Robyn Carr's The Newcomer

Character driven writing at its best!

The Newcomer takes us back to Thunder Point, Oregon and back into the lives of Deputy Sheriff Mac McCain and Gina James who works at the local diner.  They are both single parents who have been friends for years and helped each other with the trials and tribulations of child rearing.  But as their friendship deepens into romance, like once again throws them a curve ball.

Mac’s gorgeous ex-wife, who had abandoned her husband and kids ten years ago, suddenly turns up and wants back into their lives.  What on earth could have made her show up out of the blue and what does she really want?  Mac has no idea but he will fight to the bitter end to keep her from hurting his family again. 

Gina, single mom to Ashley is having problems of her own.  Ashley has been going steady with Downy, the local star of the baseball team, but after Downy leaves for college, things start to fall apart for the couple.  It doesn’t help when Downy’s new girlfriend photo shops a picture of Ashley making her look nude and posts it online for the world to see.  Heartbroken and mortified, 16 year old Ashley becomes dangerously depressed.  Can Gina and Mac help her pull out of it or will Gina lose her beloved daughter?

There is a secondary romance in the book between Hank Cooper, beach bar owner and Sarah Dupre, Coast Guard pilot.  Bother Hank and Sarah have obstacles in their own road to romance.  Both stories blend well and pull you immediately into their world. 

I absolutely love how real Robyn Carr’s characters are to the reader.  It feels like you are right there in the middle of the action.  It is so easy to get totally involved in each and every aspect of the characters’ lives.  You never want the book to end but there is always the next wonderful book.  It is like coming home to family and good friends whenever I start reading another book by Robyn Carr.

No matter if your favorite genre is women’s fiction or romance; you will find Robyn Carr’s books a fabulous read that will draw you to her writing again and again!

Interview with Mary Campisi

Mary, Welcome to Deb’s Book Nook.  We are so glad you could come by and chat with us.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and the books your write.

I’m a fairly normal person, though my young adult children might have a comment or two about that statement! I’m a registered nurse by education only and I’ve been a receptionist, an executive assistant, a practice manager at an OB/GYN office and finally, gratefully, a writer! Many of my books contain medical situations and the nursing background comes in handy. I am a huge champion of hope, the underdog, and second chances, so of course, that’s what I write about. I’ve had my own share of second chances too– in marriage, career, even my rescue dog who I love to write about. The possibility of second chances inspires me as I observe the world and imagine what could be. And that’s what fills my stories; one true love, one honest hope, one more chance.

On a personal note, I love to dig in the dirt and play around with perennial flowers and herbs, walk my dog, cook, read, and on the perfect day, ride off into the sunset with my very own ‘hero’ husband on his Electra Glide Classic aka Harley.

I had the pleasure of reading THEY WAY THEY WERE and I really enjoyed it, especially how character driven your writing is. 

Tell us about your writing style. 

I’ve heard my writing style called ‘conversational and intimate’ – I guess that’s a fairly accurate assessment. When I’m writing, I think about ‘real life’ situations and the emotions attached to them. My books are indeed character driven which is no surprise if you know me. I’m very interested in people and their situations – my husband shakes his head when I tell him about someone he supposedly knows better than I do…I’ll say ‘How sad about this or that’ and ‘Good for them. Did you know…’ He usually doesn’t. I get that honestly. When my almost eighty-four year old mother (whose baking/cooking skills and common sense wisdom usually make an appearance in my books) takes her annual jaunt to California to stay with my brothers, we always ask her about her plane ride and if she got someone’s ‘whole life history’J She never disappoints.

When did you become published and how did your career as a writer come about? 

Ah, the writing journey, not to be confused with the publishing journey. Yes, well they were both quite interesting. Back in the day, I only read classics or self-improvement books. Then I became pregnant with my second child and suffered placenta previa. With a toddler at home and the concern that I might lose my baby, it was a difficult time. I had to slow down and stop playing wonder woman because it was no longer about me and what I thought I could do – now it was about my child. I started reading romances as a way to relax and because I didn’t want to read about women throwing themselves in front of trains or drinking poison elixirs. I needed happy endings. Thus entered the historical romance. After the first book, I never looked back but it wasn’t until years later that I decided to write my own.

It all began at the hands of a 286 computer, a failing marriage, and three daughters under the age of five. Writing proved wonderful, (and inexpensive) therapy as I let my fingers and bruised heart begin a tender love story where the hero and heroine surpass incredible obstacles in search of true happiness and eternal love. But the story was only 100 pages complete when I packed it away and moved with my children to a rental bungalow where I took on the challenge of single motherhood and re-entering the work force. The 5 1/4 floppy disk containing the love story remained sandwiched between Lotus and PacMan until years later, when I discovered it while unpacking boxes for the home I shared with my new husband, three children, and two stepchildren. I powered up the old 286 computer, popped in the disk, and spent the rest of the afternoon re-reading the story and mapping out my future as a writer. It would take another two years of solid writing, countless rejections, and another completed book before I made that first sale. Innocent Betrayal came out with Kensington Publishing in May 2000 and has recently been re-released through The Wild Rose Press. This Regency historical remains one of my favorites.

