Ken Casper

It is my absolute pleasure to welcome Ken Casper to Get Lost in a Story to introduce a protagonist I defy anyone to forget. Mystery lovers, meet Jason Crow in AS THE CROW DIES, a Bell Bridge Books' www.bellbridgebooks.com May release, and an outstanding new mystery series. . .

Vietnam took his legs.
A murderer took his father.
Somehow, Jason Crow has to take a stand.

"My father had no reason to kill himself," I said. "On the contrary, he had every reason to live. I was coming home. We had plans to do things together. Plus, there's no way he'd kill himself using my gun."

Burker picked up a screwdriver, went through the motions of examining it. "Look, Jason, we're not friends. Never have been. Probably never will be, but I've always respected your talent on the football field and your intelligence. You were good. Damn good. What's happened . . .well, it's a shame.

"I don't want your pity, Burker."

"Good, because you won't get any from me, but I will tell you I'm disappointed in you. You're smart. That's why I expected you to be more objective about what's happened. Let me give you another tidbit of information, another fact for you to consider. There were powder marks on your father's right hand. He pulled the trigger."

Jason Crow comes home to Texas on clumsy, prosthetic legs--struggling with his lost dreams and the pitying curiosity of friends and strangers. But there's no time for him to brood, because his father has just been shot to death.

Unable to convince the police that his father was murdered, Jason begins his own investigation. In the process, he uncovers family secrets that shake him to his core and make him question everyone and everything around him, including his love of Michiko, the beautiful Eurasian-American nurse he met in Japan.

While fighting his own insecurity as a double amputee, Jason must challenge forces capable of destroying him and those he loves to pursue the person who robbed him of his greatest hero: His Dad.

Ready to turn the page? I sure am. But you'll have to wait because today Ken Casper is here to answer the Get Lost Crew's fun questions. And Readers, a question or comment will enter you to win an autographed copy of AS THE CROW DIES.

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

KEN: Most: Jason Crow. He’s well educated, has a strong character, a sense of humor, and his adversities give him a unique world view. I’d feel comfortable asking him probing and personal questions and be confident I’d get honest answers.

Least would probably be his mother. She’s very secretive, emotionally unreliable and ridden with all sorts of bad vibes. I don’t think I’d receive honest answers from her.

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

KEN: I read a few to get the general reaction to my stories and my writing. I don’t obsess over them. They don’t generally have any significant effect on my writing or the kind of stories I tell, though they sometimes give me ideas to play with.

DONNELL: Do you prefer big cities or small towns?

KEN: I loved growing up in NYC, and I still enjoy visiting there, but I have no desire to live in the Big Apple or any other big city. I much prefer the friendliness, familiarity and laid-back life style of small towns.

DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

KEN: Leftover lasagna. It’s better the second day. Baby back ribs. Fruit. Salad. Yogurt. The usual milk, butter, eggs, and the makings for a BLT.

DONNELL: What is your favorite tradition from your childhood?

KEN: Sunday breakfast. My father went to church early, then while the rest of us attended, he prepared breakfast—a full English breakfast. He was from Brooklyn, but on Sunday morning he always tuned into Wheeling, WV. It’s called Bluegrass now. We called it hillbilly music back then. I still love listening to it.

DONNELL: What do you do to unwind and relax?

KEN: Yard work, gardening. Tending our roses. Carpentry and d-i-y projects.

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

KEN: Sometimes, but not often. When I do, I just keep on writing. Anything. Preferably something outlandish. Eventually something useful clicks and I move on.

DONNELL: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

KEN: Interesting? I don’t think I have any strange habits or idiosyncrasies. I don’t wear a particular pair of socks when I write, for instance, or perform arcane rituals before I sit down to write. Except…well, I do require complete quiet. I don’t play music or have a TV on. That doesn’t mean I don’t get disturbed, of course. People come to the door: “I don’t mean to disturb you, but…” And the phone has a fiendish knack for ringing just as the gun goes off.

