trueromance

Setting: Texas, Canada, Mexico, Upstate New York
Subgenre: Action Thriller
Heroine: Caitlin Strong

One sentence summary: Female Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong takes on a radical militia movement bent on starting a second Civil War.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene where Caitlin first confronts the villain whose father was killed by hers twenty years before.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Compromising in any way, shape or form.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Caitlin has an undying devotion and loyalty to the traditions of the past.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Texas Ranger

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Caitlin’s love interest, Cort Wesley Masters, is an ex-Special Forces commando busy raising his two sons.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The characters are uniquely drawn and fully fleshed out.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Many would like to see me bring back Blaine McCracken, hero of nine action-adventure tales that ended in the late 90s. And I’m thinking of doing just that in an original E-book.

What’s next: Caitlin’s third adventure, STRONG AT THE BREAK, publishes on June 21 and I’ve just finished the firsts draft of book #4 in the series called BLOOD STRONG.

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? THE GODFATHER

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? THRILLER

What’s the first book I remember reading? THE EXORCIST

What’s my favorite fairy tale? HANSEL AND GRETEL

What’s my favorite cartoon character? BULLWINKLE

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? There’s no greater gift than that of entertainment and no greater entertainment than telling a great story.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? LAWYER or TEACHER

What do I do to unwind and relax? EXERCISE (and heavy drug use! LOL)

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? COFFEE. STARBUCKS!

What does love mean to me? COMMITMENT, COMPROMISE and ALWAYS TELLING THE TRUTH.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? THERE’S NO ERA TO LIVE IN BETTER THAN THIS. I WOULDN’T DO WELL IN ANY ERA WITHOUT RUNNING WATER, INDOOR PLUMBING, AND PROPER GROOMING HABITS!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I’M STILL SEARCHING FOR MY “KAISER ZOSE”! I’VE PASSED THIS STREET CALLED TEOFILO BRAGA–WHAT A GREAT NAME FOR A VILLAIN!

Dog person or cat person? DOG, FOR SURE!

Question – WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILLER?

Setting: The Oregon Coast
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense with a touch of paranormal
Hero: Harrison Frost
Heroine: Lorelei Adderley

One complete sentence summary: A psychotic whack job terrorizes the populace of a small Oregon town.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Save the Beach!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: I can’t.

What celebrity is your hero like and why: I guess I’d go with Hugh Jackman looks-wise.

What celebrity is your heorine like and why: I think Lorelei looks a little like Michelle Williams

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a nurse.

What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a reporter for a newspaper.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The hint of paranormal that connects the heroine to her “sisters” and the twist at the end.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: They want me to write about vampires, but that’s just not my fantasy. Sorry.

What’s next: BORN TO DIE, the third in my Montana Series with Detectives Regan Pescoli and Selena Alvarez—once again it’s a bad, bad winter in Grizzly Falls.

Setting: New York City in an alternate universe
Subgenre: paranormal romance
Hero: Dragos Cuelebre
Heroine: Pia Giovanni

One sentence summary:
A dragon chases after a thief, falls in love, and learns how to say please…sometimes.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I would never cut the beguilement dream, in which Dragos intends to trap Pia but finds himself ensnared, not only with his own beguilement but also with her.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“Can I have cheese on that steak burger?”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
Dragos is OCD about his hoard. He knows every item down to the smallest detail, including the year stamped on every one of his coins. And he has a lot of coins.

Heroine?
Pia is not quite vegan. She will eat honey, if it has been responsibly harvested, and yes, she does background checks on the brand.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Pia used to be a bartender and now she’s unemployed. Even as I type this, she’s wondering if she should start job hunting.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Dragos is the CEO and majority stockholder of Cuelebre Enterprises, a multi-billion dollar international corporation. He is also Lord of the Wyr demesne, which is a full-time job all on its own. Even as I type this, he’s wondering if he should take a vacation.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I hope readers like the humor and suspense. These characters really came alive for me. They just about danced off the tips of my fingers and onto the page, and I had so much fun writing the repartee between Dragos and Pia. I hope readers enjoy reading about them as much as I have enjoyed writing about them.

What’s next:
The second book in the Elder Races series, Storm’s Heart, comes out August 2, 2011, and the third, Serpent’s Kiss, is released October 4, 2011. My wonderful agent Amy Boggs at the Donald Maass Literary Agency has also finalized details on a second contract. I’m very excited to follow this series through book six, and I’m already plotting storylines for possibly beyond!

I have a question for readers and I am excited to read their answers. What is the story that no one has told but you would like to read?

