Mira Lyn Kelly

Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her for the previous two years. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action, adventure and entertainment.

With writing as her passion and inspiration striking at the most unpredictable times, Mira can always be found with a notebook at the ready. (More than once she’s been caught by the neighbors, covered in grass clippings, scribbling away atop the compost container!)

When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls and cooking with her husband and friends. Check out her website for the latest dish!–

FRONT PAGE AFFAIR

Payton hasn't seen Nate Evans in years—not since he used to hang out with her brother in high school. But now she and Nate are guests at the same wedding where the notorious millionaire offers her a wild proposal—a sexy, scandalous and irresistible affair!
Nate's outrageous proposition was supposed to stay only paper-thin; it was merely a ploy to distract the tabloids from another, all-too-real scandal. But neither he nor Payton expected such a very public affair to prove so very hot in private…
Or to have such lasting consequences….

Excerpt:

        

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Mira Lynn Kelly, a fellow Midwest Fiction Writer chapter mate and Harlequin Presents Extra author.  With our love of alpha heroes and sexy, passionate stories in common, it's no surprise we hit it off right away.  I'm so glad she decided to share a little about herself with us.

CAT:  Where do you read and how often?

MIRA:  Since writing is now a full time gig, I do it every day. Which means every night I need a way to break out of whatever story I’m currently toiling over…and I’ve found getting lost in someone else’s polished to a high shine writing is the best way for me to accomplish that. So I read every night. Usually on the couch in the living room, while I do my best to ignore Hoarders or Tool Academy or whatever compelling reality drama my husband is currently hooked on. (Also explains why I turn to a book rather than TV, lol!)

CAT:  Do you write to music?  If so, what kind?

MIRA:  Sometimes, but it really depends on where I am in a story. When I’m fine tuning, or working through a particularly sticky scene I need SILENCE. But when I’m dirty drafting…a little dirty music (Maroon 5 is always good) can be a great mood setter.

CAT:  What was the first story you remember writing?

MIRA:  I started writing stories in high school and the first one was about a woman in a nursing home who believed the man visiting her was her husband, when in truth he was married to her daughter. It wasn’t a real romance, lol, that’s for sure.

CAT:  What’s your favorite movie of all time? Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Totally. MIRA:  Aside from Brad Pitt being one of my favorite flavors of man-candy, this movie is just sexy and hilarious and action packed.

CAT:  Be honest, when reading 1^st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

MIRA:  Yes. I love to get a look inside the hero’s head. Guys have such a different way of looking at things, such a sexy and unique take on what’s happening around them. I always like to be a part of it…for at least a while anyway.

CAT:  If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

MIRA:  Hmm, I think I’d like to be a professional book reviewer, making six figures off it, and only reviewing romances…with happy endings…and no closed door love scenes.

CAT:  What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

MIRA:  Slump down in my chair and let out breath of relief that feels like it comes straight from my toes. Then there might be some aimless staggering around the house as I let go of all the million little details I’ve been trying to keep at the forefront of my mind for the past two months. A bit of delirium maybe. And finally, I pour a glass of wine and curl up next to the man and watch whatever he’s got on (at this point I’m sufficiently brain dead to tolerate the reality du jour). I usually wait until the next day to start the new project.  

CAT:  If you could interview one person (and it doesn’t have to be a writer) who would it be?

MIRA:  George Clooney. I figure an interview would be a legitimate means of getting within cheap-feel distance, right? Definitely better than just out and out stalking.

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER  J

CAT:  If you were a T-shirt, what color would you be and why?

MIRA:  Black because then I’d be versatile and go with everything. I love that I’d be a T-shirt though because I’m all about the casual…but in my mind a plain black T is sort of the dressier end of casual and can be spiffed up without too much effort…as opposed to the mustard yellow variety that says “I’m with stupid ===>”

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Thank you very much to Cat and Get Lost In A Story for the opportunity to join you today and share a little bit about myself. But after answering all these questions for you, I feel like I kind of want to ask one of my own. So here it is…

What’s your favorite flavor of romance? Do your tastes run towards something light and funny? Heavy and heart-wrenching? Tart and fresh? Hot and spicy? Or super sweet?

Me? Most often I like mine fresh but with enough heat and complexity to maintain a slow burn throughout and keep me hungering for more…but the truth is I’m a sucker for any romance I can get! I’d love to hear what you crave when you’re looking for a HEA…and even who you think serves it up like no one else. (Yes, I read every night…which means I’m always looking for new authors to add to my must read pile!)

One commenter will be chosen at random to win a copy of my current release FRONT PAGE AFFAIR.**

Wishing all of you a wonderful year!

Mira

For more about Mira, visit her at:  www.miralynkelly.com

**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.

Join us tomorrow when Angi hosts Rebecca York.

Eileen Cook

Today I'm thrilled to welcome of my good writer-friends, Eileen Cook. Her first novel, UNPREDICTABLE, was one of the funniest chick lit books I ever read. And her YA and Middle Grade books are fabulous, too.


If you don't believe me, (and why wouldn't you?), here's what major reviewers have had to say about her latest release, THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK:

"Cook effectively builds both Hailey's (justified) feelings of rebellion and the social dynamics of her ostracism, especially in her growing friendship with a challenging townie, Drew, who supervises her punishment working with the janitorial staff....Cook coaxes considerable empathy for the otherwise privileged Hailey as she abandons the achievement treadmill to explore her independence."