DONNELL: Yes, I just hate it when the gun goes off and the door bell rings. Dog or cat person?

KEN: We have both. If I had to choose, though, I'd say I'm a dog person. We have a Golden Retriever and a Black Lab, and love them both. We've always had two dogs. We also have half a dozen outdoor cats up around the house and as many down at the barn.

DONNELL: How much money does it take to be happy?

KEN: Money doesn't make people happy, though the lack of it can make them miserable. The old-time vaudevillian, Sophie Tucker, said it very well. "I've been rich, and I've been poor. Rich is better." But I've known an awful lot of people in modest circumstances who were happy and inspirational. I've also known "rich" people who were miserable. Go figure. (Of course, if you're rich, you probably hire an accountant to do that for you!)

DONNELL: LOL. You hire the accountant to be miserable for you? Okay, then. What's the first thing you do when you finish a book?

KEN: Think how I’m going to start the next one. The truth is I’m usually so burned out. I need down time to recharge my batteries, so for the next week or so I read other people’s books and catch up on the chores I’ve been putting off for months. Eventually I have to scratch the itch. That’s when I start plotting another book. Playing the what-if game is just plain fun.

DONNELL: If you could interview anyone throughout history, who would it be?

KEN: That’s a tough one. Thomas Jefferson comes to mind. I’d ask him how he could write “All men are created equal” yet own slaves. And I’d like to ask his mistress, Sally Hemmings, why she voluntarily gave up freedom in France to follow Jefferson to slavery in Virginia when she didn’t have to. He must have been quite a guy to prompt that kind of devotion. I suspect we’d dine late into the night over an occasional sip of fine wine, discussing everything from crop rotation to the orations of Cicero. I have no doubt his Latin would be far superior to mine!

Ken, excellent answers. Thank you! Now, it's your turn. Got a question you'd like to ask readers?

KEN: I think the 30s and 40s was a time of great challenge, of heartache, dedication and heroism, yet we rarely see stories set in that period. Historicals are generally defined as a hundred or more yeas ago. Contemporaries take place today. AS THE CROW DIES takes place in 1968, which was a difficult year in this country, too. Would you like to see more stories set in the recent past?

Ken Casper, aka K. N. Casper, author of more than two dozen books, figures his writing career started back in the sixth grade when a teacher ordered him to write a "theme" explaining his misbehavior over the previous semester. To his teacher's chagrin, he enjoyed stringing just the right words together to justify his less-than-stellar performance. That's not to say he's been telling tall tales to get out of scrapes ever since, but... Born and raised in New York City, Ken is now a transplanted Texan. He and Mary, his wife of thirty-five-plus years, own a horse farm in San Angelo. Along with their two dogs, six cats, and eight horses—at last count!—they board and breed horses and Mary teaches English riding. She's a therapeutic riding instructor for the handicapped, as well. Life is never dull. Their two granddaughters visit several times a year and feel right at home with the Casper menagerie. Grandpa and Mimi do everything they can to make sure their visits will be lifelong fond memories. After all, isn't that what grandparents are for?

You can keep up with Ken and his books on his web site at http://www.kencasper.com

There you have it, Readers. Click on tomorrow as we'll have another fun day in store when GET LOST IN A STORY welcomes author Karin Tabke and her alter ego, Karin Harlow.

Nancy Haddock

NEVER THE BRIDE BUT . . .

ALWAYS THE VAMPIRE
Berkley Trade
ISBN: 9780425240885
5/3/2011
I stopped cold. Oh, no. Oh, God, no. Saber had symptoms of the sickness. Irritability in spades, plus he’d been falling asleep by midnight instead of his usual two in the morning. Come to think of it, our lovemaking had slacked off.


Conclusion? Saber was infected or feared he was, and he couldn’t bring himself to tell me.

Every muscle trembled as I pulled myself to my feet, skirted the coffee table, and walked into his arms.