Two lucky commenters will win a copy of DRAGON BOUND!

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I don’t have a favorite movie of all time. I’m too fickle. But the last movie I got really excited about was Avatar.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
I love the kind of story that has several things going for it—suspense, humor, sensual tension, a kick-ass fight scene. I adore being surprised, and when a book can surprise me, I fall in love with it.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
The very first book I remember reading is The Little Red Hen. I was about four years old, and I loved that book. I carried it everywhere, and tried to read it to my parents and older sisters. I seem to recall they got pretty sick of it. But I could never figure out why.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Erm, this may be a bit of a different take on the question, but right now I would have to say anything written by Patricia A. McKillip. Her prose is lyrical, and her stories are like fairy tales, only new.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
I have quite a fondness for She-Ra, Princess of Power. My daughter had all the dolls, along with a She-Ra castle, sword and cape. We saved the world several times when it did not know it was in peril. You’re welcome.

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I adore hearing from readers about how they’ve interacted with a story I’ve written. It makes my day when I hear from someone that they really enjoyed Dragon Bound. I love finding out I was able to give someone the kind of pleasure I feel whenever I get lost in a book. I hope to continue providing that kind of pleasure to readers for a long time to come.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
I have a Masters in Library Information Science, so I would be a librarian working with books and the public, hopefully as a reference librarian. Working at a reference desk can be very demanding, but it can also be very rewarding as well. And reference work can be like playing trivial pursuit in a library, which is a great game to play in one of my favorite places in the world.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Read! And sometimes, for a change of pace, I might switch out books and read something different than usual. I have two dogs I like to spend time with, and I love going for walks near water. I’m also a General Hospital fan (I Google for spoilers!), and I play online Scrabble with friends. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel much lately, and I’m hoping to get back to that. I have a passport that’s going through withdrawal. Even as I type this, I’m thinking maybe I need to go on a vacation.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
I love both coffee and tea. Usually I drink plain black coffee, although I enjoy it with cream and sugar as a dessert drink. I have to drink my tea with a splash of milk, and occasionally sugar (and very occasionally lemon).

10. What does love mean to you?
I think at its finest, love is a decision. All the emotions of being in love can feel amazing and wonderful, and it’s easy when everything is going well, but the most important expression of love is how we choose to act when we’re feeling selfish, or when we’re tired or sick, angry or hurt, or abandoned and endangered. That’s when we are capable of amazing things like self-sacrifice, true caring and generosity. I think that’s when stories become really memorable and haunting.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
I would have been a very unhappy Victorian. All those suffocating layers of clothes, the corsets, and knick-knacks everywhere, unable to take a deep breath and not able to move freely for fear of knocking something over—just the thought makes me feel very claustrophobic.

But I think I might have quite liked the Regency era. The styles seem looser, more flowing, and very feminine. But I would only like to live in the Regency era if I had a lot of money, and a butler.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?
Phaedra. And I think I might have found a fit for it.

13. Dog person or cat person?
I am a both person. I love animals. I have had cats, and I now have two dogs. Sadly, I probably won’t have another cat because of family members with allergies. But I do love them.

Beverly Barton, a beloved, kind and gracious author, sent in the post below for her new book coming out tomorrow, April 26th. She was looking forward to chatting with readers. Sadly, she passed away, but we wanted to honor her memory and fans by posting what she had written.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Beverly Barton died suddenly on April 21, 2011, of heart failure. Beverly was a sixth-generation Alabamian and Southern belle with a classic drawl and timeless persona. Everyone who met her was instantly charmed by her warm personality and dazzling smile.

Since the release of her first book in 1990, Beverly became a two-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s Maggie Award, was honored twice with RWA’s National Reader’s Choice Award, and became a recipient of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her books have been featured by both the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs.

John Scognamiglio, Editor-In-Chief, Kensington Publishing, and Beverly’s long-time editor, said, “Beverly Barton was more than just my author, she was also my friend. From the very first time that we talked on the phone, after I had done my first deal with her agent, we just clicked. She always made me laugh and smile and there was nothing I loved more than brainstorming ideas with her. I’d send her an email with a thought for a possible book and she’d email me back with her thoughts, and back and forth, and back and forth we would go until we had a story that we were both really excited about. Everyone who met Beverly – staff at Kensington, bookstore buyers, reviewers, readers instantly fell in love with her. We’re all going to miss her.”

