“Hank had his chance. Ten years of chances,” Trevor said. “You don’t know what it was like. You don’t want to know.”
Beth stepped closer and laid her hand on his arm. “I do want to know. If you feel like you can tell me.”
Trevor looked at her hand. She offered comfort, but her touch burned. He looked into her eyes. That was a mistake. Worry, concern, compassion showed in the green depths. No one had ever looked at him like that before.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He moved to the stove and added more broth to the simmering rice. He stood there stirring the mixture, battling emotions he’d fought for over twenty years.
“Tell me one thing.” That soft voice was doing a number on him. Physically, as well as emotionally.
“What’s that?” he said over his shoulder.
“Hank didn’t beat you, did he?”
“No. Nothing more than a spanking now and again. But there are many ways to hurt a child other than physically. Ways that can influence a person for life.” Now why the hell had he told Beth that?
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know that. I’m just sorry Hank treated you badly. No child should have to suffer like that.”
Trev shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I don’t like to think about it.”
Beth was close beside him again. He could smell her. Strawberries and her own sweet fragrance, which was slowly driving him crazy. He inhaled deeply.
“Can I have a taste?” When she leaned toward the pan, her shoulder brushed his arm. The top of the peasant blouse fell open to reveal lace-covered breasts.
Trev swallowed hard. Beth Evans was dangerous. Her questions and concern unmanned him. Tempted him to feel things he’d blocked from his mind. Her beautiful body just plain tempted him.
She looked up and smiled. “Can I taste it?”
“Sure.” Trev scooped a bit of rice on the wooden spoon and blew. He offered the bite to her, holding his hand beneath the spoon to prevent a spill. “Careful, it’s hot.”
Beth took the bite. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Oh my God. It’s fabulous. Tastes even better than it smells.”
Trev swallowed again. He couldn’t drag his eyes from her lips. He’d bet a million dollars she tasted better than she smelled, too.
She opened her eyes and caught him staring at her. Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t move away. They stood only inches from each other. Trevor held the spoon suspended above the pan. He leaned nearer. He had to kiss her.
Awareness flared in Beth’s green eyes and her breath hitched, but she didn’t pull back. He closed the distance between them, brushed his mouth over her lips and nearly groaned out loud when she opened for him. He moved closer, pressed harder and explored her sweetness with his tongue. Damn, she did taste better than she smelled. A whole lot better.
Trev dropped the spoon and cupped Beth’s cheeks, rubbing his thumbs along her jaw line. He angled his head for better access, nibbled her bottom lip, then dove back in to her moist warmth.
A sexy little moan erupted in the back of Beth’s throat, and a jolt of yearning sliced through him. When she laid a hand on his chest and clutched his shirt, fire burned in his veins. He wanted to run his hands all over Beth’s body. He wanted her naked. He wanted—
“Mommy! Trevor! What are you doing?”
July 23, 2008
Title: HER RELUCTANT RANCHERBy: Anne Marie Novark
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary Western
Heat Rating: Spicy
Blurb:
Construction tycoon Trevor Callahan returns to Stone Creek, Texas, to settle his grandfather’s estate. He wants to sell the Rocking C Ranch so he can put his unhappy past behind him and move on. Living with his stern grandfather taught Trev an important lesson: Caring makes a man weak.
Single-mom Beth Evans once confused lust for love and will never let it happen again. She drives the Stone Creek bookmobile and is trying to raise funds to build a new library. In his will, Hank Callahan bequeathed a million dollars for the project, but attached one stipulation: Do not let his grandson sell the ranch.
Excerpt #1:
“So, you moved in?” He made it sound like she was going to use squatter’s rights to take control of the Rocking C Ranch.
“Only temporarily,” she said. “To help Bonita. Now that you’re here, of course I’ll leave.” No way could she stay in the house with Trevor in residence. She felt dizzy just thinking about it. Her hormones had awakened from a long dormant sleep and Beth didn’t trust the little suckers. Not one bit. They’d gotten her into trouble once and she didn’t want that to happen again. When it came to men, Beth knew she was a walking disaster.
She picked up her sandwich and bit into it. What with talking so much, she’d neglected her food. And she was hungry. She and Mags had worked all morning sorting books.
Trevor poured more iced tea in his glass. Beth felt his eyes on her as she ate. Her stomach flip-flopped again. Oh no, she couldn’t stay.
“You don’t have to leave,” he said, breaking the awkward silence.
Beth jerked her head up and stared at him. “Excuse me? Yes, I do. I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not. There’s no reason for you to go. I’ll be in and out a lot while I’m in Stone Creek. You obviously have a big job to do with the books. We won’t get in each other’s way. And I’ll make it worth your while.”
Beth frowned. Surely the man didn’t mean that like it sounded. “Make it worth my while?”
He shrugged. “Pay for your services.”
“My services?” She knew she sounded like a parrot, but she couldn’t help it. The man had her flustered.
“Cooking, cleaning, looking after the place. Like you’re doing now. Only you’d get compensated.”
“I don’t want your money.”
“What do you want?” he asked softly.
July 22, 2008
Meet Anne Marie Novark
Welcome new author, Anne Marie Novark. Her first book was just released a few months ago!
Christmas In July Interview Questions
So, tell us a little about yourself? What is your typical day like?