“Deke,” I whispered, using the name I reserved for our most intimate moments. “Don’t worry. If you’re infected, we’ll fix it. We’ll find the Void, kill it, and cure you. I swear. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Maybe he knew I was talking a good game. Maybe he knew I wasn’t as confident as I made myself sound. Maybe that’s why he hesitated before he hugged me tighter.

"You’ll do whatever it takes?”

“Absolutely,” I said, leaning away to cup his cheek in my palm.

He gave me a slow smile.

“Good. Then let’s go see Triton.”

Triton? Oh, pelican poop.
~ ~ ~
Cesca Marinelli is the Oldest City’s only vampire, and you can bet your fangs she’ll be the best maid of honor ever for her friend Maggie’s Victorian wedding -- even if she has to wear a dress with a bustle. But when her mostly human honey, Saber, falls ill due to a magical construct called the Void, she’ll have to go beyond the call of bridesmaid duty to save Saber and the wedding party, too.

The Void is affecting every supernatural being Cesca knows, including her old shape-shifter pal, Triton. To counter the Void’s reign of terror and rescue her friends, she’ll need to activate ancient amulets and fully summon her vampire powers – two moves that may lead to her own doom.
~ ~ ~
NANCY HADDOCK is the national bestselling author of light paranormal mystery romances for Berkley. La Vida Vampire was released in 2008, Last Vampire Standing in 2009, and Always The Vampire in May 2011.

Nancy has been a Speech & Language pathologist, a high school teacher, and a volunteer in various organizations. She hails from northeast, Oklahoma, lived in the Dallas area for many years, and now makes her home near the beach in historic St. Augustine, Florida.

Nancy has been extremely generous with her time for many years with Romance Writers of America and romance writers! I’ve known and worked with Nancy for a decade (wow, it really has been that long) and I can tell you that her wonderful sense of humor shows in her writing. Romantic Times BookReveiws Magazine says:

“Haddock is making a name for herself by delivering novels that are wacky and humorous, populated with highly engaging characters.”

BITES & PIECES
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
NANCY: That would be daily! I read an average of 2-3 books a week, and when I’m not lost in someone else’s novel, I’m (hopefully!) lost in the adventures of my own characters.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
NANCY: The Dick & Jane titles were big on my reading list early on along with Pokey Little Puppy and Nurse Nancy. (And yes, I have a copy of Nurse Nancy!) Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and lots of comic books followed, and then I read The Good Earth when I was about twelve. That book stills entrances me!

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
NANCY: Oooh, Disney’s Chip and Dale are my favs!

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
NANCY: Pretension and lying. I cannot abide either.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
NANCY: I read daily and I read everywhere – curled up on the couch, in waiting rooms, on the beach. I don’t walk and read much anymore, though. I run into things.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
NANCY: I love many, but a top pick has to be the sound of breaking waves.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
NANCY: Depending on my mood, both!

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
NANCY: Ack! I don’t have just one. Three of my all-times favs are Father Goose, What’s Up, Doc?, and Dances With Wolves.

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
NANCY: Of course I project myself into the protagonist – heroine or hero! (i.e., Jim Butcher’s Dresden) For the space of each story, I get to be spunky, smart, mysterious, magical, daring – you name it. And when I read a book such as Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki or Rachel Carson’s The Sea Around Us, I take a different journey that’s just as exciting.

ANGI: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?
NANCY: I hope I do both as I write my books!

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
NANCY: My heartfelt thanks! I’m honored by each reader, and I answer every e-mail … even if it takes a few days.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: So, Nancy, I have to admit that the Vampire way of life is hard for me to get into. I just have a hard time with the whole “undead” thing. Can you explain the appeal? And why would someone (like me) who isn’t attracted to vampires want to read your book?
NANCY’S GOTTA ANSWER: Whoa! Cesca Marinelli, here. I’m Nancy’s vampire heroine. Nancy would wax philosophical about the mysticism of immortality as the lure of vampire novels, but I have a shorter answer. For those who aren’t into dark and broody vamps, I’m not exactly undead. I have a pulse, I breathe, and I don’t even bite people. (You never know where they’ve been!) So, while I might be underdead (or would that be under alive?), my afterlife is pretty much like yours. Except, you know, for the whole solving mysteries thing. Oh, and the surfing. In short, vampires can be fun!

