Author Spotlight: Mae Clair

From Christina

This week I'm delighted to have Mae Clair as my guest. We had a fun interview, and I'm excited to share news of Mae's latest book release, Twelfth Sun.

Welcome, Mae!  How about we begin at the beginning...and you can tell us a little about yourself.

Mae: Thank you so much for inviting me on your blog, Christina. To share a bit about myself --I’m married to my high school sweetheart, hold a day job in real estate marketing and had my first novel, a time travel/paranormal romance called WEATHERING ROCK, published by Lyrical Press in October 2012. I’ve been writing since grade school and am thrilled to finally be able to share some of my stories with others. What an amazing and supportive writer/reader community I’ve discovered online!

Christina: It's true, Mae. There's a wonderful community of authors and readers online and a genuine sense of camaraderie. What's especially fun is learning what other authors do in addition to writing. How about you? What are some of the activities you enjoy when you're not at your desk?

Mae:  I’m a voracious reader and enjoy everything from romance, thrillers and mysteries to horror, science-fiction, YA, fantasy and non-fiction. I adore cats, love old photographs, genealogy, American history, folklore and exploring old graveyards. I prefer small gatherings to large parties and would rather have a good conversation with someone than watch a movie.

Christina: Oooh, goody! Another American history buff. I'll let you explore the graveyards on your own, though.  Do you have a regular writing routine or schedule you follow? Do you write daily?

Mae: I wish it were daily, LOL! Because I work full-time, writing is mainly limited to one day a week. I set aside Sunday afternoons for that purpose and can usually accomplish a fair amount since it’s a set routine. During the week, I write posts for my blog and jot notes on any fresh story ideas that start puttering around inside my head.

Christina: I'm impressed. I could never keep my thoughts organized enough to work on writing once a week. I can lose my way from one day to the next. It's awesome that you can hold down a full-time job and still turn out completed novels for the rest of us to enjoy. So... how do you do it? How do you manage to balance writing with your other responsibilities?

Mae: It’s rough, and like many authors, there are days I feel completely overwhelmed. If it were just home life, writing and work, I would probably find a better balance, but toss social media into the mix and it can be daunting.  I’m frequently exhausted but remind myself that’s a typical state for a struggling author. I’ve become very good at juggling priorities and going without the proper amount of sleep, LOL!  On the plus side I’m doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing - - writing stories that others are able to read. The fatigue is worth the trade-off. J

Christina: What genres do you enjoy writing...and why?

Mae: For now I’m happy writing character-driven romances with a touch of mystery, whether contemporary, mythical or paranormal. In the past I’ve also written fantasy and can see myself embracing that genre again someday. Like fantasy, romance has a magical quality - - star-crossed loved, the triumph of overcoming obstacles, the flush of forever and the promise of an HEA. I’m a romantic sap. J

Christina: LOL...well, romantic sap that you are, what would be your perfect romantic date?

Mae: Dinner and drinks at an intimate restaurant or pub…preferably in a small coastal town with a view of the water. Afterward, a stroll along the shoreline or meandering through a park at twilight. The evening would end with an overnight stay at a small cottage or a 19^th century B&B. I love anything with overtures of stepping back in time.

Christina: Ah, yes...there's that history thing again. I understand completely. Now, let's move on and talk about your new book. I know what it's about, and I'm intrigued. I'm planning to grab a copy as soon as it's released. The title, TWELFTH SUN, is a real attention-getter. How did you come up with it?

Mae: One of the perks of my day job is occasionally naming the streets in new home subdivisions. Weathering Rock Drive was a street name I came up with for a community of single family homes. I liked the sound of it so much I modeled a 19^th century estate after it - - Weathering Rock - - and made that the title of my novel (the estate is key to the book).

 For TWELFTH SUN, my contemporary romance/mystery releasing on August 5^th through Lyrical Press, I combined my favorite number and an appreciation of astronomy to create a fictional 19^th century schooner. My hero and heroine become involved in the treasure hunt for an artifact rumored to have been on the vessel TWELFTH SUN before she sank in the 1800s.

Christina: Who is your favorite character from the book...and why?

Mae: I’m pretty partial to the hero, Dr. Elijah Cross. He’s a twenty-five year old marine archaeologist with a PhD who looks like a street musician and has an off-the-cuff attitude. He’s got his hands full between the hunt, other treasure seekers and the reclusive billionaire who set the whole thing up, but the person commanding his attention is Reagan Cassidy. 

