Barbara Longley

GET LOST WITH BARBARA LONGLEY'S DRUID LAIRD

Barbara grew up in a litter of five; she and each of her siblings were born in a different state. Moving around so frequently, she learned early on how to entertain herself with stories. As an adult, she has lived on a commune in the Appalachians, taught on an Indian reservation, and traveled from coast to coast. When her own children came along, Ms. Longley decided to try something new—staying put. She has made Minnesota her home ever since.

By day, Barbara teaches young children how to read. She holds a Masters in Education, and has taught elementary education for many years. By night, she likes to explore things mythical, metaphysical, and paranormal. Much of what she learns makes its way into her stories, where all things are possible. While she loves teaching, reading and writing are her passions.

HEART OF THE DRUID LORD

Cursed with immortality, Dermot MacKay craves death. To lift the faerie curse placed upon him and his men over 1600 years ago, he must return the soul of his reincarnated wife to the exact place and time of her murder. But her soul is currently residing in the very modern Sidney St. George – and first he has to convince her to accompany him to Scotland.

Sidney doesn’t believe Dermot’s wild claims of immortality and rebirth. Yet she cannot deny that she is drawn to the sexy Scot. Nor can she explain the sense of déjà vu his touch elicits. Desperate for answers, she agrees to go with him – only to learn too late that to help the man she loves is to lose him forever…

Thanks so much for having me here at Get Lost in a Story!

CAT: Is there a playlisat you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

BARB: If I were to suggest a few playlists to go along with HEART OF THE DRUID LAIRD, I'd suggest anything by Loreena McKennitt or the Chieftans. Any Celtic music would go nicely with my tale about a cursed Druid, his lost love and the evil Tuatha Dé Danann princess determined to keep them apart.

CAT: Where do you read and how often?

BARB: I read at home snuggled up on my living room couch or in bed. When I read, I like to have the iPod going, and I read a couple books a week unless I get really busy with other things. I have a Sony e-reader, and a Kindle, so one or the other is always tucked away in my purse for those times I find myself in a waiting room or in a line.

CAT: What was the first story you remember writing?

BARB: The first story I wrote was a children's bedtime poem called, Sleepy Time. That was twenty years ago at least. My two children were little, and I wrote it for them. It was accepted by a small cottage publisher that went belly-up before the project was completed.

CAT: What is your favorite movie of all time.

BARB: I don't have a favorite movie of all time. As new movies come out, they shove my list of favorites back. I tend to prefer romantic movies like, A Walk in the Clouds, Ever After and Pride and Prejudice. I also like anything having to do with Scotts, like Braveheart and The Highlander.

CAT: Who’s your favorite villain?

BARB: I like a villain who has depth and complexity, and who isn't all bad, but I don't have a favorite villain.

CAT: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?

BARB: I love to story-tell through my writing. I think most artists who choose writing as their medium of choice are natural story-tellers. I have Irish roots, and the Irish come from a long oral tradition of story-telling. Maybe it's in the genes.

CAT: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

BARB: I'd like to tell my readers that the kindest, most generous thing they can do for any writer they like is to leave positive comments and good ratings on the site where they purchased the book. Also, if you like what you read, tell a friend. Word of mouth is the best promotion ever! I'd also like to say thank you to anyone who reads my debut novel, HEART OF THE DRUID LAIRD.

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

BARB: I read and write with music in the background, and the genre changes often. Lately I've been listening to a lot of new country music, but I also like classical, ethnic and popular music. I'm not one to change my music according to what I'm writing. I just like to have background noise.

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

BARB: If I couldn't write, I'd like to figure out some kind of job where I could travel to Europe frequently. Maybe a travel agent site reviewer, or something like that. I've been a teacher for many years. Maybe I could utilize my teaching skills in a new and creative way. I like the idea of being self-employed, but I'm not sure I'd get along well with my boss.

