Author Spotlight: Whitney K-E

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From Christina: Today I’m happy to have Whitney K-E as my guest in the Author Spotlight. She’s here to tell us a bit about herself and her travels to Ireland...plus give us a little background on her romance novel, “What Happens in Ireland”.

Christina: Welcome, Whitney! To start, will you tell us a little about yourself?

Whitney: Where to begin. I’m Whitney. I live on the east coast of Australia, and for the last four years my greatest passion in life has been to write romance. This year I had my first novel published, and I am the proud owner of a grump thoroughbred and a coffee-addicted mini foxie (not intentional, I swear). I am a twin and just this year, I travelled to Ireland.

Christina: Besides writing, what activities do you enjoy?

Whitney: Coffee drinking is one. I also like to read, ride my horse, although I don't seem to be doing that much of late, and I love to 

travel.

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

Whitney: I’m a twin. Most people who I know through the writerly world won’t know this.

Christina: Since you enjoy writing romance, I’m guessing that you’re a bit of a romantic. I’m going to put you on the spot a bit. What would be your perfect romantic date?

Whitney: The perfect date would involve the perfect guy. And I suppose, it would have to be something I could never fathom.

Christina: Do you have any favorite music?

Whitney:  I’m broad in my tastes. But I love rock, rock alternative and I do love traditional Irish music.

Christina: Yes, Ireland. What was the inspiration behind What Happens in Ireland?

Whitney: I came up with the idea for What Happens in Ireland on a bus. I was planning my trip to Ireland around this time and bus rides cause me to daydream. I started with an ending and the rest of the book pretty much wrote itself. My characters had the wheel with this one.

Christina: Who is your favorite character from the book?

Whitney: Jack O’Reilly. My Irish studmuffin.

Christina: I can probably guess, but why is he your favorite?

Whitney: Let’s just say… I couldn’t resist the Irish charm.

Christina: I’d love to write stories in faraway places, but the research seems daunting. What research was involved for What Happens in Ireland?

Whitney: All my research was done through the planning of my own trip to Ireland. And when I went to Ireland myself, I changed some of the setting to suit my own experiences.

Christina: No doubt the setting plays an important role in the story.

Whitney. Yes. Ireland is a beautiful country. Its charm was equivalent to my hero’s.

Christina: Do you have a sequel planned?

Whitney: There will be two, maybe three.  What Happens in Ireland is the first in my Irish series. I’m currently working on Deceive Me in Ireland. It’s not a continuation of Jack and Kate’s story, but about Kate’s cousin, Cara, and Jack’s equally rakish brother, William.

Christina: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Whitney: It was strange, but I’d been writing since I was in year 9. But at that point, I was writing a story I didn’t end up finishing. I was focused on horses then. I wanted to work with them. But in the years to come I found myself relying on my writing, and my desire to be an author was undeniable. I’m a bit of an escapist.

Christina: What’s been the hardest thing on your journey as a writer?

Whitney: The length of the days and having to deal with real life. Ha ha. My writing depends greatly on my moods. If I’m having a bad week, I tend to lack the motivation to edit. When I’m in the middle of a new novel, however, I tend to ignore the real world, which is always a blessing when it comes to getting those words down.

Christina: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Whitney: Work every day towards your goals. Build your name from the beginning. You might not get there right away, but you never will if you give up the first time.

Christina: Excellent advice. Do you receive a lot of support from your family?

Whitney: My family is my biggest fan base. I don’t know a single auntie who hasn’t read my novel.

Christina: So, what does happen in Ireland?

Whitney: Here’s a little about the story.

When Australian, Kate Barrow, meets a handsome Irishman in a Dublin bar, she has no idea that he’s about to turn her world upside-down and inside-out.

In Ireland to take on a position on a thoroughbred stud, Kate is shocked when her manager-in-co reveals himself to be the same man she’d met in Dublin.

Jack is drawn to Kate. The problem is, she won't have him. But Jack has always loved a challenge and the intriguing woman from Oz is one he cannot resist.

Harbouring the sting of another man’s betrayal, Kate is certain she wants nothing to do with love and nothing to do with Jack O’Reilly. But when naked torsos, Mother Nature and dysfunctional umbrellas start plotting against her resolve, she realizes the charms of an Irishman are going to be hard to resist.

Christina: Sounds intriguing...especially that part about dysfunctional umbrellas. Thanks so much, Whitney, for visiting today.   

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Want to know what Happens in Ireland? You can find Whitney's novel at the following websites:

- Amazon

- Bookstrand

- Secret Cravings

- All Romance Ebooks

- Smashwords

-Itunes

You can also find Whitney on the following social media sites:

Goodreads – Add to your shelf

Whitney K-E Romance Author – Facebook page

Whitney K-E Author – Add her as a friend!

Twitter   (@whitney_ke) 

Whitney K-E Blog  

The Romantic Muse blog    

Author Spotlight: Mark Love

From Christina: I’m pleased to have Mark Love in the “Author Spotlight” today.  He’s here to tell us a little about himself, his writing, and his latest release, Vanishing Act.

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Christina: Welcome, Mark. To begin, tell us a little about yourself, please.

Mark: I’m a Michigan native and have always been an avid reader. I’m married with two grown sons. After taking a creative writing course in college, I was encouraged to keep writing.  There is something appealing about developing interesting characters, creating a controversy and seeing where it leads that brings out the storyteller in me. I work a regular job so I don’t get as much time to write as I would like.