--Publishers Weekly

* "Hailey may be an A student headed to the Ivy League, but when it comes to taking a chance on life, she’s clueless. She’s also enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read. Yes, it’s chick lit, but of the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat.”

--Kirkus starred review

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.


You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at http://www.eileencook.com/. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.


GET LOST IN A GREAT YA


Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them.
Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.
They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?


GET TO KNOW THE AUTHOR


Maureen: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Eileen: How do people pick one? I love old classic movies like: Casablanca, It Happened One Night, The Philadelphia Story, Dial M for Murder, Gone with the Wind, The Maltese Falcon- heck I have a list and I’m already not even up to the 1970’s. Around Christmas I love watching Love Actually. It’s my favorite romantic comedy by a mile.


Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Eileen: Whatever I am currently reading. I read nearly everything: mystery, YA, thrillers, literary fiction, women’s fiction, non fiction, you name it I’ll read it. I actually go through book withdrawal if I don’t have something to read. I’m happiest when I have a huge stack of books waiting for my attention.


Maureen: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Eileen: I was lucky because my parents were both huge readers. I remember going every week to the library and getting huge stacks of books. Two that stick in my memory are The Phantom Tollbooth and The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.


Maureen: I love those titles! And that you remember them. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Eileen: Does The Princess Bride count?


Maureen: That totally counts! One of my favorites, too. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Eileen: Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.


Maureen: Where do you read and how often?
Eileen: I read anywhere and everywhere- planes, trains, beaches, bed, waiting in line. My favorite place is on my sofa with my two dogs. I read (even if it is just a bit) every day.


Maureen: Tulips or roses?
Eileen: I’ll take flowers in any form except lilies because the smell of them gives me a headache. I have a fondness for Gerber daisies. They seem like such a happy flower.


Maureen: Do you like to read books in the same genre you write in?
Eileen: I love to read YA and I think as a writer it helps to know what else is happening in your genre. Plus you can consider them to be a business expense.


Maureen: Nothing like tax-deductible books! What sound or noise do you love?
Eileen: The sound of a dog having a dream complete with snuffling, quiet woofs and the occasional snore makes me happy.


Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of cheese?
Eileen: Manchego. It’s a Spanish sheep milk cheese. Mmmm. However, I’m no cheese snob, I’ll also gladly take a pack of string cheese.


Maureen: What’s your worst guilty pleasure?
Eileen: Life is too short for feeling guilty. I love warm cookies, a new book I’ve been waiting to read, time with friends and family, great shoes, and rubbing dog bellies.


Maureen: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Eileen: Thank you. There are so many great books out there (I should know I have a stack waiting for me) that I really appreciate people giving my books their time and attention. I’d take you all out for cupcakes if I could.


Maureen: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Eileen: I love movies and how they’re made. I think it would be fun to be a movie director. Plus I could always cast the various actors that I find dreamy. It would be movie after movie with Colin Firth, Nathan Fillion and Johnny Depp.


Maureen: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Eileen: I love to knit. I’m a lazy knitter, the pattern can’t be too complex or detailed. I think I’m really in it because I love the tactile feeling of yarn. I’m a yarn fondler. I also love watching movies, which can be done while knitting so it’s a double whammy.


Maureen: Yarn fondler. **Snort.** Do you believe in alien abductions?
Eileen: No. I suspect that any alien life smart enough to build a space ship and travel light years would have better things to do then fly around giving anal probes to random people. Otherwise I am forced to believe that aliens are really nothing more than frat boys telling fart jokes on a galactic scale.


Maureen: LOL. Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Eileen: Yes. I tell myself that I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. I’m just so excited to know someone other than my family and friends have read the book I have to know what they think. I’ve gotten much better about not wanting to throw myself under a truck if the review is bad. I can think of plenty of books that other people loved that I didn’t like so taste is a personal thing.


Maureen: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Eileen: Tea. This is practically a crime in Vancouver where coffee drinking is high art. I love chai tea with a bit of honey.


Maureen: It's a crime at my house, too, but I forgive you. Which era would you least like to have lived in fashion-wise and why? Most?
Eileen: I love the fashion on the TV show Mad Men, but the truth is it would be very hard for me to give up my stretchy yoga pants and sweatshirt to wear pearls and heels every day.


GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER


Maureen: You’ve written books for adults and kids. What’s the best thing about being a children’s author? Is there a worst thing?
Eileen: I’m often asked about the difference between writing for teens and adults. I feel as if I should come up with a smart sounding answer, but the truth is I don’t find it different. Everyone, no matter their age, deals with similar issues of trying to figure out who you are, what you want in life, and how to cope with the relationships you have and those you want to have. The one thing I particularly like about writing for teens is the intensity. The first time you fall in love, are betrayed by a friend or discover you had strength you didn’t know existed is hugely powerful because it hasn’t happened before- it makes it fun to write.


EILEEN'S GOTTA ASK HER FANS
Since I’m always looking to build my reading list- what is a book you’ve read recently that you think everyone else should read?


GIVEAWAY!
Eileen is offering a copy of THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK to one lucky commenter!
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.