How many books do you have out now and what is your most recent release?

I’ve published twelve books and just this week received the rights back to one of my very favorite contemporary romances, Paradise Found! When the reversion letter came in the mail today I wanted to do cartwheels across the lawn (that didn’t happen…actually, that’s never happenedJ)

My most recent release is a former Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards semifinalist, Pretending Normal. Years ago, it was a quarter finalist in the Ray Bradbury sponsored New Century New Writer Award. Pretending Normal is a young adult book about a teenage girl struggling to make sense of her life after her mother dies and she’s left with her alcoholic father. It’s got some pretty dark moments with a sad yet hopeful ending. My father was an alcoholic and I wanted to write this book as an acknowledgement of the human frailties that exist in all of us as well as the bond of family that holds one to another, in love, loyalty, even death.

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What do you have in the works now?  Can you give us a sneak peek? 

I just finished the first in a Regency historical series I’m calling The Model Wife. It’s delightful and delicious with a very different kind of hero. Next up will be book editing and re-releasing of Paradise Found. Then book two of the An Unlikely Husband series. (The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest is book one.)

Here’s a snippet for Paradise Found – What if a man who has everything – wealth, power, looks, talent- is suddenly stripped of one of life’s most basic needs – his sight – and what if the one person who can help him redefine his new world is a woman who has been so emotionally scarred and bruised by an ex-husband that she can’t see past this man’s image to the real person inside?

Paradise Found explores the delicate balance between ‘blind’ trust and hope, the development and nurturing of feelings where physical appearances are non-existent, and the inevitable fear that accompanies any relationship when the mask of politeness is discarded and the true self is revealed.

Give us a small look into a normal day in your life.  Do you have a special routine for your writing or do you sneak it in when you get the chance? 

Life is much different than when I first began writing with five children at home. They are all up and out now and it’s just me, my husband, and our rescue dog, Cooper. I write every day after breakfast and Cooper’s morning walk. In the old days, I could concentrate on writing the story…in the new days, I have to concentrate on writing and marketing the story, which can swallow huge amounts of time. That said, I’m learning and slowly wading through the process. And though our children may live in different cities and states, I am only a phone call away – as my husband knows when my daughter calls during dinner!

Are you a big reader?  Do you have a particular genre or author that is your favorite?

Yes, I am a huge reader. I love Regency historicals. I fell in love with related stories and finally realized if I love reading about the hero’s brother or the heroine’s sister, then maybe I should think about doing that with my own books!

In regard to influence, I’ve been influenced by many writers – from Tolstoy, to Steinbeck, Joyce Carol Oates, Judith McNaught, Elizabeth Berg…and yes, Jane Austen! They have distinctive styles and when I read their work I think about what grabs me – how they create a scene or an emotion that stays with me. And then I think about how I can do that in my own work.

Do you think you have been influenced as a writer by others?

Absolutely. When I read a particular book that touches me, it stays with me a very long time. I love the classics and as oddball as this sounds, I actually took a Literature class in high school ….all by myself. I couldn’t fit this class into my schedule and the teacher let me read the books on my own and take the tests (always essay, and I always aced them.)

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given as a writer? 

I will answer this in two parts. The single best piece of advice I’ve been given as a writer is the same advice I’ve been given in regard to life. It’s simple and very powerful – believe in yourself. If you can do this, then you can weather all manner of disappointment and setbacks. The second piece of advice came from wise woman and fellow writer, Barbara Samuel. I had just finished taking one of her classes and at the end she encouraged me to not look so much toward the outside world for direction and validation but to tap into my passions – gardens, food, dogs, quirky family history and write the best ‘me’ book I could. That singular advice helped me turn the corner in my writing and move forward with focused intent.

I would give this same advice – in life as well as in writing.

Mary, thanks so much for coming by to chat with us!  I look forward to reading more of your wonderful books.

Review of They Way They Were by Mary Campisi

If you believe in second chances, and who doesn’t want to believe there is always a second chance for love, then you will love Mary Campisi’s books. 

Rourke Flannigan and Kate Redmond were high school sweethearts.  They thought they would be together forever.  Fate had other ideas. 

Fourteen years have passed since Rourke and Kate have seen each other.  Many things have changed, and not always for the better.  Kate is now a mom and widow.  Her husband has been tragically killed in a construction site accident. 

