Phyllis Humphrey & Carolann Camillo

Get lost in a high seas romance aboard the Southern Star!

Southern Star

Phyllis Humphrey and

Carolann Camillo

Avalon Press

Marilee’s inheritance, the yacht, Southern Star, is in default to the bank. To save it from the auction block, she decides to honor a Caribbean cruise planned for two couples. But with no captain available, she’s forced to approach Gary, a man she once loved but refused to marry. He agrees to skipper the cruise, but only if she comes along as crew.

In addition to the danger of succumbing again to Gary’s charm and good looks, she has other problems. Selling the yacht, the discovery of forgery, and the appearance of an unexpected visitor make the excursion anything but sea-worthy. Will the romantic but rocky voyage rekindle their love or scuttle it forever?

Carolann Camillo lives in the San Francisco Bay Area--talk about inspiration! She writes contemporary and historical romance, at times with her collaborator Phyllis Humphrey. Twice a year, she travels with her husband, a college professor. "We spend Christmas in New York where I have family, and in early June we go to Europe, usually France or Italy. Tough life!"

SOUTHERN STAR is Phyllis Humphrey's tenth published romance novel, but she has also sold a mainstream novel, short stories, articles and a non-fiction book during her 35 year writing career. She's a member of Mensa and listed in Who's Who of American Women.

Welcome to Get lost In a Story Carolann and Phyllis. Please feel free to co-author or trade off answering the interview questions!

Jillian: Besides getting lost in a story, what turns you on?

Carolann: I'd have to say my husband turns me on like nothing else!

Jillian: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and specifically why?

Carolann: King Henry VIII's court--such intrigue!

Jillian: What's something you'd like to tell your fans?

Carolann: I always fall in love with my hero (don't tell my husband)

Jillian: What dreams have your realized as a result of your writing?

Carolann: PUBLICATION!

Jillian: What does it mean to love someone?

Carolann: To love someone means doing what you can to make them happy--if you do, they'll make you happy in return.

Jillian: If you could't be a writer, what profession would you take up?

Carolann: If I couldn't be a writer, I'd be an actor.

Jillian: What's your favorite movie of all time?

Carolann: Pillow Talk with Doris Day and Rock Hudson--humor and romance--it doesn't get much better than that.

Jillian: What was the first story you remember writing?

Phyllis: I started a book about a girl who was adopted and set out to find her real parents. (Not true in my case)

Jillian: Tea or coffee?

Phyllis: I'm a tea drinker, especially peppermint tea or Constant Comment. Comes from my English grandfather, no doubt.

Jillian: If you couldn't be a writer, what profession would you take up?

Phyllis: That's an easy one, because I'm also an actor and singer. I'd love to play quirky characters!

And now for the Gotta Ask, Gotta Answer question:

Jillian: Since you are co-authors of SOUTHERN STAR, I'd love for you to tell us how you met your writing partner, and a bit about how you work together.

Carolann: Phyllis and I met at a writing class. We lived a few blocks from each other and usually walked together 2X a week. We started kicking around an idea for a book, and voila!

Sometimes Phyllis writes the first draft of a chapter and I polish it. In our book, Eye Witness, there are some chapters we wrote individually.

We burn through so many e-mails when we conference--fortunately, we're usually on the same page.

Jillian: Any tips for teaming up with another writer?

Carolann: Write with someone who thinks pretty much the way you do and has similar interests and taste in books. Kick around a story idea--if you come up a plot that intrigues you, go for it! Not surprisingly, Phyllis agrees: A writing partner has to be someone as much like you as possible, and also someone whom you trust and whose writing you admire.

Jillian: Phyllis, would you like to add anything else?

Phyllis: I'm a story person and Carolann is a word person. SOUTHERN STAR is our first collaboration, the second, EYE WITNESS, has been accepted by Knight Publishing and will be released in January 2012. We're working on a rewrite of the third, but, thanks to e-mail, it's not that difficult!

Phyllis has a reader question: Have you been on a yacht, or a small cruise ship, or been to the Bahamas? If so, what's your favorite memory of it? A free book to the person who gives the best answer!***

Phyllis invites readers to visit her website: http://phyllishumphrey.com

Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook or FOLLOW us on Twitter to keep track of who's next to "Get Lost In a Story." Come back tomorrow when Angi hosts Lisa Spindler.

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an 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.