I’m a retired stay-at-home mom, so I guess that makes me a kept woman.A typical day for me begins with waking up between seven and seven-thirty, when I jump out of bed and head for the kitchen, pour myself a glass of juice and sit down to read the paper. I eat a light breakfast then grab a quick shower. I try to sit down at my computer at nine, where I work for several hours. I check email after I get my pages written. After that, I usually eat lunch and run errands and also perform the minimal amount of housecleaning I can get by with.
When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I started writing when I was in my early twenties. That was before personal computers. I wrote in longhand on notebook paper and in spiral notebooks, but never finished a manuscript. When my children were born, my writing went by the wayside. I didn’t waste those “writing” years; I read voraciously—romances mostly, but there was a period during my early thirties where I read classic literature exclusively. When the kids were bigger, I took up writing again. I completed eight manuscripts and collected many rejections before finally publishing.
How did you break into publishing?
For years, I was targeting Harlequin/Silhouette. I caught the eye of an editor, but kept getting rejections. I entered a few contests, but the expense was prohibitive. I was really in a bad place psychologically in my writing, nearly to the point of giving it up. But writing is my passion, my identity. I am a writer, therefore I write. I couldn’t give up.
I kept reading romances and craft books on writing, and attending my RWA chapter meetings. I noticed how a few of my chapter mates were being published in digital format. They were having a blast, so I decided to give it a try. Being published by The Wild Rose Press has boosted my confidence and now, I’m having a blast!
What influenced you to write?
My mother, BK Reeves. She’s been published for many years. She’s taught me so much. She’s my biggest fan and my sternest critic. Here’s a little story about when I decided that I could write: Mother had published a couple of Regency romances with Avon. One Friday out of the blue, they called her and asked if she had anything to submit right now, because they were in a lurch and needed a book ASAP. Well, BK told them she had a typed manuscript (written before personal computers) locked in her safety deposit box. They said great! Could she send it to them by return mail on Monday? Not a problem, she said. She called me in a kind of a panic, saying she had to enter the manuscript into the computer. I offered to help her. While I was entering the story, I realized a book was written one word, one sentence at a time. Okay, this is so obvious, but it was a light bulb moment for me. What can I say? I’m Polish.
What inspired you to write romance?
I’ve been reading romances since the sixth grade. I love reading about men and women overcoming obstacles, falling in love and living happily-ever-after. Real life can be ugly and messy. In romance novels, love conquers all and there is always hope for a bright future with the love of your life.
What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
My first book was a Regency romance. After I finished that story, my sister introduced me to category romance (Linda Howard, no less), and I’ve been hooked ever since. Most of my stories are set in West Texas where I spent summers as a child on my grandparents’ farm and ranch. That land is now in a family trust, and we all enjoy going up there as often as we can. I write Western Contemporary Romance with yummy cowboys and ranchers.
What difficulties do writing this genre present?
For me, it’s big city vs. small town. I’m a city girl, but my heart belongs to the little town up in West Texas near our farm. I love the rugged ranch land and the vast acres in cultivation. I like to share my love of the land and my love of Texas with readers. Wait a minute! That’s not really a difficulty at all.
What motivated you to write your current book?
I wrote HER RELUCTANT RANCHER four or five years ago. I think the idea came to me when I read a feature article in a magazine. It was about a rural doctor who made rounds of house calls. How this morphed into a girl driving a bookmobile, only my muse knows for sure.
How much time do you devote to writing each day?
Two to four hours on good days. But not all days are good days. I try to be disciplined and get on my computer by nine in the morning, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen.
Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
As I said before, I’ve completed eight manuscripts. I have a series set on a ranch up in the Panhandle (where else?) about four brothers and a sister. I have three of those stories written; two more to go.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth book in the series mentioned above. It’s about the youngest brother who is a crop-duster. He’s crashed and burned and is having a difficult time recuperating both physically and mentally. My heroine is a flying whiz and comes along, knocking the hero for an aerial loop.
How do you write? Are you a panster or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
I’m an in-betweenster. My characters usually come first. I do a bit of pre-writing: finding pictures of my hero and heroine, choosing their names, figuring out the internal conflicts, etc. I keep all of this information in a project notebook. For the last three or four books that I’ve written, I’ve made collages. This is an awesome activity and really stimulates the subconscious brain.
What was the most unusual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
One day, when my husband and I were driving back from his dad’s, we were on the freeway. A man on a motorcycle passed us. He had a small girl riding behind him. That got my brain to playing what-ifs all the way home. Who was this guy? Where was the mom? I knew there was story there, and sure enough, I wrote it. Right now, it’s sitting on an editor’s desk (or in her inbox), and I’m waiting to hear back on it.
If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And Why?
I would love to meet Georgette Heyer. She was the Queen of Regency Romance. Even though I write Western Contemporary, Regencies hold a special place in my heart. The way she handled characterization and setting and plot was awesome. Her books are dense and rich; not a lot of white space. I’ve read her Regencies countless times. They are my “comfort” reads. Most of my copies of her books are over fifty years old and are literally falling apart.
Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
HER RELUCTANT RANCHER is my first published book, and this is my first interview. Most of my reviews have been good. It’s exciting to know people are actually reading and enjoying my book.
“This is the first book I have read by Ms. Novark but it will not be my last. Her characters are strong and passionate and she takes the reader along for an emotional ride through her story!”