DEAD BY MORNING

Setting: Most of the scenes in DEAD BY MORNING take place in the Southern U.S., in Tennessee & Georgia. A few scenes take place in England and in the Bahamas.
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Derek Lawrence (former FBI profiler)
Heroine: Maleah Perdue (Powell Agent)

One sentence summary:
Realizing that no one connected to the Powell Agency is safe, Maleah and Derek work frantically to uncover the chilling legacy of lies and brutal vengeance that lead them to a killer who has been hiding in plain sight.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
The final scene between Maleah Perdue and convicted serial killer Jerome Browning at the Georgia State Prison. Maleah walks away emotionally wounded, but the winner in Browning’s manipulative mind games.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Letting a man tell her what she could or could not do.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
Derek isn’t the type. Nothing “quirky” about him. He’s a wealthy lady’s man. Sophisticated, intelligent and dealing with heavy emotional baggage from his past.

Heroine:
Maleah isn’t the “quirky” type either. She’s smart & tough & independent. Her major flaws are talking too much and an inability to trust others, especially men.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Maleah is an agent for the Powell Private Security and Investigation Agency. She’s highly trained in martial arts, a crack shot, and an expert investigator.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Derek Lawrence is independently wealthy due to a trust fund. He worked for a number of years as an FBI profiler, then worked freelance and now is on the Powell Agency payroll.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I believe my readers have come to expect two things from my books – unforgettable characters — a hero and heroine they like and want to root for and a terrifying villain — and a strong suspense/mystery plot that keeps them guessing

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Although Griffin Powell (billionaire owner of the Powell Agency) has appeared in many of my novels and was the hero of The Murder Game, readers have bombarded me with requests for this larger-than-life character to be given another book where he is the hero and his wife Nicole is the heroine.

What’s next?
I’m giving readers what they’ve asked for and writing a new book for Griffin and Nicole, a story that has been in the back of my mind for years. The third installment in my Dead by trilogy, Dead by Nightfall will be released in early December 2011.

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Pride and Prejudice (all versions)

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Either a great romance – I still read Harlequin Presents by my favorite authors who have been around for years – or a great mystery. I’m a huge fan of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club novels

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Charlotte’s Web

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Snoopy from Peanuts

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? I’d like to tell my readers how very much they mean to me, how much I appreciate them and hope that the books I write will continue to be among their favorites.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I cannot imagine being anything else. But since I dabble with decorating and have always loved to cook, then perhaps I’d be an interior designer or a chef.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? I watch movies, especially old movies from the thirties & forties and early fifties. I read for pleasure. I spend time with friends, going out for lunch and a little shopping. And nothing is better than quality time with my family, husband, children and grandchildren.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? I like both. I start my morning with coffee, cream & sugar. When I’m dieting, I use milk & Splenda. I switch over to tea in the afternoon, hot tea in winter and iced tea in summer. I drink hot tea plain, nothing added. Iced tea, I add lemon. I’m one Southerner who doesn’t drink sweet tea.

10. What does love mean to you? I believe that there is nothing more powerful than love. Love can perform miracles, move mountains, change hearts, save souls, heal the wounded, give hope, and vanquish hatred. Romantic love grows stronger with time, survives hardships, and is steadfast and loyal. After a lifetime together, a couple’s youthfully passionate love matures into a love that is deeper and richer and more beautiful than they could have ever imagined.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Probably Elizabethan times where a woman’s rank dictated what she was allowed to wear, even the colors she could use in her clothing choices. And between Underclothes and Over Clothes, women often wore more than a dozen articles of clothing, many times more than that. Can you imagine!

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I honestly can’t think of a name. Sometimes a character names herself or himself instantly, but often the character appears in my mind and I have to search for their name, taking hours, days or weeks. But the moment I hear the name for that character, I know it.

13. Dog person or cat person? I love all animals, but I’m definitely a dog person.

Setting: Contemporary, Montana
Subgenre: Paranormal
Hero: Nick Chien
Heroine: Jessie Healy

One sentence summary:
A wounded Native American shapeshifter’s efforts to escape three blood-thirsty ghosts, places him at the mercy of an enemy healer with supernatural powers as dangerous as his own.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
My very favorite scene is when Jessie, a dream walker who visits the dreams of humans to help them recover from trauma, uses her gift to enter Nick’s dreams in an effort to discover if he is telling the truth. He is so badly injured that she has never actually seen what he looks like until this moment and she is so overtaken that she makes an unforgivable breech of ethics and makes love to him, knowing that he will not remember her intrusion upon waking…but he does. She is so snagged and the fallout is huge for them both. Boy, I love that scene.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
She hates Skinwalkers and has been trained since birth to see them as her deadly enemy. So she would never touch one, heal one, harbor one or love one. But then she does all of those.