ANGI: I have to admit, Cesca, that you sound EXTREMELY appealing, fun, and very much alive! Can’t wait to get my “fangs” into another one of your adventures. You’ve converted me to the “underdead” appeal.

Nancy wants to know: If you could read on any beach in the world, where would that be and why is that beach your choice?

Nancy will give away a signed copy of the Always The Vampire (trade paperback) to one lucky random commenter within North America.

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

You can find Nancy in the following cyber locations:
Website: http://www.nancyhaddock.com/
Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nancy_Haddock_Books/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Haddock/86984510891
Twitter ID: http://twitter.com/#!/nancyhaddock
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/nancyhaddock

DON’T FORGET to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and come back for more great interviews this week with Karen Tabke on Friday & Ken Casper tomorrow. Join me next Wednesday as I welcome Emily March.

Commenters are eligible for Nancy's ALWAYS A VAMPIRE. Don't forget to let Nancy know which beach is your fav !!

Barbara White Daille

Get Lost in A RANCHER'S PRIDE

Barbara White Daille knows how to tug on readers' heartstrings. What's more she does it with a finesse that makes it look easy. But today the Get Lost Crew puts her on the spot. I mean, Barbara can talk about craft until ...well, the cows come home... Get it??? A Rancher's Pride ;) Today, though, we're making her answer our fun get-to-know- you questions. Please welcome Barbara White Daille to GET LOST IN A STORY.
Sam Robertson's life just changed. In one short day, he found out that he's a daddy; that his beautiful little girl, Becky, is deaf; and that her aunt, sign language teacher Kayla Ward, intends to fight him for custody.
There are plenty of reasons Sam shouldn't fall for Kayla. A city girl like her has no place on his ranch, particularly when she's his ex-wife's gorgeous sister. But thanks to the judge's orders, Sam's spending a lot of time with Kayla, trying to give Becky the stable home she's never known.

Despite their ongoing custody battle, Sam and Kayla's love for Becky brings them closer than they ever expected, and Sam knows that no matter who wins in court, he could still lose—Kayla or his daughter.

DONNELL: Big city or small town girl?

BARBARA: Small town. Love to read about them, love to write about them. I’ll never say never about bit cities, but so far, all my stories have been set in tiny, close-knit communities. Even though the heroines of three of my four books come from large cities, they find love and happiness and their perfect heroes in small towns.

DONNELL: What’s your favorite room in your house, and why?

BARBARA: The living room, because I can do two of my all-time favorite activities on the couch there: snuggle with my husband and/or curl up with a good book.

DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

BARBARA: Leftover lasagna, leftover pizza, leftover spaghetti... (Are you noticing a trend here?)

Now, if you’d asked me what was in my freezer, I could give a much more varied response. In my freezer, I have five bags of different types of chocolate. Hey, a girl’s gotta have choices!

DONNELL: What makes you laugh? What makes you angry?

BARBARA: Laugh: Babies. “I Love Lucy” reruns. Pun-ny jokes.

Angry: Injustice. People who don’t know how to use their car’s directional signals. Not enough chocolate in the freezer.

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

BARBARA: It would be a writer. Agatha Christie. She’s one of my favorite mystery writers and the author of the first adult books I’d ever read. She has her critics who put down her characterization skills, etc. I don’t care. For inventiveness, I think she was ahead of her time. And 30+ years after her time, her heirs are still laughing all the way to the bank.

DONNELL: Do you read your reviews?

BARBARA: Uhhh...I’m still a newbie. Yeah, I read my reviews. When one is not so good, I tell myself it’s only one person’s opinion. When a review is good...I try to tell myself it’s only one person’s opinion. Sometimes I even succeed. LOL

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

BARBARA: (Shh! Did you notice I ignored the question? That’s what I try to do with writer’s block. Ignore it. And eventually, it goes away. )

DONNELL: (I noticed.) What is something that not a lot of people know about you but you WISH more people COULD know?

