Interview with Christine Young writing as Ann Christine

Today's guest author is Christine Young writing as Ann Christine. She's talking about her newest book, Safari Moon, and other works in process.

There are several giveaways available to several lucky commentors. Details are at the end of the interview.

Bio:
Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Welcome, Christine. Please tell us about your current release.
Safari Moon is about two best friends who can finish each others sentences. Nyssa finds that love at first sight truly does exist. The first time Nyssa sees Solo, she is smitten. Feeling as if she is a plain Jane nerd, Nyssa hides her feelings for the handsome, charismatic Solo never guessing that they are compatible on every level. Both are highly intelligent and both have a travel/adventure gene. After college Nyssa follows Solo on some of his photographic adventures, visiting exotic locales.

Solo denies his feelings for Nyssa, surrounding himself with witless yet gorgeous females always wondering why his relationships don't last. With his grandparents as examples, he should understand true love but the concept seems to evade him.

What inspired you to write this book?
My parents were avid bicyclists. When they retired, they took bicycle trips all over the world. They said you always saw more of the countryside and its people when you traveled more slowly. Their trips sent them to places like Bali, New Zealand, The Natchez Trace, Greece, Alaska, New England and I know there are more…

Nyssa started her career as a Wall Street investment manager and eventually the stress, power, greed and overwhelming need to make money with money was not a career she enjoyed. An athlete at heart she decided to start her own business in a much slower paced world.

And I love to write contemporary romance. It is so much fun to be able to think and write with modern slang and not worry about word usage, inventions, mode of travel, authentic costumes and again much, much more.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am in the process of editing Rebel Heart. This is a erotic fantasy with a few paranormal elements. A seer, a woman who can see into the future, predicts unnerving and frightening events. This book is set in the future, has gliders, masked heroes, and very evil villains.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
This one is hard. I've been asked this question before and I'm not sure how I answered it. There were stages in my writing career. After I joined national RWA, my local chapter and later as president of this chapter, I managed to finish several books, all rejected. Then I wrote a time travel, did I say I love time travel? I sent it off to Kate Duffy at Kennsington. She was very interested and called me. She didn't want to buy this book because "Kennsington was not buying time travel at this time but she would look at my next book. Please address it to her." Wow! I was so frightened. One of my critique partners encouraged me to write down all my feelings, but alas, I never did.

After that I sent Kate Dakota's Bride and I promptly received a two book contract. Kennsington Published Dakota's Bride and My Angel. Both these books are available at Rogue Phoenix Press in print and as an ebook and at Amazon on Kindle.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I am a retired high school math teacher. Since I retired I try to write a little bit each week. But I have a lot of hobbies and interest. I also love to walk and workout. So all of these take up my time. I spend time editing and critiquing when I am not writing or doing other things. Oh, I also have two adorable granddaughters who take up some of this time.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have many quirks. If I'm thinking and don't have the next words at the tip of my fingertips, I will do a number of things: lift light weights (triceps always need work), play Cityville, and other games.

Pertaining to my books, most of my books will have a water/swimming scene. There is nothing sexier than water over naked bodies. But I discovered that I don't have a water scene in every book. Safari Moon has a shower scene though.

Safari Moon is my first contemporary novel and I decided to write under a different name, not too different, my first and middle names. Yes, I'm strange that way too, I go by my middle name. I just was never really an Ann.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Interesting, but unlike other authors that was not my dream. I first wanted to be an oceanographer. And although I loved science, I really did not want to stay in school that long. The next I think I wanted to be is a French interpreter at the United Nations. But I never could really conjugate those French verbs. I went to Oregon State University as an art major and immediately was labeled a dumb blond art major. At that point and for a few other reasons I switched to a Biology major. I thought then that I might be Medical Illustrator. While my science skills were great, I did not have an art portfolio that could compete with other artists. Well…I think I got a bit carried away.

There were more steps, but now I truly am doing what I love to do.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you so much, Lisa, for hosting me on this blog. I hope we get lots and lots of comments.

