INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR GLYNNIS CAMPBELL

Today I’m interviewing Glynnis Campbell. Her book, THE SHIPWRECK, is a historical romance and was released on January 7.

***GLYNNIS IS GIVING AWAY 2 COPIES OF HER BOOKS TODAY! FOR A CHANCE TO WIN, LEAVE A COMMENT!*****



Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

THE SHIPWRECK is about a Viking marauder who becomes a castaway on the enemy shore he meant to invade, unfortunately falling into the hands of a Pictish princess with a grudge against Vikings.
 

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?

Though I write in many different time periods, all my books are historical romances. THE SHIPWRECK is set in the Dark Ages.


How did this story come to be?

I’ve always wanted to write an origin legend for my Scots medieval Warrior Maids of Rivenloch trilogy. Somewhere in the Warrior Maids’ past, I knew there was a marriage between a fierce Viking invader and a courageous Pictish noblewoman. But I loved the surprising twist in the story of putting the big, tough Viking at the mercy of the wee Pictish lass.


Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold?

When I first sold, I had one ridiculously long three-part manuscript finished, which the publisher split into three books to become the Knights of de Ware trilogy.


What is your writing routine like?

Because odd jobs like research and promotion interfere with keeping a strict schedule, my writing routine is flexible. Generally, I write five or more days a week, from around 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but I’ve also done several marathon writing sessions and occasionally go for a few weeks without writing anything.



Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?

The best reward of being a published author is the knowledge that people are enjoying my books. I love to share these characters and these stories, and it makes me happy to know that I’m touching readers, making them sigh or smile or laugh.



I read that you were a professional singer before you became an author. Do you miss singing or do you juggle both?

I still sing—I’m just not getting paid for it (unless you count my husband tossing quarters into the shower!). I currently juggle writing with doing voiceover acting, however, and this year I plan to start doing audio versions of my books!



What character is most like you or least like you?

I’m probably most like the heroine’s four-year-old daughter in THE SHIPWRECK. She’s very curious and direct, likes to play let’s pretend, and she’s a good judge of character.



What most inspires you in life?

I’m most inspired by the good things people do for one another. Humans are actually pretty decent. I like reading about heroism, hearing about acts of selflessness, witnessing everyday kindnesses. It’s reassuring, it keeps me believing that people are good at heart, and it adds realism to my heroes and heroines.



What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a Native California Gold Rush trilogy set in my hometown of Paradise. After that, I plan to revisit Scotland for the Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch!

 

BOOK BLURB

The legend of Rivenloch is born... When Avril, a Pictish warrior maid and the exiled victim of a berserker, discovers a broad-shouldered Viking shipwrecked on her shore, she immediately takes him captive, never imagining that soon her fiercest enemy will earn her trust, invade her heart, and enthrall her senses.



A little bit about the author

When she’s not writing swashbuckling historical romances and playing medieval matchmaker, she’s a cartoon voice, the wife of a rock star, and the mother of two young adults. She’s been a ballerina, a typographer, a film composer, a piano player, a singer in an all-girl rock band, and a voice in those violent video games you won’t let your kids play. She does her best writing on cruise ships, in Scottish castles, on her husband’s tour bus, and at home in her sunny southern California garden. She loves transporting readers to a place where the bold heroes have endearing flaws, the women are stronger than they look, the land is lush and untamed, and chivalry is far from dead!

Visit her at glynnis.net / Friend her on Facebook / Follow her on Twitter / Share with her on Pinterest



How can my readers buy your book?

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AYO3W2K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=toursupportnet&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AYO3W2K



You can find more information about Glynnis Campbell and her book, THE SHIPWRECK by

visiting her website, http://www.glynnis.net.





Just a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.


1) Mountains or Beach? Mountains

2) Boxers or Briefs? Boxer briefs

3) Bath or Shower? Shower

4) What is your favorite season? Spring

5) What is your favorite thing to eat? Nutella crepe from a Paris street vendor

6) Who is your favorite author to read? Julie Garwood (romance)/Douglas Adams (non-romance)

7) What’s your favorite vacation spot? Scotland—my honeymoon destination!

8) Movies- Horror or Comedy? Comedy

9) Coke or Pepsi? Hansen’s Natural Soda

Photo provided by author. 

Thank you for allowing me to interview you here at Heart of Romance. Good luck to you in your future!!!

Interview with Author ANDREA DOWNING

Today I’m interviewing Andrea Downing .Her book, Loveland is a western historical romance and was released on August 10th.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book. 

