Q&A with Annie Stiles

Annie, congrats on your debut sweet, contemporary romance, A MATCH MADE IN HERITAGE VIEW.  You’ve said that Heritage View is a fictitious town, loosely based on the area where you grew up. Can you tell us a little bit about how that came to be?
 
I grew up in the picturesque Hudson Valley of New York State. It’s an area that is near and dear to my heart. The region is rich with history and boasts lots of interesting, quirky towns that have great heritage and character. The tone can be quite varied, I think due to the influence of New York City blending with the flavors of New England and Upstate New York. They all come together in a really special way. That eclectic quality made it perfect for the creation of a fictitious town that I’ve begun to populate with wonderful characters. The setting has become one of the characters and I’m looking forward to sharing and exploring more of Heritage View as the series progresses.
 
Did you always want to write romance?
 
Yes and no. I’d say it was more of a daydream because I had a whimsical, fantasy idea of what that meant. I somehow saw it as separate from real life and college, jobs, getting married, and buying a house. It was a charming wish or a secret that I carried around in a little pocket in my heart labeled “maybe someday”. I joined RWA several years ago, not really understanding what it was all about. I started a book that was a version of what this one would later become. I got about ten minutes into it and then we started our family and that was that...or so I thought. I can’t explain it, but I wasn’t ready. After our youngest child started school, something changed and I suddenly felt ready. I sat down and wrote the book fairly quickly from scratch. It felt like a switch had been flipped and my heart was ready. I took the dream out of my pocket, dusted it off, and I’m on my way. It’s been a pleasure, and I’m very fortunate that my first novel has been published.
 
When you are not writing, and you have a free moment to read, what do you like to pick up?
 
Hmm. I am pretty devoted to the romance genre, though I also enjoy more book-club type fiction and historical fiction, as long as it isn’t too angsty. I don’t do scary movies or scary books. At this stage of life with young kids and hectic days, I tend to read right before bed. I’m usually half-asleep and I want to relax and be entertained. I love historical romance. Right now, Eloisa James and Lisa Kleypas are auto-buys for me. They are deliciously escapist and entertaining reads, but the writing is really sharp, intelligent, and crisp. I have a huge TBR pile, but don’t we all? I’m the only person I know who hasn’t read any J.D. Robb books and I’m looking forward to starting them soon. For comforting, atmospheric books, Rosamund Pilcher and Marcia Willett are fantastic. I go through phases and I’m prone to glomming. I’m trying to organize my “read/to-read” list on Goodreads now. So much better than little scraps of paper all over the house.
 
What type of audience is best for A MATCH MADE IN HERITAGE VIEW?
 
Can I say mushy people? No? How about sentimental people? The optimistic dreamers, looking for a bit of a cozy, relaxing way to spend an afternoon. It isn’t real life per se, it’s life the way you might wish it could be. The houses are bit quainter, the characters are a bit more charming, the problems are a bit easier to solve than in real life. It is your favorite squishy chair, or a chat with that old friend who knows you so well. It is an ideal story for the beach or lazing by the pool this summer.
 
What are you working on next? 
 
I’ve finished Book 2 in the series and I’m polishing it now to submit to my editor. I’ll start Book 3 this summer.
 
Thank you for sitting down with us!

Annie Stiles was practically born with a book in her hand, but the writing came later. A daydreamer by nature, Annie always secretly wanted to be a romance novelist. It wasn’t until her youngest child started kindergarten that she buckled down and turned that dream into reality. She is fascinated by characters on the page and in real life, and talks with her hands so much that people have been known to duck.
When not on her laptop, she likes to putter in her garden. Annie lives in the beautiful Capital-Saratoga region of New York State with her college sweetheart husband and their two children. They are all owned by two cats. 

Annie writes satisfying, character-driven contemporary romance.
Rose-colored glasses are standard issue.

Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodread

My Favorite Place in Russia by Ally Broadfield

It’s not an accident that the hero and heroine of One Last Kiss are both Russian, though the story takes place in Regency England because both characters find themselves in London due to uncontrollable circumstances brought about by the Napoleonic Wars. I’ve been extremely lucky to have visited Russia three times, and my favorite place is Pavlovsk Palace.

Pavlovsk may at first appear rather plain when compared to some of the much larger, more opulent palaces like Peterhof or Tsarskoye Selo. However, the moment you step onto the property, a feeling of peace and serenity surrounds you. The only sounds you hear are the soft breezes rustling leaves and the occasional happy bird chirping. 