“HER RELUCTANT RANCHER adds a new spin on reluctant romances that form after a death in the family… It is very refreshing that marriage between Beth and Trevor was not a requirement of the will… Trevor and Beth find passion in this delightful story of regrets, love, and family.”
Read the full reviews on my website: www.annemarienovark.com.
What is your all time favorite book?
Gosh, I have so many favorite books. Like I mentioned before, my comfort reads are the Regencies written by Georgette Heyer. It’s very difficult to say which one is my absolute favorite. I guess if I have to choose, I’d say A CIVIL CONTRACT. It makes me cry every time I read it.
How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I check out books from the library—inter-library loans are fabulous. And of course, I couldn’t live without Google. The most interesting bit of research? When I found out you could own hundreds of acres of land without owning the mineral rights. That tidbit became a crucial turning point in one of my books.
What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Don’t give up. Keep writing and honing your craft. Read books on writing, take online classes, and most importantly: submit, submit, submit. If you don’t keep writing and submitting new manuscripts, you will never get published.
How do you like your fans to contact you?
Visit my website at http://www.annemarienovark.com/. Email me at am@annemarienovark.com.
Christmas In July Interview Questions
So, tell us a little about yourself? What is your typical day like?
I’m a retired stay-at-home mom, so I guess that makes me a kept woman.
When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I started writing when I was in my early twenties. That was before personal computers. I wrote in longhand on notebook paper and in spiral notebooks, but never finished a manuscript. When my children were born, my writing went by the wayside. I didn’t waste those “writing” years; I read voraciously—romances mostly, but there was a period during my early thirties where I read classic literature exclusively. When the kids were bigger, I took up writing again. I completed eight manuscripts and collected many rejections before finally publishing.
How did you break into publishing?
For years, I was targeting Harlequin/Silhouette. I caught the eye of an editor, but kept getting rejections. I entered a few contests, but the expense was prohibitive. I was really in a bad place psychologically in my writing, nearly to the point of giving it up. But writing is my passion, my identity. I am a writer, therefore I write. I couldn’t give up.
I kept reading romances and craft books on writing, and attending my RWA chapter meetings. I noticed how a few of my chapter mates were being published in digital format. They were having a blast, so I decided to give it a try. Being published by The Wild Rose Press has boosted my confidence and now, I’m having a blast!
What influenced you to write?
My mother, BK Reeves. She’s been published for many years. She’s taught me so much. She’s my biggest fan and my sternest critic. Here’s a little story about when I decided that I could write: Mother had published a couple of Regency romances with Avon. One Friday out of the blue, they called her and asked if she had anything to submit right now, because they were in a lurch and needed a book ASAP. Well, BK told them she had a typed manuscript (written before personal computers) locked in her safety deposit box. They said great! Could she send it to them by return mail on Monday? Not a problem, she said. She called me in a kind of a panic, saying she had to enter the manuscript into the computer. I offered to help her. While I was entering the story, I realized a book was written one word, one sentence at a time. Okay, this is so obvious, but it was a light bulb moment for me. What can I say? I’m Polish.
What inspired you to write romance?
I’ve been reading romances since the sixth grade. I love reading about men and women overcoming obstacles, falling in love and living happily-ever-after. Real life can be ugly and messy. In romance novels, love conquers all and there is always hope for a bright future with the love of your life.
What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
My first book was a Regency romance. After I finished that story, my sister introduced me to category romance (Linda Howard, no less), and I’ve been hooked ever since. Most of my stories are set in West Texas where I spent summers as a child on my grandparents’ farm and ranch. That land is now in a family trust, and we all enjoy going up there as often as we can. I write Western Contemporary Romance with yummy cowboys and ranchers.
What difficulties do writing this genre present?
For me, it’s big city vs. small town. I’m a city girl, but my heart belongs to the little town up in West Texas near our farm. I love the rugged ranch land and the vast acres in cultivation. I like to share my love of the land and my love of Texas with readers. Wait a minute! That’s not really a difficulty at all.
What motivated you to write your current book?
I wrote HER RELUCTANT RANCHER four or five years ago. I think the idea came to me when I read a feature article in a magazine. It was about a rural doctor who made rounds of house calls. How this morphed into a girl driving a bookmobile, only my muse knows for sure.
How much time do you devote to writing each day?
Two to four hours on good days. But not all days are good days. I try to be disciplined and get on my computer by nine in the morning, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen.
Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
As I said before, I’ve completed eight manuscripts. I have a series set on a ranch up in the Panhandle (where else?) about four brothers and a sister. I have three of those stories written; two more to go.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth book in the series mentioned above. It’s about the youngest brother who is a crop-duster. He’s crashed and burned and is having a difficult time recuperating both physically and mentally. My heroine is a flying whiz and comes along, knocking the hero for an aerial loop.
How do you write? Are you a panster or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
I’m an in-betweenster. My characters usually come first. I do a bit of pre-writing: finding pictures of my hero and heroine, choosing their names, figuring out the internal conflicts, etc. I keep all of this information in a project notebook. For the last three or four books that I’ve written, I’ve made collages. This is an awesome activity and really stimulates the subconscious brain.