You can keep in touch with Eileen online here:
http://www.eileencook.com/
Twitter: @Eileenwriter


Readers: Make sure you come back tomorrow when Cat Schield interviews Mira Lyn Kelly!

Barbara Dunlop

USA Today bestselling author Barbara Dunlop sold her first book to Harlequin in 2000.  She has since written 29 novels for a variety of Harlequin and Silhouette lines.  Barbara is a two time RITA Award finalist and a two time winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart.  Her next book, “The CEO’s Accidental Bride” will be released by Silhouette Desire in January 2011. 

I’m thrilled to interview Barbara Dunlop today.  As a new Desire author, I learned so much of my craft from reading Barbara’s wonderful stories.  No matter how distracting my surroundings, I always know when I pick up one of Barbara’s books, her characters will pull me into their lives with warm humor and passionate encounters.

THE CEO’S ACCIDENTAL BRIDE

There was no way multimillionaire Zach Harper would split his inheritance with a stranger. Even if she was his wife. What had supposedly been a prank Vegas wedding to Kaitlin Saville was very real. And now, according to his late grandmother's will, Zach's future was tied to Kaitlin…forever.

The CEO truly believed he could buy off his bride with a few million and a signed divorce decree. However, Kaitlin didn't want money. She wanted an opportunity only Zach could provide. So he offered her a job, vowing never to consummate their marriage. But some vows were meant to be broken.…

 

Exerpt:

CAT:  How often to you get lost in a story?

BARBARA:  I get lost every time I read a good story.  There’s nothing better than diving into a great book with fun, compelling characters.  And when you have to take a break from reading, it’s wonderful to know the book is waiting for you to pick it up again.  I particularly enjoy comedies.  Janet Evanovich, Jennifer Crusie, Jane Graves and Susan Elizabeth Phillips are some of my favorites.  Recently I’ve been reading Lisa Kleypas contemporaries.  They’re terrific!

CAT:  What’s the first book you remember reading? 

BARBARA:  As a young girl, I loved the “Little House” books.  As I grew into a teenager, I found myself gravitating toward books with strong romance plots.  I don’t think there were as many Young Adult romances back then.  But I’m sure I would have loved them.

CAT:  Where do you read and how often?

BARBARA:  Lately, I tend to read on airplanes.  I often save books by favorite authors for when I know I have a long flight coming up.  Nothing makes a day of traveling brighter than getting lost in a great story!

CAT:  What was the first story you remember writing?

BARBARA:  I wrote “How the Giraffe Got His Long Neck” when I was about eight years old.

CAT:  What’s your favorite movie of all time?

BARBARA:  It’s hard to pick out a single film.  I loved “The Last of the Mohicans”.  In a completely different genre, I thought “Charlie Wilson’s War” was fantastic.  But I’m also a huge sucker for a romantic comedy.  Most recently, I laughed out loud through “The Proposal”.  I’m a Sandra Bullock fan.  I also loved “While You Were Sleeping” and “Two Weeks Notice.”  Obviously, I could go on and on!

CAT:  Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

BARBARA:  My personal preference is third person, in part because I do enjoy having the hero’s POV.  But a well-written first person story is also enjoyable.  I mentioned Lisa Kleypas in an earlier answer.  Her contemporaries are first person, and they’re incredibly engaging.

CAT:  What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

BARBARA:  Comedies are my all time favorite stories to get lost in.  Even though the Stephanie Plum series isn’t really a romance, I still buy them all and laugh my way through.  I like snappy dialogue, particularly great banter between a hero and heroine.  There’s something energizing about a witty, intelligent debate.

CAT:  If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

BARBARA:  In addition to being a writer, I’m also a Film Commissioner.  That means I get to work with a huge variety of filmmakers and support the careers of other artists.  It’s a great job.

CAT:  If you could interview one person (and it doesn’t have to be a writer) who would it be?

BARBARA:  There’s a brilliant news commentator in Canada on the CBC, Rex Murphy.  I don’t know if I’d necessarily want to do a formal interview.  I’d rather have lunch with him and hear his views on world politics, or pretty much anything really.

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER

CAT:  If you were a t-shirt, what color would you be and why?

BARBARA:  I’d be dark purple, something different and mysterious, but not too flashy.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

The Silhouette Desire line often features powerful heroes and glitzy settings.  What are your favorite hero professions, billionaires, cowboys?  What are your favorite settings?

Barbara can be contacted through her web site www.barbaradunlop.com.

Thank you, Barbara for blogging with us today.

Please stop back Monday, January 10^th when Maureen McGowan hosts Middle Grade and YA author Eileen Cook.

Allison Brennan

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Allison Brennan is the author of thirteen novels and three short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children. Besides that, she's a really nice person. Please welcome, Allison Brennan as she answers The Get Lost Crew's fun questions.

Donnell: Which of your characters would you most/least want to invite to dinner, and why?

Allison: I would love to have dinner will Dillon Kincaid and Kate Donovan because they are both the most interesting characters to me. I also would love to have dinner with secondary character Hans Vigo who has been in many of my books.

I wouldn't like to dine with any of my villains! Especially Trask from Fear No Evil. He creeps me out. Or the killing pair in Sudden Death. Out of the other characters, I think I'd have nothing to talk about with Nelia Kincaid. I'd be nervous about her, but I need to get over that because I may have a story idea for Lucy, Carina and Nelia.