They’re paired up on the treasure hunt and he’d like to get to know her better. A lot better. Unfortunately, she’s thirty-five and considers him too young for any type of romantic involvement. He’s really got his work cut out for him in changing her mind.

Christina: The more I hear about the story, the more intrigued I am. I love treasure-hunting stories. So, tell us about the setting, please. Does it play a role in the story?

Mae: The story takes place on the eastern seaboard in a small coastal town, one of my favorite settings. I was able to draw on my love of the ocean, beach settings and a smattering of nautical folklore. And then there’s the lavish seaside mansion belonging to my billionaire, where all of the treasure hunt participants are invited to lodge as guests. It was a lot of fun creating his estate and staff.

Christina: Sounds fun! And it sounds like a great read. Before we get to the rest of  the important stuff -- all the links where readers can contact you and find your books -- I've got one last question. Maybe a silly one, but here it is. What's one thing you can share with us about yourself that most people don't know?

Mae: I can’t parallel park. It’s ugly when I try to, so I avoid driving to locations where it might be required. If there is a parallel parking gene, it skipped me over!

Christina: Are we related? My entire family is missing that same gene! I do want to thank you again for being my guest today, Mae. I've enjoyed learning more about you, your work, and your busy schedule. I'm excited for your upcoming release. I'm marking August 5 on my calendar, and I'm looking forward to reading TWELFTH SUN.

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About Mae Clair:

Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back.  Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars. She snagged the tail of a comet, hitched a ride, and discovered her writer’s Muse on the journey.

Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, romance, and elements of mystery.

Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail, and cats.

To learn more about Mae Clair, visit her at:

Website

Blog

Twitter (@MaeClair1)
Facebook Author Page
Goodreads

For buy links, book blurb and a video trailer on Mae’s current release, WEATHERING ROCK, a time travel/paranormal romance, visit:

http://maeclair.net/weathering-rock-2/

To add TWELFTH SUN, a contemporary romance/mystery available August 5^th to your TBR Goodreads list and read the book blurb, visit: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18063460-twelfth-sun

Author Spotlight: Roxy Wilson

From Christina

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Roxy Wilson. She's a fellow SCP author, and her new book, He's So Into You, was released last month. I enjoyed getting to know Roxy, and I'm sure you will, too.

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Christina: Welcome, Roxy. For starters, tell us a little about yourself, please.

Roxy: I’m the wife of a wonderfully supportive husband, a mother of three precocious but precious kids and a high school lit teacher.  Maintaining strong familial bonds is important to me, so no one should be surprised when I spend lots of time with the people I love most, my family. 

Christina: Besides writing, what activities do you enjoy?

Roxy: I love reading, which I think is the flip side of writing.  I also like cooking, particularly West Indian cuisine, and island hopping.  Mind you, since 9-11, I’m a bit scared of flying, but I do like the idea of being in a different country.  My favorite islands to visit are St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Maarten/St. Martin and the USVI.

Christina: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

Roxy: Most people don’t know that the number 7 pervades every aspect of my life.  For instance, my dad was born on 7^th  March, my mom on 17^th  May, my sister and brother on 27^th  and 17^th  January respectively, and I on 17^th  September.  I was married on 27^th December, 1997.  On our honeymoon in St. Lucia, my husband and I stayed in Suite #207.  My first and second vehicles had license plate # 17 and # 7221 respectively.  At present, my address begins with #7 and each of my phones has the number 7 in it.  Hmmm….  Perhaps, it’s evidence that I’m truly a lucky lady.

Christina: Favorite music?

Roxy: Wow!  Where do I start?  That encompasses the whole gamut of music by Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, U2,  Foreigner, Phil Collins, the Bee Gees, Bryan Adams, Bob Marley, David Rudder (a calypsonian), New Edition, Air Supply, Whitney Houston, Chicago, Luther Vandross, Bruno Mars, Machel Montano (a soca singer) and so many more.

Christina: I love meeting a fellow music-lover, and I'll be checking out some of your favorites. Now, let's move on to He's So Into You. What was the inspiration behind the story?

Roxy: Sadly, four persons boarded a plane in a Caribbean island, which was bound for another, and within moments of taking off, the plane crashed.  All but one person died.  I was deeply moved by the story.  

A few days after the crash, the lone survivor, said he passed out just before the impact. He suffered injuries to his leg.  So I asked myself, “If this man was travelling with his fiancée, what would his story be?”  And I started to brainstorm ideas, and He’s So Into You was born.

Christina: Who is your favorite character from the book, and why?

