Interview with chick lit romance author Barbara Valentin

Romance author Barbara Valentin is sitting with me today. We’re talking about her new chick lit romantic comedy novel, Flight Risk (Assignment: Romance book #4).

During her virtual book tour, Barbara will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice) to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:
Author of the bestselling Assignment: Romance series, Barbara was named "Indie Star of 2015" by Publishers Weekly. A member of Romance Writers of America, she looks forward to the day when her to-do list includes "Send Oprah a thank you note" and "Accept Godiva's request to be a taste-tester."

Welcome, Barbara. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Sure! It’s the fourth book in my Assignment: Romance series. Each book features a different character from the Lifestyle section of the Chicago Gazette. Flight Risk belongs to Aubrey Thomas, a phobic travel writer. When her editor hands her an ultimatum – jump out of an airplane (for a feature on extreme sports) or lose her job, she scrambles to find someone—anyone!—who can help her overcome her debilitating fear of heights. Enter John Trelawney, a charming window washer who thinks nothing of dangling by a cable fifty stories up and claims he can cure her. Everything about John makes Aubrey nervous... including the way her heart kicks into overdrive whenever he's around. But, at the end of her rope, she decides to take him up on his offer.

What inspired you to write this book?

My real-life day job is located in a high rise in Chicago’s Loop (downtown area). While strolling down State Street on my lunch hour last summer, I got doused with liquid yuck from a window washer’s bucket. My bad for choosing to not walk under the scaffolding that covered portions of the sidewalk, but still! Later that same week, window washers were stationed at my office building. Really hot window washers. That coupled with my fear of heights, and a story was born.

Excerpt from Flight Risk:

            John smirked. "You're not afraid of heights."

            Her defenses on high alert, Aubrey shot back, "Oh yes I am," well aware that she sounded like a fifth grader picking a fight on the playground.

            With a quick shake of his head and that same teasing smile, he murmured, "You're just afraid of falling."

            The thought had never occurred to Aubrey, but it made perfect sense, especially after seeing her first husband fall headfirst to his death.

            As if reading her mind, he added, "And I can totally help you get over that."

            Ah, here we go.

            "Heh. Yeah. I'll be you can." She attempted to stand, but he sprang up first.

            "Easy does it." Taking her clammy hand in his, he pulled her to a standing position. "You sure you're OK?"

            When she nodded, he reached into his back pocket and produced a pen. Next, he uncurled her hand and started writing something on her open palm.

            But the ink wouldn't stick. Her skin was still too damp.

            Which might explain what he did next.

            Aubrey watched, mesmerized, as he held her open palm to his mouth and blew on it. While part of her brain knew he was just trying to dry her skin, when he locked his eyes on hers, the rest of her was all in for him doing more of the same on the rest of her clammy self.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on the next book in the series, tentatively titled Order Up. Here’s the blurb: Nancy Braley, the Gazette’s seasoned food editor who views men as little more than garnish, has developed a craving for Doug Johnston, a hot, but bothered coffee shop owner. Quite the dish, he's just what Nancy needs to prove to her oft-married mother that she is not following in her cougar paw steps. Busy trying to fend off an encroaching coffee store megachain, Doug informs Nancy that he's only interested in being someone's main dish, not just a piece of meat. After declining Nancy's invitation to attend her mother's Vegas wedding, the last thing he expects is for her to return with ideas to expand his menu and attract the lucrative lunch crowd. Determined to tenderize Doug's tough exterior, can Nancy get him to eat his words...and melt her heart?

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I devoured books as a kid, but never considered being a writer until I took a creative writing class in college. My professor helped me find and develop my voice and I will forever be indebted to her for all of the support and encouragement she gave me.

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?

That’s the goal! For my day-job, I edit banking procedures (super exciting stuff). I make time to write during my train ride to and from work, in the evenings after everyone heads to bed, on the weekends, while waiting for my son to get out of his scout meetings, on the way to visit my older boys at college…any time or place I can squeeze it in!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write best at my kitchen table, partly because it’s high enough for me to stand and type at the same time if I want to and partly because I can keep tabs on everybody while still getting my work done. Then there’s the food…and coffee.

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

I’ve only ever wanted to write, or be a professional book reader.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

If you haven’t read any of my books, I hope you’ll give them a try. Every book you buy gets me a little closer to fulfilling my dream of being a full-time writer, so thanks in advance for your support!

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!
Thanks very much for having me!

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Interview with romance author Barbara Valentin

Today's guest is romance author, Barbara Valentin. We're chatting about the newest in her romantic comedy series, Key Change, an Assignment: Romance novel.