Donnell: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Allison: Yes, I read them, I can't help it. I'm a glutton for punishment. They don't influence me, however, 99% of the time. I can't please all readers. I write for myself, then my editor, then my readers--those who enjoy my voice and stories. There are some people who'll never like my books, and that's OK. If I tried to please everyone, my books would be a mess. And if everyone liked the same types of stories, the world would be a boring place. The only time something might inluence me is if several people made a similar comment, especially about something my gut told me was a problem. But the only time I can think of where I did pay attention, it was something very specific to one book. It wouldn't influence me in future books because it's irrelevant now.

The International Thriller Writers Worst Book Review Award has really helped me put reviews in perspective. When some of the bestselling, and some of my favorite authors, like Lee Child and James Rollins get awful reviews--and these guys share them for everyone at the banquet to laugh at--it makes me not take most reviews too seriously.

Donnell: (Good to know, A. thanks.) Have you ever written a character who wasn't meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn't go away?

Allison: Hans Vigo was supposed to die in one of my books, but I couldn't do it. He grew on me. I've kept him around. I won't say he'll never die, but it would be extremely difficult if someone killed him. On me, and my characters who all love him too! He isn't going to be a hero, however. He might have a secondary romance.

I usually know when I meet a character that they'll be a hero or heroine someday, even if I don't plant it. When Jack showed up in Fear No Evil, he almost took over. I didn't have a story idea for him at the time, and he was very mysterious. But I knew he'd be back even though I didn't plan it, and I didn't know who his heroine would be.

Donnell: What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven't found the right fit yet?

Allison: None. Characters come to me first. Sometimes, they come fully developed and named (Sean Rogan, Nora English, Sonia Knight, Miranda Moore, Nick Thomas) and other times they are more elusive and I go through multiple possible names (Robin McKenna, JoAnna Sutton, Moira O'Donnell.) I've never had a name before a character.

Donnell: What's in your refrigerator right now.

Allison: This blog isn't big enough for me to list everything! Remember, I have five kids. Milk, chocolate milk, ham, salami, cheese, apples, lettuce, oranges, homemade salsa that my friend brought over Saturday for a party, leftover cheesecake. Though by the time you read this, the cheesecake will be gone. Probably the most interesting item is a large Costco size jar of marinated artichoke hearts. I love them in salads and pasta!

Donnell: What is something that not a lot of people know about you but you WISH more people COULD know?

Allison: I don't know. I'm pretty open and straightforward. Maybe that I'm really not organized, that I procrastinate worse than most people, and writing is hard work. That no matter how easy it looks like, there is no easy road in this business--not mine, and not anyone else's.

Donnell: Is Elvis really dead.

Allison: Yes.

Donnell: (spoken like a pragmatic thriller writer). What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on, or did pass on to your children?

Allison: Big, family Christmases. Decorating the tree with a variety of ornaments, especially homemade ornaments.

Donnell: What does it mean to love somebody?

Allison: To trust them with everything you think, feel and desire.

Donnell: What color would you make the sky if it weren't going to be blue anymore?

Allison: Purple.

Donnell: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Allison: Play video games and watch old movies. Or, take a long, hot bubble bath. With a glass of wine.

Donnell: Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

Allison: I don't let writer's block stop me from writing. I can't. Some days it's harder to write than others, but I sit down and write, even if I know it's crap and I'm going to delete it the next day. If I'm really struggling, I usually reread what I've already written and see if I know where the story derailed. Every time I'm stuck it's either stress from the business part of writing that I can't push aside during my writing time, or it's because I'm forcing the story down a path that's wrong.

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

Allison: That I am happiest as a writer. Being published and writing full-time was my dream, but I didn't realize how much writing was such a part of me, deep down in my core, until I quit my day job and my daughter told me she'd never seen me happier.

Donnell: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Allison: I don't know about interesting...I have lots of oddities. I write to loud rock music most of the time. I write faster when I'm not at my desk, but edit better in my office. I don't like anyone asking me if I'm almost done, or really anything about my work-in-progress, as if talking about it will jinx me, but the weirdest thing? I tend to talk to myself, especially in the car. Thank God for hands free cell phones! Now other drivers don't think I'm crazy!

Donnell: What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing/researching a book?

Allison: There are many. One tidbit was that none of the guys caught by Dateline's Predator show were prosecuted. (I learned that during my FBI class in 2008.) Maybe now, but I haven't heard anything.

Donnell: What is your favorite kid joke?

Allison: What's black and white and read all over? A newspaper. Except my kids don't get it.

Donnell (I wonder why? :)) Which era would you least have liked to live in, fashion-wise?

Allison: The seventies. Yuck.

Donnell: Tell me how many hats do you have in your home?

Allison: For me? Two...My FBI cap and my Mickey Mouse Santa hat. My boys have lots of ball caps.

Donnell: Dog or cat person?

Allison: Cat person.

Donnell: Which is your favorite language other than your native language?

Allison: Latin.

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

Allison: The American Revolution. It's my favorite historical time period and I'd love to meet those who started the Revolution, specifically Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Abigail Adams, and Sam Adams. To be a fly on the wall during both the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the first congress!

Donnell: How much money does it take to make you happy?