Oh, everyone don't forget to buy Safari Moon by AnnChristine. Stop by my blogs and leave a comment just to say hi. I would love it if you followed my blog. (a bit of shameless self promotion)

Website
Rogues Angels blog
Facebook
Twitter
Publisher

Readers, Ann Christine will be giving away the following prizes during her virtual book tour:
* A Safari Moon bookmark to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop.
* ebook copy of The Gift (part of A Valentine Anthology) and Star Crossed (part of St. Patricks Day anthology) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
* One commenter during the tour will win the right to have a character named for them in her next release--either Ghost Dance (a western historical romance) or Rebel Heart (science-fiction romance)
* Two randomly drawn commenters during the tour will each win a $25.00 GC to Starbucks

I encourage you to follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Virtual Book Blurb Blitz Tour for romantic suspense author Melanie Atkins

Something different today on Reviews and Interviews. Today is part of a virtual blitz tour for Melanie Atkins new book, Blood Rite. This post includes Melanie's bio, the book's back cover blurb, and two story excerpts.

There's also a giveaway for a lucky commentor. Details are below the excerpts.

Bio:
Melanie Atkins is a multi-published author of romantic suspense. Writing is more than an escape for her—it’s a way of life. She grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry little feline muses.

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America®, the Magnolia State Romance Writers (MSRW), the Published Author Network (PAN), the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Sisters in Crime (SinC), the Red Dog Writers, The Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA), Southern Writers, the Mississippi Writers Guild and the Byram Writers’ Group. She currently serves as Past President of MSRW.

Website/blog/social networking links:
Website: http://www.melanieatkins.com
Blog: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.face-book.com/melanie.atkins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanie_atkins

The back cover blurb:
Women in New Orleans are dying; women New Orleans Police detective Nick Marconi has dated. To make matters worse, they have all been found with vials of his murdered sister’s blood in their throats. Nick is walking a tightrope between depression and rage. His superiors are worried about his mental health, so they send him to see psychiatrist Gracie Simmons.

Gracie is walking a tightrope of her own. She became a psychiatrist because she wants to help people, and in addition to private practice, she also treats police and parolees. The extra work gives her flashbacks about her father, however, a bad cop arrested when she was fifteen. Then a former flame harasses her, and her best friend turns up dead. Desperate for a distraction, she makes Nick her special project. Only… he doesn’t want to be saved.

Blood Rite excerpt 1:
The crime scene was awash in blood, its warm, coppery scent mixing with the fresh odor of rain that had fallen during the night.

New Orleans Police Department Detective Nick Marconi pulled on a pair of latex gloves and popped a square of mint gum into his mouth. Weary resignation set in as he sidestepped the overturned trash receptacle serving the far corner of the tiny park. Crime scene techs swarmed the scene, taking pictures and eyeing the rain-dimpled sand for any evidence, no matter how small, the murderer may have left behind.

Even with the icy tang of gum cleansing his palate, the stench of death made Nick’s stomach buck. He cursed himself for not getting the jar of menthol salve out of the sedan.

“Mornin’, Marconi. Got a grisly one for you.” Orleans Parish Medical Examiner, Pal Stewart, bobbed his thick gray head in greeting. “She’s cut from ear to ear and exsanguinated.”

“Well, hell. That explains all the blood.” Nick looked at Pal, who raised his eyebrows.

Then he steeled himself and looked down at the nude corpse. The woman lay on her side facing away from him, her pale hips cocked at an odd angle. Blood had crusted in her spiky blond hair, and a bright silver hoop earring stood out in stark contrast to her purplish right earlobe. The sand beneath her was stained a dull red, made pale by the rain.

“It’s a lot, but not enough.”

“What do you mean?” Nick frowned. “The ground’s saturated with it.”

Pal walked around the body. “He drained her blood here—” He turned and acknowledged a row of metal swing sets behind them. “And took it with him.”

Blood Rite excerpt 2:
Gracie Simmons stepped around her desk and rechecked her appointment book for the fifth time that day. Since lunch, she’d dealt with a woman with bi-polar disorder, an obsessive-compulsive fireman, and a shy teenager trying to find herself. Next up was a burned out cop.

Not the best way to wind up the day. She rubbed her tense neck. Her nerves had been on edge ever since this morning, when she’d met with him. She closed her eyes and pictured her nurse’s neat handwriting on the crisp new folder. Thirty-nine year old white male. Presenting with non-specific complaints of depression and anxiety. The description didn’t even come close.