It centers on the love between Lady Alexandra Calthorpe, who has returned to the Colorado ranch managed by her uncle and owned by her father, and top hand Jesse Makepeace. Alex had spent several years of her childhood on the ranch before being sent back to England; now she returns, determined to be independent and have a career as an artist, but life doesn't always work according to one's plans!



Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?

It's a 'western historical romance' which means in must take place out west of the Mississippi, generally in the 1800s. For me, coming from living in England, it would have been quite difficult to get right because not only do you have to be historically correct, but your language must be absolutely correct as well. Luckily for me, I'm a cowgirl at heart and have spent loads of time on ranches out west so hopefully got at least some of the language down. Mind you, friends still correct me and I still have to check the Etymological Dictionary every so often so that I don't make linguistic anachronisms. While a western historical romance is not the only genre in which I'm working, the west is always evident somewhere in my work.

I returned from living in England in 2008 and, after settling back into life here which wasn't easy, I started to think again about my love for the west. When I learned how many cattle companies were actually owned and operated by British conglomerates, usually managed by the sons of peers of the realm looking for adventure, Remittance Men if you like, it seemed the perfect combination for a story: take one beautiful English Aristocratic Lady and one gorgeous cowpuncher and, volia! You get one hot story!



Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold?

If so, did you send them out yourself? I finished two novel manuscripts and one film script prior to writing Loveland. The very first I never sent out to anyone and the second I sent to about 3 agents before giving up! I have a huge problem with showing people my work which I've only just managed to overcome with a new outlook ;-) Loveland was the first book I put any effort into selling, though admittedly I gave up on agents fairly quickly and went straight on to The Wild Rose Press.



What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help? 

I haven't any help; I looked into one publicist who specialized in small e-authors but even she was too expensive in the long run. I put together my own press kit and it was pretty successful: I've had articles written about me in 2 UK papers and 1 CO paper, as well as being on Fox Radio out in CO. I've also had articles in 2 e-magazines. Add to that the usual tweeting, FB pages, Amazon author page, endless Facebook pages and it still doesn't seem to do a blind bit of good. I endlessly blog, endlessly, endlessly. In the end, I think you just have to write more novels and build up a good audience and hope for word of mouth.



Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?

My daughter's reaction! She is very proud of me and very encouraging. That is just so great.



Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

Yes, I'm a member of both RWA and Women Writing the West. RWA, of course, is the premier organization for romance writers and they are very helpful on several levels. Most of all, I find the courses they run on line throughout the year a great help, as well as their info on publishers and agents. WWW, on the other hand, is truly supportive. I've made so many friends through that organization, I can't believe it, and that counts for a great deal when you've moved countries!

 

What's next for you?

I have a story on which I'm just waiting for contract with The Wild Rose Press and a contemporary double romance/women's fiction/commercial fiction book being considered hither and thither at the moment. Wish me luck!

BOOK BLURB

When Lady Alexandra Calthorpe returns to the Loveland, Colorado, ranch owned by her father, the Duke, she has little idea of how the experience will alter her future. Headstrong and willful, Alex tries to overcome a disastrous marriage in England and be free of the strictures of Victorian society --and become independent of men. That is, until Jesse Makepeace saunters back into her life...

Hot-tempered and hot-blooded cowpuncher Jesse Makepeace can’t seem to accept that the child he once knew is now the ravishing yet determined woman before him. Fighting rustlers proves a whole lot easier than fighting Alex when he’s got to keep more than his temper under control.

Arguments abound as Alex pursues her career as an artist and Jesse faces the prejudice of the English social order. The question is, will Loveland live up to its name?



A little bit about the author

Andrea Downing has spent most of her life in the UK where she received an M.A. from the University of Keele in Staffordshire. She married and raised a beautiful daughter and stayed on in England to teach and write, living in the Derbyshire Peak District, the English Lake District and the Chiltern Hills before finally moving into London. During this time, family vacations were often on guest ranches in the American West, where she and her daughter have clocked up some 17 ranches to date. In addition, she has traveled widely throughout Europe, South America, and Africa, living briefly in Nigeria. In 2008 she returned to the city of her birth, NYC, but frequently exchanges the canyons of city streets for the wide open spaces of the West. Her love of horses, ranches, rodeo and just about anything else western is reflected in her writing. Loveland, a western historical romance published by The Wild Rose Press, is her first book. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Women Writing the West.



