Interview with mystery author Radine Trees Nehring

Today at Reviews and Interviews we have award-winning mystery author Radine Nehring.

Bio:
Radine Trees Nehring's writing career began when she and husband John moved to the Arkansas Ozarks in the mid 1980s and she wrote and sold her first Ozarks essay. Radine continues as a full-time writer with many awards and honors, (as well as fan-friends), attesting to her success. In addition to work as a journalist and magazine feature writer, she has published a number of mystery short stories, one non-fiction book about life in the Ozarks--"DEAR EARTH: A Love Letter from Spring Hollow,"--and a series of "To Die For" mystery novels. These have earned, among other honors, a Macavity nomination, and the 2010 Silver Falchion Award from Killer Nashville. Radine was also named the 2011 Inductee into the Arkansas Writers' Hall of Fame by the Arkansas Pioneer Branch of Pen Women in the USA and the board of the Arkansas Writers' Conference. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Authors Guild, Ozarks Writers League, and has represented Arkansas on the board of Mystery Writers' of America, Southwest Chapter.

Radine, please tell us a bit about your newest release, Journey to Die For.
Carrie McCrite (retired librarian), and Henry King (retired Kansas City Police Major) begin their Journey to Die For on the A&M RR Passenger Excursion train day-trip to Van Buren, AR. What was meant as an eight-month anniversary surprise for newly-wed Carrie turns into murder on the banks of the Arkansas River. Why is the body of a man from the train on the riverbank? What might that have to do with the sinking of a treasure-laden Confederate steamboat? And how are Van Buren antiques shops linked to burglaries in Kansas City? Can this couple and their friends uncover answers before a killer stops them?

This is (for me, and, I hope, others) another enjoyable and exciting adventure with Carrie and Henry, plus their friends Shirley and Roger Booth, and Eleanor and Jason Stack. These three couples--quite a contrast in human backgrounds and interests--came together for a cause in the first "To Die For" novel, A Valley to Die For. In some adventures, the Stacks join Carrie and Henry. In others it's the Booths or maybe all four of them. They make an adventuring-detecting sextet that keeps me on my toes, creating and unravelling crimes and puzzles for them to solve.

What inspired you to write this book?
The terrific thing about this series is that I get to choose locations in the Arkansas Ozarks that I will enjoy visiting with my characters. These destinations--always places popular with tourists--make research an adventure for me, as well as for Carrie and Henry et. al. In the case of Journey to Die For, I remembered riding the Arkansas and Missouri Passenger Excursion Train to the historic town of Van Buren a few years earlier. Who doesn't love a train? Why not take Carrie and Henry on that excursion, and see what we can find in Van Buren, along the banks of the Arkansas River, and in a port area that saw a lot of steamboat traffic during the nineteenth century. History a-plenty, with Civil War excitement included, made a terrific spring-board for this novel. Adding connected evil doings in Henry's home town of Kansas City gave depth, as I explored events that had touched his life there in the past.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Ah! The Ozarks area is known for fall craft fairs. Are they always as benign and as much fun as they seem? What if . . . well, let's see what Carrie and Henry and their friends get themselves into at the fairs.

When did you consider yourself a writer?
Hmmm, probably back when I wrote (and immediately sold) my first essay about the Ozarks. Coming to the Ozarks in the 1980s exploded into an urge to tell others about this wonderful place, and it seems the setting was of interest to editors, especially those living on the east coast. For a number of years I continued to write Ozarks features and essays for magazines and newspapers, and also had my own radio program about the Ozarks for ten years. Right after my non-fiction book about Ozarks life (Dear Earth) sold to a New York publisher, I began thinking about writing a mystery novel. (Just one.) Mysteries were my fiction reading of choice, could I write one? Thus Carrie and Henry and their friends, loosely modeled after people I knew here in the Ozarks, were born. Well, one wasn't enough, so . . . By the time my first Carrie and Henry adventure sold, the second book had been finished, and was part of the package.

Now I think I'm addicted to adventures with these people.

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 wish. I am in the writing business full-time, but editing, promotion, on-line connections, organizing book events, travel, mailing promotion materials and books, and so on seem to take up well over half of each work day. That's six days a week and half-days on Sunday.