In 1780, architect Charles Cameron began building the classically styled palace for Catherine the Great’s son, who would become Paul I, and his wife, Maria Feodorovna. Though smaller than many of the other palaces, it is known both for the beauty of its fifteen-hundred acre landscape park dotted with decorative pavilions and statuary, and for its unparalleled artistic collections including furniture, textiles, and sculptures.

Unfortunately, Pavlovsk, like many of the palaces in St. Petersburg, was destroyed during World War II. The Siege of Leningrad (historically and currently known as St. Petersburg) began in September of 1941, and Pavlovsk Palace was occupied by enemy troops for nearly two and a half years. What remained in the palace was pillaged, bridges and pavilions were destroyed, and more than seventy thousand trees were felled to build fortifications around Leningrad. Most damaging of all, in January 1944, when forced by the Soviet Army to retreat, enemy forces set the palace on fire, reducing it to little more than a pile of rubble.

Countless fragments of murals, fireplaces, plaster moldings, and other pieces of décor were painstakingly sifted from the rubble of the palace. These, along with architectural drawings, pictures, and other items that survived, made restoration of Pavlovsk possible.  Restoration began in 1954, and the interiors of the palace were completed in 1978, making Pavlovsk the first of the Russian palaces to be reconstructed after the war.

The first time I visited Pavlovsk, a feeling of serenity overcame me the moment I stepped off the bus. It’s the only palace in any country I’ve visited that I could imagine living in. I was especially drawn to Maria Feodorovna’s library. With afternoon sun shining gently through the windows overlooking the pond, it looks and feels like the perfect place to write. 

I was delighted to learn that one hundred and twenty-five books that were stolen from Pavlovsk during the war were located in Germany and returned to the palace recently. In 2012, a research group from the University of Bremen was formed whose focus is to track down the artifacts that were stolen from six Russian museums that were decimated by the German occupation during the war, including Pavlovsk Palace. In all, more than 300,000 books were taken, 11,500 of which came from Pavlovsk. There is still much research to be done in both Germany and Russia to determine the fate of the rest of the books, but even this small stash of books is helping to restore the palace to its former glory piece by piece.

What is your favorite place you’ve visited? What makes it so special to you?

Ally has worked as a horse trainer, director of marketing and development, freelance proofreader, and a children's librarian, among other things. None of them were as awesome as writing romance novels (though the librarian gig came closest). She lives in Texas and is convinced her house is shrinking, possibly because she shares it with three kids, five dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and assorted reptiles. Oh, and her husband.

Ally likes to curse in Russian because very few people know what she's saying, and spends most of what would be her spare time letting dogs in and out of the house and shuttling kids around. She has many stories in her head looking for an opportunity to escape onto paper. She writes historical romance set in Regency England and Imperial Russia.

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About the Book

London, 1812

Captain Mikhail Abromovich would rather single-handedly face the entire French army than follow orders to deceive Anna, the woman of his heart, by feigning a courtship to hide his covert activities.

Ever since a gossip sheet revealed the details of her extensive dowry, Princess Anna Tarasova has been overrun by fortune-hunting lords. When her childhood sweetheart mysteriously appears in London and asks to court her, it seems too good to be true.

For Mikhail, who is both soldier and spy, being chosen to represent Russia in secret negotiations with Britain should be the assignment of a lifetime. But once his deception is revealed, he’s certain Anna won’t believe his love is real.

Excerpt

Misha watched as she leaned low over her mare’s neck and gave the horse free rein. He let out a whoop and took off after her, his much larger mount rapidly gaining ground. He had closed the distance to about ten feet when a fox, perhaps roused by the vibration of the horse’s hooves against the ground, dashed out of the bushes. His stallion barely glanced at the disturbance, but Anna’s horse shied away. She tilted to the right, and before she could regain her balance, her mare kicked at the fox, sending her hurtling to the left. His heart lurched, knowing he would not reach her in time to help. 

How-to Tips for Aspiring Writers: Elle James

Write! So many people dream of writing a book. So few actually put that dream into action.

Here are the typical excuses: 

“I don’t have time to write.” – If you want something badly enough, you MAKE time to do it. If writing a book is a real goal in your life, you will make the time to write. I’ve known mothers of small children, who also worked full time jobs, find time to write before the kids woke or after they went to bed. They wrote during their lunch hour or on break. Some dictated into their phones on their commute to and front work. If you want something badly enough, you will make the time. 

Learn! 
When I started writing in the year 2000, I had the benefit of joining a great organization Romance Writers of America. I met people with a lot more experience in this industry than I had and went to workshops at the national conference. Through my affiliation with this group, I joined critique groups and learned how to edit my work and how to take constructive criticism of my writing and hone my craft. I read books, did online workshops and learned as much as I could about every aspect of the industry. I’m still learning. The Publishing industry is constantly changing.