What is your heroine’s occupation:
She’s a social worker who helps children overcome extreme mental trauma.

What is your hero’s occupation:
He runs a group of eco-friendly mutual funds and buys land to be preserved as wild space, because he is, after all, a wolf. He’s also a billionaire. Having a long life has such privileges.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
Watching two enemies discover that everything they think they know about each other is wrong as they battle the irresistible attraction for one another.

What’s next:

GOLD RUSH GROOM (Sept. 2011)
A greenhorn prospector is about to lose everything to the surf when a pretty hauler offers to rescue his gear if he’ll agree to be her partner until Dawson City.

SOUL STALKER (Dec. 19, 2011) In the next installment in my Tracker series, a Native American shape-shifting raven needs the help of an enemy, who can speak to the dead, in order to stop a supernatural killer.

For excerpts visit www.jennakernan.com.

QUESTION:
The heroes in my TRACKERS series include a grizzly bear, a timber wolf, a raven and soon, a buffalo. What animals would you like to see as a shapeshifter?

A Song for My Mother

Setting: Small town of Dreyerville, Michigan

Heroine: Marly Hanson

One sentence summary: A mother/daughter story. Marly and her mother face the dark secrets of their past to try and rebuild the love they once shared.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Where Reed’s friend Emily is desperate to find her lost little boy.

Thing your heroine refuses to face. The awful memories of her childhood.

Tell us one thing about your hero? Your heroine. Reed has faced grief and loss of his own, as Marly has done, which is why he understands her. Marly needs the kind of man who will stand by her, which Reed Bennett is.

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Marly is a school teacher. She is determined not to get involved with Reed and return to Detroit where she has a job waiting.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Reed is the Sheriff of Dreyerville County.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The touching relationship that begins to grow between mother, daughter, and granddaughter, Katie

What’s next: Up next for me is the reprint coming in July of MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE, my very first novel, a Western Romance, with a fabulous new cover.

Do you think all mothers should do what they can to protect their children from adversity, or is it better to confront hardships as they come our way?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? One of them is Quigley Down Under. Tom Selleck in a pair of chaps? Amazing!

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Romantic action adventure.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? One was Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Cinderella

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Bugs Bunny

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Reading is my salvation, my escape from the problems of the world.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’d probably be a real estate agent again–but I’d rather be an astrophysicist!

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? Have a glass of wine and sit on my deck looking out at the mountains and reading a book.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Coffee, for sure, with lots of cream.

10. What does love mean to you? Love means having someone there for you when you really need them. And being there for them when they need you.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? The 1700’s would be torture. Those cages the women wore and only taking a bath once a month! The twenties, fashion wise would have been delicious.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Sage for a woman (but I’m starting a book with her in it next week!).

13. Dog person or cat person? Cat person. I love them!

Setting: New Mexico Desert
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Quinn Maguire, Dragon Shapeshifter
Heroine: Dr. Jasmine Kane

One Sentence Summary:
Quinn Maguire, renowned healer of the Dragonstar clan, has spent centuries trying—and failing– to cure the insidious disease designed by his enemies to kill off his people; in a last ditch effort, he enlists the help of take-no-prisoners human doctor, Jasmine Kane, but in doing so gets much more than he’s bargained for.

What is the scene you like most and would never cut?
The scene where Jasmine sees Quinn turn into a dragon for the first time. It’s tender and poignant and a little sweet—something Jasmine usually isn’t. Plus, it comes right after a particularly dark scene and I think helps change the mood for an important portion of the book.

What is your heroine’s occupation?
Jasmine is a hematologist for the CDC. Currently she is on medical leave as she was injured by a roadside bomb in Africa and has had to undergo numerous surgeries to recover. She comes to the Dragonstar clan at the request of her friend, Dr. Phoebe Quillum, who is currently engaged to the Dragonstar King.

What is your hero’s occupation?
Quinn is the premier Dragonstar healer. He is also a doctor, having been to medical school, but his supernatural talents all stem from his ability to heal even the most devastating injuries. His skill and power can’t cure the disease sweeping through his clan, however, and Quinn’s entire sense of identity and worth is shaken by what he considers his failure.

What is the thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing or saying?
Jasmine would never allow herself to get wrapped up in her emotions. Just the idea of love gives her a case of the hives. The idea that destiny has chosen her for Quinn’s mate is ludicrous—and terrifying.

What do you think readers will like best about this book?
Jasmine is a tough cookie and Quinn is a major bad boy, yet from the moment they meet there is a vulnerability, a tenderness between them that is nearly palpable. The way their relationship unfolds is my favorite thing about the book and one I really hope readers respond to. Of course, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that readers will also like the deeper glimpse this book gives them into the Dragonstar world.