Allison: Money doesn't make people happy. You can be happy and dirt poor, and happy and rich; likewise, you can be miserable and broke, and miserable and rich. Happiness truly only comes from within. If people are dependent on people or things for their happiness, they'll never be happy.

Donnell: If you couldn't be a writer anymore, what profession would you choose?

Allison: I don't even want to go there! I'm too old to join the FBI.

Donnell: What's the first thing you do when you finish a book?

Allison: Type THE END.

Donnell: And finally, if you could interview one person (and it doesn't have to be a writer), who would it be?

Allison: Another hard question! Probably Joss Whedon or Eric Kripke.

Allison, thanks for joining us today. Questions or Comments for Allison? We'll be giving away a $10.00 gift certificate to B&N for one commenter and a copy of LOVE ME TO DEATH for another!

Please join GLIAS tomorrow as Cat Schield hosts Romantic Comedy Author, Barbara Dunlop.


Congratulations to Gillian Layne. You have won LOVE ME TO DEATH by Allison Brennan & to Jill James. Y ou have won the $10 B&N gift certificate!

Vicki Lewis Thompson

READERS' CORNER
by Cynthia D’Alba

I am thrilled that New York Times best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson agreed to "Get Lost" on GLIAS today. Her long romance writing career has brought Vicki many wonderful things –New York Timesbestseller status, an appearance on LIVE with Regis and Kelly,
the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from Romance Writers of America,
thousands of readers, many dear friends, and the cutest little yellow convertible in the world.

Her career has also given her work she loves.

Although she’s written more than 100 books, she continues to be fascinated by the many ways that a man and woman fall in love. The age-old story remains a challenging puzzle to be solved anew with each book. That makes her a very lucky person, indeed.

An author with an extensive backlist of more than 100 books, Vicki continues to write romances that are long in humor and sexuality without excessive fretting and angst on the part of her characters. She enjoys putting her character into almost impossible situations and letting them find their way out of the maze of problems she throws at them. She feels she’s a lucky person to do able to do a job she loves. I think it’s her readers who are the lucky ones to have someone with her talent there to amuse and entertain us.

Welcome Vicki.

CYNDI: Let’s talk about getting lost in a story. Do you ever find yourself lost in the story you’re writing to the point the characters live in your mind as though real?
VICKI: If I answer this honestly, promise you won’t send the guys with the butterfly net. When I’m writing a book, I ALWAYS think of the characters as real. And next we can get into a philosophical discussion about what is real and what isn’t. Who knows? My characters are more real, and a lot more fun to hang out with, than my next-door-neighbor. Anyway, for the length of the book, and often beyond, those people are alive and well in my imagination.

CYNDI: If you want to get lost in a story other than your own, who are some of your favorite authors who can take you away with their words.
VICKI: Lorraine Heath is one of my favorites. I discovered Regencies about three years ago, and I can’t get enough of them. Sabrina Jeffries is another fave of mine, and I just latched onto Victoria Alexander and Julianne MacLean. I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch of writers I love. I don’t read as much contemporary as I used to because I write it and that means it’s harder to get lost in the story. I don’t write Regencies, so they’re a pure escape for me.

CYNDI: What is your favorite fairy tale? Have you used it as the basis for any of your books?
VICKI: Beauty and the Beast, hands down. I hadn’t thought about it until now, but NERD IN SHINING ARMOR is a similar story of transformation. I didn’t mean to mirror Beauty and the Beast, but I think it does. I love stories of transformation.

CYNDI: I heard a rumor that you can kill a computer faster than anyone you know. Why do you hate computers so much that you beat them to death?
VICKI: LOL! I don’t hate computers. I love them to death, just like The Velveteen Rabbit. I love off all their letters and squeeze them until the battery pops out. I break bread with them and fill their keyboards with crumbs. I have a laptop that my daughter has threatened to take into the local computer store as an exhibit of what I can do to them, except she’s not sure their hearts can take it. I’ve dropped that thing several times, once on a tile floor so hard that the battery jumped out and flew across the room. It wasn’t quite right after that episode, so I’ve moved on. I want to give that poor thing a decent burial, but my daughter thinks it should sit there as an object lesson of some kind. I’m now loving a new laptop to death.

CYNDI: What is the first thing you do when you type THE END on your book (after you pour a big glass of wine.)
VICKI: I’m glad you mentioned the big glass of wine, because that is definitely my first move. My second move is to find out if my friends are talking to me anymore or if I’ve lost them all through my inattention. I usually have to schedule a hair appointment after that, because otherwise I would be ashamed to be seen by the friends I have left.

CYNDI: If money were no object, where would you go? Where would you live? Why?
VICKI: I’d take a cruise around the world first. I’d plan to write while I was on the ship because I love to write and wouldn’t want to give it up for the months I’d be at sea. As for where I’d live after that, I’d probably establish several homes. One would be on the Left Bank in Paris, one on Santorini, one overlooking Lake Tahoe, one on the beach in La Jolla, one somewhere in Ireland, and maybe one in Cornwall, although I’ve never been there. I think I’d love it, though.

Let’s talk about you next book, A WEREWOLF IN MANHATTAN. (Signet, January 2011, ISBN: 045123247X)

CYNDI: You haven’t written about werewolves before, right? Where did you get the idea to write about werewolves?
VICKI: Nope, never wrote about werewolves. The idea to do so came from my agent, Robert Gottlieb. It’s the first time he’s ever suggested a story concept, and that’s why I dedicated the book to him.