She was afraid he was deeply disturbed. His cool, calculated answers to her questions had scared the hell out of her.

“Dr. Simmons?” Ashley, her part-time twenty-something receptionist, stuck her head in the door. Her long brown hair gleamed in the muted light. “Would you like some coffee before your four o’clock arrives?”

“Yes, thank you.” Although it would take a hell of a lot more than a brimming mug of high-octane java to get her through her next appointment. She never should have volunteered to handle cases for the police department while their regular psychiatrist was on military leave. Her dad had been a cop. A bad cop. And her childhood had been hell because of it. She certainly had no love for law enforcement professionals, especially those with problems on the job. If Dr. Myers wasn’t a good friend, she’d call him back and tell him she’d changed her mind.

Her head pounded. She reached into her drawer for an oversized bottle of ibuprofen.

Ashley came in and set a brimming cup of cream and sugar laced coffee on her desk. “Your patient’s in the waiting room.”

“Already?” Gracie eyed the sunburst clock on the wall in surprise. She’d expected this guy to balk. “He’s ten minutes early.”

Ashley shrugged. “At least you’ll get out of here on time today.”

“True.”

“Shall I send him in?”

“Give me five minutes, okay?” Gracie picked up her coffee cup and took a small sip. “I need to do some deep breathing exercises.”

“Sure.” Ashley smiled. “Yoga’s great when you’re feeling tense.”

Gracie had to agree. She downed another mouthful of steaming coffee, set down her cup, and leaned back in her chair. If only she had time to get out her mat and do some simple stretches. Her body was as tight as a bow string.

She rested her hands in her lap, palms up, and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she drew in a long breath, careful to fill her lungs and expand her ribcage. The stretch relaxed her. She held the breath for another long moment, and then slowly released a slow, steady breath.

A sense of calm enveloped her.

She repeated the action three more times, growing more relaxed with each extended breath. Her neck grew less taut. Breath in, she told herself. Breathe out.

Her cell phone rang. She muttered an ugly word.

After two more rings, she yanked it from her purse and stared down at the display. Jerry Howard. The annoying guy she had dated for a while, and was now trying to blow off. There was no chemistry between them. No attachment, at least on her part. Why wouldn’t he take no for an answer?

A brisk knock rattled the door. Gracie blinked, and struggled to orient herself.

The knock rang out again.

“Come in,” she said, quickly putting the phone on silent and dumping it back into her purse. She sat up straight in her chair.

The door opened and Ashley appeared, followed by the most handsome man Gracie had ever seen. At least, he would be handsome if he got some sleep and maybe shaved once in a while. He was tall and rugged, with short jet-black hair and glacial blue eyes. Inky stubble rimmed his taut jaw. His gray suit fit him, but his coat looked like it had been worn for a week.

“This is your four o’clock,” Ashley said, her eyes glued to the strapping man beside her despite his dishevelment. “Detective Nick Marconi.”

She stood there as if rooted to the floor.

“Thank you, Ashley.” Gracie said, rising. Her mouth was as dry as river sand.

Ashley didn’t move.

Nick’s full lips curved in a weary, knowing smile that conveyed a world of information to Gracie. Namely, that he was arrogant, smug, and didn’t want to be in her office.
****

Readers, leave a comment below to be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card. The gift will be given to one randomly drawn commentor during the tour.

I encourage you to follow the tour and comment on other blogs. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Live chat/interview with paranormal author Nya Rayne

The Writer's Chatroom presents paranormal and futuristic romance novelist Nya Rayne.

WHEN?

Sunday, March 11, 2012

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 Sign In. No password needed.

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

Interview with paranormal novelist Janine McCaw

Today is a virtual book tour stop for Janine McCaw and her second novel, Helens-of-Troy. For the Vancouver-based novelist, the new book is the continuation of a dream, and the fruit of years of working in a different creative realm.