The person readers want you to write about, but haven’t yet?
Oh, that’s an easy one. Gabe. He is Dylan, the Dragonstar king’s, best friend, and he lost both his mate and his daughter in the first book. I get tons of emails from readers asking me when I’m going to write his story and even my editor has started asking as he’s her favorite character. His book is coming, but not for a while yet. He’s a mess right now and still needs more time to heal.

What’s Next?
April and May are super busy for me. Later this month, my next Harlequin Superromance, Deserving of Luke, releases under the pen name Tracy Wolff, and on May 10, my first YA paranormal romance, Tempest Rising, written under the name Tracy Deebs, hits the shelves. And the next Dragon’s Heat novel, Forbidden Embers, hits the shelves in October.

Now, a few things about me:

Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting

Favorite Kind of Story to Get Lost In: Paranormal romance and Urban Fantasy

First Book You Remember Reading: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Favorite Fairy Tale: The Little Mermaid—Hans Christian Anderson version. And really, it’s more of an obsession…

Favorite Cartoon Character: Phineas, from Phineas and Ferb. He has the best ideas!

What would my occupation be if I was no longer a writer: I’m also a college professor, so probably that. But if it’s something totally removed from my real life … I’ve always wanted to be an archeologist.

How do I unwind and relax: A good book, playing with my kids, cooking, hanging out with my friends on Movie Friday, shopping….

Tea or Coffee: Tea. I’ve just discovered the yummiest tea drink—A London Fog. It’s delicious.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Least? Most—the 1920s. I love flapper dresses and art deco. Least– Pioneer times. Seriously, nothing good came out of that era in women’s fashion. And I’m way too fond of my creature comforts to give them up for life on the plains.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Nadia. I love this name, but I haven’t found the right character for it yet. Someday, I’ll figure her out…

I’ve read a plethora of good books lately, but I’m always on the lookout for a new author or book. My favorite book from the last couple weeks is actually a YA, called The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. What good book have you read recently? Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of Dark Embers, book one in the Dragon’s Heat series, and Deserving of Luke, my April superromance.

Setting: England 1815
Subgenre: Historical
Hero: Mr. Diccan Hilliard
Heroine: Miss Grace Fairchild

One sentence summary:
When plain Grace Fairchild wakes up in bed with aristocratic Diccan Hilliard, she doesn’t only have a sudden marriage to deal with, but secrets that could destroy not just her marriage, but her life.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
My favorite moment is when Diccan tries to kick Grace out of the house she has inherited. Grace’s reaction is something I’ve wanted a heroine to do for a long time.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
The very last thing I can ever imagine Grace doing is having a temper tantrum. I don’t think it’s genetically possible.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
His horse, described as the ugliest horse in Christendom, is named Gadzooks, and enjoys nothing better than biting the hand that feeds him.

Heroine:
Grace has filled her inherited home with packing crates. It’s what’s inside that is the surprise.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
From the time she was born, Grace has followed the drum with her father, living all across the world in military environs. She is an expert in moving, provisioning, nursing and making a home from nothing.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Diccan is a rising diplomat, who has, until recently, been stationed in Brussels. He also belongs to a group of aristocrats nicknamed Drake’s Rakes who clandestinely help protect England.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I hope what they like the best is Diccan’s growth, as he comes to know the stranger who is now his wife (did I say how much I love marriage of convenience books?)

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
That would be Lady Kate Seaton, who is Grace’s friend. But don’t worry, I’ve just finished Kate’s book.

What’s next:
ALWAYS A TEMPTRESS, which will come out in October. To protect her from dangerous traitors, Lady Kate Seaton is locked in a deserted estate with Major Sir Harry Lidge, the man who betrayed her ten years earlier.

And last but not least, when I was in India I bought a lovely ruby and emerald bracelet that I think would look gorgeous on somebody’s wrist. So I’ve decided to have a contest on my Facebook page, Goodreads and my website. Fun prizes will be copies of my books. The Grand Prize will be the bracelet. Stop by and take a chance. www.eileendreyer.com.

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’m a huge movie buff. But I’ll give it to The Quiet Man. First of all, I grew up on John Wayne movies(I have 5 brothers). And I’ve always believed that an alpha male needs an alpha female, and you can’t have an alpha couple better than John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. And boy, did those two have chemistry. A lovely romance, all in all. Not only that, it was filmed in one of my favorite spots on earth, Connemara, Ireland. Add a great supporting cast(who is better than Victor McLaughlin in anything?), and one of the best fight scenes ever filmed, and it’s a delight every time. (Great. Now I’m homesick for Ireland. Sigh. I’m going to have to pull it out and watch it….or Ryan’s Daughter, or Matchmaker, or Waking Ned Devine….)