CYNDI: We all know that writers do extensive research for books. Tell us about your trip to Manhattan and upstate New York when you visited the werewolf pack and got a tour of their compound. Were you nervous? Did they let you take pictures? Was it really cool to watch them change into their wolf forms? Did you have to use a lint brush afterwards?
VICKI: You crack me up. Yes, the research was the best part, and I was nervous until I realized that hey, werewolves are people, too. And contrary to popular opinion, they don’t shed at all. They’re too cool for that.

GOTTA ASK QUESTION:
When men are interviewed, they seem to always be asked boxers or briefs. I don’t want to be accused of sexual discrimination, so…thong or grannies?

VICKI: Oh, good grief. Neither. Hate them both. Bikini briefs, okay? Happy, now?
CYNDI: Is there any question you’ve never been asked during an interview that you wished someone had asked? Here’s your chance…ask yourself and answer it.

Dear Miss Vicki: How is it possible you’ve written so many books when you’re so young? Dear Sweet Reader: I published my first romance when I was seven years old. Thanks for asking.

CYNDI: What question (or questions) do you want to ask your fans?
VICKI:What’s your favorite book of mine and why? I’ll bet the answer will be different for everyone, which is why I need to keep writing. If I haven’t made someone’s favorite list yet, I’ll just keep trying until I hit that sweet spot! I relish the challenge.

Thank you so much for being here. Also, thank you for your current service to Romance Writers of America by serving on the Board of Directors as a Regional Director.

VICKI: Thank you for inviting me, Cyndi! It’s always a pleasure.

~ ~ ~
Vicki will select one person to receive the Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) of A WEREWOLF IN MANHATTAN. To be entered in the drawing, leave a message here and tell me you want it. Also go read 'the read' of A WEREWOLF IN MANHATTAN at http://everybodyneedsalittleromance.com/2011/01/02/a-werewolf-in-…mpson-a-review/
Leave a message there for a second entry into the drawing.

To be clear…there is only one ARC but you can have two chances to win. If you want the ARC autographed by Ms. Vicki, let me know and I'll have her personalize it to the winner in March.
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

If you want to read an excerpt from A WEREWOLF IN MANHATTAN: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com/were1chapter1.html

Thanks Vicki for coming by!
And thanks to Cyndi for hosting today! This is awesome, two guests at GLIAS.

Don't forget to answer Vicki's question about her favorite book! And ask Vicki anything you'd like to know. Check our winners' circle page for a list of winners. And be sure to come back tomorrow to visit with Allison Brennan, and then Friday with Barbara Dunlop.
~~'til next week, Angi

Barbara O'Neal

BARBARA O'NEAL BAKES A PERFECT LIFE

If you have not read Barbara O'Neal's wise and wonderful women's fiction, you are missing something special. The Lost Recipe for Happiness (which won a RITA award in 2010, one of four RITAs she has won) and The Secret of Everything explore healing, loss, finding yourself, and finding family - against a background of delicious and exquisite food. Her latest book, How to Bake a Perfect Life, has just been released, and as usual I plan to treat myself by curling up and reading it as soon as I can.

For aspiring writers, Barbara is also an occasional columnist at Writer Unboxed, a blog I have been inspired by many times over the years. So of course I took the first opportunity I could to invite Barbara to Get Lost in a Story!




HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE

An unforgettable novel that celebrates food, family, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.

In a story as warm and embracing as a family kitchen, Barbara O’Neal explores the poignant, sometimes complex relationship between mothers and daughters—and the healing magic of homemade bread.


Simone: First up - the food. Oh my gosh, the food in your books is fabulous. Every one of your books makes me hungry. What is it about food that draws you back to it in your books?

Barbara: Food is the center of everything, isn't it? Community, family, living. I didn't know I felt that way until a crisis in my extended family. Everyone flocked to the hospital to get news, but I stayed home to start cooking. It was so obvious--soon everyone would be hungry and they would want to eat good food. It was wildly rewarding when they came home to the fragrant, hearty meal I had cooked, and fell on it like it would save all of our lives.

I've loved beautiful food for as long as I can remember--seriously, I remember my aunt's cheesecake when I was about ten--it was so unbelievably beyond any food I'd ever tasted that I thought she was just the most brilliant cook in the world (and she actually is a really good cook, but so is my mother). My mother has a collection of about 500 (or more?) cookbooks and reads them for fun, trying all sorts of things. Her specialty is baking and also jams and jellies, which I enjoy but are not my forte. Except, obviously, bread, which I adore. She doesn't bake bread much. It's as if we split the favorite things between us.

Kitchens have been at the heart of my books for a very long time, probably because they do represent the center of women's lives through the centuries. That's where we go to talk to each other, to sort things out with a child, to cook a meal to nourish a family or ourselves or...

Not everyone likes to cook, but a kitchen is still the heart of a house in many cases.

Simone: What is the first story you ever "got lost" in?

Barbara: It's hard to remember the very first. I so loved Rapunzel as a little girl, and when I grew a little older, I was the mad, mad reader that most writers are and always ordered the most titles from Scholastic Book Club. What a thrill it was to carry those titles home on a winter afternoon and know I was stocked up! One of those books was Shadow Castle, about a fairy tale land where half the people were locked into shadows by an evil spell.