Rourke is a successful, driven businessman & owner of several construction companies.  When he discovers the death of a subcontractor from one of his holding companies, he decides to pay the widow a visit, never guessing that widow was his childhood sweetheart.

Kate can’t believe Rourke is suddenly back in her life and she isn’t sure she wants him back.  She had made it just fine without him.  She had married a man that loved her, has a wonderful daughter, Julia, and a job she loved.  But was it all as perfect as it seemed?

In a bid to gain Kate’s trust and see if they can rekindle their love, Rourke moves back to their small home town.  With a makeshift office, a secretary way out of her comfort zone and a niece that is driving him crazy with her outlandish ways, Rourke has his hands full. 

Can the big city businessman and the small town girl really turn back time and be the people they used to be or has time changed them too much….

The journey of Rourke and Kate is a wonderful book and I really enjoyed it.

You can find Mary Campisi's work at Barnes&Noble.com and Amazon.com

Interview with Patricia Sargeant/Regina Hart

Interview with Patricia Sargeant/Regina Hart

Check out the contest at the end of the interview

Patricia, Welcome to Deb's Book Nook! We are so happy you could find time in your busy schedule to visit with us!


I had the good fortune to meet Patricia in 2008 at the Lori Foster Reader/Author Conference. I am honored to call her a friend as well as one of my favorite auto buy authors.



Deb, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be here. Thank you so much for the invitation and thank you for your patience with me as I responded to your questions. You’re very kind. I really appreciate this opportunity and your understanding. You’re one of my very favorite people. Very favorite! You bring the sunshine with you wherever you go.

Please tell our readers a bit about yourself and the genre of books you write.


I would be happy to. Thank you for asking. I write romantic suspense as Patricia Sargeant and contemporary romance as Regina Hart. My romantic suspense stories put ordinary people in extraordinary situations. With my contemporary romances, my characters must face and conquer their inner demons. And I’m addicted to Diet Mountain Dew.


I know your most current releases (FAST BREAK-June 2011 release and SMOOTH PLAY-Jan 2012) have been under the pseudonym of Regina Hart.
Tell us about this series and what inspired you to write it.


Oh, Deb, you do know how to touch an author’s heart. I love talking about this trilogy. Fast Break is the first title of my contemporary romance trilogy featuring the Brooklyn Monarchs, a fictitious professional men’s basketball team set in Brooklyn, New York. Fast Break is Jackie and Marc’s story. Jackie is the franchise’s assertive, larger-than-life owner. Marc is the stubborn, strong-willed rookie head coach. I like to build my stories around themes and the theme for Fast Break is sacrifice. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal?


The trilogy continues with Smooth Play, featuring Troy and Andrea. Troy is the debonair media executive and Andrea is the passionate sports reporter. Their story’s theme is forgiveness.


The final book in the trilogy is Keeping Score, which is a July 2012 release. In this story, Rick, a veteran team member, sets out to woo his wife, Mary, a media shy doctor.


As for my inspiration, I love basketball, Deb. I love the game, the strategy. I’m fascinated by the people – the players, coaches and sports reporters. I’m not as enthralled with the front office, though. LOL! Reading about the antics of general managers and owners makes my head hurt. It took me years and years and years to recover from the hurt of the New York Knicks trading Patrick Ewing. Even today, thinking about it, I’m blinking back tears.


Even though I am not a huge sports fan, I adore your new series. Mainly because of the style of your writing and your affinity with the characters. You brought the game to life for me and that's really saying something!


Oh, Deb! Thank you so much! Because you’re a voracious reader, your kind words mean a lot to me. Thank you!


Will there be more in this series or do you have something new in the works? Can you give us a sneak peek into your next book? Do you have a release date yet?


For you, Deb, anything! Keeping Score is the third book in the Brooklyn Monarchs trilogy. It’s a July 2012 release. (I always get so nervous before a book’s release date – and this one isn’t for another five months. It’s going to be a long spring and summer. LOL!) We met the hero, Warrick “Rick” Evans, the veteran Brooklyn Monarchs’ shooting guard, and his wife, Marilyn “Mary” Devry-Evans, in Fast Break. In Smooth Play, we learn that the media attention has put a strain on Rick and Mary’s marriage. In Keeping Score, Rick and Mary are front and center as Rick tries to save his marriage. The question Rick and Mary have to answer is whether love is enough to keep them together through the really tough times. And the times are tough, Deb. Seriously. The media is vicious and brutal in Keeping Score. As I was reviewing the manuscript, at one point I turned to my husband, Michael, and I said, “I feel so bad for what I put my characters through.” I don’t know whether I’ll be able to write more books after Keeping Score. I hope so. Fingers crossed.


Tell us a bit about your journey to publication. Have you always wanted to write and how did you get started? What was your first published work and when did it come out?


