Author Interview: Ruth Cardello

The next author in the series of interviews is Ruth Cardello.  She has made quite a name for herself the past two years and has hit the New York Times Best-Seller list.  She has just released her fourth book in the Legacy Series titled Saving the Sheikh.  You can find it on all major online retailers.

News about Ruth's Legacy Series:

Rise of the Billionaire will come out in the Spring. It’s the story of a hacker who had a rough childhood and the fantasy of being with one woman, Alethea, gave him the strength to overcome it.  Now that he has some influential friends who owe him pretty big favors, he’s determined to become the kind of man Alethea would be interested in – rich and dangerous.  Jeisa is the woman who has been hired to help him morph into that man.  Book 5 is one man’s journey to find himself and the difficult choices he has to make along the way. It’s also about the painful realization that sometimes when you love someone it means letting them go. Oh, yes, and hopefully some hot sex along the way!

List of Ruth's books that are currently available:

The Legacy Series:

Maid for the Billionaire (FREE on most ebook vendors)

For Love or Legacy

Bedding the Billionaire

Saving the Sheikh

Rise of the Billionaire (coming in the spring of 2013)

1.      Congratulations!  Your previous release, Bedding the Billionaire, made the New York Times Bestseller list.  How did you react when you saw your name on the list?

I cried happy tears. These past few years have been amazing for me in so many ways.  I left my day job to write more and spend more time with my kids. Making the NYTs bestseller’s list cemented for my family that I’d made the right choice. 

2.      Your new release is Saving the Sheik.  What is about Sheiks that gets your blood boiling and imagination flowing?

I can’t speak for other women, but for me it’s the fantasy of being swept away to somewhere exotic with a man who is both in control and helplessly into me.  The whole fantasy from the outfits to the pillows – to the arrogance of a desert prince. I just love it. I devour sheikh books like they are candy. 

3.      What are you plans for The Legacy Collection?

I’ve outlined 7 books for the series along with 2 novellas.  My next series will be about Greek Billionaires, but I think I’ll have them live in the world I’ve built. I had an image in my head of some billionaire turning on the TV and seeing a story about Dominic and it made me laugh out loud.  I’m enjoying these characters and it would be a fun way for people to keep track of them when I move on.

4.      What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

My dogs. There is something so comforting about having someone with me even when no one else is home. They often hear an idea for a scene before anyone else does.  They don’t make good critics, though. They like everything.

5.      What was the last book by another author that you read?

I just read Sandra Marton’s Prince of Pleasure and loved it. I’ve been reading her romances for almost 20 years so I wasn’t surprised that I enjoyed it.

6.      You live on a small farm.  What one chore do you absolutely hate to do?

I don’t like spring clean up. I’m ok with poop detail year round. Don’t mind it fresh. Don’t mind it frozen. But when the ground is muddy and what was once hidden begins to thaw and appear – that’s when I send in the Marines.  Well, one retired Marine anyway. My husband is very good about taking over that chore for me each spring. I don’t need flowers or diamonds to know that he loves me. That’s plenty of proof for me!

Week Five of the Fantasy Movie Vote!

Dani's results are in.  The winner of the poll was...  Cote De Pablo!  She was the overwhelming favorite to play the role of Dani.
And now, we pick our favorite play Cole.  There are five choices listed below based on nominations from readers of the Bluegrass Series.  Feel free to leave your vote in the comments section or go to the facebook poll HERE to cast your vote.

David Boreanaz
Stephen Amell
Wes Bentley
Ryan Gossling
Matt Boomer

Voting for Cole will continue until Wednesday November 21st, 2012.  Check back next week for the next poll.  I am still taking nominations for Paige.

Author Interview: Amy Metz

I share a lot in common with this next author in the interview series.  We are both Kentucky authors, attended Centre College, and write Romance themed mystery/suspense novels set in small Southern towns.  We met at Centre's homecoming this year during the book signing and I am pleased to introduce you to Amy Metz!

Information about books by Amy Metz:

Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction is the first in a humorous southern mystery series. The second book in the series, Heroes & Hooligans In Goose Pimple Junction, will be released soon.

1. Your book has a very catchy title.  Can't help but wonder... is Goose Pimple Junction a real place or a product of your imagination?