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

BARB: If I could travel to the past, I'd go to the late Renaissance period in the Highlands of Scotland. Of course, I'd have to be wealthy and be able to pass for a lady of noble birth, because things would be a little dicey otherwise. Imagine the research a person could do if they could travel through time. That would be incredible.

CAT: What do you do to unwind and relax?

BARB: To relax and unwind I take my dog for long walks, and I always bring my iPod. It's also a good way for me to work through plot or characterization issues when I'm stuck.

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

BARB: If I could invite any one of my characters to dinner, I'd invite Dagda Mor, the high king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He plays a huge role in the plot, but we only get glimpses of him. If it weren't for Dagda Mor, the Druid Laird wouldn't have had any way to end the curse of immortality. Dagda Mor is a sexy, older man, and I'd seriously consider having a little fling with him, so dinner would only be the beginning.

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

BARB: Do I read reviews of my books? Obsessively, but I think that might be because I'm so new at this. Maybe once I have a few more books out there, that will change.

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

BARB: When I decided to write with the serious intent to be published, I sat down and mapped out a five year plan. I wanted to be published within five years. I just made it. That's pretty huge for me. It's a thrill, and it hasn't sunk in yet.

Barb would like to give away a copy of HEART OF THE DRUID LAIRD. It's an e-book, so readers have to know that and have a way to read it. She can send it as a pdf, which is downloadable to any device.

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Carina Press authors of fantasy, paranormal and steampunk Blog

Karen Rose Smith

Karen Rose Smith's plots are all about emotion. She began writing in her early teens when she listened to music and created stories to accompany the songs. After expressing feelings in poetry, earning a degree in English and French, completing short stories that became too long to find a market, she turned to her love of relationships in romance. This award-winning best-selling author (USA Today List, Borders Bestseller List, Amazon Romance Bestseller list) has sold 75 books since 1991 and has published with Silhouette, Harlequin, Kensington and Meteor/Kismet. Her awards include two Golden Leaf awards in short contemporary romance, the Golden Quill in traditional romance, two cataromance.com's awards for Best Special Editions and Romance Review's Today's Best series romance award. Jane Bowers of Romance Reviews Today states: "Karen Rose Smith's storyworlds are complete and realistic and lovely places to visit and revisit."

Karen is well-known for writing emotion. An only child, she spent a lot of time in her imagination and with books Nancy Drew, Zane Gray, The Black Stallion and Anne of Green Gables. She dreamed of brothers and sisters and a big family like her mother and father came from. On weekends she was often surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. This is the root of her plotlines that include small communities and family relationships as part of everyday living. She believes universal emotions unite us all and that is the reason she employs them to propel her plots.

It is no secret that Karen married her college sweetheart and they have been married for over 35 years. She believes in the power of commitment and the hope that goes along with the promise of everlasting love. Along with enjoying time with her husband, Karen enjoys cooking, gardening, shopping, listening to music and keeping her two cats company or vice versa.

She has been busy releasing her backlist as ebooks and epubbing an original romance/mystery ALWAYS DEVOTED, Book 3 in her Search For Love ebook series. In addition, she writes Harlequin Special Editions. Her new series REUNION BRIDES began in February 2011 with HIS DAUGHTER...THEIR CHILD and will continue in October 2011 with ONCE UPON A GROOM. She also has a September release that is a Montana Mavericks—HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA.

Readers can follow her on Facebook (Search--Karen Rose Smith) or on Twitter @karenrosesmith. She welcomes interaction on either social network and would love to chat about plotlines, heroes, heroines, music, books, gardening, cooking, or anything else readers deem noteworthy!

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

KAREN: I can get lost in any story that draws me in. Usually books with strong relationships do that the best whether they're romance, mystery, thriller or suspense. I was an only child and I delved into books to occupy myself. I loved getting to know new people who lived lives different than mine. Settings from different places intrigued me. That's still the case. I mostly listen to books on CD or audiobooks and I try to "read" at least one a week. But I choose more carefully now since my time is limited. I still enjoy that feeling of starting a new book by a favorite author, and being swept away into intrigue, relationships, and romance.