Ah, my journey to publication. Do you have a tissue? LOL! I’ve known I wanted to be a storyteller since I was 9 years old. I fell in love with storytelling after reading Blackhearts in Battersea by Jane Aiken. I wanted to write a story that would transport readers the same way her story transported me. My sister recommended that book to me. That’s why, in my dedication to my dream team, which I include in every book, I’ve written, “To my sister, Bernadette, for giving me the dream.”


I became serious about getting published in 1991. But it wasn’t until I joined  Romance Writers of America in 1999 that I understood the business as well as the craft of writing. Finally, in 2006, Kensington Publishing offered me a two-book contract for the romantic suspense stories that would become You Belong to Me (2006) and On Fire (2007).


Let’s do the math. All told, it took me 15 years to become published. The moral of this story? Don’t ever, ever, ever give up your dreams.


Approximately how long does it take to get one of your books published? Do you work on a single project or several at once?


I’m a very slow writer, Deb. It takes me about a month to plot my stories. Isn’t that sad??? In fairness, I prefer to start with a detailed outline and character sketches. I usually have a lot of “ahha” moments with those characters sketches. Then about six months for writing and revisions. And I like to pad my writing schedule for those nights that the characters give me the silent treatment, which happens more often than I’d like. Sadness.


Because I’m such a slow writer, I prefer to work on only one project at a time. I need to be really in tune with the characters I’m developing at the time. However, if other ideas come to me, I jot them down in a separate computer file.


I know many authors have a huge cast of characters in their books and I am always amazed at how they keep everything straight from one book to the other. How do you keep up with all your character info and background information?


Great question! I have a character chart for each of my books with just the basic description of each character – height, build, hair color/type, eye color, what kind of car they drive, where they live, their job and their purpose in the story. But sometimes I have to reread a story to remember how that character is supposed to speak.


You write romantic suspense under the name of Patricia Sargeant and contemporary romance with a sports theme under the Regina Hart name.  Is there any other type of book you would like to write, such as urban fantasy, mystery, etc? If so, what would it be and why would that type of books appeal to you?


Oh, my word! This is one of my favorite questions that you’ve asked. Oh, Deb! I have a proposal for an epic fantasy trilogy that takes place in another galaxy. The trilogy includes space battles, reincarnations, political intrigue. I’m so excited by this project. I’m vibrating with excitement as we speak! But the manuscript is extremely rough. It will take a lot of work. But I’m not giving up on this story. I’m also revising – off and on - a proposal for a five-part romantic suspense series that takes place on a fictitious Caribbean island. Loving it! And I’m also very excited about my time travel trilogy idea, which I’ll develop one of these days ... Thank you for asking, Deb.


Give us an insight into the life of Patricia Sargeant/Regina Hart and tell us what a typical day would be.


OK, but you’d better pour yourself a cup of coffee first. Don’t want you falling asleep on me. LOL!


My day job is usually from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Like most people, there’s usually some overtime. I work in the Public Relations Department of a small, private university. Lots of promotional writing – press releases, brochures, feature articles. There are five people in my department, but we could use about 10 more. LOL! On a good day, I get home around 6 p.m. Spend some quality time with my husband. Force myself to exercise, then spend the rest of the evening writing.


When writing, what kind of atmosphere do you prefer? Do you need background noise or complete silence? Do you have a certain area in your home you prefer to write in or can you write anywhere?


These are great questions, Deb. Really great questions. Frankly, for most of the writing process, I can be anywhere. Because of my day job and other  commitments, I have to write and edit whenever and wherever I can. I’ve written chapters while at the hair salon or waiting for my car repairs. For the final revision process, though, I need my Fortress of Solitude. Absolute silence.


Has anything in your career as a writer been different than you expected? What is your favorite thing about being an author and is there any aspect of your career you wish you could spend less time doing?


My favorite thing about being an author is sharing my stories. That’s my favorite thing of all. But as far as what’s been different than I’d anticipated and what I wish I could spend a little less time on, the answer to those questions is the same – marketing. I hadn’t realized quite how muchvself-promotion/marketing/publicity I’d have to do as a publishedvauthor. It’s an inescapable evil. I love talking about books – my books, other people’s books, it doesn’t matter. I love finding out what people liked about an author’s work, who could they recommend and why. That part is like going to a really great party. But I don’t understand Facebook. I don’t have anything to say on Twitter. And walking into a room full of people staring at me makes me have to use the bathroom.


Do you have a favorite genre to read or favorite author? Do you read while you are writing your books and if so, do you read the same genre as you write?


I have a lot of favorite genres, actually. Fiction and non-fiction. I love suspense, romantic suspense, historical romance, thrillers. And I’m afraid I have too many favorite authors to name.


Would you do anything different in your writing career if you had to start all over again?