So that means I write for fun! Ahhh, at last, I can spend time with Carrie and Henry and friends. Truth be told, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

As I child I learned that being alone was comfortable, and reading was an escape from sometimes unhappy events in "real" life. Now, it's being a writer that frees me from whatever shyness I grew up with. I can talk about writing very easily.

For shared fun, my husband and I enjoyed working around our homestead for years. Now, with our new life style, we enjoy taking a break from work by going out to eat. Time for us to talk and -- what else? -- read. I often read my work in progress to him on the road to one of our favorite restaurants. (He drives, I read, we talk about the work.)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I began listening to the Saturday afternoon broadcasts of Metropolitan Opera performances when I was eight or nine.That continued until I left for college. So, what did I dream of being? You guessed it! An opera singer. Only one problem. I didn't have the voice.

My father didn't believe in college for women but finally agreed to two years for me. (I majored in pre-professional art.) Then he insisted I go to secretarial school. I did, but only worked part-time as a secretary for one summer. After marriage, I worked in interior decorating and antiques sales and went back to school, majoring in Art History and English, taking evening and weekend classes at the University of Tulsa until I finished. More recent post-grad work has included time at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Program during summer vacations. (I enjoyed writing but didn't write professionally until I was old enough for AARP!)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I think all writers are joined in their love for the creative process. Otherwise, we come in as many varieties as the rest of the human population. I am grateful to be writing fiction. I can't imagine doing anything else now. (And it's a profession with no forced retirement age, thank goodness!)

Radine, thank you for sharing so much with us today. You certainly sound like you're enjoying the writing life.

Interview with romance author Elaine Lowe

Today I get to host my first Honey Bee Promotions author. Elaine Lowe is here to talk about romance, writing, and itchy fingers.

Bio:
Elaine Lowe is a work-at-home mom in Silicon Valley, California. Of her many part-time jobs, her favorite one by far is writing. She has a background in biotech, but she has branched out into the demanding world of home management, toddler entertainment, transcription, envelope stuffing, and of course, writing romantic and erotic fiction.

A love of history, magic and romance combines to inspire a lot of her writing. That and her wonderful husband, who is a fantastic sounding board, support system, and research consultant. He really enjoys research. And so does she.

Elaine, please tell us about your current book release.
Magic Eights is about fulfilling the wild fantasies of a happy but slightly frustrated wife. Susanna makes an idle wish to a Magic Eight ball she receives from a good friend, who happens to style herself as a witch. That wish results in not just one, but seven different copies of her husband being created, each with a purpose to accomplish! It’s a sexy romp, but it’s also a loving story of two people in love who still have insecurities and secrets and find deep fulfilment in rediscovering each other and opening up completely. This is a contemporary paranormal, a highly erotic romance and a quick fun read that I had a ball writing.

What inspired you to write this book?
I was in the middle of writing a completely different book, a historical set in Hawaii that I am still plugging away on, when this insistently horny wife popped into my mind’s eye while I should have been refining my chapter outlines. Susanna was lying in her bathtub, holding a prognosticating Magic Eight ball, and asking it ridiculously erotic questions involving activities to try with her workaholic husband. Well, she would not leave me alone, and so in very short order her story came out as Magic Eights.

It’s a fun, steamy romp for me, different then a lot of my books. Most of my books are historicals with lots and lots of heavily researched plot. This is sex, sex, and more sweet, hot sex. It’s the magic-enhanced dream world of a happily married couple, and it was so much fun to write.

Susanna has finally left me alone, but her friend Esme is bugging me now. She’s the witch who gave Susanna that enchanted Magic Eight ball as an anniversary present, and now she wants her own story told. I have a feeling that my Hawaiian epic is going to get interrupted again!

What exciting story are you working on next?
I usually have several manuscripts I’m working on at any one time. I’ve just finished another book in the Magic Eights world, but this one much more steeped in magic, with more of an urban fantasy vibe. And I’m working on Esme Morgan’s story and her Fae suitor. And, of course, there’s that Hawaiian cowboy story!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think I really first thought of myself as a writer the day I was finishing one book, editing another, and doing promotion for a new release, all at the same time. Juggling three completely different stories at the same time made me realize I had created all these worlds, and people wanted to read them! It was exhilarating.