EXCERPT

He watched as she sat on a stool and pulled first one boot, then the other off and kicked them aside, then she stood and put her leg on the stool to roll down her stockings one by one.

He marveled at her wantonness, her lack of propriety. “Alex, stop,” he said, laying his hand on hers. “Stop. You know…”

But he was lost; she took his face in her hands and pulled him to her, kissing him so any resistance he had had was now shattered. His heart was beating faster at the sweetness of her mouth, the softness of her tongue, the lack of air as they sought each other. His hands moved over her feeling the outline of her body, knowing its curves, its gentleness, its yielding. “Are you sure?” he asked at last.

“I want you so much, Jesse, I want you so much, I’m not waiting three years. And if…if anything happens, so what? We’ll get married, that’ll be it.”

“Yes, but Alex, you can’t…I mean it’d be a shotgun wedding, it’s not how—”

“Shh.” She put her finger to his mouth and then turned for him to unhook her gown. He ran his hands gently down her exposed back, feeling each scar, then kissed her neck.

“You have nothing on under...”

“It’s how the gown is made. Monsieur Worth builds the undergarments into the gown.” Her voice was at barely a whisper, a tremor showing her nerves. She turned and still held the gown up to her, then, looking at Jesse, let it drop to the floor.



How can my readers buy your book?

Readers can go to the publisher’s page at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.phpmain_page=index&manufacturers_id=991&zenid=0cfc21278842347ecc9c87cb07c5344c



You can find more information about Andrea Downing and her book, Loveland by visiting her website, www.andreadowning.com


Just a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.
1) What’s your favorite movie? Oh, dear, really? No real faves: anything soppy, probably Gone with the Wind takes the prize.

2) What is your favorite TV show? That's easier: Broken Trail I can watch endlessly.

3) What is your favorite thing to drink? I'm a sucker for champagne but also coke floats and Jim and Ginger. Depends where in the evening I am…

4) Who is your favorite author to read? Too many to mention, but let's start with Maggie Osborne.

5) What’s your favorite vacation spot? Anyplace out west just about, but bury me in Wyoming please.

6) What’s the best piece of advice you have been given? JUMP!!!!


Thank you for allowing me to interview you here at Heart of Romance. Good luck to you in your future!!!

 And thanks so much, Sarah, for having me here today. It's been great.

Christine Warner is here!

Photo provided by author

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Christine Warner

Today I’m interviewing Christine Warner. Her book, Two-Timing the Boss is a contemporary office romance and was released in August 2012.



Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

I live in Michigan with my husband, kids and a geriatric group of furry friends. I’m forced to work outside the home for financial reasons…lol…but would rather spend my time writing—and hopefully someday that’ll be a reality. I love spending time with my family, cooking, taking walks outside in the summer, humor, coffee and chocolate—sometimes I’m a juggler and can manage to do more than one of those at a time. lol



Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?

Two-Timing the Boss is a sexy, contemporary office romance. I have another book out titled Some Like it in Handcuffs and that’s a light-hearted romantic suspense with humor. I also have another contemporary romance titled Bachelor’s Special coming out sometime this year with Entangled Publishing in their Indulgence line.

I read a lot of contemporary romance so that is normally what I tend to write.



How did this story come to be?

I was actually driving into work one Saturday morning and was thinking about my sister. We’re very close and I was struck by an idea of a story involving sisters and what lengths one sister would go for the other. Then I decided it’d be fun if the sisters were twins and from there I came up with the idea of the responsible twin getting talked into dressing in disguise to secure a job so she could help her somewhat ditzy sister afford a surgery she normally wouldn’t have been able to. Of course there had to be an office romance, a few mishaps with her disguise and a moment of discovery for both the heroine and hero.



Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold?
The first manuscript I sold was the first book I wrote, which was Some Like it in Handcuffs. Two-Timing the Boss was the second book I wrote and I have a couple of others in progress or finished that need some tweaking J



What is your writing routine like?

Unfortunately it isn’t as organized as it used to be. Lol In the beginning stages of my writing I would write as soon as I woke up and did a few household tasks. But these days I’m that juggler person more often than not and am writing in between working outside the home on weekends, promoting my own books, and helping promote other authors with a book tour company Buy The Book Tours which I run with a good friend of mine. Now I squeeze writing in when I can, and there are days I don’t get any time in at all—which doesn’t make for a very happy juggler L lol



Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?
I love when a reader takes the time to reach out to me via facebook or email to let me know that they enjoyed my story. That is definitely the best thing and keeps a smile glued to my lips for days!



Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I was a member of RWA for several years, but I let my membership lapse because all of the meetings were on weekends and I work every weekend. I do belong to a couple of very small critique groups and the women I’ve gotten to know have been invaluable. Everyone shares and helps and it’s a wonderful place to learn and grow as a writer.



What character is most like you or least like you?

That’s a toughie…there’s a little bit of me in every character. My humor, my insecurities, my strengths and weaknesses and even a few quirks.



What most inspires you in life?

Definitely my family. They are so supportive and full of desire to see me succeed.



What’s next for you?

I’m hoping to spend 2013 writing and submitting stories. I’m looking forward to my release with Entangled Publishing and can only hope that I’ll have a couple of books released this year. Fingers crossed (eyeballs, legs and arms too…lol)



BOOK BLURB

Farah Smith is on a mission: secure the funds for her twin sister’s surgery. She’ll do whatever it takes to succeed. Even if that means putting her values aside to work for a man she finds morally bankrupt. But when the real Farah meets her new boss, she wonders if she’ll be able to resist his sexy advances long enough to help her sister.

From the blonde wig, to the stilettos strapped around her ankles, Farah’s a clone of Keller Donovan’s harem of past assistants. She can’t believe she’s let herself be talked into the disguise, let alone working for the man planning to demolish the hospital her sister so desperately needs, but the salary he offers is the only way she’ll be able to afford her sister’s surgery. The moment Farah meets Keller she realizes her most daunting task isn’t typing, spreadsheets or organizing travel arrangements, but fighting the growing attraction toward a man whose ruthlessness is legendary in the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

Determined not to end up in a disastrous marriage like his divorced parents, Keller believes all relationships should have a shelf life of sixth months or less. But when he meets Farah, all bets are off. He not only wants her to continue as his personal assistant, but his own private bed warmer. Unfortunately, his offer of an affair doesn’t sit well with her fairytale dreams or the strangled hold gripping his heart.



A little bit about the author

Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.

Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.

A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website at christine-warner.com.



Excerpt

These damn shoes would be the death of her. She could read the headlines now: Penniless P.A. Falls to her Death while on Job Interview.

Almost to her destination, with no more mishaps, her confidence surfaced. Okay, maybe mastering this heel thing wouldn’t be such a big deal. Her steps became light, almost bouncy. Although she sensed Keller Donovan behind her, she didn’t let it deter her feeling of success. She stepped onto the large black and red area rug, less than ten feet from her target. The leather chairs.

“Oh!” Farah’s spiky heel caught on the edge of the expensive rug. Her legs shook and she shot her arms out from her sides, circling them like a bird about to take flight. She fought to regain balance inside the ridiculous stilts strapped to her feet. A brawl to the death. Over when she looked down to see the rug coming up to kiss her face. She threw out her hands, sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, scrunching her face as she prepared for impact.

But nothing happened. There were stars all right, and a blazing jolt of electricity shot from her toes, up her legs, through her body and exited with the small gasp which escaped her lips. Somehow Keller Donovan had grabbed her around the waist before she met the floor.

Heat burned her cheeks. He may have saved her body from bruises, but her ego, and whatever confidence she’d walked in with had shattered.

“Let’s not have an accident before your health benefits kick in.” His breath

tickled her ear from behind. Chills hugged her backbone.

His touch released an unsettling flutter in her abdomen. She sucked in her stomach from the pressure of his strong arms wrapped around her middle, afraid to breathe.



How can my readers buy your book?

Two-Timing the Boss and my other book Some Like it in Handcuffs are both available in print and digital format at:

http://thewildrosepress.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.amazon.com/



Email: christine.warner@yahoo.com

Twitter: @ChristinesWords

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/christine.warner.3576

Website/blog: christine-warner.com

Amazon author page: http://www.facebook.com/authorchristinewarner

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ChristinesWords





Just a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.



1) Mountains or Beach?

Another toughie! Lol Depends on the time of the year, but I’d say Mountains have a slight edge over the beach

2) What is your favorite season?

I love Fall. The crisp clean air, the crunch of leaves under my feet, the colors! I look forward to it each year.

3) What is your favorite thing to eat?

LOL…another thing for me that depends on mood. I find I get a craving for something and I’ll want it for days, then I’m done and move on to something else. But I do admit there is always room for coffee and chocolate.

4) Who is your favorite author to read?

I love to read Ann Rule…she doesn’t write romance but does write excellent true crime. As for a romance author, I would never be able to pick just one. There are way to many wonderful authors out there J

5) What’s your favorite vacation spot?

