1. Does Romance Run Amok refer to the different genres you write in or other amokitiness things ? The Blogarazzi needs to know.
Romance Run Amok is that illuminating frenzied rush you feel when you are in a new relationship or that giddiness you experience while reading a great book, the one that makes you giggle and walk about the house with a silly smile on your face until you can get back to reading.
I love to exploit men. Or how they react when they don’t get their way. Men do the craziest things and I love them for it! It is also a celebration of that rocky bumpy road to romance.
2. You’ve written historicals from regency to western. What sort and how much do you research to get the clothes, speech etc correct? Which era is the easiest to research? Old west, regency, medeival, etc?
I am really odd. I love the research portion of writing. I want to know more than what was going on around the characters, I want to know what they smell like, what they ate, and what thoughts would be running through their heads. If they get injured, I want to know what sort of medical help they can expect.
For IF YOU ONLY DARE, which is set in the 1880’s, I ran into a bustle problem. I had managed to pick the only year when the bustle was on its way out of the fashion world. I countered this with the knowledge that fashion would not catch up to the West for at least a year. So, to poke fun at myself, Neville, the hero despises bustles on a woman and only realizes how handy they are when he has to use it to hold on his woman.
Thanks to the web, all eras are researchable. One site that has been most helpful is Charlotte Dillon’s site. She has sections for research in everything from Wild West to Witches and Werewolves.
I have been studying alot recently about the reign of Stephen of Bloise, King of England in the 12th Century. Fascinating reign, that. I will use it for the backdrop for medieval romances entitled The Bastard and Playing for Keeps. Those are next. Knights are very sexy…and funny.
3. When you begin your stories, who usually speaks first, the hero or heroine, or is it the plot?
Geez! That’s a hard question! Blogarazzi is tough! It depends on the plot. Grace led off in IF YOU ONLY KNEW. Neville in IF YOU ONLY DARE, Bobby in LOSE MY MIND, Rupert in THE UNSUITABLE SUITOR and my newest heroine, Dr. Christmas Eve Blevins speaks first in TAIL-TELL HEART. I guess that makes me an equal opportunity author.
4. I noticed a lot of humor in your excerpts. Is this something you like to read as well as write?
Yes! I love the humorous side of the characters, one-liners, facial expressions, clipped diction when warranted. I love Johanna Lindsey because of the humor she interjects. I remember laughing so hard during Gentle Rogue and for me that is a much better read.
5. Do you remember the first romance novel you read that “hooked’ you?
Yes! The Wolf and the Dove, remember when the knight slipped up and spoke in French? I gasped out loud! That was my first jaw-drop from a romance. Oh, I was definitely hooked!
6. What is your idea of a perfect day, for writing? For not writing?
My perfect day for writing would be any day where I could get some peace and quiet. That is a rarity here on the farm, but I have headphones and tons of music. Also, I love to be able to paint myself into a corner plotwise and then figure out an escape route.
For not writing a perfect day would be spending time hiking back on the 75 acres here. We have a small mountain and it is perfect to get away and feel like the only person on earth.
7. Do you have any hobbies you’d like to share with us?
I love to collect hand fans. You know the ones ladies used to use to send instant messages with? Love those! I also learned the language of the fan and employed that in THE UNSUITABLE SUITOR.
8. And please give us an excerpt from any of your books. Be sure to put the buy links in here too though.
I’ll start off with TAIL-TELL HEART, my newest contemporary. I love this one because it is a Christmas novel and the heroine is facing her 40th birthday.
Excerpt From Tail-Tell Heart
“Sorry detective, this shot goes in below the belt, or it doesn’t go in.”
“Geez, get me a doctor. I don’t have time for this.”
“Neither do I.” She moved closer. “Now, let’s get these pants off.”
She reached in for the closure of his jeans. He moved quickly to stop her, laughing nervously.
His fingers slid around her latex covered wrists, holding her still.
“Slow down, baby,” he chided in a teasing, husky voice.
Instead of pushing her away, she realized he was keeping her close to him. He seemed to stare a hole into her skull, his dark brows gathering at the bridge of his nose. “Have we met before?” he asked.
As soon as the words were out, he clamped his mouth shut, shook his head, and continued to stare.
She knew he was trying his best to come on to her. She had to admit the look he gave her was very sexy, as if he were very close to kissing her. She was also captivated by the spicy scent he wore. It stirred her just being this close to him. She stared into his eyes and it felt as if she were seeing him in a different setting. Had they met before?
Had she blinked since he’d taken hold of her wrists?
“Why do you want my pants off, huh?” He whispered the words close to her ear, easing her hand closer.