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 wish I could write full-time, but alas I’m a mom to a special needs child, and I work several part time, at-home jobs. Writing is my fun time, and my escape! I worry that if I was ever so lucky as to be able to write full-time, it would become work instead of the joy that it is now.
Still, I wouldn’t mind trying! And I don’t see myself as ever giving it up. I have to write, my fingers itch otherwise.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I really like to switch perspectives and try to give an equal voice to both partners in a relationship. There are only a few of my books which are completely from a single point of view. I love books where you get both sides of the story, so that’s what I write as well.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
It varied. I wanted to be an astronaut, a country singer, a pilot, or a travel writer. At least I got the writer part!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love hearing from my readers. If you have a suggestion, a problem, a prompt, or a story you want to share with me about your experiences and what you think about my books, I really want to hear from you! Find me on Twitter or e-mail me at elalowe@gmail.com!

Elaine, thanks for stopping by as you tour your book. It's a pleasure to meet you and learn about your writing.

Live chat/interview with mystery author Sandra Tooley/Lee Drive 8/7/11

The Writer's Chatroom presents mystery author Sandra Tooley/Lee Driver.

You can read an interview with Sandy here on Reviews and Interviews.

WHEN?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Login. No password needed.

Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

Interview with author Chloe JonPaul

Author Chloe JonPaul joins Reviews and Interviews today. She's here to talk about her writing and her book, This Business of Children.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Chloe. Please tell us about your current release, This Business of Children.
Vera Harriss, Deidre Fletcher, Mark Pettingill, and Stu Martel are elementary school teachers in the fictional town of Blevins, Maine whose secret, private lives change dramatically as you read.

Vera, who is about to retire, vents her anger during a Board of Education meeting with a speech that brings the audience to its feet. Why does Deidre, an exceptional teacher, leave the job she loves to become a corporate trainer down South? Then there is Mark, the perennial job hunter looking for a corporate position with more prestige and pay but then turns down the perfect offer when it finally comes through. Stu, one of the most popular teachers in the school, struggles with a deep, dark secret that he can only share with Deidre. What causes Stu’s untimely death?

Vera Harriss, Dee 
Fletcher, Mark Pettingill, and Stu Martel are eager to share their intriguing secrets and entangled lives with you.

What inspired you to write this book?
I took a leave of absence for a year back in 1991 because I had had a very stressful year in the school district where I was teaching. I needed some time to regroup and think about my options. I went back to Maine where I had experienced the best teaching in my entire career and stayed with a friend. Without really planning to write a novel, I began to write and found myself creating these 4 characters almost effortlessly. At first, I thought it would be therapeutic for me but I soon realized that I wanted the world to know what teachers go through in the course of an academic year.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Actually, I don’t have anything in the works at the moment because I have 2 other manuscripts waiting on the back burner and I’m exploring the possibility of having this novel turned into a screen play.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I loved to write even as a child and I’ve been writing most of my adult life. Years ago I wrote occasional articles for newspapers and magazines but I didn’t start writing seriously until 2001. Now I have 3 published books.

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 but I do maintain a schedule and fortunately, I happen to be highly organized. When I’m on a writing schedule, I allow 3-5 hours for this. Self-discipline and consistency are indispensible if you are serious about your craft.

My life is rich and full with other activities and I seem to be able to make time for everything I want to do.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t think I have any quirk to talk about unless you consider the fact that I actually trashed this novel. The friend I was staying with retrieved it telling me, “You are NOT throwing this away!” I took it back, shelved it, and went on to write 2 non-fiction books – nearly forgetting about it until I realized that everything I was reading in the news about teachers this past year and a half was in my book!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I’m sure that this will make you smile but I actually wanted to be a nun. It seems that god had other plans for me but today I am a Third Order Carmelite.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I invite your readers to visit my web site where they can take advantage of some freebies and enjoy reading portions of all three of my books.

Thank you for being here today, Chloe, and introducing yourself and your writing to us.

Interview with mystery author Jackie King

Please extend a Reviews and Interviews welcome to mystery author Jackie King. She's here to talk about her writing and her newest release, The Inconvenient Corpse.