But the book that snared me for all time was Green Darkness, by Anya Seton. I was fifteen. I read it about 10 times, carried it with me wherever I went. It was history and romance and good writing, and mystical. Oh! Perfect.

Simone: Did you do any special research for this book? What did you discover?

Barbara: I had to do a lot of research for How to Bake A Perfect Life. The first thing was sourdoughs, which I have worked with a lot, and loved, but I needed a thorough grounding in the many forms and styles, so I spent the winter reading about bread making (notably Local Breads, by Daniel Leader, and Paris Boulangerie/Patisserie by Linda Dannenberg among many others--these two I finally purchased for myself and their pages are stained and tattered with all of my learning.

I also had to do a lot of heartbreaking research into meth addition, which is more horrifying that I had even suspected and made me very happy to go to the pharmacist to buy my antihistamines if that's what it takes. I also had to research what happens to soldiers who are wounded in Afghanistan--what is their path? What hospitals would they be in? What happens along the way? There is a great organization devoted to helping them called Soldier's Angels, and I found a lot of information there (all mistakes are my own, of course!).

Researching a book is one of the great pleasures of the writing life for me, I have to admit. It satisfies the hungry, hungry student who lives forever in my heart.

Simone: You've started re-releasing some of your backlist (written as Barbara Samuel) in ebook form. Tell us a little about this, and how did it come about?

Barbara: Basically because my partner Christopher Robin, nagged me unmercifully to do it. He was frustrated by not being able to get some of his favorite writers' backlists on Kindle and realized I didn't have my backlist up, either, so he started nudging me. Around that time, my dear, dear cousin Sharon, a computer geek herself and a stay at home mom, arrived like Dudley Do-Right to fix a huge mess with my old web server, and she just stayed on to help with the ebooks, thinking it would be a fun project. Ha! The first book was a huge learning experience but then we found systems to make it work. (By "we" I mean her, because left to me, this would not have happened---I just don't have time.)

What I will say is that it's worth the time and energy. They sell a tidy little number of copies each months, and I love that they get a new chance at life. They never really got the audience they deserved because I was writing a very dark historical romance at a time when the tide was shifting to a lighter comedy of manners. Bed of Spices, my first historical romance, had a bit of a cult following and I saw it for sale for $75. Which is fine for a collectible, but not if you just want to read the story. I don't have all of them up yet, but there are five available now.

(Simone's note: You can find out which books are available, and where, here.)

Simone: Did you travel this past year? Where to?

Barbara: I did! One of the best trips of my life--rambling around England with CR and his mother (he's a Brit) and then to Spain to walk a portion of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient and holy pilgrim route, with a group of women. It was a lark to begin, and then became quite a lot more. I'm aching to go back and walk the rest of the road, maybe in 2012.

I also made an ill-fated trip to Washington DC with my mother, ostensibly to see the Smithsonian museums and my son who lives there, a present to my mom. We landed during the horrible blizzard there and didn't see anything but snow drifts for four days. Luckily, my son could get to us via train, so we ate at a little vegetarian restaurant around the corner (to get there, we had to wade through hip high drifts of snow and battle howling winds), stocked up on wine and crackers at the lone open store, and watched movies on the hotel television. We'll always remember it.

Simone: What's your comfort food?

Barbara: I almost never let myself have it because there is nothing redeeming about it whatsoever, but last night when I was tired and scattered, I told CR he needed to take me to get a chicken fried steak. My mother's side is southern, and that is my go-to flavor when I need comfort.

Simone: If you could eat one dish without worrying about a single calorie, what would it be?

Barbara: Oh, I'm too indulgent to think of giving up anything forever. So I follow the rules most of the time and then if I want Julia Child's butterland food, or pecan pie or macaroni and cheese or chicken fried steak, I'll have them and do more exercise.

Simone: What three ingredients would you never be without in your kitchen?

Barbara: Garlic, olive oil, and eggs.

Simone: What's next for you?

Barbara: I'm working on a novel about a community garden and soups, which is a blast. I love soup!

Thanks so much, Barbara! My question today for our readers is one that Barbara already answered for herself - if you could eat one food without worrying about a single calorie, what would it be?

Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is the award-winning women's fiction author of ACCORDING TO JANE (2009), FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE (2010) and A SUMMER IN EUROPE (coming 11-29-11), all from Kensington Books. She's been a classroom teacher, library staff member, freelance writer and national book reviewer. Since turning to writing, her novels have won a number of awards (like the Golden Heart, the Booksellers' Best and the Aspen Gold), and they’ve been selected as Doubleday & Book-of-the-Month Club Featured Alternate Selections. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and son, surrounded by towers of books that often threaten to topple over and crush her. Visit her at www.marilynbrant.com.

GET LOST IN:  FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE

 

Every woman remembers her firsts: Her first kiss. Her first lover. And her first time contemplating an affair…


Each Friday morning at the Indigo Moon Café, Jennifer, Bridget and Tamara meet to swap stories about marriage, kids and work. But one day, spurred by recent e-mails from her college ex, Jennifer poses questions they've never faced before. What if they all married the wrong man? What if they're living the wrong life? And what would happen if, just once, they gave in to temptation…?