CAT: What's your favorite "love" word.

KAREN: My favorite "love" word is "cherish." I think it sums up all "love" feelings as well as the action to keep it going.

CAT: What's your favorite Fairytale?

KAREN: Definitely Cinderella. I think that's why I keep returning to that theme when I write. My four books for readers this fall are HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA, ONCE UPON A GROOM, EVERYDAY CINDERELLAS, and FOREVER AFTER. I think these titles express a woman's desire to have a man sweep her off her feet and be devoted to her for the rest of his life. On the other hand, my favorite Disney movie which I also consider fairytale-like is THE LADY AND THE TRAMP. What woman doesn't want a rake to change his life for her and become devoted to the family they form?

CAT: What was the first story you remember writing?

KAREN: The first story I remember writing was my autobiography in eighth grade. Writing about my life even at that age gave me some perspective for it and appreciation of my parents. We had to write in first person and include pictures. My title was–Daddy's Little Girl. There was a song entitled that that my mom played on the piano. So even my first attempt at prose had emotion in it!

CAT: What is your favorite movie of all time?

KAREN: My favorite movie of all time is Ghost. It's romantic, well plotted with a little bit of intrigue. But the spiritual element is the reason I really appreciate it. What happens to love? Is it strong enough to last into another realm? My dad had passed on shortly before I watched Ghost the first time and I remember crying and crying through the end. I loved it. Yep, there's that emotion again.

CAT: Do you write while listening to music, if so what kind?

KAREN: Music has always moved me. I listen to a lot of acoustic guitar music when I write. On the other hand, when I get stuck, I listen to whatever a book might dictate to get me moving with it again. If I need nostalgia, I listen to sixties music–The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, bobby Rydell. If I'm writing a ranch or cowboy book, I listen to country--Brad Paisley, Justin Moore, Jason Aldean. If I need to rev up emotion I might put on Charice, Josh Groban, Il Divo. Whatever can make me smile or cry! Whatever works.

CAT: What do you do to relax and unwind?

KAREN: My favorite past times are gardening and cooking. Each year I look forward to winter ending. Usually in March I begin planting seeds for tomatoes and flowers. I appreciate watching them grow. I love the colors and scents and textures they produce. Playing in the dirt is soothing and relaxing and takes me back to another time when I helped my grandmother plant in her backyard, when my mom would spill zinnia seeds into our garden for color, when my son was a small child and my husband and I showed him a rose in our apartment’s small garden. also takes me back to my roots. My grandmother and mom were wonderful cooks. Both made their own cannoli and ravioli and desserts galore. I take pleasure from recreating their recipes and coming up with my own. When our garden begins producing tomatoes, zucchini, onions and herbs, I toss them together to make healthy dinners. But every once in a while I bring out those old recipes that are too good not to make. And maybe my most important past time is just enjoying my two cats, Ebbie and London. They bring me countless hours of comfort and joy and are constant companions.

CAT: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner?

KAREN: I would definitely like to invite my country singer hero Zane Gunther to dinner. He's got down-home charm to spare! I created him to be multi-faceted and conversation would never lag! On top of that, he's just too sexy to describe. I'm sure he'd compose a song for me and bring his guitar along to sing it. It would be a great evening.

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

KAREN: The dream of exploring the West for research has become a reality. When I wrote a series that included Wyoming's wild horses, my husband and I visited the Big Horns. I've set books around Albuquerque and Santa Fe and visited there a few times. My most recent series is set in northern Arizona near Flagstaff. After my first trip there, I decided to create the fictional town of Miners Bluff. Another trip took me back there for the finer details and more history. At the same time we visited the Grand Canyon and Sedona. These areas of our country fill me up creatively and spiritually. Dreams do come true.