Bio:
Jackie King loves books, words, and writing tall tales. She especially enjoys murdering the people she dislikes on paper. King is a full time writer who sometimes teaches writing at Tulsa Community College. Her latest novel, The Inconvenient Corpse is a traditional mystery. King has also written five novellas as co-author of the Foxy Hens Series. "Warm Love on Cold Streets" is her latest novella and is included in the anthology The Foxy Hens Meet a Romantic Adventurer. Her only nonfiction book is Devoted to Cooking. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, RWI, Inc, Oklahoma Writers Federation, and Tulsa Night Writers.

Jackie, please tell us about your current release.
The Inconvenient Corpse tells the story of Grace Cassidy who finds herself abandoned by her husband and stranded in a bed-and-breakfast on the northern California coast. After a lifetime of affluence, she’s not only penniless and friendless, she’s also stuck with a naked corpse in her bed. She becomes the prime suspect, but with the help of some zany strangers she finds a job and solves the murder.

What inspired you to write this book?
Like most writers, stories constantly pop into my mind. Some seem to come from nowhere, but often these stories seem to be prompted by what whatever I’m doing at the moment. This was the case when I was vacationing at a Bed and Breakfast in northern California. Unexpected questions suddenly sprang to mind: What if I had found a dead body in my bed? And, what if he were naked? And what if his clothes couldn’t be found anywhere? Oh, I’ll make it worse! What if I were stranded in this strange town with no friends, no money, and no job skills? Could I survive using my own determination, brains, and moxie?

These were the questions that started me plotting The Inconvenient Corpse. I felt impelled to write the novel to learn the answers. Later, I added a teenaged son, my own experience as a woman who unexpectedly finds herself single, and a rescued cat--all to make Grace’s life even more complicated. And, because I love a touch of romance, I added a jaded police sergeant who was about Grace’s age.

The Inconvenient Corpse begins with the following sentence, then I built the whole book around these words:
“Grace Cassidy stared at the stranger’s body. He was about sixty, pot-bellied, naked, and very dead. She knew he was dead because his skin was the color of concrete. Worst of all, he was lying smack dab in the middle of her bed.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
My current WIP has the working title of Skeleton in the Closet. The story begins about five months after The Inconvenient Corpse ends. My protagonist, Grace Cassidy faces continuing complications in her personal life: developing the new career of inn-sitting, trying to save enough money to pay for a divorce, and the fear that her 19-year-old son, Brand, is about to ruin his life. Then of course, someone is murdered and circumstances compel her to try and solve the mystery.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I enrolled in a writing class at our local community college and was fortunate enough to have Peggy Fielding for a teacher. She insisted that if I wrote, then I was a writer. It took me awhile to get this down into the marrow of my bones, but after I sold my first short story to a national publisher my head started to believe what my lips had already spoken.

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 do write full time, and am currently living my dream life! I have three things that I must do each day: pray and meditate, write, and walk on my treadmill. The order in which I do these things changes from day to day, since I’m a bit haphazard. Sometimes I split my writing into different stretches of time. I might write a bit when I first get up, then have breakfast, and then go back to writing. As long as I do all three things each day, all is well.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My ability to write in the middle of a horrible mess! I keep most of my house reasonably decent, but my office looks as if someone threw a bomb through the door. Although this is somewhat embarrassing when I need a tech in to check my computer, the clutter does nothing to distract me from my writing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oddly enough, my mother decided I should be a writer when I was very young. Perhaps because she saw that I lived in an imaginary world of my own making, much of the time. Of course, when I was 13 I wanted to be a movie star. (I expect all 13-year-olds want this.) But by the time I went to college at 16, I was back to wanting to become a writer and studied journalism at The University of Oklahoma.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’d like to thank each person for dropping by to read the blog and to invite them to “friend” me on facebook, where I’m listed as Jacqueline King.

Also, please check out my website, and my blog Cozy Mysteries and Other Madness.

Last of all, I’d like to give each person a big cyber-hug and wish them happy reading.

Here are a few reviews and what other people are saying about The Inconvenient Corpse:

“A naked corpse in her bed is only the first surprise for our heroine in Jackie King’s charming bed-and-breakfast mystery. Cozy readers will be happy guests among these lively characters.”
--Marcia Preston, winner of the 2004 Mary Higgins Clark Award

If you like bed and breakfast settings, friendly cats, delightful, quirky characters and a little tea thrown in with your murder, you’ll love The Inconvenient Corpse.
--Bob Avey, Author of Beneath a Buried House and Twisted Perception

Jackie, thank you for stopping by and chatting with us for a bit. Write on!