BARBARA: I write for chocolate. No, not really. On a serious note:
I would like people to know my goal as a writer: to bring the same enjoyment to my readers through my books as other authors’ books have brought to me.

DONNELL: Which era would you least have liked to live in, fashion-wise?
BARBARA: The Jazz Age: the Roaring Twenties. Love the music! Don’t have the body for the flapper dresses.

DONNELL: You’ve just invented a time machine. Where are you going?

BARBARA: To the time and place and person who invented the chocolate candy bar.

DONNELL ASKS, BARBARA'S GOTTA ANSWER QUESTION: In honor of Friday the 13^th. Are you superstitious?

BARBARA: I am and I’m not. This question connects to the one earlier about reviews. It also ties in to how I feel about my horoscope.

If a monthly horoscope says something good will happen, I make note of the upcoming date(s) and spend time in happy anticipation—when I remember to think about it. If the horoscope predicts bad things, then I don’t believe in it. Or so I tell myself....

So to directly answer the question, I’m superstitious when it works for me. ;-)

BARBARA'S QUESTIONS FOR READERS:

What’s your favorite occupation for a hero—doctor, rancher, military man, construction worker, or...?
And why?

READERS, THERE YOU HAVE IT THIS AUTHOR LIVES FOR CHOCOLATE. COME CELEBRATE BARBARA'S "A RANCHER'S PRIDE" RELEASE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WILL EARN READERS ONE OF BARBARA'S BACK LIST. BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH HER.

~~~

Originally from the East Coast, award-winning author Barbara White Daille now lives with her husband in the warm, sunny Southwest, where they love the dry heat and have taken up square dancing.

From the time she was a toddler, Barbara found herself fascinated by those things her mom called "books." Once she learned the words between the covers held the magic of storytelling, she wanted to see her words in print so she could weave that spell for others.

Barbara hopes you will enjoy reading her stories and will find your own storytelling magic in them!

Her newest title from Harlequin American Romance, A RANCHER’S PRIDE, was just released and has received a 4-1/2 star Top Pick review rating from RT Book Reviews.

You can find Barbara online at her web site and blog: http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/ where you can check out her Virtual Blog Tour schedule for A RANCHER’S PRIDE.

You can also reach her via Facebook and Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille and https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Madeline Hunter!!!

Get Lost in This Story…

The Duke of Castleford has been so bad for so long that scandal can’t be bothered to rise up around him anymore. To alleviate the boredom of his privileged life, he occupies himself with drinking and whoring, not to mention the occasional duel. When something piques his interest, however, he has been known to emerge from his ennui and employ his considerable mental faculties to finding answers to the questions that fascinate him.

When Daphne Joyes rejects this notorious hedonist’s seduction, she assumes that he will forget about her and continue on his path to hell. Instead her beauty, grace and formidable composure captivate him, and she becomes one of those fascinations to him. That he intends to have her, and soon, is actually the least of the dangers that his pursuit of her presents. More troublesome is his interest in her past and her history, and the way he keeps poking his nose into the secrets behind the distant relative’s bequest that gave him ownership of the property where she lives.

I am beyond thrilled to host fellow historical author, Madeline Hunter, on the blog today. Madeline has written some of my favorite books and she never disappoints! You’re in for a fun interview, so let’s get right to it.

Madeline Hunter’s first romance was published in June, 2000. Since then she has seen twenty-one historical romances published, and her books have been translated into twelve languages. She is a seven-time RITA finalist, and two-time RITA winner. Twenty of her books have been on the USA Today bestseller list, and she has also had titles on the New York Times printed list, Publishers Weekly list, and the Waldenbooks paperback fiction list. She has received two starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times has awarded eighteen of her books 4 1/2 stars. Her current book is Dangerous in Diamonds (4/26/2011) which hit the NYTimes list at #15. She currently lives in Pennsylvania.

The Get Lost Interview…

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

Madeline: In addition to romance, I get lost in mainstream historical fiction, mysteries, and really well written nonfiction and biographies, which are stories if done right.

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