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Actually, it’s exactly what I’ve written in Never a Gentleman. My very favorite story is a marriage of convenience story. I simply love to watch two strangers negotiate what seems to be an impossible situation. They have to begin the journey resenting each other. They don’t want to be together. They don’t want to like each other. It’s only through work and, of course, chemistry, that they can see their way through. I think those HEAs, are particularly satisfying.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
The first book I remember is the Nancy Drew mystery, The Hidden Staircase. I know I’d read a lot before then. I haunted the library like Oliver Twist the orphanage’s dinner table. But for some reason, Nancy Drew was the first story I remember on its own. I think it was because ole Nance was such a kick-butt kinda girl. She really spoke to me. Not only that, she had a boyfriend, but he wasn’t the one solving the crime. It was Nancy.I really liked that.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Hmmm. Sleeping Beauty and Snow White never much appealed to me. As you can guess from my love of Nancy Drew, I’m not wild about heroines who wait around for something to happen. I like a girl who takes matters into her own hands. I was going to say Tam Lin, because I love the idea of the heroine facing off with the Faerie Queen herself to save her love, but it occurred to me that Tam Lin wasn’t a very heroic male. He deflowers Janet, gets her pregnant, and then asks her to save him. Yeah. If it were my fairy tale, he’d be waiting a while for that to happen.

I love a strong heroine, but I like a strong hero just as much. So I choose Beauty and the Beast, because I love the idea of not only seeing the worth no one else does (in fact, that is the theme of NEVER A GENTLEMAN, although in reverse), but of taming the beast. And really, the two of them save each other. I think that’s the best kind of relationship.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Great question! I’m going with Daffy Duck. I love those anti-heroes. Especially if they have a great sense of humor. And tell me if you’ve ever heard anything funnier than What’s Opera, Doc? (Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit….)

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I’ll be frank. I’m not writing radically different historical romance. I’m not going to invent a new genre. I love the standard stories. What I try and do is take the stories that I love and give them a few new twists and insights that make them completely mine.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
First of all, a matter of clarification. I’ll always be a writer, even if I don’t publish anymore(quickly making gestures to ward off the evil eye). I actually tried to stop a couple of times. It didn’t work.

But if I weren’t published, I’d probably return to being a trauma nurse. What I’d really like to do, though, is organize specialized trips to places I love. Most people don’t know that I am the Queen of Internet Travel(you can follow my adventures on the Travel for Fun page of my website). I adore traveling, and sharing the places I’ve come to love with other people. I also love finding neat out-of-the-way places, and great deals. In fact, planning is half the fun of a trip for me. So, if somebody pays my way, I might just do that for a living.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
You asked at the perfect time of year. I have fallen in love with gardening. There is just something about playing in the dirt that is greatly satisfying for me. After all, the only thing flowers want from you is to be fed and watered. They don’t want an education, or the car keys, or a tattoo, or a deadline or revisions….they just want to bloom. I like that in flowers. My neighbor says he can always tell it’s spring when he sees me sitting in the dirt listening to spring training on the radio. Which, in fact, just happened today. Of course, I also read voraciously, I do needlework, I love movies, I walk, and oh, did I mention that I am addicted to traveling? Oh, and baseball? Go, Cardinals!

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Yes, thank you. Mostly I drink iced decaf tea with Sweet n Lo. Hot tea with Chinese food. But I have a favorite coffee shop, and if I don’t have iced coffee(a bit of skim milk and sweetener, thank you), I drink hot coffee with cinnamon, nutmeg, cream and sweetener.

10. What does love mean to you?
This is also a timely question. When I think of love, I think of my mom and dad, because nobody exemplified it better. And I just lost my dad recently, which has made me reflect. Let me tell you about him. He loved my mom until the day he died. He loved every one of us kids, and all of our spouses, and our children, his siblings and his friends. And what he gave to all of us was respect, laughter, tenderness, curiosity, imagination, courage, generosity, guidance,patience, and an ear for listening. A strong shoulder, a helping hand, and the firm belief that no one could be more special than the people he loved.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why?
Oh, that’s an easy one. I look at women who lived during the Victorian era and wonder what the heck they were thinking. If the corsets didn’t kill me, the hoops would have. I am not especially coordinated. I’d be on my nose half the time with my bloomers showing.

