to be something simple and something authentic at the same time, that’s why the series is called The Girl from Berlin (since the story is told from the point of view of my protagonist, a Berlin girl), and subtitles are so German-sounding  - Standartenfuhrer’s Wife and Gruppenfuhrer’s Mistress. I didn’t translate the military ranks in English on purpose, just like most of the notions and organizations, to make it more authentic.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
Probably right now it would be The Kommandant’s Mistress by Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, it is an extremely provocative novel which tells a story of a young Jewish girl who was chosen to give sexual favors to the Kommandant of one of the concentration camps. I love re-reading this book, there’s just something into it that makes you want to come back to it again and again.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
As soon as I started writing I joined Goodreads and keep communicating with other authors through it, I love that platform, it gives countless opportunities both to the authors and readers to discover each other and to promote their work.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Definitely editing. It’s just my problem I think because it’s very hard to start re-writing something when your story is already finished in your eyes. But I’m very lucky to have an amazing editor, Alexandra, who’s been more than helpful and always knows how to guide me and motivate me to make some scenes stronger or better. She makes this hardest part very easy for me.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Besides my protagonist, Annalise, my favorite character would definitely be her chief and lover – the Chief of the RSHA Ernst Kaltenbrunner. He’s a very complex character and changes greatly throughout the whole series and it’s fascinating to discover his true personality under all the layers of arrogance and sarcasm. He was a very controversial political figure of his time and I love the edge his eccentric attitude adds to the whole story.
 
Who or what are your inspirations/influences?
While writing The Girl from Berlin series my inspirations were the real people living in that period of time. I studied a lot of memoirs and biographies to create the closest to life characters. Many heroic things were done even in such a horrifying environment as Nazi Germany was, and I wanted to transfer it into my story.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I always say that I need three things to write: home, silence, night. This way I’m fully immersed into my story without anything distracting me (and you can only imagine how distractive a city like New York can be!)
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
Normally I have the basic story in my head before I start writing a new book, but every new chapter sometimes unravels in some unexpected way; all my stories are character-driven and I love letting them lead the way and make the story. 
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I’ve been writing my whole life, whether short stories or little essays, but you know that you really have to write something, when you have this story burning a hole in your head, which just has to be told. Then I sit down and write, because I know that later I’ll be re-reading that story many times.
 
What is your favorite quote?
“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.” (Ernest Miller Hemingway)
I always try my best to follow this quote while writing my books, that’s why my characters make mistakes, they do things they’re not supposed to, they turn from good to bad and back to good again just like in real life. But they’re always very honest about their choices.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Never give up and don’t take anything negative said about your work personally. Ten people might not like your work, but one will find it fascinating and will become your most loyal fan. And of course never keep still and work on your writing, improve yourself, do the research, attend seminars, read articles on the topic… Always keep in mind that writing is work and a lot of effort needs to be put into a really good book.

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Faye Hall​. She is a writer of Historical Erotic Romance. Her latest work is Mistress of Purity.​

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m an Australian author of Historical erotic romances set in outback towns of Northern Australia between 1850 and 1898. 

Tell us about your latest book.
Mistress of Purity was released in August 2015.  The plot of the story tells about when Gareth obeyed his father’s widow’s request for him to return to Sarina to collect his inheritance.  Never could he have imagined he’d find her to be the same woman he’d loved so passionately a few weeks before.  The secrets that Gareth unveils upon returning to his late father’s estate become a near obsession to him, revealing to him not only the truth about Prue, but also the man his father had truly been.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
Passions in the Dust will be out in March 2016.  It’s about a wealthy station owner who orders a mail order bride only to find her to be the lover he had left back in England.  Together they are faced with cattle rustlers, scrub fires, poisoned cattle and a fiancé out for revenge.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Stand alone
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I write romances because I love a happy ending!  My own particular brand of romance is uniquely Australian, using actual historical place names and some of my own personal family history.  The romance is driven by suspense and mystery, as well as scandals and the occasional mention of remedies or legends belonging to the Australian Aboriginals.
 
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?
So far I only write romance

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Mostly the history of mine or my husband’s ancestors.
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Yes quite a few have been based on people I have known or am related to.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Usually just relaxing and spending time with my family.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
I was first published way back in 1996 just after I graduated High School, but the company went bankrupt.  I was then again offered a contract in 2008 but that company also went bust.  Red Sage Publishing contracted me in 2012 and I’ve been with them ever since, having just been offered a fifth contract.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am currently a member of both the Romance Writers of America and Australia.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was born, educated and lived entirely in New Jersey until four years ago. I taught Spanish and English as a Second Language in high school and adult community schools. I was lucky enough to be transferred to Florida where I am living as if I am on vacation every day. I write full time. My husband works all day. I am at home where my Labradoodle and my Shih Tzu keep me company and remind me to get up out of the chair to walk or swim. I started writing romance when I inadvertently crashed a Romance Writers of America chapter meeting here on the Space Coast. I was invited to stay. I was hooked from that day forward.

Tell us about your latest book.
My latest published book is The Relentless Brit, a tale of sex, love and espionage during World War II. It is a story of love at first sight. Sweet romance, heartbreaking betrayals, forgiveness and uncompromising men and women. Conflict sets the pace of the book and relentless loves rules the day.