Madeline: I have distinct memories of reading my older sister’s first grade Dick and Jane reader, before I entered school myself. Years later I saw that book, and my memory of the story was much more developed! I guess my imagination has supplied a lot more action and words than actually existed on the pages.

Heather: What’s your favorite “love” word?

Madeline: I favor the word “passion.” To me it contains both the emotional and physical parts of love, and also the wonderful craziness of love.

Heather: What turns you off like nothing else?

Madeline: There are four letter words that turn me off like nothing else. Not all of them. Just certain ones that I find really crude and harsh and that carry implications of gross insensitivity.

Heather: Where do you read and how often?

Madeline: I tend to read at home, as often as time allows. I’ll read while making dinner if a book has drawn me in. The dinners aren’t always very good when that happens though. (Oops, forgot the salt. Sorry, guys!)

Heather: What sound or noise do you love?

Madeline: Water flowing, babbling, or as waves breaking.

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

Madeline: I like total silence when I write. This is a habit, though. I could probably listen to music, if I gave that way a chance.

Heather: What was the first story you remember writing?

Madeline: When I was about five, I typed out a story about going back to school in the fall, on my family’s ancient Underwood typewriter.

Heather: Who’s your favorite villain?

Madeline: I really liked my two villains in By Possession. One was the henchman, the other the brains and the motivator. The henchman was damaged, what today we would call a sociopath. The real evil, to my mind, was the “brains” who knew exactly how bad he was being and who went there anyway.

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

Madeline: I can’t separate them. However, once I have the story, the writing is easy. Getting the story right is probably the harder part.

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

Madeline: I have always been fascinated by architecture, and how it combines the creative and artistic with the very rational and mathematical.

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

Madeline: I groan with relief, LOL. And I immediately allow myself to think about other stories, which I have been avoiding so I won’t get distracted from the work in progress.

Heather: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Madeline: I wish I could say that I exercise, or go on long hikes. The truth is that I rot. I totally veg out. Then after a bit of that, I read a book.

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

Madeline: I have a secret girly girl side to me that almost never is seen. Really!

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

Madeline: I stopped reading reviews of my books about 8 years ago. Every now and then one is sent to me and I read it, but good or bad I tend not to. They do not influence my writing. I assume they are not intended to either. Reviews are conversations that are reader to reader, it seems to me.

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

Madeline: Some financial pressures have been eased and I have been able to travel more than I might have otherwise. The income from writing is not a sure thing, though, so I have not given up the day job and I do not depend on writing to put food on the table. I am very conservative that way.

The biggest dream that was realized was just getting published. Having all the hard work pay off was fantastic, and having that dream come true sort of stunned me.

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

Madeline: Coffee, with cream and sweetener. I drink a lot of it. Too much.

Heather: What does it mean to love someone?

Madeline: This is a big question, that would take pages to answer. However, I will say that loving someone means accepting the imperfections along with the good things. It means being willing to be vulnerable with that person, too.

Heather: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

Madeline: Interesting? My quirks are just quirky. I am aware of two that others have found humorous (that is a nice way to say “funny in a weird way”, and not interesting or charming.) I talk to myself, out loud, and sometimes do not even realize it anymore. And I can focus to the point where I do not see other people or my surroundings. Sounds like the makings of one of those people you see on city streets, that you cross to the other side to avoid, huh? My husband promises to make sure I never get totally lost in my head. Unfortunately, he is not always with me.

Heather: Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?

Madeline: So glad you asked! For men, Tudor times. Their clothing was pretty ridiculous during that era. For women, the 1950s and early 1960s. It isn’t only that the clothes of that period would look horrible on me, either. I have always found the silhouettes from then, and the styles, unforgiving and unworkable unless the dress was from a top designer. Grace Kelly looked great in those clothes. Everyone else looked frumpy, I think.

