Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews: Interview with romantic suspense author Caitlyn Nicholas

Today's guest is romantic suspense author Caitlyn Nicholas. She's sharing a little about herself and her new novel, The Danger Game available now from Escape Publishing.

Caitlyn will be awarding a Caitlyn Nicholas gift bag to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a grand prize of a $10 Amazon gift card + a Caitlyn Nicholas gift bag to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (International) The form to enter is at the end of the interview. You can visit other tour stops and enter the raffle there, too, to increase your odds.

Welcome, Caitlyn. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I began writing in 2005. Exhausted, pregnant (sure I was going to expire from morning-sickness) and coping with a demanding toddler, I decided the time was right to embark on a writing career. (In hindsight I may have been suffering from a scorching case of sleep-deprivation).

Still, it kinda worked out. My debut novel - and the first manuscript I'd ever written - Running Scared, was published in January 2007. My next book, Secret Intentions followed. Then I had a short story published in the Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romance (MBSOR) in 2010 - my story is called “The Grey Man.”

In 2012, my novel Drive Me to Distraction was published, and my novella The Danger Game came out just before Christmas. My next book, The Bunker, will be published in July 2013.

Please tell us about your current release.

It’s called The Danger Game. Flick, my heroine, likes computers. She’s good with them, and they do what she tells them, mostly. People, however, are more of a challenge.

But when a terrifyingly dangerous program is stolen, and her mentor killed, Flick finds herself on the run. The police are convinced she’s committed murder, and a sinister weapons developer will stop at nothing to force her to work for him.

In Ben’s line of work being suspicious keeps you alive. So when Flick turns to him, he quickly realises that she’s up to her neck in trouble and hasn’t fully grasped the danger she is in.

First he has to keep her safe, and then, together, they have to figure out how to save the world from an epic meltdown.

What inspired you to write this book?

The idea for The Danger Game sparked when I read an article about cyber-war, and it inspired a plot about an unstoppable cyber-weapon. I like to write about strong stubborn heroines meeting their match…

Excerpt:

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Ben asked.

Flick looked at his reflection in the mirror. “I don’t know.”

His face had a closed off look, and at her words a deep frown creased his forehead. He folded his arms across his chest.

“What exactly don’t you know?”

“I don’t know who you are. That’s for certain.”

His eyes narrowed and a muscle jumped in his jaw.

“I think I should talk to the police.” She pushed past him, out of the bathroom, aware that they were alone. “I’ll take them up to Andy’s office, they’ll need to know about it.”

“That sounds sensible.”

She glanced at him, but his face showed nothing but bland impassivity.

“It seems unreal to me. Like a bad dream.”

“Civilians always feel that way at first. Its normal.”

“Civilians?”

“People.” He shrugged.

What exciting story are you working on next?

My next book, The Bunker, is out in July 2013. It’s a romantic suspense set in a bunker deep under the idyllic green hills of England. Geeky Dimity Pond is the only person who can save the world from an epic financial meltdown, but to do it she’s going to need help from the reclusive and terse Lord Richard Summerhayes.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I didn’t really consider myself a writer until recently actually. My first two books were very experimental (for me anyway). My kids were very little when they were published and I wasn’t sure if I’d keep writing, go back to work, go back to University, or be a Glorious Domestic Goddess.

As things turned out I decided to become a stay at home mum, but it soon became obvious that full time Glorious Domestic Goddess didn’t make me happy. So I kept writing. When my story, Drive Me to Distraction, was accepted for publication in January last year, then I felt like I was stepping off into a new career as a ‘real’ writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I write during the day. Usually about 2-3 hours each day. More if I’m on a deadline. It’s not easy to work at home. There is always chores and jobs that I could easily be doing and I often feel I have to choose between welcoming the kids home with home made after school treats or finishing the next chapter. I’m haunted by Mummy-guilt! Still the writing usually wins out, and if I’m really over it I go and work in a café.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hmm. Trying to think of something that doesn’t make me sound too mad!! To be honest I think it’s probably that the more I have to do, the more I get done. I work best under pressure and with deadlines.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Well, it was changeable but most of the time I wanted to be a lady who rode horses in the circus. I’m rather relieved that it didn’t work out!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

My next book, The Bunker, is out in July 2013. It’s another thrilling romantic suspense set in deep underground in an old bunker, in the idyllic green hills of England. If you sign up for my newsletter you’ll be the first to hear about when it goes live. And don’t forget to leave a comment and enter my giveaway. Prizes include much sought after Timtams (legendary Australian chocolate biscuit).

You can find me online at: http://www.caitlynnicholas.com

My blog: http://www.caitlynnicholas.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CaitlynNicholas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaitlynNicholasAuthor

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/105412279044420141735/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/783424.Caitlyn_Nicholas

Buy links:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-Danger-Game-ebook/dp/B00AK3GTTI/

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Danger-Game-ebook/dp/B00AK3GTTI/

Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/THE-DANGER-GAME/book-4CHaOFNh70yB3UeAWKA7lg/page1.html?s=shBHL7QvTEeR0uGd3fnOsA&r=1

Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-danger-game-nicholas-caitlyn/1114588729?ean=9780857990105

Ibookstore https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-danger-game/id585508156?mt=11