Overall, no. I don’t think so. Perhaps I could have joined Romance Writers of America sooner. But then, who knows how that change might have affected my journey. I’m one of those people who believes everything happens when it’s supposed to happen and everything transpires for a reason. The lessons I’ve learned on my journey are lessons I needed to learn when and how I learned them. So overall, I don’t think I would change anything.


What's the best piece of advice you have received as an author and what would you tell a beginning writer?


That’s a toughie, Deb. Hold on a moment. Let me think. Well, without a doubt, the best advice I’ve ever received was from my brother, Gideon. It was before I was offered my first contract. I was really down about my publishing prospects and my day job. (Really, really down about the day job.) I told my brother I was going to give up my writing. He was horrified. I still remember his words, “Don’t give up your dream. Don’t ever give up your dream. Even if you only write a page a day, don’t give up your dream.” Less than two years later, I got my first contract. And in my dedication to my dream team, which I include in all of my books, I’ve written, “To my brother Gideon for encouraging the dream.”


I would give beginning writers the same advice. And I’d add, follow your heart, not the market. If your heart and the market lead you in the same direction – bonus! But above all be true to yourself and your storytelling voice.


Patricia, thanks so much for sharing your time and fabulous books with
us. I know we will be looking forward to even more new releases from
you!


Deb, thank you very, very much for inviting me over and for being so patient as I answered your great questions. This was a true pleasure.  Thank you for this opportunity! I can’t wait to see you at the June Get Together. Love and hugs!


Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Smooth Play or a copy of Tails of Love.  Please leave your email so we can contact you.  Good luck!

A Death in Calgary by M.B. Daugherty

A Death in Calgary is a novella that is not only very enjoyable, but it can make you think about your own life and the way you live it.

Set in a small town where everybody knows you and your business, a stranger drives into town. It's instant gossip, especially when the stranger is driving a 1964 black Cadillac hearse. Who is he and what is he doing in Calgary?

Little do the townspeople know that driving the hearse is death himself, and that the town will never be the same. Going by the name of Logan, death follows, no matter where he travels. Calgary is no exception. The town doesn't connect the higher than average death rate to the stranger, even if being around him does give them the feeling that something isn't quite right.

Logan has been hunting for something during all his years of travel. Little did he know he would find the answer in the small town of Calgary with the local handyman, Sam.

But along with the answer that Logan seeks comes a life and death dilemma that only Sam can solve.

Written with an insight to human nature that many rarely find, vivid characters and settings make this novella a definite plus to any reading library. I highly recommend it and eagerly await much more of M.B. Daughtery's work.

Review-Dream Lover by Adrienne Staff

I enjoyed this mystical romance set in the desert Southwest.

Two wounded souls, Carold Lawson and Cody Briggs come together in a clash of wills and instant attraction that neither one wants or needs in their life.

Carol Lawson who has just started work at the Ocotillo hotel as the new assistant manager of guest relations. A position she has worked hard to obtain. She hopes the change of scene will help her forget the hardest decision she ever had to make. A decision that has haunted her life.

Cody Briggs, whose looks proclaim he could be an Indian warrior, but was instead a part time tour guide and expert on Indian artifacts. But Cody has his own hidden wounds and isn't all that he appears.

Could two very different people find common ground or is physical attraction all they share? Both with deeply guarded secrets that only trust and true love can conquer, the road they travel is anything but smooth but so very worth the read!

Review of Her Kilt Clad Rogue by Julie Moffett

Her Kilt-Clad Rogue by Julie Moffett

Previously published in 2003 in the anthology Then He Kissed Her.

I very much enjoyed this novella by Julie Moffett.

Englishwoman Geneive Fitzsimmons is headed to the Scottish Highlands to become governess to Ewan Douglas, son the Connor Douglas, the Highland rogue that had broken her heart ten years before.

What on earth had made her accept this job? And how would she react to seeing Conner again. She had spent years trying to forget him!

Conner, recently widowed, needed help raising his head strong son. He can think of no better person than Geneive and since he has never forgotten their time together he eagerly awaits her arrival. Was it possible that the feelings they once had for each other be resurrected?

Should they fight the attaction they still felt towards each other and could they get past the fact that most people thought Conner had murdered his first wife? A hidden treasure, a possible murderer and a catty female vying for Conner's attention all make for a very interesting and fun read and makes you turn page after page to see if they really get their happy ending.

I'm back!

Hello Everybody. I've been gone for ages due to many different things. From family illness and deaths, to getting my mom a new house built and moved up closer to us and having little to no internet at home, my life online had just disappeared.

Things have finally settled down a bit, my mom has wireless internet and now I have a place to work so here I am.

My friend Mary and I have started a new venture. OurNovelNotions.com

We will be featuring specifically Kentucky authors of all genres, but we will also be doing our own blogs and a writing group.