Bio:
Janine McCaw’s deep understanding of compelling plots, widely appealing characters, natural dialogue, and strong story arcs come directly out of her early career in the film and television industry. McCaw’s skills as an observer started early when her family uprooted from the city to small town Ontario – and she became the classic fish out of water. Writing down her thoughts became an outlet as she scribbled her way through childhood, while she also developed her observational skills and visual eye with photography. A die-hard hockey fan, McCaw studied cinematography at Humber College, and was headed for a career as a cameraperson covering professional sports when she landed an internship in a broadcasting services company.

McCaw excelled in the television distribution arena. She joined Thomas Howe & Associates and moved with that company to Vancouver, where she distinguished herself with her talent for identifying the right product for the right market, and her people-skills in negotiating contracts. After furthering her professional development with several high-profile Canadian entertainment companies, she parlayed her reputation as a leading cable programming specialist into her own boutique firm. Formed with a partner, Dark Horse Ent. specialized in finding, and selling, niche Canadian television series - entertainment, information and variety - around the Globe. McCaw also acted as an independent executive producer on award-winning television Classic Car series, CHROME DREAMS, and as a distributor for series including ENTRÉE TO ASIA, and AT HOME WITH HERBS.

In high demand as an insightful, humorous, and engaging guest speaker, juror, and analyst for festivals and trade forums around the country, McCaw also spent large amounts of time traveling abroad to television markets. Writing relieved the stress of constantly being on the road. Increasingly, she turned her main hobby into outlines for novels, and finished fleshing out the characters, plot and dialogue for Olivia's Mine, a fictional account of a young bride’s struggle to make a life for herself against the backdrop of the disasters that hit Britannia Beach, British Columbia in the early 1900s. The book was released in 2006 and continues to be sold at the British Columbia Museum of Mining.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Janine. Please tell us about your current release.
I'm so excited to unleash "the Helens" on the world. They're three very independent women, all trying to come to terms with the choices they have to make in life.

Here's the synopsis:

Fifteen year old Goth-chic Ellie has a lot of explaining to do. She’s just moved to the small town of Troy, fought with her uptight mother Helen, met the boy of her dreams and found a dead body on her sexy “new-age” grandmother Helena’s porch. All on the first night!

But Ellie’s not alone. Helen is hiding something. Helen knows all about the kind of eerie dreams her daughter is having — the dreams that show the whereabouts of the missing children of Troy — because she’s had them herself. But she’ll never admit it. Not while Ellie’s sex-crazed friend Ryan is safely behind bars for the murders. Helen knows what it’s like to be attracted to dangerous men.

Then there’s the little matter between Helena and Gaspar BonVillaine, the teenaged vampire who is learning to feed on young prey. Now that he’s caught Ellie, he doesn’t know whether he wants to kill her or turn her to the dark side and keep her forever. Helena should have finished him off when she had the chance.

To survive the vampire feeding frenzy surrounding them, mom Helen needs to come to terms with her own insecurities and deal with the gifts she has. Helena must learn to ground herself for the good of mankind and more importantly her own family. And Ellie has the toughest choice of all. Ellie must decide whether it's time to let her own childhood go and become the woman she is destined to be, one of the ageless and timeless “Helens of Troy”.

What inspired you to write this book?
The title came first. I was reading something about the original Helen of Troy and thought, hmm…what if there's more of them…and they live in this small town…and what if they're slayers….

What exciting story are you working on next?
I'm working on the sequel to H-O-T, Nightmare on Jacey Street. Those who read the original novel know that Ellie's friend Jacey has a few secrets that need to be resolved.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I've always written, but I like to think of myself as a "storyteller". Sometimes that's the same thing, sometimes it isn't.

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 fly-by-night writer. I grab the time when I can. I carry a notebook and have several electronic gadgets on me at all times. Structure doesn't work for me. I joined a 500 words a day challenge and the beginning of this year and it lasted slightly over a week. I pull some 10-12 hours days at my day job, so it's not easy.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write the dialogue first.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A hockey player. There's a photo of me, when I was around three, taken at Christmas. I'm standing next to the decorated tree, in blue polka-dot pajamas, holding a hockey stick that is taller than I am. My mom wanted to get me a doll, but I told Santa I wanted a hockey stick. I think I took out a few ornaments that morning. So when I watch Happy Gilmore and Adam Sandler says "I'm a hockey player", I get that. Totally.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
A couple of good songs to listen to when reading H-O-T are the cover version of "Where Evil Grows" by the Gore Gore Girls, and "Deep Cuts the Knife" by Helix.