Be fearless! Some people get bogged down in grammar and industry “rules”, like proper sentence structure, genres that are or aren’t selling, and trying to make their work perfect every step of the way. This can be crippling and make you stall out on your story. Give yourself permission to write garbage. My mantra? “You can’t revise a blank page. You CAN revise crap.” Write the story. Then revise the crap out of it!

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author ELLE JAMES also writing as MYLA JACKSON is an award-winning author of stories including cowboys, intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edges of their seats. With over eighty stories in a variety of sub-genres and lengths she has published with Harlequin, Samhain, Ellora’s Cave, Kensington and Avon. When she's not at her computer, she's traveling, snow-skiing, boating, or riding her ATV, dreaming up new stories.

Elle's Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Page

Christine Hartmann on The Inspiration Behind Wild Within

The idea for Wild Within came because I took an exercise class with a gregarious instructor and a nervous ex-wife. The background is a little complicated. The instructor knew I’d written a memoir, knew a woman in class who had a fiction-writing son and ex-husband, and this all led to my attending a father-son book reading at a local bookstore. Which I did mostly to support the ex-wife. 

But during the question and answer, the son emphasized that fiction writers need to find experts to inform them about their chosen subjects. You need, for example, to find a professional football player to give you the inside scoop if you want one of your characters to play pro football. I left the bookstore inspired to try my hand at writing fiction. “But that business about finding an expert to match my interests…who has the time?” I thought. So I decided to flip his advice on its ear. Instead of finding an expert to match my interests, I would match my interests to the expertise of the most easily available person.

My husband, Ron Strickland, is a nationally-known long distance hiker, one of only two living founders of a national scenic trail. He has hiked numerous long trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail. I arrived home that evening and, ta da, I had my expert. Now all I needed was a premise, plot, and some characters. 

Amazon

I wanted to write a romance with suspense, so I quizzed Ron about isolated sections of trails. We settled on a particular section of the Pacific Crest Trail in California. I wanted a female main character, so I asked him about women he met on the trail and the reasons they gave for hiking alone. This led to the premise: “What happens when a woman hiking alone in memory of her brother meets a killer on a section of trail where there’s only one direction for both of them to go?” The characters and plot gradually took shape in my mind and on paper. Lone Star, the romantic lead, was one of the first I developed. 

Looking back, the best piece of advice Ron gave me was to write a very detailed outline. But I still had a problem keeping track of where all the characters were along the trail at various time points. I eventually drew a map of the major peaks and populated it with stick figures. I moved them back and forth so I could keep straight who was ahead of whom. 

I can count on two hands the number of times I’ve been on a long-distance trail. But spending months with my head buried in Pacific Crest Trail guides and grilling Ron on the details of hiking in the desert and the mountains, in snow and in rain made a part of me want to get out there and hike. Now if I could just get his bear story out of my head.

About the Author

Christine Hartmann grew up in Ohio and Delaware and loves traveling to exotic, romantic settings. After a college semester in Kathmandu, her first three “real” jobs were all in northern Japan, where she lived for almost 10 years. She currently splits her career between her daytime occupation (improving the quality of veterans’ nursing home care) and her nights/weekend avocation (writing both fiction and non-fiction books). Her husband Ron Strickland is a well-known long-distance hiker and trail guide writer and the founder of the 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Christine loves reading, pilates, bicycling, and snorkeling, and health foods that taste like they’re bad for you. You will often find her at a keyboard, a German shepherd at her side, and Ron whispering sweet edits over her shoulder.

Connect with Christine at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Q&A Jodi Thomas, Lone Heart Pass

What barbecue meal would you pair with Lone Heart Pass?  

Ribs, of course, with potato salad made with mustard, and cowboy beans warmed with chili and peppers. 

If you didn’t write romance series, what type of genre would you enjoy writing next?  

I think it would be fun to write children’s books.  I have a great time telling  my grandchildren stories.  One they love is Pete the Pirate.  I made him up.  He was hit in the head once and talks backwards.  They always giggle and guess what he’s trying to say.

Which book cover out of the Ransom Canyon series would you say is your favorite?  

When I first saw the first book RANSOM CANYON I loved it more than I’ve ever love a cover and then the next one, RUSTLER’S MOON came, then LONE HEART PASS.  Every time I think it’s better.  But, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the next one SUNRISE CROSSING.  

What are three things from your bucket list you still would like to cross off?  

Last month I took a boat through the Everglades in Florida and saw the lights come on at dust at the Eifel Tower, so my list was shortened in March.  I’d like to go to Israel.  I’d love to see the Northern Lights.  And, I’d love to see one of my books become a movie.