Interview with mystery author Sandra Tooley, aka Lee Driver

Today is a chat with mystery author Sandra Tooley (aka Lee Driver) as she talks a bit about herself and her newest Chase Dagger series release (written as Lee Driver), Fatal Storm.

Bio:
Mystery author Sandra Tooley is the creator of the Sam Casey Series and the Chase Dagger Series (written as Lee Driver). She has held a number of interesting and diverse jobs such as secretary at a leading printing company, car salesman, sales assistant, assistant to the president of a franchise consulting firm, and seminar coordinator. Her most enjoyable job was the six years she spent as a casino dealer.

The author is particularly fond of the unusual and has carried her interests in the unknown to her writing. Her Sam Casey Series features a Native American detective with the unique ability to hear the dead speak, mixing mystery with paranormal. (Think Medium with a Native American twist.) Her Chase Dagger Series (written as Lee Driver) includes a young Native American woman who is a shapeshifter, combining mystery with fantasy, sometimes sci-fi or horror. Critics call it MacGuyver meets Dark Angel. Her cross-genre mysteries have won a number of awards over the years and been reproduced in large print, audiobook, mass market paperback, and eBook. Harlequin bought the paperback rights to Restless Spirit for their Worldwide Mystery book club. The Skull, a mystery for ages 11 to 111, won the Ida Chittum Award for Best Young Adult Mystery.

Her titles have received favorable reviews in Booklist, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Midwest Book Review.

Welcome, Sandra. Please tell us a bit about Fatal Storm.
This is the 5th in my Chase Dagger series. The Indiana Paranormal Investigators are spending a night in a gothic mansion on the outskirts of Cedar Point, Indiana. Four people are participating...only three remain in the morning. There have been other disappearances and homicides in the past connected with the mansion. And the one common denominator has been the weather. Fatal Storm finds Dagger and his entourage spending a night in the mansion to seek answers. But they get more than they bargain for as another storm builds on the horizon.

What inspired you to write this book?
I am a fan of the TV series Ghost Hunters and thought it would make a great theme for the next book in the series. I have always been intrigued with haunted houses. Two of my favorite movies are The Uninvited starring Ray Milland and The Changling with George C. Scott. Plots that challenge believeability have always appealed to me. I guess this comes from my love of Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond, and X-Files.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I alternate my series. One year Sam Casey. The next year Chase Dagger. I am currently working on Destiny Kills, the 6th book in my Sam Casey series (written as S.D. Tooley).

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I have friends who started writing poetry at the age of eight. My storytelling was mainly in my head. I would think up plots for my favorite TV show. I was a late bloomer and didn’t start writing seriously until the 1980s. I would have to say I considered myself a writer when I had my first book signing and saw my signature.

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 try to spend at least six hours a day writing, but sometimes life gets in the way. When I worked full time it was difficult to get even six hours a week dedicated to writing. I just spent one week at our time share in Southern Indiana. I wrote 100 pages. I have been home for two weeks and have written 5 pages. It varies. When I’m not writing I’m either reading or I’m on the golf course.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I type two question marks (??) when I need to research something. Rather than stop in the middle of writing to search the Internet or pick up the phone and call a friend (nurse, doctor, lawyer, etc), I wait until I’m done with the first draft and first re-write. Then I search for all double question marks, print out the pages and put them in piles depending on whose brain I have to pick.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Surprisingly an archeologist. I used to sit on the curb and sift through all the rocks at my feet, thinking every rock with a marking was a fossil of some type. Of course, after seeing Jurassic Park and how boring archeology is (long hot days brushing sand from bones, living in tents), I’m glad I didn’t pursue that occupation.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I have kept quiet all of my life about these “little people” I used to see from the age of four until my teens. They would crawl along the ceiling of my bedroom. My mom told me I was imagining it since she had read me Gulliver’s Travels. But three years ago, I was on a paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi panel. Someone in the audience asked the panel members to share any encounters they have had that might be considered paranormal, whether seeing a ghost, spacecraft, etc. I described my “little people” and two panel members immediately said “hobgoblins.” This, of course, prompts my husband to call me “strange.” I did see a ghost once while babysitting for a friend and I once subscribed to Dr. J. Allen Hynek’s UFO Reporter. I guess this all explains why my writings are anything but traditional mysteries.

