Patricia Rosemoor

BRAZEN
Harlequin Intrigue
ISBN: 0373695284

Despite their uncanny psychic connection, Siobhan McKenna had once pushed Clay Salazar away. Better to break his heart than to be responsible for his death, as her family curse threatened any man she loved. But now the feisty McKenna faces trouble on her ranch—someone's trying to drive the Double JA into the dust! Her solution: hire Clay, a Navajo-trained horse gentler, to run the place. With their special connection severed, his life should be safe.

GETTING TO KNOW PATRICIA ROSEMOOR

Feeling that justice is all too rare in real life, Patricia Rosemoor drives her characters to seek an equitable resolution, no matter the personal sacrifice. Her fascination with "dangerous love" – combining romance with danger – has led her to write various forms of romantic suspense and paranormal romantic thrillers, bringing a different mix of thrills and chills and romance to each book. She believes strongly in breaking down barriers to write crossover fiction that appeals to a large and varied audience.

Patricia has won a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America and two Reviewers Choice and two Career Achievement Awards from RT BOOKreviews, and in her other life, she teaches Popular Fiction and Suspense-Thriller Writing, credit courses in the Fiction Writing Department of Columbia College Chicago. Five of her former students are now published in novel-length fiction.

TWENTY QUESTIONS

okay, it's more like ten [[GRIN]]

ANGI: How often do you get lost in a story?
PATRICIA: All stories are not equal in what I get from them or in how much they affect me, but I would say I get lost in some scenes in every story I write. Truthfully, it’s usually in the suspense scenes, but some romances touch me more than others. BRAZEN was one of those stories. Clay and Siobhan’s love story in the past called to me so strongly that I had to write it. So as the present day story progresses, the reader gets thrown back to the past, alternating in their points of view up to the point that Clay leaves town brokenhearted. Every one of those scenes sucked me in as my hero and heroine told me about their past together.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
PATRICIA: I truly don’t remember my first book, but I remember my first significant read. I know my mother made me a “reader” before I started school. At the time, the library had 3 levels of cards–Juvenile, Senior (for 7th graders and up) and Adult. By the time I was in second grade, I had read or been read every book in the juvenile section, so I started reading senior books. I skipped a grade and so was in third grade for the last few months of that year. Still, I always finished my work in class before the other students, so I would read a library book. The nun caught me reading and took the book – DOUBLE DATE by Rosemary DuJardin – and said she was going to look at it. The next day she gave it back to me and told me I should be reading history and geography instead.

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
PATRICIA: Reading a book in which I realize the author didn’t do enough research to suspend my disbelief. It’s probably why I’m so paranoid about “getting it right.”

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
PATRICIA: Definitely Action Adventure. I know authors who love writing the beginning of their stories but aren’t thrilled figuring out and writing the end because it’s so difficult. I LOVE writing the big finish, the longer, more action packed, more suspense and thrill filled the better. My July book DEAL BREAKER didn’t feel as special as BRAZEN when I was writing it, but I just read the galleys last week and realized my big was the entire last fourth of the book and it sucked me in! I surprised myself.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
PATRICIA: Oh, dear, I don’t remember the title, but it was an historical romance with a shipwreck involved. It was never published. As a matter of fact, the first rejection letter I got was badly xeroxed telling me good luck elsewhere and signed off “The Editors” – no actual signature. I gave up, decided writing wasn’t for me. And then six months later, I started my second historical romance that didn’t get published.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
PATRICIA: WITNESS. Hum, that might have something to do with Harrison Ford playing the hero...now if only they had ended up together at the end. Sigh.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
PATRICIA: Oh, come now, isn’t Hannibal Lecter everyone’s favorite? He’s the perfect example of a three dimensional villain. He has so many sides to him, it’s difficult to hate him. Be scared of meeting him in a dark alley, yes, but not hate him.

ANGI: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?
PATRICIA: Aren’t they the same? When I write I am telling myself a story. I love having written. But half the time (maybe more), writing is something to be avoided whenever possible until that deadline starts looming closer. It’s always great to get to those scenes where I “lose myself,” but the rest of the book usually feels like torture. My students hand in first draft. I probably rewrite a scene twenty times before I think it works.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: So, Patricia, what’s your favorite “paranormal” element to add to a story?
PATRICIA’S GOTTA ANSWER: I like playing with psychic abilities, especially when it has to do with animals–I’ve used human connection both to wolves and horses in my McKenna books. I think it’s true that we humans use only a fraction of our brain power and if we found a way to develop them, we would feel a real connection not only to each other, but to the animals around us.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?
I would love to know if/how they can suspend their disbelief when it comes to psychic abilities.

PATRICIA will be happy to send an autographed copy of BRAZEN to someone leaving a comment today.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an electronic Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

HERE’s how and where you can contact Patricia: website; Facebook; Patricia Rosemoor’s Novels at Facebook; and Twitter.

DON’T FORGET to “Like” us on Facebook, “Follow” us on Twitter, and visit here Thursday when Heather interviews Historical author Julie Anne Long AND again on Friday when Simone Gets Lost with Erin Kellison. See you next Wednesday when I bring you Historical author Winnie Griggs.

~~Til then, Angi