I love visiting Mackinac Island. No cars allowed and it’s like stepping back in time. And the fudge…we won’t even talk about it or I’ll be making the 5 hour drive to get some! lol

6) Movies- Drama or Comedy?

Mostly I prefer comedies, but again it depends on mood. I don’t give very easy answers do I? lol

7) Coffee or Tea?

I think you already know the answer to this one! lmbo





Thank you for allowing me to interview you here at Heart of Romance. Good luck to you in your future!!!



Thank you so much for having me today…I had a great time!

Interview with Author KATHRYN KNIGHT

When fellow The Wild Rose Press author Sarah Hoss offered to host me today for a virtual birthday party, I was very excited. This is the first birthday I’ve had as a published author with my novel released. For the occasion, Silver Lake is going on sale for .99 cents, and the best birthday present I can think of would be for more people to read and enjoy my suspenseful reunion romance/ghost story!

So far this virtual party is all I have planned. Hopefully some family fun and a nice dinner are in my future this weekend. My interest in having some quiet time to read in bed far outweighs my desire for a big celebration of any kind. But as I fondly remember some of the more wild birthdays in my past, I thought I’d research and share some interesting info on birthday traditions and statistics.

Birthday celebrations, like many of our traditions, have pagan roots. It was believed that evil spirits visited people on days of change in their lives…birthdays obviously being one of those days. To offer protection, friends would gather and surround the susceptible person, making merry and sounding horns to frighten off evil spirits.

The gods were believed to reside in the sky, so candle flames on a cake helped to send up prayers. Making a private wish while extinguishing the candles was another way of asking favor from the gods.

In the U.S., one study showed that September and October are the most popular months for birthdays…most likely because 9 months prior, the holiday season was at its peak, not to mention long, long nights and short cold days. The most common date for a U.S. birthday was found to be September 16th. The least common, aside from February 29 because of leap years, was December 25th.

The well-known birthday song was written by two American sisters, Mildred and Patty Hill. It was originally “Good Morning to You”, but became popular when the words were changed to “Happy Birthday to You”.

Hope you enjoyed some birthday history and facts! Please enjoy the blurb of Silver Lake below and take advantage of the limited-time sale on all electronic versions!

Blurb:

Rain Anderson can't decide which is more unsettling—encountering the ghost of her missing friend, or reuniting with the man whose love she foolishly rejected. But one thing is certain: the past has come back to haunt her, quite literally.

Five years ago, Rain's tight-knit group of high school friends unraveled when one vanished during their senior year. Now, a parent's deathbed request has reunited the friends at Silver Lake, including Jason Lansing, the man Rain discarded. Rain and Jason discover the powerful attraction between them has survived, but though Jason is willing to forgive, he can't let himself forget. The possibility of falling for Rain again is too risky.

Slamming doors, crashing objects, flaring fires—clearly the ghost has a message to share. As Rain and Jason struggle to unravel the truth, they must face a desperate spirit in need of help…and a burning passion that refuses to die.

**********Don't forget- Silver Lake is just 99 cents this weekend!*******


http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Lake-ebook/dp/B009AEE6DO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345749376&sr=1-1


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silver-lake-kathryn-knight/1112989132?ean=2940015628333


http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4973

I have 2 winners to announce!

That's right, I have two winners to announce. If you see your name below, please email me at sarah-hoss@hotmail.com so that I can get your info.

The winner for Suzan Tisdale's book is:

Delphi Mama!


The winner for the autographed photo of John Quinlan is:

Melissa Fox!


Congratulations ladies!

Interview with Male Model- JOHN QUINLAN

Photo provided by John Quinlan

Hello everyone! Thanks for joining me here today and you will be glad you did for I have a special treat for you! If you haven’t heard of this gentleman yet, then I know you will. Please let me introduce you to JOHN QUINLAN!

Photo provided by John Quinlan

John and sons at Christmas

P.S.  John is going to give away an autographed photo of himself to one lucky commenter. 




SARAH- John, my first question is the same I ask in all my interviews. We want to know how you got started in the modeling industry?

JOHN- Great question Sarah, basically I have been involved with modeling for quite some time as I started out as a fitness guy. I was fortunate enough to be hand-picked by photographers in gyms back then for catalogs and brochures and I just evolved into different genres of modeling as time went on.



SARAH- I read that you were a professional wrestler. Can you tell us about that time in your life?