Most?
Also easy. Regency. I don’t have an hourglass shape. I’m more straight up and down, which would be hidden beautifully with the Regency attire. In fact, I’ve spent a lot of my life in empire dresses. The only drawback would have been the fact that they weren’t notorious for dressing for the cold. I guess I wouldn’t have been very fashionable, because I like pneumonia just a bit less than I like corsets.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?
Actually, after 38 books, I’ve gotten to use pretty much every name I’ve wanted. My problem is that for some reason in every book I’ve written, the heroine turns into Maggie at least once. My copy editors have been great about catching it, but it has snuck through a few times. In fact, if my readers can find any, I give prizes. Just get in touch with me through my web site.

13. Dog person or cat person?
Yes. I grew up with animals, everything from gerbils to Great Danes!(great dogs!), often at the same time, and can’t ever imagine being without them. We lost our last dog two years ago(my lovely Molly, a black lab/ great dane mix). Since our children are now grown and we tend to travel a lot, we’ve decided that for now, we can’t have another dog. Dogs need their humans, especially Danes. I really don’t think it’s fair to a dog not to be there for him. So we have two cats. Cats will punish you for leaving, but it’s just the principle of the thing. As long as they have food and each other, they’re perfectly happy. Since my two are litter-mates, they’re wonderful together, even sleeping curled around each other. And they’re both affectionate boys(especially around dinnertime).

I love marriage of convenience books. I think there isn’t anything more satisfying than watching two near strangers navigate the rocky shoals of marriage together. What is your favorite story line and why? (Beauty and the beast? Love on the wrong side of the tracks? Reunion of old loves? Love and danger?…)

Setting: Belfast, Northern Ireland/Boston, MA
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Marc Rossi
Heroine: Devyn Sterling

One sentence summary: Guardian Angelino security consultant Marc Rossi heads to Northern Ireland on a routine assignment to locate a widowed socialite who is “of interest” to the FBI, but when he finds Devyn Sterling, she’s on a personal, secret and extremely dangerous mission of her own, forcing him to choose between duty and desire.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Um…it’s in a shower. Need I say more? It’s emotional and…wet.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “I’m not interested in family.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? As a second son of a big, opinionated, noisy Italian family, he’s something of a pacifist…who happens to be a weapons expert.

Heroine: She’s terrified of heights but ends up 1) on a rope bridge 100 feet over water; 2) in a bell tower high above the town of Enniskillen, 3) on the top of a crane hanging out over the Belfast shipyards.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: The adopted child of one of Boston’s wealthiest families, Devyn doesn’t have to work. Her volunteer jobs are always around her first love: children.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: A former FBI agent forced to leave the Bureau, he currently owns a gun store in Marblehead, Massachusetts, but is now part of the security and investigation firm started by his cousins, the Guardian Angelinos.

What you think readers will like best about this book: Everything, I hope, but early feedback says it’s the non-stop pace and the surprising plot twists. But, let’s be honest, it’ll be the shower scene.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: (answer only if applicable) Gabriel Rossi, the elusive CIA agent.

What’s next: FACE OF DANGER comes out in just four weeks! This is the story of risk-taking Vivi Angelino who steps into the shoes of a movie star to lure and trap a serial killer who is systematically targeting the winners of the Best Actress Oscar… and the rule-following FBI agent assigned to the case, who goes head to head (and body to body) with her until their insane chemistry combusts.

A little bit about me:

What’s my favorite movie of all time?
My comfort movie of choice is a tie between OVERBOARD and A CINDERELLA STORY. My action flick favorites are THE THOMAS CROWNE AFFAIR and TOP GUN.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Anything that makes my heart pound and my toes curl and my eyes water with unshed tears. And if the author can make me laugh, I’m even happier.

What’s the first book I remember reading?
As a very young child, I had a picture book about a medieval castle and I read it until the pages fell out. (Princess alert!) My first “romance” was Victoria Holt’s MISTRESS OF MELLYN.

What’s my favorite fairy tale?
Rapunzel – and no, I haven’t seen TANGLED yet.

What’s my favorite cartoon character?
Sponge Bob – for his eternal optimism.

What’s something I’d like to tell my readers?
Sometimes I think readers believe we just roll our eyes when we receive a letter about our books, like we’re so jaded and used to fan mail. SO NOT TRUE! I treasure (and respond to) every single letter, and very often I re-read some when I’m in dire need of a shot of inspiration and encouragement.

What would my occupation be if I was no longer a writer?
I would convince my husband – a fabulous chef — to open a restaurant and let me be the hostess. I don’t want to cook, but I’d love to be out to dinner every night.

