Thirteen Things about EMBER CASE

1 - Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your life?

What's the best way to describe it. Hectic? Often. Relaxing? When I make the time. Fun? Definately. Between the kids (two of them), husband (just one!), businesses (we run several from home), and writing (three works in progress at the moment) my day usually starts at 5:30am.

2 - Do you write everyday? Any routines or rituals? Are you a plot or seat-of-your-pants writer?

Every day would be a dream. Some days, the most I can manage is a sentence scribbled on a scrap of paper. But every day is the goal, and I hit it more often than not.

Rituals - coffee or tea. Usually a candle nearby, to stare into when I need to blank my mind to better hear 'the voices'. I'm a plotter, but not a detailed one, and the actual book rarely ends up looking like what I thought it would when I plotted it out. I'm ok with that - as long as the book makes sense when it's finished!

3 - How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?

"There can't be only one!" Ahem. Sorry. Most of what I write is erotic romance, but some of it has been more adventure than romance, and then there's the paranormal, fantasy, historical, and one contemporary story in there. SciFi is a big love, and I've got a "space western" I've been sitting on for way to long that I need to dust off and polish. So... varied, I guess.

4 - Star Wars or Star Trek?

Harrison Ford in a gun belt, or Patrick Stewart's beautiful green eyes? I'll get back to you.

5 - What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

That first sale. Nothing makes you feel motivated like success.

6 - Once the deadlines are all met and the manuscript is delivered, what do you do to relax and give yourself a break?

Does laundry count? How about dishes?

I read as much as I can, every genre I can. Ebooks have made it incredibly easy to have a book at my fingertips whenever I find a spare moment, and I've usually got several loaded on both the laptop and cell phone so I can pick up wherever I left off.
I just received my print copy of the fabulous Love and Lore yesterday, and got through most of it last night before I finally couldn't keep my eyes open. Fabulous book! Go buy a copy now!

7 - What web sites or reader groups / author groups do you frequent and recommend?

Samhain Cafe is a fabulous place for readers and writers to talk about their favorite books, life, whatever. Romance Divas has been a huge help since I started writing. And I love blogs. I skim several hundred a week, and have over 50 on my daily "must read" list.

8 - What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I read anything that I can lay my hands on. Favorites are romantic fantasy, scifi, paranormal, some romantic suspense.

I'm lucky so many of my favorite authors are published with Samhain - I get to consider them "sisters". Lauren Dane writes some of the best paranormal erotic romance I've ever read. I'm afraid to list names here because space is short and I'll leave someone out, but the three authors in Love and Lore (Carolan Ivey, Gia Dawn, Sela Carsen) are all fabulous.

I love, love, love Nora Roberts and Linda Howard - I've been reading them both since before I ever really thought about trying to write my own stories, and they never dissapoint. Sylvia Day has been a huge inspiration, as has Angela Knight. Eden Bradley is someone whose books I look for on release day as well.

9 - What is your latest book about?

I'm doing that dreaded two-projects-at-once thing right now. I've got a short sci-fi piece in the works, about a bounty hunter and the woman he's hired to rescue. And a contemporary, about an ultra-rich playboy and the woman he can't get out of his mind.

10 - What will your next release be about?

My next release is also my first - Hunting the Huntress releases on January 8th from Samhain. You can read an excerpt to get a taste for it now, then hurry back and order it in January!

11 - What are the goals you are still working toward?

Time management. Ugh. Self discipline. I constantly ask my little sister, "what's it like to have willpower?" I want it all, now!

12 - When people look at your books, how do you want them to be remembered?

As someone who made people feel. Love, anger, happiness, passion, excitement, anticipation, joy. I want to wring emotion from the reader, so when they sit a book down unfinished they can't wait to hurry back to it. And when they finish it, I want them to be lingering over the last pages, unable to walk away.

13 - What do you believe makes a book sexy?

Emotions. Make me feel what the hero and heroine are feeling, make me know every thought in their head, so intensely I don't hear the phone ring or the kids asking "what time will dinner be ready". Make every page come to life, and you'll have me hooked.

A Tyson Beckford lookalike doesn't hurt either >G<

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