Christina: Besides writing, what activities do you enjoy?

Mark: I enjoy music, movies, books, entertaining, cooking, wine and travel, sports and the great outdoors. Michigan weather can change in a heartbeat. We also get to experience all four seasons, although some years winter seems to run six months long.

Christina: You mentioned music. Any special favorites?

Mark: When I’m writing, I mix it up with classic rock and roll, like Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Otherwise it’s jazz.

Christina: When I’m interviewing female authors, we often talk about romance. We ladies like to plan special romantic nights, or romantic dinners. I’d like to think men enjoy romantic times, too. If you were planning a romantic dinner, what would it include?

Mark: If I’m cooking, that would be shrimp with angel hair pasta. I’d make sure there was a fresh garden salad, some crusty rolls or warm bread and plenty of wine. If we’re going out, I’d opt for sushi.

Christina: Sounds nice. All women appreciate a man who’s comfortable in the kitchen, I think. But, I didn’t ask you here only to talk about your personal life. I’d like to know more about Vanishing Act.  When I recently posted an excerpt from the book at my Power of Love blog, I was intrigued. Tell me, Mark, what was the inspiration behind the story?

Mark: Vanishing Act is the second story in the Jamie Richmond series. I wanted to bring more depth to Jamie’s character and thought her best friend was the perfect vehicle to help tell the story. The special bond two close friends can have was a key to the story.

Christina: Who is your favorite character from the book:

Mark: That’s got to be Jamie Richmond.

Christina: Why is that?

Mark: Her characteristics and traits are the combination of many different women I’ve known. She’s still growing in her romantic relationship with Malone, but there remains a fair amount of uncertainty in her eyes.  Despite her best intentions, she manages to add stress to their situation. She continues to surprise me. Jamie’s a character that I think has many more tales ahead of her.

Christina: I know you had to do some rather, uh, interesting research. Will you tell us about it, please?

Mark: I needed to know more about aerobics and different types of exercise classes women take. Fortunately I know someone who is an instructor for yoga and Pilates. She threw me a curve when I found out about pole dancing as a form of exercise, which she also teaches. So I had to include that in the story, especially the line ‘get up sexy’. That’s when a pole dancer ends up on the floor. I also had to learn about spy cameras and fire.  I found a store that specializes in surveillance equipment, which was very helpful. My son Cameron has studied to be a firefighter, so he was a great resource for the book when fire is used as a weapon.

Christina: Will there be a sequel?

Mark: Yes, I am currently working on the third book in the series. This involves Jamie’s late father, who was an artist. A discovery of some of his work that had been hidden for more than twenty years starts the story. So there’s a fortune in art work, romance on several levels, deception and misdirection.  It’s coming along well. I’m about 70 pages into it.

Christina: Where do you get your ideas?

Mark: My ideas come from everywhere and anywhere. I’ve observed people in restaurants, the theater, at the mall and traveling. Without knowing it, their actions can suggest an idea. Sometimes I’ll just be taking a walk and an idea will strike.  I once overheard two old timers talking about an attractive young lady while we were waiting to be seated at a restaurant. Their comments triggered the idea for a short story I wrote called “Wishes” that was published in a magazine a long time ago.

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

Mark: Mysteries have always appealed to me and I read a lot of them. I’ve also done some short stories that are reflective of a misspent youth, watching episodes of “The Twilight Zone” or “Tales from the Crypt”. My short stories are more along those lines, with the mixture of humor, danger and a surreal twist.

Christina: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Mark: If you don’t already have it, develop a thick skin. Rejection is a part of writing, just like a poor review. Chances are you won’t please everyone, no matter how hard you try. But do NOT let it get you down. Keep writing. Do the very best you can. Develop distinctive characters and get to know everything you can about them.  If you can find other writers in your area, get together occasionally to workshop. Constructive criticism is very helpful.

Christina: Excellent advice, Mark. Are there any aspects of your life, such as hobbies or special interests, that you’ve included in your stories?


Mark: I like to cook, which shows up in my stories. Malone cooks better than Jamie does, which irritates her for a moment until she’s hungry.  Music is often present in the stories, with different types to suit the mood of the scene. You’ll also see mention of other authors, such as Elmore Leonard, James Rollins, John D. MacDonald, Stephen King and Harlan Coben. 

Christina: Thanks so much for visiting Time for Love, Mark. It's been a pleasure to get to know more about your and your work. I do readers will enjoy Vanishing Act, so maybe you should tell us where to find it.

Mark: It's published through Secret Cravings Publishing, and it's also available at Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

Christina: Great. And if readers want to connect with you, Mark, where do you hang out in cyberspace?

Mark: Readers can check out my page on Facebook or they can visit my blog, Write Now.

Christina: I love your blog's name. Very clever! I'd also like to share a link to the excerpt I posted at The Power of Love. I'll also let you know, Mark, what will be going on over there with all the excerpts. At the end of the summer, I'll be giving away "Reader's Choice" awards to the three of the authors who've participated. I'll let you know when voting begins so you can encourage your readers to check out the site and cast their vote for your excerpt. Thanks again for being in my "Author Spotlight" today, Mark. It's been a pleasure.

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!