What do I do to unwind and relax?
Define relax. I would rather write than do almost anything but I do love to read, watch movies, garden, run, and hang out with my awesome kids and my husband.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it?
Coffee, creamy and sweet, as soon as possible.

What does love mean to me?
To be loved means you never feel inadequate, you are truly empowered. To love someone else is just the opposite; you lose power and control and take the ride of a lifetime.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
I’ve always been a bit of a Francophile, and truly believe I lived in Versailles in another life. But, oh, can you imagine the discomfort of wearing all that…weight? I think I would have had a blast in the ‘50’s – everything about those styles appeals to me, from the skinny jeans to the poodle skirts. I even dig the ponytails!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Aurora or Rori – have always loved it, but can’t find the right girl for it.

Dog person or cat person?
Bow WOW I love dogs! Mine is named Pepper, an Australian Terrier who has never met a human she didn’t love, a squirrel she wouldn’t chase, or a piece of bacon she wouldn’t shame herself to receive.

One of the early scenes in SHIVER OF FEAR takes place in one of the most romantic, dramatic, and magical settings in Europe: the rugged Antrim Coast on the northeast shores of Northern Ireland. What is the most exotic place you’ve ever visited? The most beautiful? I’m always searching for a new setting, so please share!

I can give away a copy of SHIVER OF FEAR and FACE OF DANGER to two commenters!!

Authors Are Busy, Busy People!

This month Harlequin releases the first book in my 3-book BABIES IN THE BOARDROOM series, THE BABY PROJECT. The two books that follow, SECOND CHANCE BABY and A BABY ON THE RANCH, will be released in May and June. To say that I’ve been busy over the past few months would be classic understatement.

THE BABY PROJECT is an incredibly touching story of Whitney Ross and Darius Andreas. Darius lost his mom one January and his father the following December. But Whitney’s husband committed suicide. Worse, he killed their two-year-old daughter too.

One would think that would make for an incredibly depressing story, but the resilience of the human spirit is an amazing thing. Not only do both Darius and Whitney realize life goes on, but also they inherit joint custody of Darius’s half brother Gino…a six-month-old baby.

Has there ever been a better/worse situation for a woman who’s lost a child to be in? Whitney Ross doesn’t know. But it’s impossible not to fall in love with gorgeous dark-eyed, dark-haired Gino.

And she also discovers it’s impossible not to fall in love with serious, driven Darius.

But are they meant for a happily ever after or will being Gino’s guardians actually put them at odds?

I love this story so much that I wanted to see it get into the hands of as many people as possible…which is why I’m so busy!

But it’s fun busy. Not only have I gotten to write blogs for such great sites as Borders.com, but also I’ve had the pleasure of teaching online classes, sharing my knowledge with the writers who will be penning the books we’ll be reading a few years from now. There is no greater high for me than meeting the wonderful writers who attend my classes.

I’ve also written prologues for each of the three books in the BABIES IN THE BOARDROOM series. Prologues that will only go live on my website about three weeks before each book’s release. I call them What Came Before. It’s a way for me to show readers who the heroes were before they stepped onto page 1 of each of the Harlequin Romances. You’ll laugh at some aspects of their What Came Before. You’ll cry at others. But isn’t that what a journey in a novel is all about? Deep, wonderful emotion that fills your soul and lets you know you aren’t alone.

After I got done with the prologues I decided to fast forward thirty years and write the Happily Ever After romances for the babies of BABIES IN THE BOARDROOM. You want to talk about fun! How cool is it that writers can bend space and time and create stories about events for babies! They’re longer than a short story and shorter than an anthology, but they’re also tons of fun to read. Just for pleasure. Just for the joy of seeing that the Happily Ever Afters of my characters really are happily ever afters.

As you can see from the above, a writer’s life isn’t merely about writing books. There’s a lot of PR work that goes into our jobs. I squeeze a lot of side writing in between doing dishes and laundry, volunteering at the local hospice, taking care of my son, nurturing my marriage and being part of a very large family. I always said I hated to be bored and this career keeps me hopping! But after hearing all that there is a question I’d like to ask you…

Do you read extra content? Is it worth it for an author to write prologues that don’t find their way into the printed books? Do you want to read the spinoff stories of secondary characters…especially since they’re free?
Or are you happy with books ending without extra things like prologues, short stories connected to the main book or short stories written about secondary characters?

THE BABY PROJECT, 4/11, Harlequin Romance, part of the BABIES IN THE BOARDROOM trilogy.