Roxy: That’s an easy one.  Definitely Raina and that’s probably because she’s bits and pieces of me.  She’s a plus size woman, who has struggled for years (and still struggles I might add) with her weight.  She has body image issues.  She has sister locks.  She’s of African descent.  She quotes poetry at odd times.  The only ways in which we differ is the fact that she has an abusive ex, and she goes out on a blind date.

Christina: Raina sounds very interesting. I'm especially intrigued by her habit of quoting poetry at odd times. I do that often! So, how did you choose your title?

Roxy: There’s a movie called He’s Just Not That into You, which deals with people who wrestle with problems with the opposite sex.   It’s  interesting to see how we women don’t see the signs, don’t recognize when a guy is just not into us, no matter how hard we try to accommodate him, pander to his ego, and make ourselves seemingly irresistible to him.  However, in He’s So Into You, Raina is just herself, and Jordan is still smitten by her.  He has his own issues, but for that one night, he is really into her, hence the title for the story.

Christina:  Will there be a sequel? 

Roxy: Yes, there will be two more.  Raina and Jordan’s story is far from over.  He’s So Into You has a happy for now (HFN) ending as it stands.  The sequel will show some of the conflicts they face before they get their happily ever after.  Jayce and Caleb, their two meddlesome friends, will also have their own story.  That will be one wild ride, and will certainly test the strength and patience of even the oldest saint.

Christina: I know you have an excerpt from the story to share with us, but before we get to that, I've got just a few more questions. When did you know you wanted to be a writer, Roxy?

Roxy: Since I was in the sixth grade.  Actually a classmate and I collaborated and wrote a mystery, similar to Famous Five and Secret Seven.  He did the illustrations since he drew so well, and I wrote the story.  It was only last July, though, I decided to write romance stories.  How did that happen?  One of my Facebook friends posted an article.  I read it, I was inspired by it, and I decided to write an interracial romance story.  Within two months I was finished and the rest is history. It’s in the R&R stage right now.  He’s So Into You is my second story, though.

Christina: What’s the most enjoyable thing on the journey?

Roxy: Interacting with other writers, especially those whose works I already admired.  It’s really cool, actually.  And they’re so approachable, ready to answer questions I may have about the business of writing and marketing my work.  Some of them are hilarious, and that’s fine with me because I’m always ready for a good laugh.  I like the camaraderie I see among writers, the way they are willing to host fellow authors on their blog and promote each other’s work, just as you are doing right now, Christina.  I think that’s what fraternity among authors is supposed to be.

Christina: Now, for one of the tough questions...LOL.  You're a busy lady. How do you manage your schedule to balance writing with other responsibilities?

Roxy: Schedule?  What’s that?   Lololol.  Actually, I don’t have a schedule but I have loads of responsibilities.  It’s very difficult for me to fit in writing.  I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to get it right.  That I’ll be disciplined enough to have a schedule, and produce a certain number of words each day.  Don’t see it happening right now, though.  Still, I can hope… *sigh*

Christina: I think a lot of us understand how you're feeling. It's not easy to balance "real life" and writing. Now, let's get back to He's So Into You. The cover is gorgeous, and I can feel the emotions in the story. I'll get out of the way now, and let you share He's So Into You.

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About the Story:

Being badly injured in a plane crash and feeling responsible for losing his fiancé keep Jordan Cooper from getting involved with another woman, but his best friend Caleb talks him into going on a blind date. He’s surprised that in a short time his feelings for Raina Abbott run deep. Jordan wants more than just one night with her, but he has to convince her first.

Leaving an abusive ex and ending an unhealthy relationship with food still aren’t enough to help Raina Abbott overcome her feelings of insecurity, but her best friend Jayce convinces her that going on a blind date is the first step to boosting her self-confidence and feeling good about herself again. Jordan Cooper shows her that she’s beautiful, both inside and out, but can a date and one night of passion assure her that he’s really into her?

Excerpt from He's So Into You:

“May I ask you a question, Raina?

“Sure.”

“I just wondered why you’re here with me.”

“Because you invited me to your room, remember?”

It was obvious she evaded his question. It was the first time Jordan noticed Raina wasn’t altogether comfortable. So why in the world is she here?

“You know what I mean. Why are you on this date?

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“You’re beautiful, charming and intelligent. I would think you’d have men lining up just to be with you.”

Raina laughed without humor. “The trouble is, the guys I know either don’t want to be romantically involved with a full figured woman or just pretend they do.”

“You’re telling me you’ve never been seriously involved with anyone? Never been in love?”