It’s both. There is a real Goose Pimple Junction in Virginia that I came across in 1985. I loved the name then and never forgot it. When I decided to write a humorous southern mystery, set in a quirky town, the name just seemed to fit. My fictional GPJ is in Tennessee.

2. What do you have planned for the future?  Will you work on stand-alone books or are you creating a series?

Again…both! Goose Pimple Junction is a series. The second one is complete, and I’m working on the third. But because I have writer’s block a lot, and probably because I’m a little ADD-afflicted, I’m also working on two romance novels, a memoir, and a thriller. It depends on which of my imaginary friends is talking to me as to what I work on.

3. What was your inspiration to write Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction?

Sadly, the two murders that take place in the 1930s portion of the book are based on family history. As a child, I heard the stories of the murders many times and always thought someone should write a book about them. One of the murders was never solved, and that’s the basis for they mystery in the book.

4. What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

Well, I’m not just being cheeky when I say it would be my computer. In addition to the word processor aspect of it, I use the Internet for research or the online thesaurus. Plus, I’d go crazy if I couldn’t check email or take breaks to feed my addiction with Pinterest once in a while.

5. What was the last book by another author that you read?

Life Minus 3 ½ by Dennis Hart. I highly recommend it.

6. Bless your heart!  What is your favorite Southern saying or slang?

Oh my goodness, GPJ is full of southern sayings, so it’s hard to choose, but I do love “Get your straw out of my Kool-Aid.”

Week Four of the Fantasy Movie Vote!

Mo's results are in.  The winner of the poll was...  Sendhil Ramamurthy!  He was able to pull away from Oded Fehr as many believe he would make a better Ahmed.  Can't say I would complain.
And now, we pick our favorite play Dani.  There are four choices listed below based on nominations from readers of the Bluegrass Series.  Feel free to leave your vote in the comments section or go to the facebook poll HERE to cast your vote.

Jordana Brewster
Cote de Pablo
Mila Kunis
Megan Fox

Voting for Dani will continue until Thursday November 15th, 2012.  Check back next week for the next poll.  I am still taking nominations for the following:  Cole and Paige.

Author Interview: Sandra Marton

This week I would like to welcome USA Today best-selling author Sandra Marton.  She has won multiple writing awards for her books featuring sexy, complex alpha heroes.  She prides herself on character development to create wonderful stories that readers can't get enough of.

A complete list of Sandra Marton's books can be found at her website, http://www.sandramarton.com

News from Sandra:

My newest releases for Harlequin Presents are books in a trilogy, The Wilde Brothers of Texas.  Book one, The Dangerous Jacob Wilde, will be on the stands in mid-November. Book two, The Ruthless Caleb Wilde, will follow in mid-December. The third book, The Merciless Travis Wilde, will be published in April, meaning it'll be available in mid-March.  All three books, of course, will be available in print as well as e-format.

I'm especially excited about my new venture into independent publishing! Right now, readers can download my prize-winning novel of romantic suspense, FREE for their Kindles, at amazon. The  book is Until You, and it's had rave reviews.  Readers can also buy my best-selling novel, Charon's Crossing, the exciting story of a woman who inherits a sagging mansion in the Caribbean… and the dangerously sexy ghost who haunts it.



 

1. When is your next new release due out and give its description.

The Dangerous Jacob Wilde will be on the stands in mid-November.

The Dangerous Jacob Wilde is about a returning war hero, but Jake doesn't think of himself as any kind of hero. He's been wounded, physically and emotionally, and though he's come home to Texas, he has no intention of staying. Jake wants  to get away from everything he's always known—until he meets Addison McDowell. Addison is a no-nonsense New York lawyer.  She finds Jake arrogant and impossible, and she certainly doesn't want to get involved with him… but what does logic have to do with the searing flames of passion?

2.      You are very well known Harlequin Presents  novelist.  How many books have you published with Harlequin?

Yes, I'm happy to say I'm one of Presents top authors, and a USA Today Bestselling author, too. 

I've published 85 books with Presents.  Each has been a joy to write, and my characters stay with me long after the books are written.  My books have been best-sellers in the States and around the world.  Several have been RITA finalists; many have won Romantic Time's Best Presents of the Year awards.  I'm particularly known for my family sagas. I love writing those—I get to deal with lots of characters and stories, and I have a great time, weaving the books together.