Thanks for stopping by today, Sandra, and sharing a bit about yourself and your writing. I hope all the spirits stay on the pages!

Interview with romance author Melissa McClone

Romance author Melissa McClone is our guest today. She's doing a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her newest release Not-So-Perfect Princess.

Melissa is giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate at the end of the tour to a lucky commentor. Details below.

Bio:
Melissa McClone writes for Harlequin Romance. Her November 2010 release Christmas Magic on the Mountain was a 2011 RITA® Finalist in the Contemporary Series Category.

She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in mechanical engineering, but quit her job to write romance novels. Writing happily ever afters is a lot more fun than analyzing jet engine performance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, four cats, and a dog named Chaos.

Welcome, Melissa. Please tell us about your current release.
Not-So-Perfect Princess is part of Harlequin Romance's Once Upon A Kiss miniseries. Each story is loosely based on a classic fairytale. I used the tale of Sleeping Beauty for mine. It's set on an island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain. You'll find royalty, sailing and a cute stray kitten in the story! Here's the back cover blurb:

Dutiful Princess Julianna has a secret—she’s actually happiest makeup free, sailing with the sea breeze in her hair. Her attraction to rebel prince Alejandro is instant—but her intended is his brother, the proper but dull Enrique!

For the first time, Julianna’s irresistibly tempted. Before long, she’s spending her nights sailing with gorgeous Alejandro while the rest of the palace believes she’s sleeping. Soon she’ll have to choose—remain the perfect princess, or follow her heart and stop sleepwalking her way through life.…

What inspired you to write this book?
My heroine in this book has been a secondary character in two other stories—If the Ring Fits… (Silhouette Romance 4/00) and Expecting Royal Twins! (Harlequin Romance 2/11). If you notice the release dates, I had a big break between writing my next royalty themed story. But I've wanted to write Julianna's story for years, but I was so busy writing other stories I never had the time to write hers.

When I wrote a different royalty-themed story (Expecting Royal Twins!) it was the perfect opportunity to introduce Julianna to Harlequin readers. Before I could ask my editor if I could write her book next, I was offered a spot in the Once Upon a Kiss miniseries and could use Julianna as my heroine.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I'm having so much fun with my work-in-progress. I'm writing a Harlequin Romance (working title Goal…Wedding!) about a professional soccer player and a woman who her nephew's guardian while his parents, reservists in the military, are deployed overseas. The nephew's soccer team is what brings the hero and heroine together. Balls fly as well as sparks!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer the first time I completed a 50K word manuscript. It was promptly (and thankfully) rejected. But I learned enough about the craft of writing as well as the romance genre to call myself 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?
I'm a full-time mom so most of my writing happens when I'm waiting for one of them at a practice/activity or in the early morning/late evening when the kids are asleep. But I'm guessing if I add all those writing hours up each day, I could call myself a full-time writer, too.

I have a nifty word processor called an Alphasmart that I use for drafting. Using my Alphie really helps my daily word count! Also, I never find time to write. I make time to write. If I didn't do that, I'd never get anything done. With three kids and a bunch of pets, someone always needs me. Making time isn't easy. But I've cut out a lot of things I used to do. Now I watch only one television show a week. I also don't do a lot of socializing except for an occasional breakfast or lunch with a friend.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write the first three chapters of a story then I write the end of the book. I have to know where I'm going or I get stuck. The last chapter isn't always the same as what's published. I've tried not writing the end, but I can't move forward without it.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I think what I wanted to be changed depending on my age and the day! I do remembering wanting to be a doctor at one point. I talked about that seriously enough my dad thought I should volunteer as a Candy Striper to see if I liked working in medicine. It didn't take me long to realize I didn't want to be a doctor.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thanks for letting me visit with you today. It's been fun! If you have any questions for me, please post them in the comment section and I'll answer them.

Thank you, Melissa.

Readers, remember, Melissa is giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate at the end of her tour. Leaving a comment below will enter you to win, but you can have more chances if you follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better chance of winning.