Historically, Regency period dress is attractive for both men and women. I think that is one reason the books set in this period are popular.

Heather: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn’t go away?

Madeline: My most recent book features one of those characters. Castleford was a walk on in the first book of the series, and did some things in that book that he might not have done if he had been planned as a hero of a later book. Talk about a character who would not go away, too!

Heather: What is your favorite cheese?

Madeline: Right now, Asiago.

Heather: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

Madeline: Oh, dear heavens, please do not ask! I am on deadline and the fridge is pretty gross.

Heather: Is Elvis really dead?

Madeline: Yes, indeed he is. He told me so.

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

Madeline: If I had my way, I would have dozens. Unfortunately I look bad in most hats. Also, most do not fit me. Women’s hats come in only one size, while men’s are still sized, which just is not fair.

Heather: Dog person or cat person?

Madeline: I would say cat. However, mine has been waking me up too early in the morning recently, so this may change in a week or so if he doesn’t stop that.

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

Madeline: French, but probably only because of all the foreign languages I speak a little, I can speak more of that one than the others.

Heather: How much money does it take to be happy?

Madeline: Well, let us assume that we are not spendthrifts and do not embrace debt easily. In that case, enough is when you can take care of the basics and some additional nice things without worrying over each purchase. I am not someone who needs to buy a lot of stuff, so it may take less for me to be happy than someone else, of course.

Heather: What is your favorite thing about you? J

Madeline: Hmmm. I like to think that I am honest. I will also share what I have with others.

Heather’s GOTTA ASK – Madeline’s GOTTA ANSWER J

Heather: I noticed on your website that you have a Ph.D. in Art History, and teach at the college level. What do you teach, and are you students aware of your career as a romance author? Have any of them dared rib the Prof?

Madeline: I keep my two lives separate, so as far as I know none of my students has been aware of my writing. One student did recommend my own books to me once, unaware that she was talking to Madeline Hunter, which was interesting. There are people at my school who know about it, though. Several of my biggest fans work there. I teach Art History, to undergraduates mostly.

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

Madeline: Dangerous in Diamonds is a redemption story, with a touch of Cinderella thrown in. Romance novels often fall into types or categories like that. There are the beauty and the beast stories, the Cinderella stories, the nurturing mother earth stories, the coming of age stories, etc. Which is your favorite type?

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?**

Madeline: I will offer a signed copy of Dangerous in Diamonds to one of the readers who posts a comment.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Madeline! Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

My website is www.MadelineHunter.com

Facebook is http://www.facebook.com/MadelineHunter

Blog: http://www.thegoddessblogs.com

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American 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 next tomorrow when Angi hosts Nancy Haddock!

Charlene Sands

Charlene Sands is a USA Today Bestselling author of thirty romance novels, writing sexy contemporaries and historical stories set in the Old West. Her stories have been honored with the National Readers Choice Award, the Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice Award and she’s a double recipient of the Booksellers’ Best Award. She’s a member of the Orange County Chapter of RWA as well as the PAN liaison for the Los Angeles Chapter of RWA. When not writing, she enjoys great coffee, bowling in a woman’s league, country music, reading books from her favorite authors and going on movie dates with her “hero” husband. She loves holding contests and giveaways via www.charlenesands.com . Twitter and Facebook her!!

Carrying the Rancher's Heir

The passionate, impulsive evening Tagg Worth had spent in the arms of brown-eyed beauty Callie Sullivan was madness. Visions of their tryst still haunted him, but their one-night stand was a mistake the wealthy rancher swore he would not repeat. Hawk Sullivan's daughter was strictly off-limits—especially since Hawk's main goal in life was to put Tagg out of business.

Then, suddenly, there was a baby on the way. His baby. Tagg vowed to do the right thing, no matter what it cost him. But his inconvenient new bride tempted his solitary heart down a path a Worth didn't dare follow….

Excerpt:

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

