New York Times Best-Selling Author, Maisey Yates!

The last time Maisey Yates was a guest on the blog, it was for the release of her second book, An Accidental Birthright.  Fast forward five years and more than 60 BOOKS and now she's a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author! 

Maisey lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.

In 2009, at the age of twenty-three, Maisey sold her first book. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

THE GREEK'S NINE-MONTH REDEMPTION

"I own your company. I own you."

Fury is all Elle St James feels when she looks at the man she once thought of as family. Apollo Savas has mercilessly destroyed her father's company, but she holds the last little piece!

Elle is determined to stop the stepbrother who is both sensual fantasy and darkest enemy. But their forbidden desire gives way to one illicit night that leaves untouched Elle with a life-changing consequence.

Now that she is irrevocably bound to Apollo, will nine months be long enough for Elle to redeem this brooding Greek?

When one night…leads to pregnancy!

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK 

Jan Schliesman: How often do you Get Lost In A Story?

Maisey Yates: As often as possible! Whether it’s a great romance novel or a TV series.

Jan: You have TWELVE BOOKS releasing in 2016!  Let me just absorb that for a minute. Okay, what’s the secret to being such a prolific writer?

Maisey: The secret is really boring. *takes a deep breath* Write. I mean, that’s kind of all there is to it. You sit down and you write. I have no magic tricks, beyond the fact that I sit and I write five days a week, and work at being a writer like I would work any job. It helps when you love what you do, and I do. It makes it feel like a joy and not a chore. SOME days it does feel like a chore, but I do it anyway because I like the result of the labor.

Jan: It was love at first sight when I met my hubby. How about you?

Maisey: I’ve known my husband for YEARS and he’s almost 8 years older than me, so I can honestly it was NOT love at first sight, since I was 12 and he was 20. But (small towns!) we ended up working at the same job when I was 17 and became really good friends, and from there it turned into romance.

Jan: Did you always want to be a writer?

Maisey: Yes and no. It was something I thought would be amazing, but realistically I thought…nobody does that! So I always had something else I ‘wanted to be’ too. I’ve always been a big reader. I’ve always loved books. The fact that I ended up a published author is incredible to me.

Jan: How exciting was it to make the NY Times Bestseller List for the first time?

Maisey: It was surreal! I was in Hawaii, on a 5 hour time difference to NY and so I woke up at about 6 and saw my editor had emailed at 4 in the morning with an all caps NEW YORK TIMES!!! in the subject line. It took me forever to process that, and my husband and kids were sleeping. But we were in the best place ever to celebrate.

Jan: Like most authors, you are writing while raising kids. What sort of balance have you found works best?  Do they help with the non-writing side of the business or do they even realize what you do?

Maisey: I feel like balance isn’t a destination so much as a constantly evolving thing. Sometimes you just have to spend more time working. The hours aren’t flexible. The deadline is firm. Other times your kids need more and you have the choice to leave the office for a day. The great thing about being a writer is that it’s made my kids see that with hard work and drive you can achieve your dreams.

Jan: I keep a case of Dasani in my office. What’s your go-to beverage of choice?

Maisey: Coffee in the morning, Diet Coke for lunch, late afternoon coffee. Powered by caffeine. 

Jan: Best vacation you’ve ever taken?

Maisey: The Disney resort in Hawaii, hands down. I’ve been three times it’s pure magic every time.

Jan: Will you be attending RWA in San Diego? The book signing? What’s the best part about meeting fans?

Maisey: I will be in San Diego and participating in the Lit signing and the Harlequin signing. When I meet my readers I just want to fangirl right back at them. My readers are everything to me. They’re the reason I get to do this incredible job that I love. Meeting anyone who’s read and enjoyed by books is very humbling.
(Note: The 2016 Literacy Autographing event will be July 13, 2016, at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, San Diego, California. The event will feature over 450 romance authors who will be autographing their latest works.) 

Jan’s GOTTA ASK: 

Maisey’s GOTTA ANSWER: Anything with caramel. :D

FIND MAISEY YATES:

 Contact,  Website, Facebook

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UP NEXT: Tough Luck Hero, the 5th book in Maisey's Copper Ridge Series.  

PREVIOUS RELEASES: One Night Charmer, the 4th book in the Copper Ridge Series. 