3. Your new release, Prince of Pleasure, will soon be available.  What excites you most about this new book?

I'm very excited about The Prince of Pleasure! I love the characters and the story, and I'm thrilled to be writing it as part of my new self-publishing venture!

The initial idea (self-publishing) actually started with my readers, who started asking me to write some books directly for digital publishing more than a year ago. It seemed like a huge step—and one I realized I was eager to take. A few months ago, a  pair of characters popped into my head with a story I couldn't resist, I decided it was time to do what readers wanted.  And I wrote  The Prince of Pleasure.

It's the story of Prince Khan of Altara and American attorney Laurel Cruz.  Khan is a rich, powerful, gorgeous  sheikh. (I have to admit, as a romance reader and writer, I have a definite soft spot in my heart for sheikh novels.) He's in Texas on business. Laurel's had a hard life. She knows, from experience, that it can be a man's world out there, especially when the man is someone like Khan.  She's certain she knows all she needs to know about him: he must be they type who wants women kept in their place. The problem is, the place Khan wants her is in his bed… and to Laurel's shock, that  turns out to be the place she wants to be!

4.   The last book in your Presents Trilogy will be out in April. Which feeling is greater: happiness with completing the story or sadness at moving on to the next project?

It's always tough to leave characters who have come to feel like friends but in this case, I'm not going to leave them!  I'm delighted to say that I'm going to write the stories of the three Wilde sisters!  Readers will meet Em, Lissa and Jaimie in the Wilde Brothers books, and I'll have the absolute pleasure of  seeing to it that the three Wilde women meet three men who can win their hearts. Best of all, I'm going to write that new trilogy directly for e-publication.  Readers who want more information can get it by going to my website, and especially by signing up for my newsletter. I send one out before each new book.

5.  What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

The internet.  I do huge amounts of research for my books.  I travel a lot and I never use a setting unless I've actually visited the city or country, except when I invent a place, like Altara, but the internet is where I turn for information about houses my people might live in, property they might buy, businesses they might run, etc.  It's also where I find informed people who are interested in letting me interview them, generally via email. I've 'talked' to lawyers, doctors, architects, realtors, translators… all sorts of people have been wonderfully helpful to me in my work.  Talking to experts is often vital. I like to get my facts rights.  being interviewed by me

6.  What was the last book by another author that you read?

The Racketeer, by John Grisham.  I'm a big fan of Grisham, John Sandford  and Robert Crais.  All three write novels of suspense but, basically, their books are character-driven.  For me, as a reader and as a writer, characterization is everything.

7.  What is the one piece of advice that you would give to new romance authors?

See my answer to the above question? What it really means is that I don't limit myself to reading only romance. I think too many romance writers see themselves strictly as romance readers.  I believe that the more you read good writers in other genres, the more you learn and the more your characters and settings come alive.

Week Three of the Fantasy Movie Vote

McKenna Mason results are in!  The winner of the poll was...  Emma Stone!  She held off a late charge by Rachel McAdams.

And now, we pick our favorite play Mohtadi Ali Rahman.  There are four choices listed below based on nominations from readers of the Bluegrass Series.  Feel free to leave your vote in the comments section or go to the facebook poll HERE to cast your vote.

Sendhil Ramamurthy
Arjan Bajwa
Oded Fehr
Sam Kalidi

Voting for Mo will continue until Thursday November 8th, 2012.  Check back next week for Dani's poll.  I am still taking nominations for the following:  Dani, Cole, and Paige.

Author Interview: Melody Anne

I'm beginning a new series of posts that feature a quick interview with other romance authors.  The first in the series is Melody Anne.  She is a wonderful friend and is a terrific author.  Her list of books is impressive and they are broken down in three series below in the order in which they should be read:

The Billionaire Bachelors Series
1. The Billionaire Wins the Game
2. The Billionaire’s Dance
3. The Billionaire Falls
4. The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal
5. Blackmailing the Billionaire
6. Runaway Heiress
7. The Billionaire’s Final Stand

Baby for the Billionaire Series (aka The Tycoon Series)
1. The Tycoon’s Revenge
2. The Tycoon’s Vacation
3. The Tycoon’s Proposal

Midnight Fire Series
1. Midnight Fire
2. Midnight Storm

And now for the interview!

1. When is your next new release due out? 

My next release is out December 15^th, 2012. It’s the 4^th book in the Tycoon Series, titled “The Tycoon’s Secret”

2. You have just completed your Billionaire Bachelors series with The Billionaire's Final Stand.  How does it feel to have the series complete?