What was the most unusual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
One day, when my husband and I were driving back from his dad’s, we were on the freeway. A man on a motorcycle passed us. He had a small girl riding behind him. That got my brain to playing what-ifs all the way home. Who was this guy? Where was the mom? I knew there was story there, and sure enough, I wrote it. Right now, it’s sitting on an editor’s desk (or in her inbox), and I’m waiting to hear back on it.
If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And Why?
I would love to meet Georgette Heyer. She was the Queen of Regency Romance. Even though I write Western Contemporary, Regencies hold a special place in my heart. The way she handled characterization and setting and plot was awesome. Her books are dense and rich; not a lot of white space. I’ve read her Regencies countless times. They are my “comfort” reads. Most of my copies of her books are over fifty years old and are literally falling apart.
Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
HER RELUCTANT RANCHER is my first published book, and this is my first interview. Most of my reviews have been good. It’s exciting to know people are actually reading and enjoying my book.
“This is the first book I have read by Ms. Novark but it will not be my last. Her characters are strong and passionate and she takes the reader along for an emotional ride through her story!”
“HER RELUCTANT RANCHER adds a new spin on reluctant romances that form after a death in the family… It is very refreshing that marriage between Beth and Trevor was not a requirement of the will… Trevor and Beth find passion in this delightful story of regrets, love, and family.”
Read the full reviews on my website: www.annemarienovark.com.
What is your all time favorite book?
Gosh, I have so many favorite books. Like I mentioned before, my comfort reads are the Regencies written by Georgette Heyer. It’s very difficult to say which one is my absolute favorite. I guess if I have to choose, I’d say A CIVIL CONTRACT. It makes me cry every time I read it.
How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I check out books from the library—inter-library loans are fabulous. And of course, I couldn’t live without Google. The most interesting bit of research? When I found out you could own hundreds of acres of land without owning the mineral rights. That tidbit became a crucial turning point in one of my books.
What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Don’t give up. Keep writing and honing your craft. Read books on writing, take online classes, and most importantly: submit, submit, submit. If you don’t keep writing and submitting new manuscripts, you will never get published.
How do you like your fans to contact you?
Visit my website at http://www.annemarienovark.com/. Email me at am@annemarienovark.com.
July 22 Winner
The winner of Meagan's great prizes:
1.) $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
2.) Download of your choice from my backlist
Is Michelle! Just e-mail me or Meagan and we'll get you your prizes.
annaklanier@aol.com or meaganhatfield@charter.net
Thanks for visiting my blog today!
~Anna Kathryn
1.) $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
2.) Download of your choice from my backlist
Is Michelle! Just e-mail me or Meagan and we'll get you your prizes.
annaklanier@aol.com or meaganhatfield@charter.net
Thanks for visiting my blog today!
~Anna Kathryn
Excerpt ~ The Marquis & the Mistress
CHAPTER ONE
May 1608
Bay of Biscay
Off the coast of Southern France
“Can you see her?”
Francois Gudren peered through the telescope shaft to study the ship, bobbing in the distance. It only took a few twists and turns of the lens before a red flag, with white and green stripes, snapped into focus. At the sight, a lazy half smile curled the corner of his lips.
“Yes, I see her,” he replied.
“Well.” His first mate, Jean pressed his spectacles to the bridge of his nose and squinted over the railing. “Is she the Basque one you been searchin’ for?”
The ship’s bow plunged downward from a swell, casting a bracing spray of salt water upon them. Francois swept strands of dark, sodden hair aside and bent to clap the stout man on the shoulder.
“Bring us about,” Francois ordered, stuffing the telescope beneath the red sash about his waist. “Phillipe!”
“Aye?” A voice called down from above.
Francois tilted his chin to the lad in the rigging. “Be sure our colors fly high. I will not abide the prize court disallowing seizure on account of one of our blunders again.”
“Then it is her,” Jean exclaimed, padding behind him.
Francois let loose a sigh, and wheeled around. The gusting winds set his overlarge white shirt to flap agape, sending a refreshing breeze against his heated chest. Propping his hands on his hips, he stared hard upon Jean, certain the sight of him, all togged up in tight black breeches and sash about his middle, projected the look his role as a bloodthirsty pirate captain required.
“Jean, I told you to bring The Vengeance about. The Emak Hila has finally returned to Spain. If we lay in wait for her, she shan’t be able wind her way about us and reach shore. She is ours.”
“Aye, Capt,” he replied, his aged face beaming, as he scurried to take the wheel.
Francois pivoted, spouting off orders to the rest of his crew, who immediately bustled about, manning their different positions. Most ran to the lower decks to ready her sixteen guns, while the rest hastened to the twelve mounted on her upper deck.
As their quarry grew nearer, Francois again stepped up to the rail with his scope. Shoving his sleeves to his elbows, he propped a booted foot upon the lower railing, and set his eye to the rim. A glance showed the “giver of death,” as The Emak Hila was named, bestrewn with nigh 80 visible crewmembers. All frantically attempting to get the vessel to tack into the wind, and flee the trap he’d set.
“She’s using evasive maneuvering.” He slammed his hand down, collapsing the device. “Let’s go and get her, men. Unfurl the sails!”
Shadows skirted and swayed in the rigging above. The square and triangle shaped canvasses whipped and cracked, as the sea air billowed them wide. The familiar rush of excitement blasted through his veins at the feel of the Vengeance splicing through the waves with the ease of a razor on skin. At the imminent chase before him, an amused smile twisted his mouth.