“What’s love anyway?” she asked mockingly, and then shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe it’s just the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”

“You think quoting Robert Frost is a satisfactory answer?” Jordan shook his head. “Be honest with me.”

Raina stopped swaying to the music and looked at him seriously. “Okay, you want to hear the truth? The truth is, I met a man who threw kindness my way, flowers, late night phone calls, the works. Within three months I moved in with him, much to the angst of my family. It didn’t dawn on me that he never took me anywhere, never invited his family or friends to our apartment, until I had invested so much time and effort in the relationship, I felt I shouldn’t leave him. He treated me like crap, insulted me, nothing I said or did met his approval. I became a chicken-shit, afraid of him, afraid of my freaking shadow, for god’s sake. I felt like such an idiot, because I didn’t even realize what I had become. Everyone noticed but me.”

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Christina: One final question, Roxy. Now that you've intrigued us with the story, where can we buy He's So Into You?

Roxy: The book is published by Secret Cravings Publishing. It's available on their website, and at other online booksellers. Here's a list of places where readers can find He's So Into You.

Amazon

ARe

Secret Cravings Publishing

Bookstrand

Christina: Thanks again for being my guest today, Roxy. Best wishes on the book!

Author Spotlight: Jeanine McAdam

From Christina: Today I'd like to welcome author Jeanine McAdam. Her latest romance features a sexy cowboy, a bull named Punisher, a Montana ranch, and a dysfunctional family. Throw in an animal rights activist wearing nothing more than a sign, and...well, I'll let Jeanine tell you all about it!  Enjoy.

From Jeanine:

Bull Riding – A Dangerous Sport

Bull Riding has been called “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports.” Logan Cooper, the hero of my latest contemporary romance, THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER, knows that well. He’s handsome, tough, and he gets hurt a lot.

While researching bull riding and working to define Logan’s character, I kept coming across articles with titles like “Is Bull Riding More Dangerous than____?” Fill in the blank. It could be hockey, football or boxing.

Bull riders break bones, suffer concussions and dislocate all sorts of body parts. However, if bull riders don’t ride, they don’t make money. The adage among cowboys is “It’s not if you get hurt but when…” Riders compete with arms in casts, knees dislocated and head injuries.

Fifty percent of all rodeo accidents happen during the bull riding competition. However bull riding generates the most excitement, has the most fans and makes the most money. What keeps the cowboys coming back to bull riding? The adrenaline rush, the lifestyle and obviously the money, plus there are lots of girls.

When my hero Logan meets Rachel Fox, an animal rights protester, he’s nursing a recently dislocated shoulder. He puts that pain aside for eight seconds to ride a bull named Punisher. Then Rachel runs naked into his ring ruining the ride but starting something else between these two strong-willed opposites.

Win a free copy of THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER. Comment below. Please include your email address.

Excerpt from THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER:

“Would you please stop gawking at me and give me a blanket to cover myself with?” Rachel Fox demanded, cupping her breasts in both hands and shifting on her heels. With a crossed leg she tried to hide her exposed bottom half and almost fell face first into the sod-covered floor.

Good God, why did she let Erin talk her into this?

Honestly, Rachel was more than willing to do anything to save Punisher and the other bulls from the abuse they suffered at the hands of cowboys like the man standing before her. But God help her, she was still shaking from the reaction of that angry mob. And Logan Cooper had no right spanking her. Now, he was denying her clothes.

Book Description:

Animal rights activist Rachel Fox is a woman with a mission. The plan is to step into bull rider Logan Cooper’s ring wearing nothing but a poster calling the rodeo a ‘blood sport’. While rescuing this passionate protester from a nineteen hundred pound charging bull Logan decides he likes what he sees. Only problem, he’s got to direct Rachel’s love away from the livestock and onto him. With the press hot on their heels, because who isn’t interested in a story about a bull rider and a naked protester, Logan brings the dark haired, curvy figured Brooklynite to his Montana ranch.


Except, now that he’s got Rachel in his bed he’s nervous his annoying, problematic brothers and surly preteen nephew will scare her off. But when Rachel meets Logan’s deeply flawed family she realizes the bulls aren’t the only ones who need saving, the Cooper brothers need her help too. The only problem is Rachel has a secret, after believing she was infertile, it turns out that this sexy bull rider may have changed her childless fate forever.

Find THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Sweet Cravings Publishing

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Find Jeanine McAdam at:

Web Site: www.jeaninemcadam.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeaninemcadambooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeaninemcadam

Win a FREE copy of THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER. Comment below. Please include your email address.