Well, that's a different way to wrap up an interview! Thanks for stopping by today, Janine. It's been a pleasure learning a bit about you and your writing.

Janine can be reached through her author website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Links to her other virtual tour stops can be found at the VBT Cafe site.

Interview with novelist KH (Kate) LeMoyne

Today's fabulous guest is KH LeMoyne to talk about her book Return of the Legacy, The Portals of Destiny Book 1.

And not only is she talking about writing, she's giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Additionally, she'll choose two randomly drawn winners of the Dragon Rider’s Gift eBook (A Portal Tale), due for release May 1, 2012. So, I encourage you to follow the tour and comment where you can. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

Bio:
A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne now writes romance fulltime with series in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper. Visit her website or blog.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Kate. Please tell us about your current release.
Three magical dimensions…

Two mystical bloodlines…

One undeniable destiny.

Born a magical empath, Logan MacKenzie has spent his life protecting his family from discovery. Evil has found them anyway. What begins as Logan’s search for answers on Earth becomes a race for survival in the magical dimension of Loci.

The battle to save those he cares about will reveal his true lineage—the bloodline of the Makir, one half of a pair of sentinels chosen to guard the mystical portals between dimensions. The price of his acceptance: a love he never imagined possible and a heartbreaking choice.

Her family attacked, her home destroyed, and now stranded on Loci, Briallen of Tir Thar, descendant of a magical race, has only to summon the power within her to return to her own dimension—or so she had hoped. Unfortunately, her powers aren’t cooperating, and the sorcerer bent on her family’s destruction will stop at nothing to possess her.

Raised without knowledge of the portals, the Makir guardians, or her own destiny, Bri takes a leap of faith in an alliance with Logan. Embracing an uncertain power and accepting his goals as hers offers her the only way home. If they fail, the consequences of allowing the portals to fall to evil are unthinkable—the destruction of every magical dimension throughout space.

What inspired you to write this book?
I constructed the Return of the Legacy, the first in the Portals of Destiny series about magical siblings on the run, quite a few years ago. The premise is based on magic falling out of favor on earth and beings with magical power fleeing to new dimensions. Each sibling in the Portals series corresponded to a tarot card in a pack I owned. The actual development of the siblings and their powers evolved as I put the series arc together. The Makir, the sentinels who guard the portals between the magical dimensions, were a consequence of the world building and magic rules. They are the magical checks and balances for the power and threat of the portals. From there the first story evolved. There are five books planned to cover the mystery and threat from the portals.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Dragon Rider’s Gift (A Portal of Destiny Tale) is a spinoff story from the portals series. It involves the dragon riders who make a brief appearance in Return of the Legacy and their conflict with the evil mage. Roark of Nedres, his dragon Kraz, and the Princess of Fyrhall will do their part to battle black magic. This story is with my editor and due for release in spring of 2012

I’m currently writing Destiny’s Mark. It is an urban fantasy romance and the third in the Guardians of Eden series, targeted for release in late summer 2012.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I actually consider writers to be all people who write, whether for critique partners or for submission or just for their own personal journaling and pleasure. I considered myself an author when I submitted Return of the Legacy to Black Opal Books. That they sent me back an acceptance letter on Christmas Eve was just a really wonderful perk.