Francois rested his forearms on the rail and leaned forward. The sun’s bright rays sparked against the gold band dangling from a timeworn leather cord around his neck. At the sight of it, his smile fled and all the air left his lungs.
Cosette.
Her name whispered on the wind like a lover’s caress. Francois gritted his teeth as a fresh whip of agony and regret lashed his soul. Pinching his eyes, he leaned his forehead on the wood rail and fought for control. It was useless. His guilt forced him to suffer, forced him to relive the worst day of his life.
Sweat beaded on his brow and his chest tightened as the scenes of that fateful night replayed in his mind. When it was finally over, he opened his eyes. They fixed on the wedding band on his left hand and he wanted to close them again. Wanted to be back in La Rochelle, drinking his life away in that hovel of a tavern his father’s death had forced him from.
It should be Cosette’s ring he wore on his hand. Instead, he wore a ring of duty, keeping hers hidden beneath his shirt, yet close to his heart. Love. Duty. He scoffed. Such was life, he’d discovered. For it seemed he would forever crave one thing yet be given another. Experience a moment of joy only to be drug through the fiery pits of hell for eternity as a price.
[End]
Want to read more? Buy it now!
5 Hearts! "I was unable to put this one down." - The Romance Studio
***
Interview with Meagan Hatfield!
So, Meagan, tell us a little about yourself? What is your typical day like?
Hello everyone!
My name is Meagan Hatfield and I write Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical, Contemporary and Erotic romances for both e-book and print publishers.
Typical day? Well, I work a job Monday through Friday, 5am to about noon. Yes, I said 5am. {{yawn}} When the kids are in school full day, I get a good chunk of writing time in before they get home. Now, with summer in full swing, I write in chaos and between T-ball games, sleep-over’s and playing referee to their battling matches over the video game station.
When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I have always written…I even penned a young adult romance, complete with cheesy title (“My Kind of Guy”) in High School. But I never thought you could make a living at writing. So, I went off into a more lucrative and fruitful career path…dancing.Ah, to grow up in the 80’s – where every video and concert had a corps of frolicking jazz dancers and Paula Abdul made everyone think you too could be a star. *grins* Seriously though, I went to college as a dance major. But I met my husband, got married and had babies instead. It took six years in San Diego, a trip to the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas , two kids, a few random jobs and a move to Wisconsin before the constant ideas and characters running through her head drove me to finally sit down and start writing their story. That book was my fantasy romance, “A Magical Encounter” and it came out earlier this year!
What inspired you to write romance?
My grandmother.
I was an only child, essentially raised by my grandparents. Both were avid readers, especially my nanny. Our hallway was lined with bookcases staked two rows deep with Harlequins. She read four romance novels a day...she kept one by the bed, one in the bathroom, one on the dining table and one by her recliner and finished all of them by night’s end. Romances were some of the first books I was exposed to and I always loved them. It was with her encouragement, I even attempted to write a book of my own.
What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
At our chapter meeting introductions, everyone always says for me to tell people what genres I DON’T write in. LOL!
Characters always come to me first, so what I write depends on their voice. I don’t see myself ever writing an inspy or a western, but never say never.
Currently, I am working on my dark paranormal series about dragon-shifters and vampires I just sold to a major NYC publisher yesterday!! I don’t have release info yet, but you can bet I’ll be keeping my Newsletter subscribers updated. ((hint, hint))
What difficulties does writing this genre present?
I absolutely LOVE Dark Paranormal. I think I’ve really found my niche! I’d been told I write violent or dark before by reviewers and it always gave me pause. Now, I have free rein to go for it and it is so much fun!!
What motivated you to write your current book?
Actually, I won a critique at our local RWA Conference and busted out the first chapter without thinking too much about the book. It took about six months to hear back. But when I did, the editor really got a fire under my butt and I wrote the synopsis and a few more chapters and sent those in. When she came back requesting the full, I whipped it out in six weeks and sent that in. So I guess, the prospect of selling was motivating enough for me. Although, I did listen to Breaking Benjamin cd’s the entire time I wrote. That music really helped me get into the tone of the story.
How much time do you devote to writing each day?
As much as I can. :-) Okay, more specific…it’s usually, it’s about 5 hours. But, if I am working a deadline or extremely motivated, my butt has been known to be in the chair for up to 10 hours and counting.
Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
Currently, I have a hot-historical romance novel, “The Marquis & the Mistress” out from the Dark Castle Lords. A fantasy romance, “A Magical Encounter” from New Concepts Publishing, and a contemporary erotic short story duo, “Torrid Teasers #43 – The Whole Enchilada & Lust Desserts” out from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.
Links and info on all my books and stories are at my website!
What are you working on now?
I am working on Book Two of the new series I just sold yesterday (YEA again!) I’m also plotting up a short for that line, and today I’ll start on the edits for Book One.
How do you write? Are you a panster or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
Both. I am a firm believer that if you have two great characters, plop them in an interesting setting and let them loose, stuff will happen and you will eventually have a book. However, that can either take a year or generate a 120,000 word epic. So, I plot.
And definitely characters influence me more. After all, it is their story. I just try to listen to what they tell me and not mess it up along the way.