It’s a bittersweet feeling. I love the Anderson’s as if they’re a part of my actual family. I’ve gotten attached to these characters and don’t want to give them up. I actually miss Joseph when I work on other stuff. I know it sounds silly, but I love this family. They’ve been good to me J

3. Is there a new series on the horizon?  If so, tell us a little about it.

Yes, after I finish Damien’s story in The Tycoon’s Secret, I’ll be working on my heroes series, called “Because of Honor” The entire series is about heroes, the first being a fireman. These are men that grew up in wealth or achieved great wealth, but felt empty, felt a need to serve, so they walked away from the corporate world and now risk their lives. Of course they will find their happily ever after’s.

4. If you were to venture outside of contemporary romance genre and begin a completely new series, what genre what it be?

I’m so glad you asked this question!! I have a YA series called Rise of the Dark Angel, which I wrote for my teenage children. But, I’ve also been working on a horror book. It’s so completely opposite from my romances, it would probably shock my fans. I sent the first part of it to my editor, and she loved it, instantly demanding more, so I think I’ve got a good start on it. I don’t want to say a lot about it at this time, and I’m not sure if it will be a series. It wasn’t supposed to, but it’s grown. I may release it this next spring. It just depends on the timing. Some of its very difficult for me to write, emotionally. I do like it, though. I just hope my fans will, too. I know that I love all genres of books. I read everything from romance to fantasy, to horror. Stephen King and Nora Roberts are my idols in writing, and they are about as opposite as it gets.

5. What one thing can you not live without while you are writing?

While writing, I need silence. I know some people listen to music, but I need just silence. I usually put the fan on, and then sink into my own head. I do have a routine before I write, though, that I’ve noticed. I didn’t realize it until my husband was gone for the weekend. Each night, he comes and lies in bed, because until my office is complete my desk is still in my room. He turns on the dvd player, right now it’s House. I love that show. He’ll watch 1 or 2 episodes, and then go to sleep. While he’s doing that, I’ll check my email, play a game or two of SLINGO on Facebook. I love that game, then as soon as the TV goes off, I begin writing, and I stay up until about 7am. Sometimes a bit earlier, sometimes later. But when he was gone, I had a hard time getting started on my writing, and I realized it was because my routine was off.

6. What was the last book by another author that you read?

Hard question, it’s been a while. I read Ruth Cardello’s new release and loved it. I also read the latest Bluegrass Brothers new release when it was released. It’s been over a month since I’ve read an entire book, though, which makes me sad. I usually use my break times to catch up on email and Facebook. It’s just grown so much that it makes it really difficult for me to catch up on my reading. My kindle is overflowing with books that are crying to be read.

7. What is the craziest thing a guy has done to get your attention?

Bought me gold J I remember in high school, a boy I liked only as a friend, really liked me, and I was clueless about it. I was majorly into sports and didn’t even realize boys were cute until high school. I just wanted to play ball with them, not make-out. Well, my sophomore year, this boy, who shall remain nameless was doing all he could to catch my attention, and I just thought he was being a friend. I was taking an art class, and I needed gold to finish my ring. I didn’t have any, so he gave me a ride to a pawn shop, where I was going to try and buy some. It was too expensive, so I was bummed. The next day, he brings me a baggy full of gold chains. I STILL didn’t get it for a few more weeks that he liked me. I ended up falling head over heels in love with him. He was my first love, who I was with for several years. I still think about him. But we were young, and eventually went our separate ways. I was lucky enough to meet my husband a couple years later. He did some pretty impressive things to get my attention, too. He’s an incredible tailor, and made me two teddy bears. One pink and one blue. I still have them. I love big, romantic gestures.

Final Note from Melody Anne

I just want to add how much I love my fans, and how much I appreciate them. I enjoy my time each day of checking Facebook and seeing the wonderful posts from all of them. So many great people, who are so supportive. I love my job so much because of them. I get tears in my eyes when I see a great posts from someone or they tell me a book meant something to them. I love my job. I have the best one in the world, and I pray it never ends. I do answer all my posts and emails, though at times, it takes a little bit. It’s all me. I also love giving back to the people who support me, so please come join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit with me today. It’s been a lot of fun!!