Nonplussed, she answered him. “Because, I might need to draw some blood.”
“What?” The color drained from his face.
“Just a little prick will do.”
“Whoa,” he laughed nervously, shoving her hands away. His eyes flashed dangerously.
The curtain was wrenched back and Denise entered the room. He seemed to relax seeing another person, though Denise carried a metal tray for the examination.
“Thank God, you’re here,” he said, jerking his thumb towards Chris. “I think this one escaped from the psych ward. You might want to take Psycho Barbie back and get her some meds.”
Denise lifted a perfect eyebrow over her ebony eyes, giving this man her best, Oh, no you didn’t look.
Turning to Chris, she smiled.
“Will that be all, Dr. Blevins?” she asked.
“Yes, thank you, Denise.” Chris called as Denise left the exam room, laughing as she closed the curtain.
“Doctor?” he asked, the shock in his condescending voice insulting.
She smiled, holding up the needle again. “You want to drop them now?”
“No.”
She fought to keep her gloating from showing in her grin as she regarded his sullen expression.
He looked ready to yell at her for somehow tricking him. Was he disappointed to find out she was a doctor or sulking because she had gotten the better of him? And she had gotten the better of him. And he had deserved every bit of it.
“I thought you just wanted a shot.”
“What’s in that?”
“It’s called ten cc’s of whatever. Go ahead and roll over. I’ll be gentle.” She squirted a tiny bit of the clear liquid into the air and stepped forward.
“I’m not about to roll over.”
She noticed how black his hair was against his skin, which seemed to grow paler. His dark brows furrowed upwards and dark lashes framed his eyes, making them appear a deeper blue. His face was rugged, lantern jawed. His mouth firmly set. She figured the same frown had probably loosened the tongue of many a suspect.
The effect, however, was lost on her.
“What the hell is wrong with you, lady?”
“What’s wrong with me? You come in here, ordering me around,telling me what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and you have the audacity to ask what’s wrong with me?”
“Oh, one of those.” He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and let his breath out in a huff.
“One of those?”
“Prissy assed man-hater. I should have spotted it right off.”
“Oh, I don’t know. You don’t seem to be big on noticing things.”
“Is that right?”
“Well, you didn’t notice that I had on a name tag that says MD. That stands for Doctor.
Nor did you notice my pair of”””
“Oh, I noticed “em.” His gaze lowered, letting her know he was staring at her breasts.
Judging from the expression on his face, she could surmise that he liked what he was ogling.
“Stethoscopes. Pair of stethoscopes.”
“Yeah, they’re real nice. You think I could put my ear up to one and talk into the other one?”
He grinned as she felt her face heat with embarrassment. “Look, Doc. Just patch me up and I’ll
get outta your, hair.” As if on cue, her hair decided to pick that very moment to fall over her eyes again.
He smiled at her as she blew the loose strand from her eye. Again she watched as his gaze drifted
to her open blouse. He sucked in a loud breath.
“My God,” he spoke in hushed tones. “You’re a beauty.”
His words were unexpected and she felt them. The look in his
eyes made her want to go weak and she stared at him for a moment, feeling something she hadn’t in years, vulnerable. She willed her resolve back to cover her reaction and smooth the heat in her cheeks.
“Look, I’m sorry.” He sounded sincere, though she suspected it was another detective ploy. “I’ve just, I’ve had a hell of a night.”
“Really?” She drew herself up, her back stiffening. She hoped he would catch the sarcasm in her voice.
“Yeah. I was chasing this bad guy through the alley and when he turned to fire, I dove.”
He cocked his head to the side, as if waiting for a response in kind. His sudden smile seemed to be an attempt at brokering peace. “Anyway, this guy is bad news.”
Chris was amazed at how easily he’d pulled her into his world of cops and robbers.
She was not ready to feel so gullible and wondered if he was merely using detective tricks
to get over on her, maybe trying to get out of his shot. She bet that silver tongue of his got him many a date with many a woman.
“I’m sorry. Do I look like a psychiatrist to you?” she asked him, taking delight in the way his dark brows slashed upwards. She’d certainly caught him off guard.
“What?”
“Well,” she stepped closer. “I don’t recall asking you how your night went, so you either take me for a psychiatrist or a bartender. Which is it?”
His expression hardened again. “Look, Miss Priss. I just need to be stitched up. Please?”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” As she placed the syringe onto the metal tray, she heard the rush
of breath and wondered if it was from relief. “Lie back, please.”
“Geez, helluva bedside manner you’ve got, lady.”
“Do you see a bed?”
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