What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
It would have to be for a work in progress currently languishing in my documents. I got the idea from watching a cartoon with my daughter before she got on the bus (obviously back before I worked at 5am) I can’t remember specifically what it was, but some minute aspect or story thread called out to me. I thought, “man, if this was an adult show, I would have this happen instead…and then this…and then this…” and so the story began.
If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And Why?
Yikes! There are so many. But probably Queen Elizabeth I…I’d love to hear her secrets. I mean, a woman ruling successfully over men for that long - wow. When you think about, it sounds like fiction, especially for back then.
Not to mention, I think she’d have a wicked sense of humor.
Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
Oh, I’ve really been very fortunate so far with reviewers.
I was just Joyfully Reviewed last week and the reviewer called “A Magical Encounter fantasy-meets-romance at it’s finest.”
The Romance Studio gave my historical romance,“The Marquis & the Mistress” 5 hearts and said, “Meagan Hatfield has written an exciting tale of lost love, secrets, and devious plots. Cosette and Francois were such well-written characters. The love-hate relationship between these two wonderful people, along with the fiery passion that burns up the pages, is all consuming. I was unable to put this one down. Although at times I found the situations the characters had to withstand a little distressing, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting, sexually charged romance because this has to be one of the best I have read. Hats off to this great author. I look forward to reading more of her stories in the future.”
You can read more reviews of all my books and stories at my website.
What is your all time favorite book?
Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. Rarely does a book touch me as deeply as this novel did, and on so many levels. It stuck with me for years not just days. And honestly, part of me still yearns to take my family to some remote locale, leave everything behind and live off the land. But I know deep down I’m too techie dependant to actually do it.
How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I always research. Let’s face it, any excuse to get my nose in a musty, old book, and I’m there. :-) Now, how much I research depends on the story. For THE MARQUIS & THE MISTRESS, I did endless amounts. The story takes place during King Henry IV of France’s last years ruling the country, and includes as many factual characters as fictional. So, I read up on, not only the period and the locale, but the people. I’ll tell you, some of the books I read on King Henry IV were so old, the binding glue turned to dust on my desk. But, I love history and books (probably why I write) so I found all of that research not only interesting but inspiring. It amazes me to hear that the French court setting does not appeal to a good number of people. I think it’s just as rich, lush and intrigue laden as the English court. Not to mention all those hot, French men. Ooo-la-la, what’s not to love?
The most interesting thing that’s happened so far came from reading the Marquis de Sade’s letters and works as research for my erotic novella, ONE NIGHT WITH DE SADE. I had always been fascinated by him, but I had no idea what a normal, intelligent, politically conscious minded and loving individual he was. He was very much ahead of his time when it came to reform and society - a rebel with a cause, if you will, who used his works to shake people up, to wake them up. So, it was interesting to leave that experience not only understanding a bit more about the man many considered a monster, but admiring him on certain levels. He was French too, of course, so that helped. LOL! (Are you noticing a trend here?)
What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Develop thick skin, keep your chin up, write everyday, treat others how you want to be treated, keep learning, always be professional, if you don’t have a critique partner – get one, and surround yourself with those who support your dream. Ignore the ones who don’t – they will all be clamoring to for autographs when you’re published, and success is the sweetest revenge.
How do you like your fans to contact you?
Feel free to stop by my website ( http://www.meaganhatfield.com ) to learn more about me or my books. Or cruise by and friend me at Myspace ( http://www.myspace.com/meaganhatfield ) or leave a comment at my blog ( http://www.meaganhatfield.blogspot.com )
I’d like to mention that I also have a Yahoo Newsletter Group – ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-Little-Bit-of-Magic/ ) called - A Little Bit of Magic. Every three months, I post a newsletter with info about me, my books, hottie of the month and the contest winner of that issue. Once you're signed up for my group, you'll receive automatic entry into all of my contests.
Hello everyone!
My name is Meagan Hatfield and I write Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical, Contemporary and Erotic romances for both e-book and print publishers.
Typical day? Well, I work a job Monday through Friday, 5am to about noon. Yes, I said 5am. {{yawn}} When the kids are in school full day, I get a good chunk of writing time in before they get home. Now, with summer in full swing, I write in chaos and between T-ball games, sleep-over’s and playing referee to their battling matches over the video game station.
When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I have always written…I even penned a young adult romance, complete with cheesy title (“My Kind of Guy”) in High School. But I never thought you could make a living at writing. So, I went off into a more lucrative and fruitful career path…dancing.
What inspired you to write romance?
My grandmother.
I was an only child, essentially raised by my grandparents. Both were avid readers, especially my nanny. Our hallway was lined with bookcases staked two rows deep with Harlequins. She read four romance novels a day...she kept one by the bed, one in the bathroom, one on the dining table and one by her recliner and finished all of them by night’s end. Romances were some of the first books I was exposed to and I always loved them. It was with her encouragement, I even attempted to write a book of my own.
What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
At our chapter meeting introductions, everyone always says for me to tell people what genres I DON’T write in. LOL!
Characters always come to me first, so what I write depends on their voice. I don’t see myself ever writing an inspy or a western, but never say never.
Currently, I am working on my dark paranormal series about dragon-shifters and vampires I just sold to a major NYC publisher yesterday!! I don’t have release info yet, but you can bet I’ll be keeping my Newsletter subscribers updated. ((hint, hint))
What difficulties does writing this genre present?