CHARLENE: Always. Since I’m writing so much, I use a lot of discretion when choosing a book to read. I have a long list of my favorite authors, including many, many Desire authors, but from other genres as well. It’s seems I always get lost, in the best possible way. It’s the great form of entertainment for me and a way to escape the real world!

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

CHARLENE: For romance, as a young adult, it’s an easy question… Kathryn Woodwiss,’ The Flame and the Flower. That book got me hooked on romance.

CAT: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

CHARLENE: I love a tortured hero and have often modeled my stories to some degree to The Beauty and the Beast. Who doesn’t sympathize with the Beast and the moral of that story is the absolute best. Shrek did it well with the first story too.

CAT: What turns you off like nothing else?

CHARLENE: There’s a few things, but I really dislike a woman with a foul mouth. Or a man for that matter. It has to do with respecting the people around you and respecting yourself. Not to say, that the heroes in my stories don’t often curse, but it’s usually within the realm of what’s acceptable and not altogether disgusting.

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

CHARLENE: Try some Tim McGraw, The Cowboy in Me or Something Like That, or Toby Keith’s, Should Have Been a Cowboy. My hero, Taggart Worth is an ex-rodeo champion turned CFO on his family’s ranch. Most all country songs apply. I’m a big country music fan. Have seen all the major country artists in concert. Those romantic ballads and boot-stomping country songs help inspire my western cowboys and ranchers.

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

CHARLENE: I love talking about this movie. It’s an oldie but tells a classic, by-the-book, romance. If you are just learning how to write a romance, I recommend, It Happened One Night, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. I have to watch it once or twice a year. It’s in black and white, but the story shines and holds up against time.

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

CHARLENE: No. I wish I could. I listen to music before and after I write, for inspiration. I’ve never figured out how my kids could listen to music and study. I need complete and utter silence. I’m fortunate to have a beautiful office and the house to myself for most of the day. I get a lot done from 7 am to 4 pm. I know everyone has their own way of working, but for me, I can’t have even the slightest distraction.

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

CHARLENE: I work part-time for a local hospital where I teach baby-care and childbirth classes in the evening. I love getting out and away from the computer, but if I were completely honest, if I couldn’t write, I’d be trying to figure out a way that I could. I fall into the category of writers, where writing isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. That said, being a part of my students’ lives when they bring new life into the world, is very rewarding!

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

CHARLENE: Usually, I start working on another book, or write up a proposal for another story. At times, I’ve been known to simply read for a few days… I miss it. And if I’m really lucky, it will work out that my hubby and I can take a few days off for a weekend getaway.

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

CHARLENE: Aside from having the best family, a wonderful hubby, a daughter and son – then my answer has to be all of my dreams have beenrealized. I’m doing what I truly love. How many people can say that? But at the same time, I do set goals for myself and I’m always challenging myself and trying to do better.

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

CHARLENE: I enjoy both. Coffee black, unless that yummy hazelnut creamer is available. And tea, the same. Straight up. I guess it depends on my mood. Mornings are always coffee.

CAT: What does it mean to love someone?

CHARLENE: Love makes the world go round. At times, I have to laugh at people who diss romance novels, because they don’t get it. We write about the most fulfilling emotion on earth. Where would we be without love? And to love someone, whether it’s your spouse, your child, your friend, well, there is nothing that quite compares, is there?

CAT: What color would you make the sky if it wasn’t going to be blue anymore and why?

CHARLENE: Chocolate, for obvious reasons. <G>

CAT: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

CHARLENE: I put things away without realizing it. Sometimes, in the wrong place. I’m a little bit of neat freak and when I’m deep in thought, I just go on auto-pilot. Usually, it happens when I’m thinking about a scene or plotting a story, which is most of the time.

I’d love to thank Cat Schield and all the writers here for allowing me to grace the pages of your wonderful “Get Lost in a Story” blog. I’ll be giving away to one commenter today, a $10 Amazon Gift card.