Out of all your books, which one would you love to see become a book to movie adaptation?  

I think LONE HEART PASS would make a great movie.  It’s got a handsome hero, a crazy heroine, and a great love story.

For someone who has never been to Texas, what are some of the must-sees of the lone star state?  

We’ve got everything in Texas, it’s just a few hundred miles apart.  My favorites are:
Big Ben National Park in the south,
the San Antonio Riverwalk when it lights up at Christmas,
the Hill Country down by Fredericksburg where bluebonnets take your breath away this time of year.
Palo Duro Canyon in the winter when snow dusts the red rocks across the formations called the Spanish Skirts

Do you travel for ideas when writing a book?

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If so, where do you tend to go?  I see stories everywhere I go.  Most of all, they come to me when I ‘walk the land’.  Sometimes ideas come to me when I hear a phrase or listen to a song or see how people interact.  Last month I went out on a ranch that helps horses and ‘walked with the herd’.  There was a peace to it that I hadn’t expected.

What is the most important thing that people don’t know about your writing that they need to know?  

They may not know that my characters come alive to me.  By the time I’m five chapters into a book I stop calling them characters and call them people or by name.  Sometimes it like I’m walking beside them through the plot.

I always laugh and say my sons are worried that I might just forget and accidentally name one in the will.

How do you feel about eBooks vs. print books?  

I read them both.  I love the feel of a book in my hands but I love packing a dozen eBooks in my suitcase when I leave on a trip.  Both have their place and I find myself reading more books than ever.

What are you working on next?  

I’m just starting what will be book five of RANSOM CANYON.  It starts out making me smile because I’ve grown to love the little town of Crossroads and the people

Q&A with Marin Thomas, A Cowboy’s Claim

How did you first get started writing romance?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. In high school I was co-sports editor of the student newspaper and in college I majored in broadcast journalism. It wasn’t until I took a creative writing class at the University of Arizona that I discovered how much I enjoyed fiction writing. After graduating college I married, had kids and became a stay-at-home mom who read romances to escape the stress of raising two toddlers. When my youngest began all-day kindergarten, I cleaned out the basement and discovered the short stories I’d written in college, which reminded me how much I enjoyed writing and I decided to try my hand at writing a romance story. My first manuscript was a cliché pirate plot that landed in the recycle bin. I switched to contemporary stories because historicals required too many trips to the library to do research. (Yes, I’m old enough to have written a book without the help of Google) It wasn’t until I joined Romance Writers of America in Denver, Colorado, that I became serious about pursuing publication. Eight years later I sold my first book, The Cowboy and the Bride, to Harlequin American Romance and since then I’ve contracted over thirty-five stories for the line.

If you could be any heroine from your favorite novel, who would you choose and why?

Ellen Tanner from Nelson in Command (July 2013). I grew up in a small town and remember taking Sunday drives with my grandfather through the back roads of Wisconsin. I’d stare at the passing dairy barns and imagine what it would be like to grow up on a farm and take care of cows. Then we’d stop at a tavern and “Gramps” would buy me a Shirley Temple and a bag of cheese popcorn and he’d drink a draft beer before we headed home. 

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Out of all the books you’ve read, which one would you turn into a book to film adaptation, (if it has not been done before)? 

Any Curtiss Ann Matlock romance would make a great movie!

List five adjectives to describe yourself.

Dry sense of humor
Homebody
Blue-collar heart
Determined
Directionally Challenged 

What’s your favorite place for inspiration?

The passenger seat of a car staring out the window at the passing scenery. I also love junk hunting in salvage shops and dumpy places like the Texas Junk Company in Houston. What can I say—junk speaks to me. There’s a story behind every castoff and trinket no one wants anymore.

Do you have one thing that can completely distract you while writing?

Social Media 

What is your favorite quote by a writer who inspires you?

“You Must Do The Things You Think You Cannot Do” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

When it comes to book covers, what attracts you to buy a book? 

Color scheme and how the overall scene speaks to me emotionally. 

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

No, but many times I was relieved I wasn’t one of them.

If you could ask any character in A Cowboy’s Claim a question, what would it be?

I’d ask Tanya McGee what took her so long to make her move on Victor Vicario.

What are you working on next?

A new cowboy series involving three brothers caught in the middle of a feud between their grandfather, mayor Emmett Hardell and the matriarch of Stampede, Texas, Amelia Rinehart. Despite Emmett’s objections Amelia is determined to give the dusty west Texas town a makeover and enlists the help of her female relatives. It isn’t long before the women realize the biggest obstacle in their path is a Hardell cowboy.