CAT: Tea or coffee?

KAREN: I drink coffee but not just any coffee. We live near Baltimore, Maryland, where the Balitmore Coffee Company was developed. They have such scrumptious flavors as Peaches and Cream–which really does have the hint of peaches, Snicker-Snicker which has that nutty caramel taste and another of my favorites, Chocolate Macadamia Nut. Depending on the flavor I might add a little sugar and definitely some cream. We found a real dairy nearby and their cream is heavenly with great coffee.

CAT: Which era would I have least liked to have lived in and the most?

KAREN: I would not have wanted to live during the Inquisition. I might have liked living during the Revolutionary War. I have strong opinions and a healthy disregard sometimes for authority figures. So I imagine I would have loved hearing Thomas Paine and fighting for the cause of independence.

CAT: What does it mean to love someone?

KAREN: Although I write about love, passion and romance almost every day, I only touch the surface of what it means to love. Experience has taught me what I really think love is all about. At the beginning it's about passion and sparks and feel-good romance. But then to love someone, I had to have more strength than to expect daily romance. I had to have more commitment than to expect skies would always be sunny. I had to have more devotion than to think I could be the center of someone's world all the time. Loving means putting my child first and sometimes putting everything else on hold. Loving for me means ignoring habits that irritate to remember the ones that endear. Loving for me means depending on someone else until I'm scared, being independent and strong enough for two or more, doing what is right rather than what's convenient. Loving someone is easy and hard, filled with regrets and rewards and the best way I have to reach for my higher self.

Cat's favorite TV Detectives

I love mysteries.  Books, Movies, TV.  Give me a murder or a crime and bring on the detective.  To celebrate Donnell's debut, I thought I'd talk about some of the TV detectives, from sexy to quirky, that have inspired my heroes. 

I met my best friend in grade school.  We were crazy about Starsky and Hutch.  Well, really Starsky.  The crooked smile.  The crazy hot car.  The leather bomber jacket he always wore.  Every episode they got into trouble, but always in the end, they got their man.  I loved their cocky confidence.

Jim Rockford.  Lived in a trailer by the beach.  Trouble always managed to find him.  No matter how bad things got, he never stopped until he helped his clients.  He had heart.

From Life, Detective Charlie Crews.  The layers to this guy went on and on.  Framed and sent to jail for ten years, when he's exonerated and returns to the force, there's no question that he's got issues.  His brilliant mind is too often hidden beneath his odd behavior which leaves his co-workers puzzled and frustrated.  But he's driven to figure out who was responsible for sending him to prison.  And heaven help them when he does.  A man who has gone through hell and survived.  Complex and secretive, what's not to love?

Special Agent LeRoy Gibbs.  An enigmatic leader who has trouble with authority figures, he lives by a strict code all his own.  When he's not busting bad guys, he's building a boat in his basement.  (How the hell did he get it out of there?)  The strong silent man all the ladies want, but can never have.

And how could I not include Monk.  Talk about a man with issues.  But a genius.  Tortured by the loss of the love of his life and trapped by his OCD, he braves his worst fears to solve crimes. 

Who are some of your favorite TV detectives?

Barbara Wallace

Barbara Wallace has been a life-long romantic and daydreamer so it’s not surprising she decided to become a writer at age eight. However, it wasn’t until a co-worker handed her a romance novel that she knew where her stories belonged. For years she limited her dreams to nights, weekends and commuter train trips while working as a communications specialist, PR freelancer and full-time mom. At the urging of her family, she finally chucked the day job and pursued writing full time and couldn’t be happier.

Barbara lives in Massachusetts along with her husband, their teenage son, one spoiled cat and one very spoiled dog.

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September has me enjoying two releases! The first is the North American release of The Heart of a Hero. I’m also celebrating being included in the Mills & Boon Special Release “Mills & Boon Loves….” An anthology that’s out in conjunction with the publishers New Voices Competition. I’m in the book along with Maisey Yates, Aimee Carson and New Voices winner Leah Aston.