Soon each woman is second-guessing the choices she's made—and the ones she can unmake—as she becomes aware of new opportunities around every corner, from attentive colleagues and sexy neighbors to flirtatious past lovers. And as fantasies blur with real life, Jennifer, Bridget and Tamara begin to realize how little they know about each other, their marriages and themselves, and how much there is to gain—and lose—when you step outside the rules.


You can read an excerpt from FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, here.



GET TO KNOW MARILYN

Welcome, Marilyn! Thanks for stopping by to chat with our readers. What was most important to you in the writing of this story?

I’m always trying to be honest about the complexities of human emotion, particularly in regards to relationships. I would say with Friday Mornings at Nine, the biggest issue I wanted to explore was not so much the concept of “cheating” as a theme but, rather, the far less titillating subject of “choosing.” That a woman can really only be in a relationship fully—marital or otherwise—once she understands how and why she’s chosen to be there. That she has to look closely enough and listen deeply enough to know who she is and what she wants. And that in every romantic relationship or good friendship, she chooses over and over again (either consciously or unconsciously) whether she wants to stay. I believe that’s true of all of us, and I wanted my characters in this story to move from unconsciously living very unexamined lives to consciously and actively making a choice about where they were headed.

I love that -- looking at our day to day lives in a much more active way. You're right. Even not doing something is a choice. So, what’s your favorite movie of all time?

This is impossible for me to narrow down! I love lots of movies…especially classic films like “Roman Holiday” (with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn) and “The Philadelphia Story” (with Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn). I also love “A Room with a View,” all the “Pride & Prejudice” films, “While You Were Sleeping” and “When Harry Met Sally…”

All great ones. And I'm sensing a theme. ☺ My first two novels are fairy tale adaptations, so I'm curious... What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Cinderella, hands down! My new book, Fridays Mornings at Nine, has a fairy-tale theme, though, so it was fun to explore a mix of tales and give them a modern suburban twist, particularly using Little Red Riding Hood (with Bridget), Rapunzel (with Tamara), and Goldilocks and the Three Bears (with Jennifer).

What turns you off like nothing else?

Insincerity. I don’t expect everyone I meet to become a close friend, but I expect those who are my friends to be genuine and trustworthy. Period.

Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

No. I wish I could. I LOVE music, but it’s wildly distracting to me while I’m writing. (I am too often tempted to sing along—and, sadly, I don’t always do it especially well!) However, I reference songs quite a bit in the narrative itself, so I listen to a lot of music while I’m working on a story—just not when I’m actually sitting at the computer doing the typing. One of my favorite things to do is to go on walks with my iPod and think about scenes, testing out different songs to see if they provide the right musical subtext. For my debut book, According to Jane, I have an entire soundtrack of ‘80s tunes amassed. For Friday Mornings at Nine, I returned to the sounds of the '70s. And for my upcoming novel, A Summer in Europe, I'm referencing musicals, especially those of Andrew Lloyd Webber. (I have a "Soundtrack" link for each novel on the BOOKS page of my website at: http://www.marilynbrant.com/MBbooks.html)

What’s your favorite kind of cheese?

You realize I’m originally from Wisconsin…we Wisconsinites know cheese. I love fresh mozzarella, provolone, Monterey jack and—as a throwback to my childhood—salami cheese (especially delicious on sourdough bread!) and white curd cheese.

Who’s your favorite villain?

Mr. Wickham from Pride and Prejudice. I think he’s a terrific villain because he’s so charming and cunning that people don’t suspect him for the longest time. He knows how to flatter people so they fall under his spell, and then he betrays them. But, once someone is onto his schemes, it’s easy to see through him and he loses his power.

He is a great villain. Handsome and charming villains can be the worst! What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Order a carry-out dinner in celebration (I don’t want to have to cook—LOL) and get something chocolaty-good for dessert!

Mmmm. Chocolate.... What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

It means a lot to me to get to work on something creative every single day. Truly, that’s been such a gift. Even when the plotting of a scene is giving me fits or the synopsis doesn’t seem to make sense at all…I love knowing that I have a place to play with these characters and storylines. My hope is that by writing about women’s dreams and experiences as honestly as possible, I might get closer to helping readers recognize truths about their own lives. It was this sense of “recognition” that my favorite novelists gave to me, and I'll always be grateful for that.

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER ☺

A very personal question... What’s in your purse?

Lots of little scraps of paper. Seriously. Besides the basic set of cards (credit, insurance, library, bookstore, grocery, etc.), loose change and a few dollar bills…it’s mostly old crumpled receipts that I scribbled something on at some point. And one tube of lipstick. And my keys. Sometimes my cell phone, too—if I remember to charge it.

MARILYN'S JUST GOTTA ASK HER FANS

So, it’s the New Year…are you someone who does or doesn’t make resolutions? If you do make them, have you chosen yours for 2011 already?

~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!

Marilyn is generously offering a Friday Mornings at Nine t-shirt as a prize for a random commenter. (Cool!) The draw is open to any random commenter within North America and the chances of winning will vary depending on the number of comments.

GET IN TOUCH 

You can keep in touch with Marilyn here:

Website: www.marilynbrant.com
Blog: http://marilynbrant.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marilynbrant