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 full-time. And while I work on some part of the writing business for eight to ten hours a day, I don’t always get to just write every day—except for the first draft. When I’m drafting a book, I’m pretty much non-stop, heads-down in the story for about four to six weeks. Then I start over with revisions, let it sit for a bit and then head back later for editing before I send it off to my critique partner and then my editor. During other times, I try to fit some small bit of writing in every day. That approach keeps me connected with my stories and doesn’t allow my creativity to drift away. Granted, every day isn’t always controllable, but small things help keep me on track. I used to carry a hand recorder with me in the car when I traveled back and forth hours to my son’s college. I also take a spiral notebook to the doctor’s office or appointments to jot scene thoughts or dialog snippets.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m so uninteresting. Once my butt is in the chair, I ignore everything and work with my characters and their worlds. But before I start, I always need a visual. For Return of the Legacy, I actually had the tarot cards thumb tacked to the cork board over my monitor and several fun crystals I’d collected in a dish on my desk. For Dragon Rider’s Gift, I had postcards of dragons I’ve collected through the years on the corkboard and several mythic calendars on the wall. And for Destiny’s Mark, I have a massage map on the board and a small scented oil collection where I can see (and smell) it. I love feeding the senses for writing!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A doctor, a lawyer, a superhero. Yeah, my goals changed every week. See, I should have figured out I wanted to be a writer way back then because I can do all of this now in fiction. But I wasn’t that focused on my future. I wasn’t the person who knew they wanted to be a CPA and had their life planned. I have an incredible friend who was like that. I’ll admit I was envious of her conviction at the time, but I think things work out for a reason and my past adds many facets to my life as a writer.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Fictional escape is good for the heart and soul. I encourage everyone to pick up a good book, enjoy it, and share your findings with others!

Thanks, Kate. Great interview. You sound like you have a lot of fun with your writing.

Readers, don't forget to comment for a chance to win a book!

Interview with mystery/thriller author K.J. Dahlen

Today's guest is K.J. Dahlen who is touring with Goddess Fish Promotions for her book Bones.

There's a giveaway for a lucky commentor, too. The details are below.

Bio:
Kim lives in a small town (population 495) in Wisconsin. From her deck she can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest, on the other side. She lives with her husband Dave and dog Sammy. Her two children are grown and two grandchildren and for that fact she feels blessed. She loves to watch people and that has helped her with her writing. She loves to create characters and put them in a troubling situation and just sit back and let them do all the work. They surprise even her at times. They take on a life of their own and the twists and turns become a story. She found she liked mystery/thrillers the best. She likes to keep her readers guessing until the very end of the book.

Welcome, K.J., please tell us about your current release.
Bones started out as a short story but there was something missing so I sat down with a legal pad and a pen and started fleshing out what became this book. The book took on its own twists and turns as I sat down to actually write it. It’s set in a small town because you’d never think something like this could happen in a small town. Max is my main character and in this book Max is a sheriff. When he discovers a cave filled with human remains he has to find out who the bones belong to and why these people where murdered and who murdered them.

What inspired you to write this book?
My books are more about how the crime is solved rather than the crime itself. The idea that someone could use a cave as a dumping ground and no one would know for years sets Max up to find out the who’s and the whys of the crime. What some people do to stop his investigation along the way is what the book is all about. Max has to solve the crime and he doesn’t let anyone take that away.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am currently working on a book titled Hiding in Plain Sight - Chloe’s life began at the age of ten when she was placed in foster care in Oklahoma. Chloe can’t remember much of her early years and now thirteen years later someone sends her a picture of a little girl and her parents asking if she is the little girl in the picture. When her friend’s brother, police officer Teague Sawyer starts investigating he finds a gruesome murder and a mystery surrounding Chloe. She didn’t exist before thirteen years ago. Who exactly is Chloe and why were she and her mother on the run so long ago? And who is after her now and why?

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
To steal a line from a movie- when you think about being a writer from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night, you’re meant to be a writer. I had so many scenes running through my head the only thing I could do was start writing them all down. I would get an idea and I would sit down with a pen and paper and within a day I’d have an outline for a book. I have fourteen books out at the moment with two more on the way, at least three more books sitting on editors desks and about 15-20 more books outline waiting to be written.

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 very lucky, I do get to write full time. I get up before my husband to make coffee and throw his lunch together, then after he goes to work I open my computer and it’s my time to write. Sometimes I write all day and sometimes I don’t. I guess it depends on where I am in the current book.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
How I can take a simple phrase or idea and turn it into a book. I wrote one of my books, called the Prophet on the phrase, “Has he tried to convert you yet?”

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I loved reading and writing even as a kid. When I opened a book the author would take me on an adventure and that’s what I try to do with my readers. I try to take them with me as the book unfolds

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If every time you open a book the author takes you places you’ve never been before then she/he is doing her job. I hope every time someone opens one of my books I take them along with me throughout the book. If I can do that then I am doing my job as a writer

Thanks for sharing a bit about your writing and your life with us, K.J.