During her virtual book tour, Barbara will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, visit her other tour stops and follow the tour HERE.

Bio:

Author of the bestselling Assignment: Romance series, Barbara is an award-winning novelist and second-generation journalist. A member of RWA's Windy City chapter, she's looking forward to the day when her to-do list includes "Send NY Times book critic thank you note" and "Accept Godiva's request to be a taste-tester."

Welcome, Barbara. Please tell us about your current release.

It’s a romantic comedy about what happens when Sara, a hard-edged, shower-singing rock music critic crosses paths with Andrew, a wickedly gorgeous music director from a nearby church who is nursing his broken heart. When Sara finds herself locked out of her apartment, Andrew offers her the chance to stay on one condition – she has to join the choir at his church. While Andrew may hold the lease on Sara’s apartment, does he have the key to unlock her heart?

What inspired you to write this book?

I got the idea during choir rehearsal at my own church, interviewed the director and let my imagination take it from there.

Excerpt from Key Change:

Up as usual at the crack of dawn, Andrew trudged to the bathroom, almost forgetting to close the door behind him before he spotted Sara's bangles on the counter next to the sink. Reaching over, he shut the door and locked it.

Fifteen minutes later, he was showered, clean-shaven, and ready to go, except he didn't have to be at the church until four-thirty that afternoon. Unplugging his phone from an outlet in his room, he brought it with him into the kitchen, transferred Sara's clothes that she had washed the night before into the dryer and poured himself some coffee. He sat on a barstool, debated throwing a sweatshirt on over his plain, blue, short-sleeved T- shirt to ward off the chill, but started scrolling through his email instead.

His eyes, however, kept drifting over to Sara, out like a light on the sofa sleeper.

While most of her was wrapped in the blankets like a human burrito, with the sun starting to break through the bare branches of the ancient oak tree blocking the expansive bay window, he could see her face quite plainly.

Without all that the heavy dark makeup, he noted, she looked younger.

And kinda sweet, actually.

But then again, she wasn't talking.

Still, he was glad he invited her to stay the night before.

But what about tonight? And tomorrow night? And the night after that?

While he mulled the possibilities, she rolled over and stretched, arching her back and groaning as she did. Resuming her curled-up burrito pose, she opened her eyes and mumbled, "How long have you been sitting there?"

Looking at his watch, he admitted, "About a minute. Or five. Maybe ten." His cheeks suddenly felt a lot warmer.

With a loud yawn, she sat up. "I slept so good." Patting the thin mattress with her hand, she added, "So comfy."

The words hung in the air between them.

Sarcasm before coffee. Great.

Still, the sight of her in his pajama top seemed to lobotomize him. All he could do by way of a reply was nod.

With a shrug, she added, "Seriously, on a sleeper sofa—who knew?"

Snap out of it.

With no small amount of effort, he turned and glanced at the dryer. "Your clothes should be ready in about twenty minutes."

At that, Sara took a deep breath and yanked the covers back, revealing two impossibly long bare legs as she flung her feet to the floor.

Knowing full well that the sudden blast of heat he felt was not delivered by way of the gilded vents along the floorboards, Andrew got up to check the thermostat on the wall next to the upright piano anyway, mumbling, "Gotta love old buildings."

What exciting story are you working on next?

The next book in the series is Flight Risk, due out early next summer. I won’t say too much about it except that it centers on a certain phobic travel writer at the Gazette.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

In the 7^th grade when my teacher returned a persuasive paper I had written. I don’t remember if I got an “A” on it, but when he told me how much he liked it, I just knew it was what I wanted to do when I grew up. I didn’t write fiction until I took some creative writing classes in college and didn’t make any money doing the kind of writing I wanted to do until years later when I started writing a humorous parenting column for the Chicago Tribune – The Plate Spinner Chronicles. Long story, short – I can’t imagine being anything other than a 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?

My day job has always been about writing – everything from user manuals to reference guides to procedures. Pretty boring stuff, but it pays the bills. I write my books during my train ride to and from work, in the evenings and on the weekends. It’s true – time does fly when you’re having fun.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like the challenge of creating characters and scenes that are incredibly sexy without having anyone actually having sex. But that’s just me.

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

I’ve only ever wanted to be a writer!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

After waiting for so long to become published, I still can’t believe I’ve got four books out there. I’m so very grateful that my dream’s come true. For anyone out there with the same aspirations, never, ever give up on yourself!

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Buy Links:  

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Thank you, Barbara!

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