What do you have coming out in the future?
My next book will come out before August this year. I just received the manuscript from my editor. I have some work to do before it goes to the formatter for publishing. I am writing the last in the series, The Relentless???. 

What genre do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I really love writing what I call  Historical Vintage Romance. I started out writing contemporary romance, but was dissuaded when I read the first ten pages at my chapter meeting. My dialogue lends itself to vintage times” 1940’s to when, I am not sure yet. Someone recently told me that my book is better placed in the Women’s Fiction genre.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
I always base my characters on real people, but then I follow the ‘what if’ path. What if she enlisted in military service or he chose undercover work or she became an insurance investigator or fire marshall. That is what makes writing fun for me.

The Relentless Brit is an historical romance. It is a tale of sex, romance, betrayal, and heartbreak during World War II. History, romance, spies, espionage, intrigue, love, sex, war, peace, and the happy every after ending you love.

War rages in Europe. Conflict is worldwide. History is repeating itself. Germany seeks domination of Europe. Hitler’s troops occupy all countries except Great Britain. Nevertheless, bombing from German aircraft have scorched London and other parts of the British Isles. Peace is elusive. Hitler has betrayed the Prime Minister of England. Spies and espionage are rampart on all sides. Japan is on the move in China and the islands in South Pacific.

What authors inspire your writing?
Well, first my Creative Writing 101 teacher  said she loved all of my work and I got an A in that class. Most recently my friend and class discussion leader at a local class, Greta McLaughlin whose new book, Celtic Cries was just released. I can say I always wanted to write about life as imagined it as a child. Inspiring authors are Barbara Kingsolver, Juno Diaz, Gabriel  Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende and my all my English teacher friends.

What kind of books do you like to read? 
I love to read well written historical fiction. Phillip Gregory  books about the War of the Roses, Henry VIII and his wives are my favorites. I adore Hillary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. I don’t read much science fiction. However, I did like Margaret Atwood’s  The Blind Assassin. I like the genre called Barcelona Noir from Carlos Ruiz Zafron. I cannot forget Melinda Haynes’ Mother of Pearl  and Barbara Kingsolver’s Lacuna and The Poisonwood Bible. Of course, romances by Sylvia Day, Julie Leto and Debbie Macomber. 

How did you come up with the title of your book?
I started with my first book as The Uninvited Guest, but it need something snappier to catch attention. I changed it several times until my editor and I agreed on The Relentless Brit which I copied from my really first book, The Relentless Italian.  

Is your book a stand alone or a series?
Here’s the thing. I wrote The Relentless Italian first. When I thought I finished it, I realized it needed more work. So, I set it aside and wrote The Relentless Brit.  I published the latter book first because it makes chronological sense. So the series starts in 1940 during World War II. The connecting thread between the books is that the children born during the war become the characters in the second book having had the war influence who they are. 

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
The most difficult part of writing for me is putting into words what is deep inside the characters’ heads and hearts. One of my readers wanted to know why the heroine fell in love with the hero. I guess I did not make that clear. Something I need to work on more. 

What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
I would say that coming up with the main idea for a story is the easiest for me. Imagining the characters is also easy for me. Going from scene to scene is usually easy, but sometimes I think out of order and wish I hadn’t.  

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
My favorite characters? That is like asking a parent who is her favorite child. I cannot choose one. I like them all for different reasons. Both heroines can be snarky with the men. I like that about  them. Marie Gentile in The Relentless Brit is forever forgiving of her love interest after she let him know a thing or two. Sophie Carrieri is somewhat the same, but more of a feminist in thinking. I love both heroes. Charles Stanhope is quiet to the point of being covert. He  never walks away from Marie as angry as she may get with him. Tony Andriosi is mysterious at the same time as being an outgoing career singer.

What is your preferred writing environment?
Do you mean where do I prefer to write? That is easy. I sit in a my comfortable leather chair in my kitchen/family room with my laptop.  The television tuned alternately to the shopping channels. PBS, or baseball. Can you believe it?  I never listen to music while I am writing, but I am inspired by lyrics when I am driving. I surprised myself when my husband and I took a long drive from the east coast to the west coast of Florida. I took along my tablet to check the Nanny Cam at the dog boarding place, but instead started typing a new series. It seems when I am typing, stories fall out onto the screen. How lucky can I be? I should say blessed.

With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
Here is what happened. I started first send the begin of the books to contests. No luck there. As I was writing, I read more, took classes, paid attention to other members of my writing chapter, and, read craft books galore. I sent out query letters. No luck there either. I looked at many publishing companies who wanted thousands of dollars to publish. I researched Createspace.com, Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords.com and talked to some free-lance editors. While I was getting reading to self-publish, I though why not submit to a few more publishers. Again, how lucky or blessed can I be? I received two contracts within two weeks. The terms of rights, royalties, and length of time to publish were just not acceptable. I did not even try to negotiate. I was anxious to get the book up for sale. The manuscript was ready to upload to Createspace and Kindle. So, I did. I am happy with my choice.

When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I wanted something to fill my hours and my mind as a hermit living with my dogs all day. I love to sew, knit, quilt, swim, and bike too. However, writing seems fulfill me the most at the moment. I decided publish at that first Space Coast Authors of Romance meeting I crashed over two years ago. I think if I am going to write, why not publish? Maybe some of my friends would enjoy the books.