THANKS SO MUCH, Maisey, for sharing a little bit of your writing world with us! Maisey is giving away a copy of One Night Charmer and The Greek's Nine-Month Redemption to ONE lucky reader. Scroll down to the Rafflecopter for more details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Maisey Yates

My love of the romance genre started when I was pregnant with my second son. Not long after I picked up my first romance, I picked up my first Presents. As a reader, I was hooked. As a very non-serious writer harboring secret (and silly, considering I didn't do a lot of writing) dreams of publication, I was inspired.

Soon after, Harlequin announced a contest for Presents, which I entered. And didn't win. But I did find the courage to submit through normal channels. And after several revision letter, I sold my first novel, His Virgin Acquisition. Just 29 days before giving birth to my daughter. (that makes three!)

Life a circus of babies and books, and I'm very lucky to have my handsome, diaper-changing, song-writing husband along for the ride, loving me even though I'm a crazy writer type.

My current release for Harlequin Presents An Accidental Birthright, is my second book and I'm very excited to see it on the shelves! 

An Accidental Birthright

An IVF clinic mix-up means eternally single Alison Whitman is now carrying the child—no, the royal heir—of Maximo Rossi, Prince of Turan!

Maximo had given up on the hope of fatherhood a long time ago—until this surprise second chance. Now, the dynamic ruler will seize this opportunity with both hands. However, tradition is high on the prince's agenda and he'll never stand for an heir born out of wedlock….

Alison is about to find out that royal marriage is a command, not a choice!

Read an excerpt here.

CAT:  What was the first story you remember writing?

MAISEY:  I remember it clearly. We had learned to use quotation marks in school. So we could do dialogue. And write REAL stores. I was completely thrilled. It was a bout a black widow that ate a scorpion. (I didn't start out in romance)

CAT:  What’s your favorite fairy tale?

MAISEY:  I love Beauty and the Beast (yes, the Disney version.) Love. It. Alpha hero, courageous heroine, singing candelabra. It's a classic.

CAT:  Who’s your favorite villain?

MAISEY:  Gaston, of course. Because he's the real beast, isn't he? More than just being handsome, he seems almost more goonish than evil, until he's pushed and you see just how dark and ugly he is beneath the surface. (good characterization, Disney!)

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

MAISEY:  Daily! Either reading or writing. Sometimes I don't get as much reading in as I'd like, (I binge between books) but there's always a story in my head. And, ask my husband, who has found stray peanut butter jar lids in the silverware drawer)

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

MAISEY:  So many. Just being able to call myself a writer has been a childhood fantasy, really it has. Nothing is more mystical or tantalizing to a child who loves books than thinking about all that goes into writing one. Being involved in that process is a dream come true. (Plus, Orlando! I met Cat there! And this year...NYC!)

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

MAISEY:  My writing background is firmly based in detective noir spoofs (comedic) featuring friends and family, also, comics drawn on napkins. Even though I don't technically write comedies, I do still like to add a little bit of humor to my books. It adds flavor.

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

MAISEY:  I do read them. Good reviews can make my day, bad reviews...come with a range of reactions. They can hurt, or I can just as easily laugh them off, all dependent on how I'm feeling. But no, I don't let them really influence my writing. Because as valid as the opinion might be, it's one opinion. My editor pushes me until we're both happy with a book, and after that, there isn't much more I can do. (This does not mean I don't have the occasional cookie binge post bad review read.)

CAT:  Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

MAISEY:  Coffee. All the time. (okay, with cream and sugar.) Or, if I'm at Starbucks, my drink of choice is a grande, three pump, vanilla with whip latte. (If you're looking for me at RWA, look for the lost looking yokel holding a coffee cup!)

CAT:  What does it mean to love someone?

MAISEY:  That's a really good question. I try to bring that answer to life in each of my books. The emphasis is on different things for each couple, depending on their needs, but ultimately, it comes from this: Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

CAT:  What turns you off like nothing else?

MAISEY:  Overly florid euphemisms. Gah. (can I say manroot on this blog?)

CAT’S GOTTA ASK:  If you were a T-shirt, what color would you be?

MAISEY’S GOTTA ANSWER:  I would be black. And I would say something random and obscure like 'I love blueberry pancakes'.

Question for fans:  Women know, it's not really clothes or money that make the man. (Though those things might enhance!) So what does make a hero sexy?

Maisey is offering a copy of her May release (not yet in stores) The Inherited Bride to one of today's commenters.

Find her at:  www.maiseyyates.com, follow her on twitter, @maiseyyates and Facebook