JOHN- It was a great time for me; I loved the atmosphere being a student at Killer Kowalski’s famous Pro Wrestling School. We were all working hard to be the best we could be and that was electric! I became good friends with legend Walter “Killer” Kowalski and was also trained by WWE Hall of Famer Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake (aka Ed Leslie). Ed treated me like his own son and looked after me and that really meant a lot. When I look back on it the entire experience brings back fond memories. With all the legends I interacted with, the excitement of the matches and getting luck winning a couple championship belts I have to be thankful to the pro wrestling business for what it gave to me.



SARAH- How did you go from wrestler, to Calvin Klein model to a romance cover model? It’s quite a journey.

JOHN- It does sound crazy but the foundations for me were very similar with all of them. There with just some slight variations along the way. In the very beginning I was a fitness guy so I always took care of myself and tried to stay in good physical condition. Photographers were always coming around looking for guys to engage in various projects so I always wanted to be ready just in case. As you know I went from fitness into pro wrestling and that just meant I changed my diet a bit taking in more calories to be a little bigger so my body could withstand the all the physical contact. After wrestling when I went back into the fitness genre I just cut back my calories a bit and participated in more cardiovascular activity to keep my weight stable. Along the way if I knew I had a photo shoot coming up I would reduce my calories a couple weeks out to get myself “tight” as they say, enough to be in the shape I wanted for that given day. I am a male underwear model so the way I look at is if I am in good enough shape to be photographed in my underwear then I am already one step ahead of the game with Romance as I am really just changing up my apparel and settings.



SARAH- Your website talks a lot about fitness. Have your been into fitness your whole life? How has this impacted your career?

JOHN- I remember I first started getting into fitness to get stronger for school sports. Then through meeting people over the years who were serious about it I began to change the way I felt about training and working out. I have always been very health conscious and I think this has definitely helped me in my career. I think having been involved in this business so long I know what works for me and it is so much easier to get ready for a model shoot or contest now. I don’t really change much so I think being so consistent over the years with fitness has really helped me with everything.



SARAH- You have a lot of tattoos. Can you tell us about them?

JOHN- I do Sarah, being been billed as The Most Tattooed Romance Cover Model in The World today. People tell me I wear them well and have a very unique look which is a combination of sexy and mean. You are all so sweet and I appreciate all the kind words I have received from everybody in the Romance world. I feel my look and tattoos make me unique in this business. People will say to me, “hey, you’re the guy with the tattoos.” It is actually kind of cool when I think about it. Majority of my body art is black and white with an Irish and Oriental theme to them. I have 2 half sleeves, others on my back, both wrists, stomach and fingers etc. I truly enjoy being different!




SARAH- What did you want to be when you grew up?

JOHN- When I was younger I always wanted to be a Veterinarian because the love I have for animals. I grew up with 4 dogs which were all awesome. I remember a s a boy going over friends’ houses and they had cats, birds and fish and I thought having a career working with these lovable guys all day would really be cool. Needless to say I never became a vet but I do still have a soft spot in my heart for our fury little friends.




SARAH- Please tell us one thing about you that we would never find on the internet.

JOHN- Underneath everything I am very emotional person and yes I am comfortable with my sexuality enough to say so! LOL!



SARAH- What are your goals for the future?

JOHN- To be the very best I can be in whatever it is that God has lined up for me. One thing is for sure, no matter what it is, John Quinlan will work hard to make it happen. That I can promise you Sarah.



Just a few quickies if that’s okay? You bet!

Mountains or Ocean? Ocean

Satin or Lace? Lace

Luck or Destiny? Destiny

Front seat or back seat? Back of course, more privacy! Ha ha ha!

Morning person or a night owl? Morning person

Long hair or short hair? (on a girl- LOL) Depends on the girl but ideally long.

Gazing at the stars or watching the sun rise? Sun rise

What’s your favorite color? Green

What’s your favorite food? Greek pizza

Where is the best placed you have ever traveled to? Las Vegas, its Disney World for adults and the best thing is what happens there stays there as they say.

Where you can find John!

www.irishjohnquinlan.blogspot.com 

www.johnquinlan.org

www.twitter.com/johnquinlan

Photo provided by John Quinlan

Interview with Author SUZAN TISADLE

Author Suzan Tisdale

Scottish Women

As a writer of historical romance, or more specifically, Scottish historical romance, I do a lot of research. There are a few famous, and not so famous, Scottish women who played some vital or important role in shaping history. Much is written about the famous Mary Queen of Scots, but I prefer to look at those who are less famous but just as important.

Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdaleis, (1680 to 1749) is one of my favorite Scottish women! She and her husband --William Maxwell -- were Jacobite rebels. He was captured at the Battle of Preston and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Winifred loved her husband so much that when he was captured, she smuggled him out of the Tower by dressing him up as a woman! The cloak she used to help disguise him remains in the family to this day.

Mary Slessor born in 1848 in Aberdeen. Mary grew up in a life of poverty, one of seven children. When she was 25 she became a missionary to Africa. Mary is known for helping to stop ‘twin-murders’ that so often took place in the remote parts of Africa. If a mother gave birth to twins, it was thought that an evil spirit had fathered one of the twins, so both were killed and the mother shunned. Mary ended up adopting 12 of these ‘twin’s. She lived most of her adult life in Africa, living in a mud hut among the people she sought so passionately to help.

Flora MacDonald is another favorite of mine. She is infamously known for helping Bonnie Prince Charles escape from Isel of Uist to Skye in 1746 by disguising him as her Irish maid, Betty Burke. They rowed their way to Skye, avoiding capture along the way. Eventually the prince was able to find his way to France. Flora and her husband lived in the American colonies for several years. After her husband was captured, she returned to Scotland and later her husband was released and able to join her there.

Mary Seton, one of the “Four Marys” who attended to Mary Queen of Scots for many years, including the time the queen was held captive in England. Mary Seton was often called by her last name, Seton. After the battle of Carberry Hill, Seton accompanied the queen back to Endinburgh. At one point in history, after the battle of Langside, Seton helped her queen escape from an island fortress by standing at the window dressed in the queen’s clothes while the queen fled in a small boat. After many years of service to the queen, Mary Seton became a nun. She died in 1615 at a convent in France.

As I write this, I begin to see a theme. All of my favorite Scottish women were famous for helping someone escape from something. Whether it was helping a royal evade capture or saving the lives of innocent children, all of these women took great risks to help someone in need. These were women who could think fast and improvise when needed.

I’m reminded of a more current saying: Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels! These women did these things in full-length dresses and petticoats! ;o)


AUTHOR BIO

Suzan lives in the Midwest with her verra handsome carpenter husband and the last of their four children-a 14 year old, 6"3’, built like a linebacker son. Suzan and her husband are currently accepting monetary donations to help both feed and keep their son in shoes.

They live in a quiet little hamlet where the only traffic jams occur in the very early morning hours when they must wait for the wild deer and turkey to cross the road.


In her distinctive voice, Suzan combines history, romance, and adventure to create epic tales filled with Highlanders, intrigue, romance, and laughter. Her first novel, Laiden's Daughter, Book One in her Clan MacDougall Series, was released December 2011, and has been on Amazon’s Top 100 Best Sellers List since February 2012.

Laiden's Daughter takes place in the Highlands of Scotland, 1344. Betrayed by lies told before her birth, Aishlinn is raised by a harsh and cruel stepfather. Her life is forever changed one horrifying night when she is forced to flee England for the safety of the Scottish Highlands. Rescued by a fierce band of highland warriors, Aishlinn soon learns that honorable men do exist. She finds a strength she never knew she possessed and it will be tested to the limits when she is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision…allow the English to kill those she loves, or surrender for the crime she committed.

Our hero, fierce highland warrior, Duncan McEwan, has survived numerous battles, bed countless women, and survived a horrific storm at sea. He has scaled mountains and even survived hand-to-claw battle with a cat-o’mountain. But none of that could have prepared him for how his life forever changed one fateful spring day when he rescued a lass from a freezing stream. He will do anything to keep her as his own and will risk everything to keep her out of the hands of the English.


Continuing where Laiden's Daughter left off, we have the tale of Findley's Lass. When Findley McKenna returns after his battle with the English to offer Maggy Boyle a home amongst his clan, he finds only death and destruction instead of the young widow who has stolen his heart. The only things left of her home are the burned out hut and decaying bodies of the auld people Maggy has taken care of for the past three years. With only a prayer, his Highlander heart, and a bit of bloodied plaid to cling to, Findley will crawl through hell if he must, in order to find Maggy and her sons and avenge the massacre before him. She had won his heart without trying, and he can only pray for the chance to give her his.