I absolutely LOVE Dark Paranormal. I think I’ve really found my niche! I’d been told I write violent or dark before by reviewers and it always gave me pause. Now, I have free rein to go for it and it is so much fun!!
What motivated you to write your current book?
Actually, I won a critique at our local RWA Conference and busted out the first chapter without thinking too much about the book. It took about six months to hear back. But when I did, the editor really got a fire under my butt and I wrote the synopsis and a few more chapters and sent those in. When she came back requesting the full, I whipped it out in six weeks and sent that in. So I guess, the prospect of selling was motivating enough for me. Although, I did listen to Breaking Benjamin cd’s the entire time I wrote. That music really helped me get into the tone of the story.
How much time do you devote to writing each day?
As much as I can. :-) Okay, more specific…it’s usually, it’s about 5 hours. But, if I am working a deadline or extremely motivated, my butt has been known to be in the chair for up to 10 hours and counting.
Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
Currently, I have a hot-historical romance novel, “The Marquis & the Mistress” out from the Dark Castle Lords. A fantasy romance, “A Magical Encounter” from New Concepts Publishing, and a contemporary erotic short story duo, “Torrid Teasers #43 – The Whole Enchilada & Lust Desserts” out from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.
Links and info on all my books and stories are at my website!
What are you working on now?
I am working on Book Two of the new series I just sold yesterday (YEA again!) I’m also plotting up a short for that line, and today I’ll start on the edits for Book One.
How do you write? Are you a panster or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
Both. I am a firm believer that if you have two great characters, plop them in an interesting setting and let them loose, stuff will happen and you will eventually have a book. However, that can either take a year or generate a 120,000 word epic. So, I plot.
And definitely characters influence me more. After all, it is their story. I just try to listen to what they tell me and not mess it up along the way.
What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
It would have to be for a work in progress currently languishing in my documents. I got the idea from watching a cartoon with my daughter before she got on the bus (obviously back before I worked at 5am) I can’t remember specifically what it was, but some minute aspect or story thread called out to me. I thought, “man, if this was an adult show, I would have this happen instead…and then this…and then this…” and so the story began.
If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And Why?
Yikes! There are so many. But probably Queen Elizabeth I…I’d love to hear her secrets. I mean, a woman ruling successfully over men for that long - wow. When you think about, it sounds like fiction, especially for back then.
Not to mention, I think she’d have a wicked sense of humor.
Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
Oh, I’ve really been very fortunate so far with reviewers.
I was just Joyfully Reviewed last week and the reviewer called “A Magical Encounter fantasy-meets-romance at it’s finest.”
The Romance Studio gave my historical romance,“The Marquis & the Mistress” 5 hearts and said, “Meagan Hatfield has written an exciting tale of lost love, secrets, and devious plots. Cosette and Francois were such well-written characters. The love-hate relationship between these two wonderful people, along with the fiery passion that burns up the pages, is all consuming. I was unable to put this one down. Although at times I found the situations the characters had to withstand a little distressing, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting, sexually charged romance because this has to be one of the best I have read. Hats off to this great author. I look forward to reading more of her stories in the future.”
You can read more reviews of all my books and stories at my website.
What is your all time favorite book?
Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. Rarely does a book touch me as deeply as this novel did, and on so many levels. It stuck with me for years not just days. And honestly, part of me still yearns to take my family to some remote locale, leave everything behind and live off the land. But I know deep down I’m too techie dependant to actually do it.
How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I always research. Let’s face it, any excuse to get my nose in a musty, old book, and I’m there. :-) Now, how much I research depends on the story. For THE MARQUIS & THE MISTRESS, I did endless amounts. The story takes place during King Henry IV of France’s last years ruling the country, and includes as many factual characters as fictional. So, I read up on, not only the period and the locale, but the people. I’ll tell you, some of the books I read on King Henry IV were so old, the binding glue turned to dust on my desk. But, I love history and books (probably why I write) so I found all of that research not only interesting but inspiring. It amazes me to hear that the French court setting does not appeal to a good number of people. I think it’s just as rich, lush and intrigue laden as the English court. Not to mention all those hot, French men. Ooo-la-la, what’s not to love?
The most interesting thing that’s happened so far came from reading the Marquis de Sade’s letters and works as research for my erotic novella, ONE NIGHT WITH DE SADE. I had always been fascinated by him, but I had no idea what a normal, intelligent, politically conscious minded and loving individual he was. He was very much ahead of his time when it came to reform and society - a rebel with a cause, if you will, who used his works to shake people up, to wake them up. So, it was interesting to leave that experience not only understanding a bit more about the man many considered a monster, but admiring him on certain levels. He was French too, of course, so that helped. LOL! (Are you noticing a trend here?)
What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Develop thick skin, keep your chin up, write everyday, treat others how you want to be treated, keep learning, always be professional, if you don’t have a critique partner – get one, and surround yourself with those who support your dream. Ignore the ones who don’t – they will all be clamoring to for autographs when you’re published, and success is the sweetest revenge.
How do you like your fans to contact you?
