Interview with urban fantasy romance author Naomi Stone

Today features an interview with Naomi Stone, the author of the light urban fantasy romance book, Wonder Guy.

Naomi will be awarding a Somewhere Rainbow, a Jewelmark wearable-bookmark by Craftswoman, Laramie Sasseville featuring carnelian, citrine, blue Amazonite, blue zircon, to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a free download card for her previous release, Spirited, to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop. To be entered to win, leave a comment below. To increase your chances of winning (since she's awarding gifts at every stop) feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too!

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

It all started when my parents had to go and teach me to talk. Then they sent me to school where I learned to read and write. Seriously. I learned to read and pretty soon I fell in love with books and stories. I loved fairy tales and tales of magic from the very start. Even before that I loved to daydream; I daydreamed myself into adventures with my favorite TV characters. I dreamed up adventures crossing time and space on my own, meeting characters out of history and stories. Books gave me the sense that there was a home waiting for my daydreams, a place where they belonged.

Please tell us about your current release.

Wonder Guy is a light-hearted fantasy, the first full-length novel in my series of stories featuring the Fairy Godmothers' Union, True Love Local. Its hero, Greg Roberts is brilliant but awkward with women and he's never admitted his love to Gloria, the girl next door. Now she's engaged to marry a nice sensible guy and Greg is prepared to stand by and let her - it's her choice after all. But when Serafina, Greg's fairy godmother steps in, it's a whole new ballgame. Serafina gives Greg superpowers just to impress Gloria, who will see him in a whole new light. And that's only the start of a story that includes dinosaurs, murder, evil fae, giant mosquitoes and a rampaging elephant.

What inspired you to write this book?

Have you ever watched The Big Bang Theory? I actually know a fair number of young men who could qualify as nerds: brilliant, good-hearted, but a bit socially awkward. I wrote this story for them. And I wrote it for all the young women who may be too focused on values like security and comfort and fail to recognize their own potential for deep, heart-felt love and passionately lived lives. Maybe real life doesn't always give us what our hearts desire, but if I can give people who need it a story that offers the satisfaction of a happy-ever-after ending, I'm glad to do it.

Excerpt:

A figure in gold and green blazed toward them from below.

Wonder Guy! Gloria’s heart leapt in her breast. Oh, thank heaven. Oh, crap. Her hair must look like hell, whipping and tangling around her face in the wind.

In the next instant, with a series of sharp popping noises and a smell she remembered from summer evenings near a bug zapper, the giant mosquitoes lost their holds on Gloria’s arms. She rejoiced and despaired again immediately, falling free toward the earth below. Her stomach lurched, dropping even faster than she fell through the air. The wind dragged at her hair and clothes, stopping her breath. The pervasive drone of wings fell silent and empty husks of giant mosquitoes filled the air, falling with her. The sharp black point of the Calder sculpture’s support rushed to meet them. Gloria screamed.

Strong, gentle arms scooped her up, and she threw her arms around the hero’s strong neck, burying her face in the warm crook below his clean-cut jaw, trembling in relief.

“Hey,” he said. “It’s gonna be okay.”

They swooped through the air, but this was totally different than flying in the grasp of the giant insects. She lost all fear of falling. Wonder Guy cradled her gently against his solid chest, one strong arm hooked under her thighs, the other holding her tightly to him. She clung fiercely, arms clutched around his neck. How could she feel so--contented? blissful? happy?--in the midst of this craziness? Her face pressed close to the bare flesh where his lower face and jaw emerged from his mask. His scent filled her like the breath of home, human, familiar and safe. She checked the urge to nuzzle him, to nibble her way up to his ear. She relaxed, molding herself to the solid wall of Wonder Guy’s body so warm against hers.

They neared the ground, the sound of insect wings growing louder as they descended. The shrill whine, like police sirens on helium, surrounded them.

“Hold on,” Wonder Guy told her, transferring her grip from his neck to what proved to be the stalk of the giant cherry on which she now stood. His arms freed, Wonder Guy turned to face the army of horrendous mosquitoes closing in around them.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I've just put out the second volume of Fairy Godmothers' Union short stories and now have got a couple new stories in the works. First, a romantic steampunk story about whaling in the 19th century with the added benefit of advanced (steam-powered) technology. And also, the third in my series of Team Guardian novellas. Team Guardian is an organization of people who acquired special powers as a side-effect of a Probability Bomb set off about ten years in our future. They work to police the rogue Talents who use their powers for nefarious ends. They also tend to fall in love with each other. J In this newest adventure the urbane Tom Stanton, teleporter, will finally get together with the talented illusionist, Sophia Alvarez while they work with the FBI to stop a rogue Talent serial killer.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I go back and forth on this. I'm a writer when I'm writing. I'm other things at other times. i.e.: When I'm keeping house, I'm a house-keeper; when I'm sleeping, I'm a sleeper, when I'm singing, I'm a singer. I've been a shopper, a driver, a rider, an artist, a designer, a student, a cook, a secretary, a pawn and a king… er, maybe not the last. I just don't like to put labels on myself, given that they are misleading and confining. Everyone has the capacity to do and be many things in our lives. Since I've had my stories published, I can call myself an author, but that's still only part of the picture.

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?

No, I don't write full time except in the sense that the back burners of my mind are always simmering, taking things in and mulling them around only to throw out odd ideas as they come to a boil.

I also do freelance work through Final Draft Partners (www.dreamspell.net/finaldraftpartners/) designing book covers and helping independent publishers get their books formatted for print-on-demand or ebook publication. When assignments are thin, I take whatever odd temp jobs I can handle - and there have been an odd lot: everything from stocking crash carts in a children's hospital to creating internal publications at the offices of International Dairy Queen - where the job perks included a free Dilly bar now and then. I find time for writing by making it a regular accompaniment to lunch, and by writing on the bus when I have a long commute.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I'm not sure that I should admit this, but I can write with my right hand while I wield my fork with my left hand. I can and do write and eat simultaneously, making my lunchtime writing sessions extra productive.

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

All kinds of things, really. I had an active imagination and would daydream and act out stories in which I was a mermaid or a trapeze artist, a witch or a cowgirl. My favorite daydream was of being a time traveler with futuristic powers that kept me safe in my travels to all different periods of history where I'd meet people like Alexander the Great (my powers included a Universal Translator ala Star Trek) and the Beatles before they hit it big.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thanks for checking out this interview. Be sure to leave a comment to qualify for the drawing to win a free copy of Spirited! my very first full-length novel:

Amelia Swenson's plans for the weekend didn't include a sexy djinni or saving the world from demons, but plans change.

Her whole life changes when Amelia discovers the ring to which the handsome djinni is enslaved, and at the same time accidentally unleashes a demon into the world. The djinni, Al-Marid has been alone for three thousand years -- is it any wonder he falls for the woman who frees him? But who ever heard of a lilit? Lilits prey on men, drive them to madness, kill children, and cause miscarriages. And now Amelia has let one loose on her city

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Wonder Guy buy links:

E-book version from Lyrical Press available at

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Apple Store | Print-on-Demand via Createspace 

Thanks, Naomi!