Readers, K.J. giving one lucky commentor the chance to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate plus the chance to help her with her new book--the winner will get to write a short blurb and K.J. will write the book based on it. So, leave a comment here and at other stops along K.J.'s tour. The more you comment, the better you chances of winning.

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Interview with satire/fantasy writer Jonathan Gould

Today's guest is Australian writer Jonathan Gould. He's just starting a virtual book tour for Flidderbugs and Doodling. With cute titles like that, how can this not be a fun interview, right?

And, along with a few chuckles, Jonathan will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour. Details are after the interview.

Bio:
Jonathan Gould has lived in Melbourne, Australia all his life, except when he hasn't. He has written comedy sketches for both the theatre and radio, as well as several published children's books for the educational market.

He likes to refer to his stories as dag-lit because they don't easily fit into recognisable genres (dag is Australian slang for a person who is unfashionable and doesn't follow the crowd - but in an amusing and fun way). You might think of them as comic fantasies, or modern fairytales for the young and the young-at-heart.

Over the years, his writing has been compared to Douglas Adams, Monty Python, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, the Goons, Dr Seuss, and even Enid Blyton (in a good way).

Please tell us about your current release.
I’m never quite sure how best to characterise Flidderbugs. Sometimes I call it a political satire. Sometimes I call it a fable. It’s a little bit of each. But mostly it’s just a funny little story about a strange group of insects who spend most of their time arguing about really insignificant things, mainly involving the number of points there are on the leaves of the tree they live on (the Krephiloff Tree). It’s the sort of thing that hopefully can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups. Younger readers will enjoy the antics of the bugs while adults will get a laugh from some of the satirical elements

What inspired you to write this book?
It was actually inspired by another book – actually two books – although these couldn’t have been more different to Flidderbugs on the surface. They’re books about psychology by John Cleese (yes, that John Cleese) and Robyn Skinner called Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How to Survive It. Both books had some really interesting insights into why people choose to believe what they do and how that relates to their identity and the “tribes” they belong to. I thought these ideas could work really well in story form. Mind you, I’m still not quite sure where the insects came from.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m in the closing stages of finishing my first genuine novel (Flidderbugs is more of a novella). It’s called Magnus Opum and I definitely hope it’s exciting. It’s the story of a little person who goes off on an adventure in the big world. He finds danger and drama, but he also makes some really good friends, and in the process has all his ideas about the world turned on their head. I like to describe it as an epic fantasy with a twist – Tolkien meets Dr Seuss.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
What time is it now? Seriously, I think the moment I really felt like a writer is after the first university revue which I’d contributed to (a university revue is a theatre show comprising songs and comedy sketches, often of a satirical or political bent). Sitting in the audience, hearing the crowd laughing at my jokes felt pretty good.

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?
Do I write full-time? I guess the answer would be yes and no. I do have a day job which does involve writing – I actually write material for online university courses. So I could say that I write full-time. And while I quite enjoy this work, ideally it’s not the sort of writing I’d be doing if I could. Writing fiction, especially humorous fiction, is my first love.

And how do I find the time to write it? A large whip applied to my back at regular intervals? Maybe not quite as extreme as that, but I do have to force myself. I can go months without writing a thing, then finally give myself a push to get up and running again. It’s just a question of making the time and having the motivation to do it.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure if you could call it a quirk, but I tend to work in bursts. I’ll sit there for ages, staring at the screen. Then, without warning, I’ll suddenly attack the keyboard in a frenzy of wild typing. Then back to staring at the screen. It seems to work for me.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A paleontologist (someone who digs for dinosaur bones). Now I just dig for story ideas. Funnily enough, I have one about dinosaurs up in my head at the moment.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes. A big block of chocolate. But you’re all a bit far away from me so I suppose I’ll just have to finish it off myself.

Gee, I might be up for a road trip for chocolate! Jonathan, thank you for being here and chatting about Flidderbugs and other things.

Readers, Jonathan will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour. So, comment here and comment at other tour stops to increase the odds of winning.