Can I take a moment to plug the New Voices 2011 competition? If you are interested in writing for Harlequin’s Medical, Presents, Romance, Modern Heat or Historical Lines, the contest is a great way to get feedback and visibility. Visit www.romanceisnotdead.com

Meanwhile, here’s the info for Heart of a Hero:

All advice columnist Zoe wants this summer is some time to heal her post-divorce wounds in peace. That is, until she crosses paths with her neighbor, ex Army captain Jake Meyers. With battle scars both inside and out, Jake just wants to disappear from the world. Zoe knows she should leave the man alone. But she just can’t help herself….

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

BARBARA: Romance. A good, angsty emotional romance. One where I really feel the characters belong together and am activity rooting for them. I also love a good mystery, even though I can’t write them. There’s something about having to solve a puzzle that appeals to me.

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

BARBARA: Oh, I’m not sure. I remember reading the Five Little Peppers (and How They Grew) when I was little. I think that might have been my first non picture book.

CAT: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

BARBARA: Cinderella! I love a good rags to riches tale.

CAT: What turns you off like nothing else?

BARBARA: Bodily function jokes. I’m too girly girl to appreciate them. Sadly, I live with all men.

CAT: Where do you read and how often?

BARBARA: Now that I’m always on deadline, I don’t read as much as I want to. My favorite place to read is curled up on my living room sofa. The sun comes in through the picture window making the room warm and bright. On cold days I throw on a blanket and become really cozy.

CAT: What was the first story you remember writing?

BARBARA: Oh, that’s easy. It was The Adventures of Ginger. My best friend Kim was writing a story at the time about her cat, so I decided to write one about my cat too. I was eight years old. It was illustrated, and featured a wedding. Even then I loved romance.

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

BARBARA: Hand’s down my favorite is All About Eve with Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. It’s the movie where Bette uttered her famous line, “Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

CAT: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?

BARBARA: Easier than what? I wish I could say writing was easy. Unfortunately I’m one of those writers who have to scratch and claw her way through every scene. What’s that quote – “To write, just open a vein?” That’s a perfect description of my writing process.

CAT: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

BARBARA: That I value their support more than they could possibly realize. Seriously. Writers spend so much time alone that it’s easy to start thinking we are the worst storytellers in the world. Every time I get a note saying someone liked my book, my spirit soars for days.

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

BARBARA: Go to sleep. I have a bad tendency to stay up into the wee hours in the morning to get the job finished.

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

BARBARA: Yes, and yes. Not every review, but if a critic has valuable, constructive criticism, then I do my best to take the comments to heart and learn something. I am still learning my craft, and constructive advice is a good thing, IMO.

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

BARBARA: Coffee. Preferably as a Caramel Macchiato. Sadly, I have to limit those to one every couple days or my pants would never fit.

CAT: What does it mean to love someone?

BARBARA: It means being there for them, supporting their dreams, and holding their hand when things aren’t going right for them. It means taking care of the little things in their life. It means standing by their side during those times when they are cranky or distracted and understanding that a real relationship is about more than wine and roses and grand romantic gestures. It’s about being a companion and a friend as well as a lover and knowing that no one – I mean no one – can take that person’s place in your life.

CAT'S GOTTA ASK

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

BARBARA'S GOTTA ANSWER

OK, this is a shameless plug for my good friend Debbie Monk who just happened to start selling t-shirts on Labor Day. I would be a pink t-shirt with the phrase “Got to remember I’m Fabulous” on it. Because not only would it support her craft business, but because it’s something I think we all need to remind ourselves from time to time.

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

What is your favorite fairy tale? How do you like to see this fairy tale theme played out in a romance? Is there any kind of romance story you loathe and hope never shows up on your book shelf again?

One lucky winner will win a “Heart of a Hero” gift bag with a book and other goodies!