Mary will be doing the writing group and it is open to everyone. Her blog http://defyingthelimit.wordpress.com/ will feature book reviews, music and many other interesting items.

I will be doing my usual reviews, author interviews, and contests and hope that you will check back often for new updates.

Some of my upcoming interviews will feature the awesome Shannon K. Butcher, author of The Sentinel Wars Series, plus her newest romantic suspense Living on the Edge.

Sara Reinke, author of The Brethren Series, E.E Rought, whose newest book is Slade & Kally, a wonderful western. And last but not least Leonard H. Hilley, author of Predators of Darkness and more.

I'll be adding to the line up of authors all the time and if you have a suggestion, please let me know. I always enjoy finding new authors.

Hope to see you here soon!

Best!
Deb

Cait London Shares Her Expertise!

Interview with Cait London


Cait, Welcome to Deb’s. We are so happy you could take time from your busy schedule to chat with us.

I had the pleasure to meet Cait at the Lori Foster Reader/Writer event in 2008 and enjoyed every minute of our conversation. I was so happy to discover that she is as wonderful in person as her books are.

1. Please tell us a bit about yourself, your family, etc.
Thank you, Debbie.
I’m a do-er as you can see by my three blogs, http://caitlondon.blogspot.com which focuses on my work, writers’ issues and tips. If you write, do check out that blog and my writing tips, at my website, http://caitlondon.com. http://thesecondcup.blogspot.com features the stuff I’m interested in, daily stuff for women, including favorite makeup, movies, etc. http://myjamjar.blogspot.com is about the homemaker stuff, i.e. making jam and applebutter, sewing, whatever. Plus I’m a grandmother, so I make lots of cookies. My three daughters are currently providing more tots.

I’m also an artist, as you can see at my website studio, large canvases. I’m also interested in computers, graphics (I run my own website and blogs, plus newsletters), and photography, herbs, etc. So I’m one of those artistic personalities, but I never started out wanting to be a writer. Now I am and didn’t happen easily. 7 years, count ‘em, before my first sale. My agent at the time, now deceased, said that 10 years was the average. That was prior to Internet, which makes things easier now, but also makes for more competition.

2. For our readers unfamiliar with your work, please tell us what kind of books you write.

I’ve written a variety of romance, ranging from Desires (Any Tallchief readers out there?), western historicals, romantic thrillers, romantic suspense, and I enjoy adding psychic elements. My psychic triplet trilogy is on the stands now. BTW, I do not consider true psychic work as paranormal, i.e. vampires, shape shifters.

3. I’ve been a long time fan but didn’t realize until I started doing a little research that you wrote under two names, Cait Logan and Cait London. I have read several of the Cait Logan books but didn’t realize it was also one of my favorite suspense authors!

Cait Logan books started in Berkley’s Second Chance at Love category/series and I was invited by Joan Golan, now editor at Steeple Hill, to write historicals. She’s quite the mentor and purchased my first SCAL (category), prior to the historicals, which I also wrote for Dell. I loved writing NW western historicals as I grew up in central WA State, about an hour south of Canada, where there were lots of westerners and rodeos were common. In my reading of others’ books, there is no worse turn-off than not to know the actual landscape and feel of the land. And that is why I drove the Oregon Trail, and the Indian trails in the NW, and up into Canada, for Delilah, my mountie book. I’ve yet to see another book like that, as I am a true researcher. Wedding Gamble was set in MT, and it was also unusual as I researched billiards and it is the only book of its kind in American Billiards Congress museum as I worked with them on research.

4. Do you still write under the Cait Logan name or do you write exclusively under the Cait London name? Do you have any other pen names you would like to share with us? What type of books do you write under these names?

I’ve been tempted to write more Cait Logan westerns, but I don’t know. Most of my books are contemporaries under Cait London. That’s it so far.

5. How long have you been writing and how did you get your start? How long did it take you to be published and what was your first release? When did it come out?

My first, Lady on the Line, a SCAL contemporary about a lady lineman, was published in 1986. It took SEVEN years to publish and that was because I’d met an agent at a conference, who sold that first SCAL to Joan Marlow Golan. Back then, we did not have all the writers’ organizations and Internet information we have now (most long-term writers developed their skills prior to Internet). So it was basically throw what you know out there and waste a lot of manuscript mailing money, learn what you could and try again. Reflecting on how it was to struggle without groups, magazines, Internet, etc., I think I learned more about writing skills from basically just working like a dog with a portable non-electric typewriter. BTW, plotting wasn’t in my skill-bag then, and now I enjoy it. But the editors said I came in with Characterization, already built in, so that was a help.

6. How many books do you have out now and have they all been in the romance genre? I know you have written in many different sub-genres including historical, paranormal and your most recent releases have been a romance suspense trilogy with a psychic twist.