Maggy has secrets, and her own hell to crawl through, before she can give her trust or heart to any man. Fearful that the uncle of her late husband will force her into a marriage with another cold and vindictive man, she goes into hiding to keep her true identity secret and her adopted sons together. After her home is destroyed and her young son kidnapped, those secrets begin to unravel, one agonizing thread at a time. How can she place her trust or her heart in the hands of a man she barely knows and still maintain her freedom and keep her secrets hidden? Findley McKenna is her last vestige of hope at keeping both.


Suzan is currently working on Book Three of her series, Wee William's Woman. It is set for release in the Summer of 2013.


"There is great joy in writing, but the biggest joy comes in sharing what you've written" Suzan Tisdale

 You can find Suzan here!
www.suzantisdale.blogspot.com 



****Please leave a comment and be eligible to win a copy of Findley's Lass OR Laiden's Daughter!********

March workshops for the writer in you!

HI everyone! I hope you had a great New Year's Eve. Hard to believe we are in another year. I hope 2013 is good to you and you are successful in all you do.

If you are a writer, then I have a few classes to tell you about that may help you achieve your goal of becoming a better writer or maybe you just need help finishing a book.

The workshops offered below are sponsored by Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. Celtic Hearts is affiliated with RWA and they specialize in ALL things Celtic. For more information about this group, please visit their web site. I am a member of this group and they have been very helpful to me in my writing career.

HERE ARE THE WORKSHOPS BEING OFFERED FOR MARCH!
Workshops are open to everyone. Cost is $15 for CHRW members and $20 for non-members. All CHRW members receive one free workshop a year.


March 2012 Class #1 (4 weeks March 5th thru 30th)

Creating the Perfect Predator
Instructor: LD Madison

Are all killers the same? Are all rapists motivated by the same things? Surprisingly, the answer is a resounding NO. Even though we'd like to think that all criminals are crazy or simply evil, they are complex creatures as varied and three-dimensional as the heroes we love.

Creating the Perfect Predator the perfect place to start your journey into the recesses of your villain's mind and psyche. Learn how they became the way they are, why they do thing heinous things they do – and what they get out of it.

The four-week workshop is for authors at all levels of writing experience. There are no specific 'prerequisites' other than an open-mind, and a desire to create spine-chilling, believable predators. The workshop is meant to be an overview of criminals and predators – not just killers. It will include the psychology of rapists, arsonists, cult leaders and pedophiles – as well as a strategy for the hero/heroine to find and catch the villain.

Workshop Schedule:
Introduction to Creating a Believable Predator
Profiling – What to look for
Killers – Are they all the same?
Arsonists – A Burning Obsession
Rapists – Who Rapes and Why They Do It
Pedophiles – Are They All the Same?
Mob Organizations and Gangs
Cult and Satanic Crimes – Fool Me Once
How Does Your Hero Catch Them?
Conclusion – Wrap Up and Q&A

Instructor Bio:
LD has been writing and researching criminal behavior and subcultures for the past ten years. In addition to publishing erotic romances, LD has a degree in organizational psychology, and is currently working on a graduate degree in criminology.

REGISTER TODAY



March 2012 Class #2 (2 weeks March 19th thru 30th)
Class #2: Navigating through the Mechanics of Writing Dialogue
Instructor: MM The Queen of English

Think about writing dialogue for a minute. Commas, periods, and quotation marks come to mind quickly, but these aren't the only marks you'll use.

Do you know how to decide if a question mark goes inside or outside the quotation marks? When do you use dashes and ellipses? Are they interchangeable?

Dialogue has other issues than just punctuation. Those tags –Should you use them at all? What if you put the person's name to whom the dialogue is directed at the beginning of each line of dialogue? Can you get rid of tags that way?

What about breaking up the dialogue? Your editor, your friend, or the book you're reading says that you shouldn't have large tracts of dialogue. How do you do that?

The Queen of English will answer these questions and many others related to good dialogue written correctly.

Each lesson will have an assignment. If you complete and return all to the Queen, she'll copy edit 1000 words of your writing.

Instructor Bio:
As an English teacher for fifteen years and as a line editor for Black Velvet Seductions for the past two years, MM the Queen of English has had the mission to find and correct ungrammatical grammar, misused usage, problematic punctuation, and poor writing in others' work.

MM has helped many writers improve their language and writing skills through her fun workshops. Yes, punctuation can be fun! She has presented or will present workshops on Writers Online Classes, Novelists at Work, Savvy Authors, Orange County RWA, and Passionate Ink, just to name a few. The Queen is sure she can help you, too, master the fundamentals of English composition.

REGISTER TODAY