Feel free to stop by my website ( http://www.meaganhatfield.com ) to learn more about me or my books. Or cruise by and friend me at Myspace ( http://www.myspace.com/meaganhatfield ) or leave a comment at my blog ( http://www.meaganhatfield.blogspot.com )
I’d like to mention that I also have a Yahoo Newsletter Group – ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-Little-Bit-of-Magic/ ) called - A Little Bit of Magic. Every three months, I post a newsletter with info about me, my books, hottie of the month and the contest winner of that issue. Once you're signed up for my group, you'll receive automatic entry into all of my contests.
****Contest****
Leave a comment on ANY of my posts for your chance to win:
1.) $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
2.) Download of your choice from my backlist
1.) $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
2.) Download of your choice from my backlist
July 21st Winner
Congratulations to Eva, she won the July 21st drawing, an e-book package. It includes my short story "The Priceless Gift," "A Brush with Love," and "Voices " both by Jo Barrett and "Ancient Musings" by Skhye Moncrief.
Just e-mail me at annaklanier@aol.com, so I can send you the e-books.
Anna Kathryn
Just e-mail me at annaklanier@aol.com, so I can send you the e-books.
Anna Kathryn
July 21, 2008
Welcome Author Meagan Hatfield
Welcome Meagan Hatfield as my guest blogger today. She'll be putting up her interview questions soon and getting the show on the road....
Hey, I just finished filling out a form for an RWA chapter we're both in for subsequent sales and Meagan had a boatload of them! So I'm looking forward to hearing all about her writing and her published, or soon to be published works!
~Anna Kathryn
Hey, I just finished filling out a form for an RWA chapter we're both in for subsequent sales and Meagan had a boatload of them! So I'm looking forward to hearing all about her writing and her published, or soon to be published works!
~Anna Kathryn
July 20th Winner - Notice to Other winners
The winner for July 20th is, Andrea! Sandy's book isn't out yet, though it'll come as an e-book in August. Andrea, you can receive a copy then or you can wait until January and receive a print copy, whichever you want.
Just e-mail me at annaklanier@aol.com and let me know what you'd prefer.
Now, anyone who hasn't received their prize packages yet via U. S. Mail, well, that's because I've not mailed anything for a couple of weeks. I have them all in piles to package up, I just haven't gotten to it, but I hope to remedy that this week. Sorry it's taken me so long.
~Anna Kathryn
Just e-mail me at annaklanier@aol.com and let me know what you'd prefer.
Now, anyone who hasn't received their prize packages yet via U. S. Mail, well, that's because I've not mailed anything for a couple of weeks. I have them all in piles to package up, I just haven't gotten to it, but I hope to remedy that this week. Sorry it's taken me so long.
~Anna Kathryn
Good Morning
Well, I don't have a guest blogger today, so I guess it's up to me to talk. Of course, I don't have anything planned....lol. I was looking at the post from "On This Day" and saw that it's the anniversary of the Battle of the Pyramids by Napoleon Bonaparte on July 21, 1798. Yeah, I never heard of it either. But Napoleon "put into use one of his significant contributions to tactics, the massive divisional square," which is actually a rectangle. This formation helped him repeal and defeat the ruler Mamluk's armies. The battle took place 9 miles from the Pyramids outside Cairo. Napoleon's victory signaled the beginning of the end for the 700 year rule of the Malmuk's rule in Egypt.
Find out more at:
http://www.reference.com/search?r=11&q=Battle%20of%20the%20Pyramids
But reading about Bonaparte reminded me that for years, I never understood European history. I moved from one state to another during my freshmen year of high school. The school I had attended in Ft. Worth, Tx was on trimesters and we waited until the end of the first trimester to move. The school I moved to in Las Cruces, NM was on semesters. When I arrived to register, it was suggested that I wait until after the Christmas holidays to do so, since I'd be join classes just in time for finals. So, I had a 6 week break.
Unfortunately, because of this, I missed a lot of instruction on European history, namely Napoleon Bonaparte's. I was confused to learn there was more than one Bonaparte and also it took me a while to understand that the European countries weren't united as they are now (in that Germany, France, Italy used to be little city-states and not one big country as the are now). It really wasn't until I took my college history classes in the past two years that I came to understand what I'd been missing all these years.
I find history fascinating and can't understand those people who say they don't.
There are several time periods I'd like to visit if I could - Regency England, medieval Europe, the Wild West.
What time period(s) would you like to visit?
~Anna Kathryn
Find out more at:
http://www.reference.com/search?r=11&q=Battle%20of%20the%20Pyramids
But reading about Bonaparte reminded me that for years, I never understood European history. I moved from one state to another during my freshmen year of high school. The school I had attended in Ft. Worth, Tx was on trimesters and we waited until the end of the first trimester to move. The school I moved to in Las Cruces, NM was on semesters. When I arrived to register, it was suggested that I wait until after the Christmas holidays to do so, since I'd be join classes just in time for finals. So, I had a 6 week break.
Unfortunately, because of this, I missed a lot of instruction on European history, namely Napoleon Bonaparte's. I was confused to learn there was more than one Bonaparte and also it took me a while to understand that the European countries weren't united as they are now (in that Germany, France, Italy used to be little city-states and not one big country as the are now). It really wasn't until I took my college history classes in the past two years that I came to understand what I'd been missing all these years.
I find history fascinating and can't understand those people who say they don't.
There are several time periods I'd like to visit if I could - Regency England, medieval Europe, the Wild West.
What time period(s) would you like to visit?
~Anna Kathryn
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