I’ve written about 70 novels and novellas to date, all in the romance genre and all mass-market traditional.

7. Please tell us about this trilogy and when they were released. Are they still available for purchase? I know our readers won’t want to miss these awesome books!

There’s quite a bit about them at my website, and they are available. Most of my Avons are. As the mother of 3 daughters, I already understood the birth-order personalities of the triplets and relationships with their mother. Much of me is in all of my books, including Claire’s (1. youngest/rural MT/At the Edge) handcrafting/sewing, Tempest’s love of color and artistic bend (2. Lake MI/A Stranger’s Touch, NYTs bestseller) and Leona (3. eldest/Lexington, KY/For Her Eyes Only). I feel my family may have an intuitive streak, and linked with Leona’s experiences.

Thanks for the awesome, btw.  The triplets are descendants of an ancient Celtic seer and the Viking chieftain who captured her. None of them want their ability, and all have been traumatized by 2 major events in their lives. Their connection is so strong that they cannot live together or near, for any amount of time. And that’s it folks. Each has their own love, their own story and plenty of danger, and Leona’s story, FOR HER EYES ONLY completes the trilogy, though there is interest in Greer, a world famous psychic who helps solve cases.

8. After writing in so many different sub-genres, do you have a favorite? Is there anything that you haven’t tried that you would like to do in the future?

I love all my stories. I worked really hard to craft them from the basement elements, so it would be hard to choose. I’ve written away from my usual, but we’ll have to see if that takes off. If not, I will have tried and have enjoyed the journey. I enjoy most journeys and adventures, and do not think that stories can be crafted by sitting behind a desk alone, rather by experiencing. (No jokes here, please.)

9. What do you have in the works now? Can you give us a sneak peek and give us a release date?
I write every day, but do not have future releases scheduled at this date. FOR HER EYES ONLY was a 10/08 release and since then, I’ve been working on different material and that’s about all I want to say now—suspense, you know .

If you are a writer, please do visit my Writers Survival posts at my blog, http://caitlondon.blogspot.com for info on software, newsletters, etc. I do seminars on The Business of Writing, and those posts are a taste of that.


10. Are you a big reader? What kind of books do you enjoy? Who are some of your favorite books or authors?

I am a big reader. I enjoy almost everything but science, unless it is archeology non-fiction. I read a lot of non-fiction prescriptive, biographies, magazines, too. I read almost anything in paper print, and have not tried the e-formats yet as I work hours on my computer and not willing for more screen-gadgets on my down-time. (Love computers, software, btw.) While I read almost everything, not much sci-fi (Love the sci-fi channel and movies) and vampires (love those movies). Not too much on endangering the child books, either, or forensics, or detective/sheriff/investigators, which I think may be overdone now. Not too much on regency/victorian/etc. However, I always buy Jayne Ann Krentz and love her Arcanne series. Like others, my reading trends are changing and diverse. I’ve just enjoyed Lori Foster’s 2 Servant books. But at the bottom of my reading list is hard-boiled detective/forensics, and that is just a personal taste matter. Not really fond of books in which the heroine is a writer, as that is too close to home. I want to read about different material; however, if the story and character are strong enough, I’ll enjoy it. I would like a really good Viking story, much like Woodiwiss’s. When starting to diversify my writing, I tried a Viking proposal, but the agent said they weren’t selling and wouldn’t market it, so I moved on. Just after that several Viking novels hit the stands.

11. Has anyone or anything influenced you in your writing career? Would you change anything if you were doing things over?

I’ve met and have been influenced by many people, not only in writing, but how they manage their business, lives and careers. In romance, I think we may have partly caused our own put-downs, by simply not acting with better judgment and dignity. In retrospect, I couldn’t have done more ad work/traveling/workshops, as I was a single with 3 daughters, so I stuck pretty much to what I felt I needed to do and that included a day job for insurance, etc. Only when my daughters were almost through college did I go full-time, so I had 13 years or so of writing fulltime and working at a day job. Imagine 3 in college at one time, and you get the picture. When you get that first big notice as I did, that is the time to step out and make a mark, but I chose to tend to my family obligations. It’s said that it is difficult to recover, once that time is gone, and it is. Yet, I did what I thought was right and do not regret that.

The recommendation as of now, 4/09, is to do as much online as you can for your books, and that would have been a real plus for me back then.

12. I know you are an inspiration and have been a huge help to other authors. You blog, you give talks and answer questions and always have an encouraging word to new authors. Is this something you think should be available for all authors, new and old alike?

All beginning authors, or those moving out into conferences or online, should have some sort of a master guidebook on manners, i.e. how important thank-yous are, even when they are for rejections. The way to start this is for seasoned authors to post their worst experiences from other authors.

On bad reviews: If there is anything no author should do, it is to rake someone else over in a review-like forum. Absolutely vitriolic stuff has no place in reviews. They should be clinical, done in proper format, and not I’m-so-cute show-off style. Just think of how you might feel, if someone took after you in the same manner.

For seasoned authors, some sort of a re-think business questionnaire, i.e. balancing PR time against copy-producing time.

13. Come on and spill the beans….what kind of writer are you? A strict plotter and outliner who plans everything out before you start writing or are you more of a casual style writer? Have your characters ever taken off in a direction that you hadn’t planned and if so what did that do to your story? Did you let them get away with it?

I learned how to plot in several ways and they are listed at my website, http://caitlondon.com. One of the best ways is to number chapters into paragraphs, so you can see where the midpoints are and then see the shape of the novel. This eliminates having to rush through the ending. I typically write 2 proposals, one extensive for myself and a short one for the editor. When in trouble, in the actual writing, I go back to the long one and it always helps me out. But a story does twist and turn on you. All I can say about that is make certain that the lead characters stay that, else you’re in serious trouble. I edit as I go, but in the overall edit, straightening out the threads/layers, I really balance the h/h to see if they are strong enough to match. I also balance the antagonists against the protagonists, as they need to be worthy opponents. In final edit, I may redo the whole first chapters to balance the book. I have to get in and write the characters before feeling how they mesh and bring them to life. Characters have to mesh, the subcharacters’ POV bringing to life the main characters. Think of it like the gears inside a clock, everything revolves around something else, touching and changing it. We’re affected by the lives of others, as well.

Here’s a visual: I think of my story threads as multi-reins on a chariot that need to be controlled. A story has to be controlled, even if it takes off in a different direction.

14. The characters are strong, the twists keep us reading and even though I want that happy ending, I hate for the books to end. If you could choose what you wanted a reader to remember about your books, what would it be?

That it was a gift, something with texture and life, that provided a short escape. However, my writing isn’t for everyone. Some writers are middle-of-the mark, i.e. and no strong feelings are evoked about their work. I’m not one of those. Either readers love me, or they don’t. Apparently, my style and stories incite passion either way.

15. Do you have an all time favorite book or character from your writing? Do you ever base a character from real life people or events?

I do not have favorite books, unless it is the WIP at the time; it’s the same with characters. I do base my characters on real people, live or not, and some events. But that’s only the start of my story-building. I believe a book is built from some nugget and then grows. Or it does with me. BE MINE was built on the image of an Amish girl I saw riding her pony beside the road. So that was a person and an event. I’m pretty fast at generating story ideas, and can look at an old windmill and get a story. I guess that’s where the artist comes in, meshing with the writer. BTW, there is a high percentage of writers who are also artists of some sort.

16. What do you do for fun? I know that you are a painter as well as a fantastic author. How did you make this transition from painting to writing? Do you still paint in your spare time?

Boy, that is a hot topic among those who are both painters and writers. The consensus of the majority is that we can only devote ourselves full-time to one or the other. There are exceptions. I’ve been writing heavily for years, and have only done a few paintings. But I’ve taken lots of photos while traveling and intend on painting them, mostly seascapes. I miss it. The psychology of the writer is interesting. My stories, once started, will not let me rest.

17. Give us an example of an average day in your life. Do you try to keep to a specific writing schedule? A certain word count or number of pages per day?

I’ll start writing fresh copy at 4-5a. Take a break around 9 or so, then edit a bit, do what I have to, etc. and then start working around 4p. But some days, like when I’m trying to get my mind off a story that just ended and before starting a new one, I’ll take a trip. I love to drive, and stories just cling to me then. If in a plot problem, all I have to do is take a long, open-country drive, and it’s pretty well sorted out by the time I get back. But no specific pages per day. I am fast, though, and as the story picks up speed toward the end, I’m really going, careless of anything but my aching body. One time, I was so much in a scene that I felt my fingertips were on fire.

18. What is the best piece of advice you have been given as an author and what would you tell someone just getting started as a writer?

A book is like a song, it flows and has a tempo. When you feel the heartbeat, you’re in the stream and the book is beginning to breathe into life. One of the worst things a beginner can do is to forget that all the elements need to NOT be dissectible. Too much dissection can kill a story, too many cooks in the broth, too. If you’re in a critique group, make certain it’s the right one. I’ve never been in one as I do believe that giving out the story to others is like sharing a first kiss. You can never relive that first fresh blast and the editorial comments are all I want. However, writing is a very individual activity, with individual preferences, and other writers function perfectly well in their groups. I believe that in writing, you get out of it, what you invest in it. No one else can do that for you.

Cait, thank you so much for taking time to chat with us. I look forward to your upcoming books! Please come back and visit us again soon.

Thanks so much for asking me, and I will. And I’m also hoping that my responses to your very good and insightful questions helped someone.